Amigos actively attempting austere actions August 24>

[Happierwithouthim]

Link to last thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/cost_of_living/5007277-familiar-friends-in-frugalityfeb-24?latest=1

All welcome, the vibe is frugal life to make the things that matter possible, which is different for everyone, some of us have overcome debt, separations etc. All are friendly and we're sometimes chatty, sometimes quiet.

Don't lurk, join in

It’s a dear do this Christmas lark

Hi, joining for inspiration and accountability please! £26,958 credit card debt and first baby due May 2025. Trying to pay down cards as much as possible before then.

Hi snug. Do you have as much you can on 0% and low interest rates
also doing the standing order trick if you can

Yes, all on 0% luckily. I need to amend my standing orders

Welcome @snugasapug amd congratulations 🎊

Are you having to pay to host all of the Christmas festivities @life ? If dmam can't host, would she be able to chip in a bit?

Fruganews: Making headway on cc1 (have kept trips/days out to a minimum and eating from the freezer and got a refund for an unneeded item). I think I'll be within a couple hundred pounds balance remaining.
Have avoided all of the black Friday sales, but have my eye on 2 things which are already budgeted for (just seeing if they come down in price this weekend).
And then a discussion with a financial advisor this week to think about retirement options and schooling plans.

Yes dmum is chipping in a bit. Still going to be £££ more but it’s family right

spend day but the bulk of the festival shopping done. Sweets and cash to get now

Bastards snow. We were meant to be going to a sewing fair today but roads are shite. £30 wasted

Firmly resisting the Black Friday sales and holding strong.

But, I fear that I've resuscitated both the 2011 and 2013 laptops for pretty much the last time and working with such creaky machines is genuinely hampering flexibility and productivity. We may need to replace one of them! Hoping for an outstanding CyberMonday offer.

And, it could be worse, but we've some fence posts that have broken in the high winds. We need to get them out and remove the fence panels before they break.

So, we'll definitely need to spend some money on that. Even if we do it ourselves and don't get more damage today it will be £350-420. However, we'd budgeted for another hotel stay for DH's follow-up in early December but it looks like the waiting lists will bump that into next year. This gives us a little more financial flexibility.

Definitely in the Sheriff of Nottingham mode at present.

£17 in Co-op because I can't get out of the town to Aldi due to the floods, so I just did a 'see us through a few days' shop, topped up with bread, milk, some fresh veg and a couple of pastries for sunday pudding.

Ordered my cooker, I've gone for a Kenwood in the end. I transferred the money out of savings and ordered it on line. Then realised I'd made a silly mistake and ordered the wrong one, so spent 30 minutes on the phone ordering the right one and cancelling the wrong one. I think both payments will come out before the refund of the cancelled one goes in, so I will have to transfer some more in case that happens.

Thank goodness I got a hold on finances this year and its there to transfer. Thanks to all the support on here, I really am in a better place than this time last year. 💐to all of you.

Hello. I’m back!

anotnet one firmly resisting the Black Friday sales. (Unless it’s something I’d already allocated money for…!)

trying hard not to go crazy for Christmas. I LOVE christmas!!!!!!

I have just paid a deposit on a holiday though. After my chemo is done and before my surgery we are going to Tenerife. Early Feb. So will get some much needed time away from the shit at home and some winter sun. Hoorah.

After my chemo is done and before my surgery we are going to Tenerife. Early Feb

Excellent idea, em. Very good use of savings.

Nice em. Enjoy winter sun

how annoying Nellie but yeah to being in a better place

ah Alan. Wot a ledge. Pleased you have a bit of flexibility but boo to treatment delays

spends weekend BF shopping & knitting and stitching show ££££

Some spending this weekend for me too, have bought some maternity clothes in the Black Friday sales and ordered a few dresses from Vinted as well. Bought a theatre ticket to go with a friend - I struggle to say no to things like this because I worry I’ll start losing touch with friends, especially as I have moved closer to family to have the baby.

It’s important to do nice things if you can snug. And the budget allows.
congratulations we haven’t had a thread baby for years now

Another one keeping things tight for Black Friday- bought 3 needed things and 1 on the wish list (wish list item was less than a fiver on vinted). Saved £70 on the new things and have already been used.

Ready for payday tomorrow. Managed to get cc1 down to -974 through budget left over from this month so really pleased with that. Had a really good money meeting with OH to discuss future plans given the paycut. I'm going to be a lot more intentional about our house projects - postpone them and/or prioritise the ones that will add value to our lives (function over aesthetics). We're very lucky to live where we live so I want to concentrate on that than always thinking of what isn't done, or the next thing we could do.

Hi everyone l haven't been here for ages . I was Mrs Mad .
Been reading up on past posts and was so shocked to hear your news Em . I hope you are feeling as well as possible, bless you sweetheart 💐

Cc1 is done!!! 🥳 from 4834 to 0. Had some lucky windfalls with a tax refund and complaint compensation (combined 1200) but the rest was all cutting back and prioritising payments.

That's amazing well done Christmas he as come early for you ☺️

Congratulations, Chile! I hope that you feel every bit of the accomplishment.

You're making such excellent headway into managing your finances.

Well done chilli

Well done @Chile1978 !!

@Chile1978 that is bloody brilliant, well done. X

Payday today. Put stuff into pots.

Thank you everyone. Feels a relief even more so with the looming paycut.

Avoided spends: tempted to get a takeaway, but instead had a freezer meal. Having some treats in the freezer - like the nicer pizzas, etc. Whilst maybe a bit more expensive at the shops saves money from not eating out.

December is a spendy month though so have allocated £90 extra into our entertainment budget.