Is your March miserly or munificent? Join the frugaleers sharing news and tips.

[BigSkies2022]

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Payday. Have done all my manual transfers into their various pots, and standing orders/direct debits all accounted for. Guilt-free spends set for the month! Tax return will be filed next week.

Book group meets today. This month's book was an unrewarding slog for me, so might struggle to find anything much to say. Never mind, a new one issued today and a copy of Morgan Housel's Psychology of Money is waiting for me at the library.

I haven't yet got the measure of all of April's bill changes, but they will leave less in the joint account each month. But still aiming to get some spring gardening prep done, at least some of which - compost, jet-wash hire - will involve expenditure. Thankfully, weeding, pruning, digging, comes free!

Back from our 2 days in London. We were sensible but still spent a fair bit. The public transport is fantastic but did add up. We were sensible with snacks and had a rucksack of supermarket multi packs.

Now time to be good again and try to get back on track.

NSD today yay!
Hope everyone is enjoying this weather 😁

I can't remember months ago who suggested it to me, but I did as suggested and changed as many DDs as I could to the first of the month. And it makes me feel really good to see them all go out on the first! Like a sigh of relief, there they all go, no need to worry this month.

That's a leftover feeling from years back when I'd rob Peter to pay Paul every single month, scrambling around with fear knowing I didn't have enough money for the next direct debit etc. I thankfully haven't been in that situation for over a decade now but I still remember the feeling, so it's just nice to see them all fly out.

Will pop to the supermarket for tampons, chocolate and ingredients to make mini egg cookies after work!

Know that feeling pennies not personally (thank god) but it was my childhood and I remember it vividly, I'm glad you have the good feelings now.

The tax man buggered my tax code up, so l have sorted that out today , took ages they don't want to answer their phones do they but it's done now. Also stopped the direct debit going to BG now Eon have taken over .
Just got to sort out my car insurance now. That will be a job n a half though but not for another month so that's for tomorrow 😁

Aprils bills paid, money moved to sinking funds, mortgage paid off in full now. Nice start to the month, hopefully a better month financially, as last month it was a bit tight and the dental bill meant I overspent, although that came from the emergency fund.

Rob Dials latest episode on the Money Mentor podcast is about taking 24 hours to purge your life, physical, technological and mental spaces. If it's not serving you let it go. I've decided that will be this weekends job, and already have a headstart as I already sorted my wardrobe and bedroom back in January. It might actually make me motivated to stick things on vinted/ebay.

Sounds good about the DDs pennies

Hope you enjoy this month's book bigskies

Hope you get your car insurance sorted Mary mines due this month and couldn't log in to the current one as I suspect there'll be a quote in there! Will try again, it's because DH and I share the same insurer. I ran Compare the Market last week, it was a bit cheaper than last year 🙏 helps with the extra on council tax, water etc

NSD on daily spends which is what I keep a close eye on. Did spend £33 on a gym membership for DD with set up fee. £22.50 per month, so £5 per week and she wants to go twice per week. Can cancel any time so thought it was worth it.

That’s a good price for gym membership Mochi I changed gym recently and I’m now paying £28 per month rather than £65. I don’t get classes with the new one but I wasn’t really using them as they got booked up so quickly.

My car insurance renewed last month and it’s actually gone down by £9 a month which was a nice surprise. I did compare online and my existing company came out cheapest so I stuck with them.

NSD for me ☺️

That's a junior price for DD @Redhairandhottubs but it's not bad. Adult pricing is either £35 or £45. She doesn't get much pocket money so I don't mind paying for something positive.

psuedo - did you just, casual-like, slip that your mortgage was paid off now? Like, this month? Where's your parade??? Well done!

I would love to let all the stuff that is not serving me go. This feels like an aspiration, rather than an realistic plan right now, though. I am having to make plans that accommodate my procrastinating self at present. Financial planning is helpful because it combines clear metrics, short and long term goals.

I have to go for a gynae scan tomorrow, and the letter tells me to plan for a visit of 4 to 6 hours. I can only hope they are wrong, because the dog will be home alone and that length of time is beyond shit, in every sense, for him. On the plus side, I will be able to make good inroads into new book group title.

@PenniesButton i know that feeling, my parents gave us a lovely happy childhood but they had a small income and lots of kids. I’m slowly coming to realise that I do have financial behaviours and fears directly related to this.

well done @psuedocream3 on paying off the mortgage!

it’s been an expensive 2 days. €300 on clothing to round out my spring wardrobe. This would have been higher as I was in penneys planning in buying stuff when I realised I needed to leave immediately to catch my train. Penneys in my home town doesn’t have these items.

€15 on Easter egg for DH. €10.50 for food in work today and €51 in dunnes for new pillows, rain jacket and sun hats for small child.

€60 on a helmet for small child. They start camogie tomorrow and I’ll need to pay registration fees then.

it was a very busy weekend and travelling for work on Monday means I’m feeling quite chaotic at the moment. Working from home tomorrow so I’ll have a chance to settle a bit and can catch up on jobs etc during breaks. This should help with the spending urges too

£78 spent in Iceland today including pensioners discount..
But we have food in the freezers now - still need to think about a meat delivery at some point and also need to think about foods that DH can have that are diabetic friendly. But we are definitely not buying so many sweet/carbohydrate heavy things and protein based foods seem to be the way to go - so eggs, fish etc. - we might both lose some weight if this becomes a permanent feature!! DH is a bread lover so that is now restricted but he is experimenting with alternatives like crackers/ryvita with salads and toppings. Everything is a learning curve - trying to get the things DH likes but in a better format like crustless quiche with plant based fillings. Made a few mistakes but heyho!! But he definitely does not like testing every day!!
Had Car insurance quote - it's gone down!! 🤔Need to update some changes over the phone and hope fingers crossed it will stay the same.
Still waiting to find out what the water bill will do - had the letter to say that it's going up but not by how much?! Typical!!
The balance of the holiday is due in a few days but hopefully April won't be as spendy as March was - three family birthdays to sort but one of those is card only with cash/vouchers for the other two.

Pistachios, your shopping bag for DC reminds me of typical Irish weather - raincoat and sunglasses needed at the same time 🙂 I also have to buy Ds a new helmet because he has lost him - I'm so angry about him losing an€70 helmet!!!

Huge congrats pseudo 🎉🎉

I'm heading into the office today and have to pick up dinner, pay the childminder, get diesel, so a few planned expenses today. Will try to have no unplanned expenses.

Congratulations on the end of paying your mortgage @psuedocream3 😊
Ahhbthank you @Mochi1fudge
Hopefully ours will be less too everything crossed 😊
Just off to try Compare the market 😺
Oh yes NSD so far yay! 😊

Well done @psuedocream3 on paying off the mortgage!! I’ve got a small amount on mine but my money is in premium bonds hoping for that big win although i ‘only’ won £50 this month !! Think I’ll use some to pay about half off the mortgage as I finish work at the end of this month.

I’ve had a few LSD/NSD lately - managing to hold off on booking another cruise….

Currently planning a few non cost things to do once I finish work like a major house declutter, work my way through my TBR pile of books and also visit the library (which I’m stupidly excited about!)

@chimichangaz book it.

Car insurance! Well I have a bog standard 2023 car nothing special. They wanted £770 to insure it! Phone call the whole oh loyal customer spiel and I got it for £313. Makes me so cross! I couldn't find the mental energy to bother ringing anywhere else so I went along with it but it's so awful how much they pry on people who haven't got the knowledge to shop around.

Well done for paying off the mortgage.

Camogie fees €80 registration and €80 for gear. Otherwise no other spending today. Wonder will I manage a NSD tomorrow.

beautiful day today so washed winter clothes and dried them outside. I’ll be putting them away for next year!

LSD yesterday, fuel for the car plus some juice from Tesco whilst it's still on offer. Planned spend today, book ticket for coach to airport tomorrow 😀!
Retired on Monday so I'm off on Friday for some 'me' time. Money already allocated/spent/moved into euros so it should be a cheap trip.

Enjoy your retirement trip @Songlines and congratulations 🎉

Also congrats 🎉 on paying off the mortgage @psuedocream3

Did food shop last night at a respectable £49. Didn't need a lot this week although Lidl was low stocked so headed to Aldi for a few things tonight. DH having high cholesterol may be helping the bill as I'm staying away from the snacks! Also bought a yearly prescription for HRT last night at £19.80.

WFH this morning so been out for a run, weather is beautiful although max of 13° today in the north east. Feeling envious of the promised highs in the South as I am a proper summer chick! ☀️ Enjoy the beautiful weather

Another high-five for your retirement trip, songlines, have a great weekend.

HRT pre-payment saves a lot of money, Mochi. I got mine the minute it became available.

Gynae visit yesterday was fine, and quick, since the ultrasound was clear and no biopsy needed. Ddog was happy to see me back quickly! While I was at the hospital, the ophthalmology department rang to offer me a date for a procedure next week. I must say my extremely limited personal experience of the NHS at present is that the speed and responsiveness is improving, both for primary and secondary services.

52 financial changes this week is adjust your thermostat down. Thankfully, the nice weather means I am way ahead of Paula and our heating has been off, I hope until November! Just made an overpayment of £104 to E.On to make up ground on the winter bill hangover.

Waiting in for dishwasher engineer today, hoping it's a simple fix. So doing some spring-cleaning type chores - dusting bookshelves properly, decluttering where possible; washing cushion covers, that sort of thing. Must book jet-washer and order compost!

Frugal week on food this week, as catering just for me, but DS home tomorrow and I have promised a dinner that isn't baked potato-based, so off to the shops for me.

Unplanned expense yesterday of a sandwich for lunch but then spent less in my top up shop in the evening so pulled it back.

Hoping for a NSD today and so far going well. Always easier when WFH.

Thanks @BigSkies2022 I have just put on a baked potato for my lunch 🙂.

Just read this post from the start. Can I join in?

We never used to really think too much about spending then February we decided to save for some work doing to the house and realised we were spending about 5k a month!! This is a disgusting amount for us and we need to get it down to at least half of that amount :(

Ive just done the sums for March and we’ve managed to save £800 which is good but still not good enough, so we are getting down into everyday spending to the penny lol.

Today I’ve spent £10 on washing powder and that’s it! I went to Iceland and b&m and only bought washing powder, I’m super proud of myself. Usually I’d spend at least £30. Two loads of washing out on the line. Normally I’d put one load out then rest in dryer because I cba pulling the other retractable line out. So saved pennies there too

Welcome @DressingGemma😊
NSD for me apart from a £40 birthday present cash .
It was for an 80th birthday present for my angel of a cousin ❤️