Significant Summer Saving, significantly less spending, super (non) splurging. Frugal folk continue being frugal here. All welcome.

[needastrongoneagain]

Making a new thread!

Please check in regular posters and welcome new people.

This is a super friendly thread to contribute to. We are all wanting to be as efficient as possible re spending but all have different budgets and priorities. No judgement here.

NSD (no spend day) for me.

Thanks @Mochi1fudge - I have actually got a YBS account and when I looked it pays a decent amount of interest (4%) but I’ve only got £15 in there! Will be transferring over the £750 I’ve got in my First Direct savings account at 1.3%…….

Morning all and hope the hot weather treats people nicely today. We’re forecast a drop of 10 degrees by tomorrow, thankfully. Ddog hot and bothered- happier since I soaked his paws and head in cold water.

Done my allocation of pots and payments. About to go and do meter readings.

stuff I need to do this month:
£168 on electrical work in rental flat
£98 on travel insurance for me and Dh (annual policy) -joint account
£20 renewing pre payment cert for HRT
£10 prescription
still owe DS a birthday present, haven’t managed to get him focused on the issue yet!
Organise graduation outfit, graduation hotel stay and restaurant booking. Babysitting for Ddog for during the ceremony itself. This is likely going to be a problem, and I can see us ending up in a situation where only I am actually at the ceremony while DH hangs around outside with Ddog.

I have about £470 in the guilt free spend pot and £500 in the travel pot which I can contribute to our graduation trip expenses (hotel accommodation and food for me, DH, Ddog, DS and possibly DGF).

there is a very interesting AIBU thread going at the moment about not getting involved in elder care. Am watching and lurking! My month also includes (everything crossed, prayer mats out) concluding arrangements for Ddad so that he can move out of temporary respite care into proper long term care.

I saw the start of that thread @BigSkies2022 . I might go back and see how it’s progressed. Thanks!

I’m off work today. DDs sports day has been cancelled so I’ve been pottering around getting on with a few chores. My Sainsbury’s order is arriving later so I’m going to batch cook some curries to put in the freezer this afternoon.

Yesterday was fairly low spend. I bought some milk and some gum.

Today all my bills other than the ones with EE have gone out. My council tax is finally showing my single persons discount and my energy bill is lower too so the total bills are about £150 lower than last month which is good.

My absolutely super news today is that after a fairly long phone conversation this morning (which has been preceded by several other long phone calls and emails over the last few months) DHs credit card debt (of nearly £20k!) has been written off. He died in Feb and I didn’t find out about the CC till April and it has been a constant source of stress. I know some debts are written off automatically but because of how our house ownership was set up this one wasn’t and it looked like I was liable to pay. I am beyond relieved I could cry.

Sainsburys order £82. I rejected one substitute so I might go up to our local shop to buy a replacement.

Have a lovely day everyone.

Yesterday was a nsd! Yay! it seems a little artificial though, as I was meant to go to Superdrug and ran out of time - so went today instead and spent £37 on adults and kids vitamins, some speciality shampoo and lots of smaller things like toothpaste, new kids toothbrush, few hand gels for each bag we have, cotton buds etc.

Also out today £10 charity direct debit and £3.99 for an iced coffee. Today is the one day of the year I feel iced coffee is totally allowed.

I had two NSD in a row (Sunday and yesterday) not counting DDs coming out of the bank. Have been shopping this morning and going out for lunch too. Shopping was around £80 but includes non grocery stuff.

If anyone is interested Boots have a £10 Tuesday today. There’s also half price on their Botanics skincare so I got a replacement vit C serum with my points.

@SockHop great news about the credit card debt being written off - I can feel your relief!! Also good news about your council tax!! 😊

It’s been a while, but I’ve been keeping on track and things are going well.

ChatGPT helped me set up Trello for self-improvement, and it’s really helped with habits, appointments, and progress. I’ve quit alcohol, started cycling 10k a day, eating better, and sticking to daily goals—10 days in, 2lbs down.

Most spending last month was on essentials or gifts, with a few treats. I got great deals on the kids’ birthday presents and some extra books for DS thanks to a delivery mix-up. Just need to grab vitamins this week.

I also got a surprise tax refund, enough to cover all my planned expenses through to December. Been listening to Rob Dial’s Mindset Mentor, and he’s right: when you get intentional, things start to align.

Hope you’re coping with the heat!

My update for spend in the last week of June (Mon 23-Sun 29):

Mon: £1.60 bus fare to work, 2 x £5 gift donations for colleagues (one big birthday, the other going on maternity leave)
Tues: NSD
Wed: NSD
Thurs: £3 bus fares to/ from work, £2.80 coffee at work, £6.40 travel to DD’s after school class, £3.60 drink/ snacks while waiting
Fri: £1.50 bus fare to work
Sat: £5 bus fares (DD & I), £9.20 drinks & snacks while out
Sun: £9.60 travel to swimming class

I got paid yesterday, so I’ll post the total spend for each of my categories later today and see where I overspent or underspent!

Omg @psuedocream3 well done👍
NSD for me today
Been to see Mum who was fine there, dressed in a lovely cool Cotton dress .
Have a lovely day everyone 😊

Sockhop - that's so great about the CC debt, so pleased for you!
psuedo - this Trello sounds amazing. I'm still a massive fan of my Moleskin double page spread per week diaries, the notes pages at either end of the diary for goals for the year/quarter, spreadsheets for expenditure, and I also use my notes app for daily to-do lists. I guess Trello brings all of this together? Anyway, respect, 'nuff respect as we used to say in the 90s.

Have managed a core workout, press ups (now up to 15) and stretches. Will do a weights workout later. Have stumbled across a YouTuber, DanielJrStretch, who is hilarious and super-sensible in equal measure.

That's great news sockhop - that must have been so worrying.
Great about the tax refund pseudo.

LSD yesterday and today. We're off to London tomorrow, so glad the weather forecast is showing a drop in temps by tomorrow!

Nsd today for me, spent the day finishing off a table I'm selling, cleaning and working out how to eek out the food we have until the weekend, without it all being rubbish.
Foe lunch we had fried courgettes- reel below, with toasted cous cous. I added dried fruits, chickpeas,nuts, yogurt and honey. It was surprisingly filling.
To balance out our fancy frugal lunch we had smiley faces, veggie fingers and baked beans for tea...

Just made a big salad for dd and her bf, they will have pizza and chips with it.

Also made coronation chickpeas with the left over half jar. Mayo, yogurt, mango chutney, red onion, coriander leaves. That, with the left over courgettes, and salad will do for my lunch tomorrow.

Ok, fingers crossed I sell the table.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLjzXZGiSzA/?igsh=MXZrd3FpbXczY3V2eQ==

Nsd
@SockHop that must make a very difficult time slightly easier

Evening.

Enjoying the idea of the super healthy lunch (courgette recipe looks good!), then the smiley faces etc for tea. 'Tis all about balance I say!

Brilliant news re the debt @SockHop. And the council tax - reminding me that I need to chase our reduction up.

Spends. I'm relating to the pay day millionaire analogy below. Not through mind set, more life but still I need to have a couple of easy weeks already re spending.
£17 ticket to Eden Camp to meet family, I get in free as a carer.
£45 fuel. I'd budgeted £30 this month (hybrid), but it'll last.
£2.50 coffee at Camp.
£30 new duvet and pillows for DS as Ddog was sick all over his own and given they were old and it was a bit gross, I ordered cheap replacements. That's come out of my 'unforeseen extras' pot.

Made roast red pepper, white bean and bacon soup with crusty bread for tea. At least that's cheap...

Yay @SockHop !!! This is amazing news.
Love smiley faces!!

A spendy day today. My DD pre school is suffering in the heat and keeps sending the children home early as they can't keep them cool so I spent £46 on two fans to give them. They were incredibly grateful but it will mean I now go into my OD
£15.40. in a farm shop on bits I would have got in lidl.on Thursday but this was much more fun.
£9 on my yoga session.
Tomorrow has to be a NSD. I haven't had one in ages. It has to happen!

Oh! Managed to freeze four meals out of leftovers too. My very empty freezer is slowly filling up with leftovers. Unsure why but this makes me very happy.

I'm a payday millionaire too. Which means I've got absolutely no money, living in overdraft, til the 28th. Why do I do this to myself.

Got a really spendy month too. DS's birthday and we're going to visit family and friends in England for a long weekend. The hotel alone is £400 plus £200 for doggy boarders. Not to mention everything else while there.

I feel like crying, why do I have to live like this.

Good morning everyone 😊
8.99 on cinema tickets for the two of us with the two for 1 code . Jurassic park new film .
No popcorn or drinks will be purchased 😁
Have a great day everyone 😊

Oh im absolutely chuffed for you @SockHop feels like a victory for the little guy which I'm all for.
But equally im so sorry you've had that over your head.

@PearlsPearl what have you been buying? Anything that can be cancelled/returned?
No judgement spending can get carried away sometimes.

Great news things are being sorted sock

Pearl’s take a Breathe and let’s work thought it.
what do you need to spend ? Where can you make savings?

It will get better

£14 migraine tabs today

Have you looked again at hotels to see if there is a cheaper one. ?
dog care is £££
pack food for the journey save expensive travel places

Where are you going? We might be able to suggest some frugal activities?

Redone budget today as I was going to put it off. But I'm glad I didn't. Sorted out a few areas so ensure I'm ok.
Managed to save a few veggies from going in the bin and roasted them and frozen them for another day. Made pasties out of left over bean mixture and pastry too. I'm on a roll.
NSD here today but tomorrow will be a spend day as I'm at Lidl (but get my 10% off) then at play group and getting my hair done at a new place which is only £24, a far cry from my usual £140.
Oh pearls I do hear you. I am the same. I find tweaking my budget and going over everything to see what can be made cheaper, cancelled or returned helps.

@PearlsPearl is this because of the overspend last month lovely?
If so and you haven't spent more and are on target to pay it off in 3 months as you planned then that's very positive . If it's a further spend, then that's a worry for you sweetheart. If it's a further spend can you identify what makes you do this ? Is it totm, tiredness, boredom, anger or feeling out of sorts with yourself ?
Whatever it is you can sort it ❤️
Well done @Frugal25😁

@BigSkies2022 I will have a lurk on that AIBU thread.
@SockHop bet that's a relief and good news about the Council Tax
@PearlsPearl keep posting, it does help being here even if you have spendy times, then some days can be slightly less spendy and overall you keep in control and costs down.

Yesterday was £31 in Lidl, today has been £1 Boots (broken fridge so they were selling food for 50p each!) and then £2.45 for Monster Munch and a diet coke (needed it!)

Hope the hot weather has been bearable - we had one hot day on Monday only (NE!)