Stop wasting money support thread. Lets get frugal!

[LoveMyGirls]

I don't want to cut all spending I just want to cut down our spending so we can pay off the overdraught by christmas but at the moment it's not going well which is why I've decided to start this thread, those that want to join me can, those who don't want to join then your support would also be welcome.

I think if i write on here what I spend everyday I can see where to stop wasting money, it's also public so I'm open to others telling me where I could be saving money too. Any tips on organising our money better would also be apreciated.

At the moment we have seperate accounts (well one is joint but dp has lost his pin for his card)

Joint account is £2000 overdrawn. (reasons for this are I lost part of my income in August/ september and dd2's birthday and my mum's birthday too)
dp's bank - dp has just been paid he has £1000 in his bank.
Savings has £70 (went in by SO today)

Typical monthly spending is £2,470 a month

Typical earnings from next week are £3,100 per month

We have 2 childen and 2 cars (he needs his to travel for work, I need mine for work too) I shop at aldi and meal plan.

Total spend for today..

petrol £20
toddler group £2
brownies £1.50 = £23.50

just found this on another thread thought it was so good I'd post it here too

Hey I'm now £2,014 overdrawn and most of the bills have come out but the rent is yet to come! We also brought tickets to see oasis next year, not frugal i know but i grew up with them and they are playing about 15miles away so it would be a shame to not see them plus it will give something to look forward to while we are being frugal the rest of the time

Hi paws, how are you getting on, how's everyone else doing?

psssssssssssst LT - I have always brought own brand wipes and nappies and as much own brand stuff as I can generally, now shopping in aldi and home bargains and occasionally asda/ iceland etc and meat is all now coming from the meat van in town.

Now £2002........

Oh LMG you are doing well

I have found a new tactic for not spending money:

I asked DS1 (2.5) if he wants to go to the supermarket with me?
NO!
OK, let's stay at home, watch tv and ... spend nothing!
It worked yesterday!
Of course, we now have no bin bags, frozen peas, fruit, etc. in the house but hey

So just 1.20 on playgroup yesterday.
Should be 1.20 again this morning (if ds2 doesn't sleep all morning) but think we will have to go shopping later.

Was £1,983 on 6th november but the rent has come out now (I was dreading it) but actually because I've also had some money go in it's not as bad as I thought Im now £2,152 overdrawn.

I spent £80 yesterday on food shopping and a few xmas pressies. I've had a sort out in the cupboards too so I can see what I@ve got and I'm making more of an effort to eat the fresh stuff instead of throwing it away because I didn't fancy it, also freezing mash potato when I make too much also comes in handy when I'm rushed.

Well i went Christmas shopping today - using DH's credit card as i was doing his family, so i guess it cost me nothing but still.
Got some 3 for 2 things in boots so happy about those.
And a discount set of dvds for dh that he wanted (used my card for them as if it matters, what's mine is his, etc.), as well as one for my mum that was reduced too.

DH did the supermarket shop yesterday, found a big bag of veg for £1 that looks good value (from Asda).

I'm back at work now so hopefully my bank account will start to look healthier

Right, it's not going too well tbh.

I'm £2,242 overdrawn and our dishwasher broke yesterday, I did toy with the idea of going back to the old fashioned way but looking after 5 dc and washing up for them all and doing an evening meal for 7 5 days a week is no joke. We have no room in the kitchen for a big one either the one we have now is a table top one and was going on twice a day and I was washing up too so I was hoping we could get a 9 place setting one and reinforce the worktop (even if i have to stand on a chair to load it!!) but the work top just isn't deep enough so looks like I will either have to go without (not sure how I can manage with that) or we'll have to get a 6 place one for the same money as a 9 place which irks me.

I've paid dd2's nursery fee's until the end of the year now and I've rang WFTC so I'm hoping they will send me a payment soon to cover some of the cost of that.

Dp has to order his wedding suit tomorrow and if he buys it now it will only be £66 if he waits the cost goes up so better to pay it now even though it will put us further into debt? (he wants to put it on his credit card so those who can't pay it now can pay us back when they can afford it )

The wedding car also needs to be ordered soon and will need a minimum deposit of £50.

LMG buries head in hands and prays for a miracle so that she can actually pay her overdraught off by january...........I was so hopeful! Theres still hope right? Right?

Don't even mention christmas...............

might help?

I've been cutting down too, cooking a lot more fresh food.
I bought some books in Scope the other day, they look like new and will go towards Xmas presents for children.

Luckily we're off to pil for xmas day so food's not a problem it's just well I feel bad this is my fault, for wanting to get married I've put this pressure on us. I know we could get things cheaper etc but then I do also want a lovely day to remember forever and when you look at the bigger picture.

I'm feeling more hopeful today, I'm £2008 overdrawn and will be £1,798 overdrawn when i get paid tomorrow so that's really good, I've also got £70 in the savings I need to get out which I can use as spending money this week for play groups/ petrol/ food etc

Dp gets paid in just over a week and a half too and I think he's still in the black just about at the mo (will have to check later)

Maybe it's still do-able if we're careful!

LMG - that sounds good

not doing too bad here, haven't been tracking everything like before but am generally holding back when it comes to shopping.
have warned dh that i don't want us to go mad at christmastime & if we are having lots of family here, they have to be sent out shopping sometimes, it's not fair for us to buy everything.
will draw straws to decide who has to face the nightmare that is supermarket shopping at that time of year

Thats fair enough JKS why should you fork out the most and have the most mess etc I also agree with not going mad at christmas although I feel slightly guilty if I'm honest, I booked our wedding car today and will have to pay £100 deposit soon and we also need to pay for dp's suit so that's money others will think we could have put towards christmas instead of being selfish and having it for our wedding but then it is our hard earned money and we have been together a long time so I think we should spend our money having a nice day for once and we will be sharing it with everyone ( humm no tried to convince myself but theres still a niggly feeling I'm being a scrooge!)

I just really want to sort my OD out by Jan so much I'm putting off buying a dishwasher even though I'm cooking for 7 people most days and a dishwasher would be really helpful, I wonder how long until I cave and add it to my debt! I really hope I last until the Jan sales at least then I'll be out of my overdraught (all being well) and can buy it guilt free!!!! I need to get through the next few weeks first though and dp is workign or studying or with the dd's so can't see him keeping up with helping me with the mountains of washing up but we'll see!

Havent cracked and brought a dishwasher......yet! I fully intend on waiting until at least Jan maybe longer!

Overdraught today stands at £1,529.68 which I'm very proud of obviously we're trying very hard to get it down even more, I'm going to get the £70 out of my savings account but that will go towards the £100 I spent in asda last night that hasn't come out of the account yet!

Dp gets paid in about a week so we'll do the rest of the christmas shopping and my birthday present and then it's belts very tightly in while we hopefully reach our goal of being in the black fro christmas seriously If I can get it to under 1k I'll be quite pleased with that, we've had to pay for things for the wedding so it's been harder, I wasnt expecting to pay out so many deposits for things.

The point is we're still trying

Well done you!

haven't been good recently
let dh loose with the credit card and tesco shopping, think hw went a bit mad though he assures me it's all needed for when family are here at christmas - £500 later

we will make sure the others contribute don't worry - MIL will be under orders to fill freezer bags with cooking before she comes, my parents are here first, so will send them out with shopping list - well prob not as dad has just had his hip done so on crutches, and mum is not that great on her feet after chemo a while back, ah well.
my dad gets paranoid about not paying his share so sure he will hand over cash and make us go!

Right well......

We're £538 overdrawn plus a little bit of the credit card not bad considering!

I haven't brought a dishwasher.

We will get there!

LMG - that's fantastic!
Well done!

Have to admit to falling off the wagon somewhat
I am overdrawn and not sure by how much, eek!
Will have to sit down with DH after Christmas at some point and reassess whether my pay is enough or whether he should sub me a bit each month, or should i just use his credit card for more things....

Good on you!

please revive this thread. Back to work shortly so will have to reckon with the lure of shops and cafes

take thermos of coffee and a packed lunch

Riven! How the devil are you? Have inlaws descended? How's dd? [smile}. I always bring a packed lunch, but work on my own and hours may pass without a "real" conversation, iyswim. Sad, I know

dd is being a little sod with illnesses and yelling for 6 weeks. In-lawds did descend and fill kettle to the brim to make one cup of tea
'real' conversation? Nope, don't reacll those. Mine are generally shouting at Jezza on the TV

Message withdrawn

got to go buy shampooo n eggs. No plans for the day. dd is with the carer right now so I am mumsnetting doing housework. This afternoon we'll walk as its one of the few things that entertains dd. But its free.

going out for a walk now (while it's dry). hoping to get a cheque in the post today so should be quids in (temporarily alas!)