Now & Then: MAY

Queenie · 1 May 2005 at 8:58AM

What are you doing this month which is new/different/cost cutting compared to before becoming a Money Saving Old Styler?

Now:
Found a great new magazine aimed at growing your own veggies. Before buying it, applied the mantra: Do I need it? Will I use it? Can I get it cheaper?
Well, it came with 2 pks of seeds, which would have cost more than the mag anyway. Yes, I know I could get a book from the library, but: "My name is Queenie, I am a mag-a-holic"
Then:
Fed my mag habit/urges by splurging on a "gossip" mag! Totally impractical!!

Now:
Have picked up the (free) "What's On" leaflets for our area: noted all the free entertainments for the next 10 mths, written them on the calendar and have a fairly full calendar of events to keep everyone happy

Then:
Going out for "fun" would have been a 'paid-for' event ad hoc

Now:
Utilising more recipes from this site, thanks to the streamlining and organisation of Judi and Squeaky - Thank you guys!!!!!
Then:
Didn't have the time to trawl through everything and gave up!

Now
Doing more shopping at Lidl through consumer choice!
Then:
Used Lidl's only when we were desperately hard up 9 yrs ago because that's where poor people shopped

(Boy! How my attitude has altered LOL )

How's everyone else doing?

squeaky · 1 May 2005 at 9:17AM

Now: Don't throw junk mail straight in the bin but open it and look for offers I can usefully take advantage of. Also look to see if I can print on the back of anything for when I'm doing test prints.

Then: Straight to the bin.

Now: Am extending my list of favourites meals a lot since being involved with the recipe threads and tips on shopping. Also - I only print the recipe for the meals I plan to have next week and not every single one I see. (On the back of junk mail of course).

Then: Basically did the reverse of the above.

Now: I'm constantly looking out for ways to help myself be thrifty in my ways. Especially by keeping up with threads like the ways of cutting down. And the Double Duty thread.

Then: I wasn't so much thrifty and frugal as mean with myself. (And there's a difference - I'm happier now)

Now: I regularly review what I've done and learn't over the past couple of weeks and give myself a pat on the back

Then resolve to learn more next week...

Then: Just struggled on - headbutting against the limits of a small budget.

I'm happier and more comfortable with myself these days - and that means a lot. Your thread helps me remember these things. Thanks Queenie.

:-x <

decorous peck on cheek

amarillo_2004 · 1 May 2005 at 9:18AM

THEN: Splurging on a gossip mag I don't need to read but can't resist
NOW: Still splurging - but offsetting the cost a little bit by using any vouchers in there on the weekly grocery shop. (Didn't know I could do that until I came here!!)

THEN: Fresh pasta
NOW: Dried pasta (but fresh still allowed if I find it on BOGOF somewhere)

THEN: Fresh soups from the supermarket chiller
NOW: Homemade lentil soup costing virtually nothing a portion, going to work with me for lunch and saving me from the supermarket sandwich (um, and crisps, and chocolate, and magazine, and ...).

THEN: Taking the car t the supermarket.
NOW: Walking & carrying the shopping back, uphill. Focuses the mind on if I really need it...

THEN: Badly paid job.
NOW: :j :j Start new, better paid, job in June :j :j Hopefully by then the frugal approach will be habit and I won't go back to my old ways.

needmoney · 1 May 2005 at 12:15PM

amarillo_2004 wrote:

saving me from the supermarket sandwich
QUOTE]

Supermarket sandwiches can be three days old!!

Queenie · 1 May 2005 at 12:45PM

needmoney wrote:

Supermarket sandwiches can be three days old!!

:eek: Crikey!!! I never knew that! (Not that I buy them anyway) Good job amarillo_2004 has changed her ways for more reasons than just money saving then

Good luck with the new job amarillo_2004 :beer:

Murtle · 1 May 2005 at 1:27PM

Then : had a life, although spent lots of money on things i didn't need....internet shopping big weakness....

Now : no life, no time to internet shop - addicted to this site :eek:

crazyhazy · 1 May 2005 at 2:24PM

Then - just went shopping and bought what we fancied

Now - Menu plan for dinner and lunches for work and make a list so only buy what we need

Then - tried to take lunch everyday but used to forget and get bored of sandwiches

Now - on colder days take homemade soup in a flask, and on warmer days I have invested in a small cool bag and am taking lovely salads, so healthy and cheap!

Then - never used to add up how mcuh we saved on offers etc

Now - work out savings all the time and keep track of them on a spread sheet then transfer them to our savings at the end of the month

elona · 1 May 2005 at 5:55PM

Then

Kept going to the supermarket for "a loaf" and coming back having spent over £10 a time.

Now

Breadmaker has arrived and have made 6 loaves in 2 days - I cannot make them as fast as people eat them.

lswwong · 1 May 2005 at 10:32PM

Then: buying fresh soups in cartons from supermarkets

NOW: thanks to parents for the donation of a handblender set (which they got free with petrol points), am now making homemade soups for a fraction of the cost of bought ones. Tomato soup is so easy to make yourself! Also, onion soup freezes well. Leek and potato soup reheats well in the microwave and I am going to tackle a cream of chicken soup next :-)

(Okay, I am guilty of using stock cubes ... though I did manage to buy 2 boxes for a £1 yesterday in Asda!)

Eliza252 · 1 May 2005 at 11:31PM

Then: bought books from bookshop/amazon, totally over ambitious about how much had time to read, cue lots of books hanging around not getting read and costing me ££
Now: Finally got library membership sorted out, lots and lots of books hanging around not getting read, but it doesnt matter cus they were all freeeeeee!

Then: tried to include tips from work as part of budget
Now: Decided I was being mean too myself, tips are now for treats as long as they are thrifty! - this month much needed new headphones and tools for allotment (I got a good tip!). Plus £10 towards clothing fund

Then: Would have gone out and bought clothes randomly when realised the weather was getting hot and I had no summer clothes
Now: Am planning whole summer wardrobe in advance and cant stop going into shops and flicking through the fashion pages (not buying!) for inspiration, LOADS of fun and means I can properly look around for specific items in bargain basements/charity shops. Will work out cheaper overall and means I will spend much less money!

Then: Bought all veg/fruit from markets, while trying not to read reports about nitrates (organic too expensive!), eviction threats from flat mate after attempt to grow runner beans/pumpkins on kitchen window ledge (a step too far!) - only exposure to greenary is wander through bunhill cemetary on the way back from work.
Now: Have just got an allotment! (woo!) its not going to be very spendthrifty as I have to traval to it, in fact its not going to save me money on food at all but who cares, I need the R&R, it gets me out of high rise london, I get organic veg and more exposure to sun light! - am going to make cuts to cover the costs accordingly - hopefully tips might cover it a bit since it is technically a recreational activity!

This month may aims are (to be thens next month!!)
1. phase out gym membership, it costs me fifty pounds a month, which would give me a big wad of cash to spend on the allotment. I can go running instead and with the extra cash take up a more interesting class every week. However am eeking about it as have had a gym membership for about five years and go about four times a week - I might turn into a blob without it.....!! hmm.....

2. Start working out exactly how much am spending on tube fayres (I only use the tube randomly when doing extra agency shifts) - instead of just gestimating - its just really hard to work out when you have an oyster card as you never see the money go.

3. finally sell the stuff I have stacking up on ebay

Queenie · 2 May 2005 at 7:59AM

Eliza252 wrote:

....

2. Start working out exactly how much am spending on tube fayres (I only use the tube randomly when doing extra agency shifts) - instead of just gestimating - its just really hard to work out when you have an oyster card as you never see the money go.

Would this link help? Singles, returns & Oyster Pre Pay might help with your guestimating if you print it off to keep in your diary then on those occasions you use the tube you can do a quick tally against the zones.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Now & Then: MAY

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