Another month almost over...

newleaf

Last month there was a great thread about what we had all achieved over the course of the month. I wish I could have found it to bump, but I trawled through page after page and I just can't find it. But July is almost over, and many of us will have done our monthly reckonings by now.
I've:
Had a refund of £175 from Npower (finally) after switching power supplier.
Taken a packed lunch to work every day, saving £35.
Been able to make another significant reduction in my credit card debt.
Remained well in credit at the bank for the second month in a row.
Converted my current account to a high interest payer.
Saved £26 in £2 coins.
Spent less than £2 on my PAYG mobile.

How about you?

wanna-be-mortgage-free_2

Hi Newleaf, a wonderful thread.

1. I am still in the black at my new bank so can throw £200 extra at my c/c and overdraft with my old bank this month.
2. Sold 30 items on ebay
3. Managed to stop spending £2 each morning on the way to work to buy coffee, instead brought my own in a lovely flask thus saving £8 per week :j
4. Got my groceries down to £27 per week for a family of 4, that's from £90 per week.

Gemmzie

Congratuations newleaf :beer: :T


Me and mother...
* Consolidated all credit cards onto one 0% card
* Moved store cards onto 4.95% life-of-balance card
* Got £175 out of Npower because it was so much in credit

Mine personally....
* Saved £7 in change
* Won £17 on bingos and got £20 coming from Quidco
* Got a 50p an hour pay rise

lynsayjane

i love threads like this. it's hard sometimes to get past the bad times, but having threads like this really makes you think on the good stuff! this should defo be a regular thing!

this month i've
-made my last payment to sky and tv license saving £35 as of next month
-canceled cinema card, one last payment to make as months notice
-cut down mobile contract saving £11 a month
-finally requested and checked my bank statements re. charges, next months aim to claim them back!
-got paypal problems sorted and listed half a dozen items with more to follow
-been on hols for just over two weeks and NOT spent any silly money!!!
-put £130 from this fortnights wages towards bills
-changed electric supplier through quidco -£30 coming in october

doesn't seem like much when i read over it, maybe i missed something, but to be honest i'm feeling much more optimistic and relaxed now than i did six weeks ago.

oh i also bought my stepdad a pair of boots through quidco and he said i can keep the £2.90 cashback :rotfl:

youngmum_2

wanna-be-mortgage-free wrote:

4. Got my groceries down to £27 per week for a family of 4, that's from £90 per week.

Wow, good going! :beer:

Any tips to pass on? There's 4 of us and I probably spend on average £70 a week and am struggling to get it to £50!

madauri

Thanks to my plan for cutting expenses on groceries, this month I've managed to:
-get a phone for £25 and include the expense within the groceries allowance
-buy a £400 PC and still be only £100 worse off than last month.

And I still have to work more on that shopping list, because I spend a lot on it!

newleaf

youngmum wrote:

Wow, good going! :beer:

Any tips to pass on? There's 4 of us and I probably spend on average £70 a week and am struggling to get it to £50!

This is also a constant struggle for me. There are only 2 of us but we regularly used to spend £70+ each week in Tesco. I have now got it down to £40 ish. I shop around much more, and use Lidl and Morrisons a lot, Aldi is a longer drive but I go there occasionally. Also use the local market. I only buy meat now when it's on some kind of offer - BOGOF or reduced, or buy in bulk at Costco or similar and split/bag/freeze. I never pass up on a freebie now either, be it an offer or a gift, my pride has been cast aside for now at least.

catriona79

I am not in debt as such ( well, will be when have to start repayments on OH's student loan) but I have been reading your posts for ages now and trying to cut back, as it seems to me that our money just disappears and teher is no left at the end of the month, thus no security etc

This month I seriously tackled our food budget (only 2 of us)and set myself a challenge of 30 punds a week, which i know is still not that little after reading some of the posters
going to stick to it this month - last month tried and went slightly over, but have to give myslef a little leeway on firsat month, as used to spend a lot more

also started to save coppers and 2 pound coins

reduced takeaways to 1 only last month and eating out to one a month too, in a cheap place!

i feel quite a bit more in control now.

We are not big spenders, but teh money seems to trickle away somewhere and i always knew that spending on nice foods was our problem - we cook a lot and experiment with new recipes etc
I feel that by just meal planning and a gentle push from reading other people here I have significantly reduced my food bill
really pleased! Now have set myslef a target for next month and hope to stick with it ... and the 2 pound savings

Greetings
c

Broken_hearted

I hit under the £15,000 mark and despite a lapse didn't go back over it. Binned all the catalogues that came through the door. Sorted out gas and electric.

frugglewump

This month I have

- successfully got the post office credit card so my interest rates are staying low-ish (see sig)
- cancelled my Mint card after moving balance to post office rather than be tempted to keep it for emergencies (that's how i got this problem)
- finally found a Lidl and reduced our food shopping bill by £50
- managed not to go over my overdraft limit

I have also turned down hsbc offering a bank account plus (I only called to get the automated transaction listing). This doesn't sound like much but before i would have listened to the sales pitch of reduced Apr on the overdraft and taken it rather than work out that the £12.95/month fee would take the payments up by £10/month

Emmzi

this month..

I finally managed benefit challenge
5 job interviews
cut back on smoking
put on 4 pounds!!
earned 2 pigsback tenners
2 lots of free cinema tickets
nectar points by changing leccy supplier
realised I want to work on getting mortgage paid off next!