I've had my LBM and now it's time to sort it out once and for all

firesidemaid

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/39153602#Comment_39153602

try having a look at this thread from the beginning if you haven't seen it before - all the way through there are also loads of links to other really helpful/useful threads too x

jwil

Sorry to hear about your car, there is always something isn't there. That's nice of your DS to loan you the money though.

Primrose2004

Thanks for the link to that thread FSM, I had a quick look but have saved it for a better look when I have more time. I'll sit down with a notebook and pen and get some tips!

I worked out that I must spend alot more than I think I do on shopping. I got my Tesco clubcard statement through for End Oct to end Nov and I had £12 worht of points which means I spent £600 in a month:eek: some of that was a few christmas presents and petrol but still that's quite a lot of shopping. So this month my aim is to reduce the shopping bill, which sounds madness because it's christmas but we're not actually home for meals over christmas so it shouldn't be too different to a normal month.

OMG OMG I just popped of to get the post and our insurance cheque has finally arrived!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek:

YIPEEEEEEEEEEE



Jwil, my sis is very kind, bless her, she has said in the past she could lend us a little bit if we needed it. She earns quite a lot of money and doesn't have many outgoings so I think she has quite a lot of money. Not that i'm jealous, much:rotfl:


I've been crunching numbers this morning whilst trying to block out the noise of a 3 and 6 year old and we will get to the end of the month. Just <<wipes brow>>

ooo I just opened another letter and my uncle has sent me a christmas cheque:j Which reminds me it's his birthday around now so I need to send a card today:o

I'm so disorganised:o

I have loads to do today but given the cheque i've just received and the fact I still haven't banked my brithday cheques I better get dressed and go to the bank, I really don't want to head into town with the masses though and obv the car isn't too well, so maybe I should bank the cheques on monday? I do need to go to the post office though for stamps. hmmmmm

Herewego

Wrap the kids up and take them for a walk you could get a quiet afternoon if theres a good xmas movie on

Great new on the cheques, will they clear much of your debt ?

Primrose2004

sadly not much HWG but they'll help at least. THe birthday and christmas ones will just go into the account and hopefully ease the o/d

I have just read pages 1-9 of the thread FSM linked to. Amazing! I know it was 2 years ago and the prices quoted will be wrong now but I am amazed at how little can be spent on main meals. I will be buying some red lentils and willtry bulking out bolognaise with them, and oats and grated carrot. I do make my mince stretch quite far anyway but I have been inspired to make it stretch even further! I wonder how little I can spend on a months food? I don't need to take it to the extremes that op did on that thread had to, although to be honest if I could spend £40 on a months food I would be really really impressed! But I think i'd be better off starting with a slightly higher budget.

I had never thought of buying tinned mushrooms though til I read that on there:o I'm going to try and browse the tinned items next time

Mind you I probably am choosing the worst time of the year to browse a supermarket:rotfl: But I never choose an easy route with anything. hence the debt

I'm going to read the whole thread but will have to take it in small portions as 2 x dc don't allow a few hours at a time to do anything!

Primrose2004

WOW still reading the other thread, up to page 18 now.

I am going to shop in Lidl and either Asda or Tesco next month and see how much I can save. I may even go round with a calculator! Oh actally better than that if I do the shop online at my supermarket it'll tell me where to shop won't it? Then I can go to Lidl with the list first and see what's cheaper in there.

Ooo this could be fun lol!

firesidemaid

glad u r enjoying the thread - there should be a few links to other similar threads as you go through it too. there's a really good one on how far you can make one whole chicken stretch - affectionally referred to as the 'rubber chicken' thread:rotfl:

once you have lots of new ideas on board, it also then helps in the future when you find something really cheap/reduced in the s/market and instead of thinking 'what can i do with this?' you will know already!

jwil

Yay to the cheques!

The thread you are looking at is brilliant, there are such great ideas for reducing the grocery bill.

Primrose2004

well, I had some good and bad news today. I got in the car today, drove for a while and <<ping>> the engine management light comes on:( But I took it to dh's uncle(a mechanic) and he plugged the car into the computer and it's a speedo problem, which is better news than i'd thought at first as it's something that needs doing but not NOW. Means we can arrange it at a time that suits us rather than needing it done tomorrow.

Good news is that I got a voucher in the post that i've been waiting for, but it's too late to use it online:( so it's either use it after christmas or perhaps go to the shop. Although it's snowing(and laying) right now so not sure I want to travel (1/2-1 hour away as a specific shop)

DH has also said his branch has won some vouchers which will be split between the staff so he'll get £75:T and also that his branch have reached their target for the year and he'll get a bonus:T It's not much but better than nothing:)

Nothing else much to report. Trundling along one step forward and two back:D I'm hoping 2011 will bring a turn-around and it can be two forward and one back

I'm going to try and read some more of the food thread later

Primrose2004

I haven't been on for a while, been busy with christmas stuff, end of school term blah blah.

I just wanted to wish anyone still reading a Merry Christmas

I'm going to have a few days off thinking about MS and enjoy a festive few days in blistful ignorance then once the new year is here i'll be back to it with a vengence and hope to smash the debt to pieces in 2011!!

Before new year i'm going to update my spreadsheets and come up with a plan of attack!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS :xmastree::xmassign::rudolf::santa2: