Aprilshower wants to be Mortgage free.........

katsu

Hi Aprilshower,

You asked for other tips so I had a think of things I do that I don't think you've mentioned yet...

* register with a cashback site like TopCashback or Quidco (or both) and earn money back on internet spending and spending in places like Halfords if you reserve your shopping online first. Also offers some free daily clicks and cashback on free trials. You can get someone to refer you to TCB and they will get cashback for that - not sure if Quidco do the same.
*refer friends to TCB (and quidco) to get more cashback
* use TCB or quidco to switch utilities if there are better deals about (I think you stayed with EON not switched to them?) - having done a comparison site check first. Gets you cashback and reduces the monthly bills
* consider applying for a cashback credit card - Martin's article recommends top payers. I recommend co-op which doesn't pay as much cashback as AMEX but has UK call centres, so keeps people in jobs here, and has ethical policies.
* check all your insulation is topped up, all draughts are blocked, curtains lined, foil lining behind radiators etc (I still have some curtain hanging to do )
* see if anyone you know has a card for costco and look at getting some shopping in bulk. For example I got a huge jar of cinnamon for less than £2 - it is probably 6 times the size of a normal jar and I use it a lot.
* register with online survey sites and earn vouchers towards gifts and household spends.
* find out if a water meter would save you money - generally works for people who have more bedrooms than occupants, but if it doesn't save you money I think you can switch back.
* see if you can borrow an electricity consumption meter from the library

I need to go put my shopping away but will try to remember to check my list on my MFW diary as I'm trying to keep track of all the things I'm doing.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Hello,

Well done with the Ebay. Wish I could do the same but have moved house a few times in the last 7 years and decluttered like mad then, and since that time I have learned not to get cluttered again. Also, my new frugal habits keep me out of the shops and stop the house filling up!

Hope you get lots of bids,

Squirrel x

Brallaqueen

Didn't want to read and run Aprilshower - well done for making your first £500 and being well on the way to your second.

aprilshower

Hi Guys

Thank you so much for all your comments.

I have already joined Quidco and think it is great.

I also have a energy monitor that has helped us reduce the amount of energy used. I am with EOn at the moment and I find their engergy tracker great as it compares this years usage with last year. At the moment I am 8% down on last year which is ok. If anybody is with Eon sign up for the energy tracker it is really great.

Put more stuff on ebay again last night and have sorted out alot of stuff to do a car boot maybe next weekend.

My plan for this week is to hit the food bill. I really really do not know what we spend on food so I think I need to do keep all my receipts and see what the total is at the end of the month.

Take care everybody

Aprilshower

aprilshower

Good morning everybody

Well yesterday I batched cooked curry I flet like I was in a chip shop, but made enough for the following five weeks of meal for us all.

Tonight it is going to be Spag Bol so going to do the same. So it is cosing more this week but hopefully it will be cheaper in the long run.

Really do not know what to do tomorrow open to ideas. But I would love to do this again so have three days worth of food for the next five weeks. It really will cut down on the time spent in the kitchen which can be used doing something else.

My other money saving thing for this week was to tell the window cleaner that we no longer needed him :( I know I felt really bad but it is £6 every two weeks which is £156 per year.

Any way open to batch cooking ideas for tomorrow.

Take Care

Aprilshower

aprilshower

Hi Everybody

I had a letter from eon this morning to say my payments had changed from £86 per month to £142 - What

Before this I would have just accepted it. But not now. I phoned them and the lady said she could reduce it by 10%. When I did not accept this I asked her to put me through to her supervisor.

We are on a fixed rated at the moment until Sept next year so the prices cannot go up. Our consumption has gone down because of the monitor and they refunded me £300 las month so I really could not understand the change.

As the girl on the phone could not answer why it had gone up she put me through to this guy. He looked at the account and reduced the payment to £80 as he said we were paying to much.

So if anybody else gets Eon letters today as he told me everybody had had their payments looked at ring them and dont take the 10% reduction, if you feel the increase is wrong.

Aprilshower

Lookingtothefuture

Thanks for the warning AS, we have just switched to EON too.:)

In regards to food, have you checked out the OS boards? if not I would highly recommend a little look.

I try to do jacket potatoes with something once a week (usually beans or prawns in marie rose sauce). Potatoes cost 10p each from our local shop, regardless of weight, so its a cheap meal. Also, like you I try to batch cook and also s-t-r-e-t-c-h meat. For example this wednesday we are having roast chicken so thursday its either casserole or curry (both hm, no jars!... oh how my cooking has come along since being on the boards! lol!). Pasta and hm sauce is also a cheap eat, with a 40p basic/value/sp garlic baguette yum yum!:money: Good Luck! xx

aprilshower

Hi Everybody,

Not been around much lately, because I have really been busy. I worked out that I could pay another £1000 overpayment before the end of the year, so I got busy.

I have done two car boot sales which raised £255. I didnt mind it once I got there but getting out of bed on a Sunday orning at shupid o'clock was not good. Any way lots of stuff gone and another £255 in the mortgage pot.

Took all my change out of my pig to the bank and that came to a total of £75.

Also have done another couple of ebay days, which has raised another £120. Going to add some more tonight and maybe tomorrow.

Also cut my daughters allowance by £15 as I felt she was just buying clothes for the sake of it as she had the money. She has since got a Saturday job for 4 hours a week which is really making her think about the money she spends.

I have also made everybody in the house think about the gas and electricity they use. All I seem to be saying is turn the lights off, I think I dream about saying that now. But looked at the energy monitor at the start of November and we have used 9.8% less this year than last year so it is an improvement.

Also still looking at the shopping bill as I know we can still make saving there so thank you for your comments I am going to take some of the ideas on board.

I have also finished all my christmas shopping with only £200 being put on my credit card to pay. Order hubby an xbox which I am waiting to be delivered. So will pay that when the bill comes in.

So onwards and upwards. going to check the bank and send another £500 payment next week.

Aprilshower

lovethymini

Your posts are always so motivating, great result!

aprilshower

Thank you.

I have spent the afternoon batch cooking. I have made four things that I have split into four so a months supply.

I made Spag Bol, chicken curry, lasagne and cottage pie.

Just trying to think of three more dishes that I could do. Any ideas anybody?

Take care everybody

Aprilshower