Need tips on switching the family from frivalous to frugal please!!

CH27

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

So we have the first disagreement on our money saving journey! So far no problems and everyone has happily gone along with whatever madcap thing I come up with.Till today!
Hubby will not back down on the bloody lottery!!He put 2 lines on for £4 last night on the euro and just asked me to do 2 for tonights..so £6 on lottery.
Am I being unreasonable thinking we should stop that too??I spent 45 mins trying to shave the grocery bill down last night by £20..so to then "waste" 6 on lottery pees me off quite frankly:mad: But hubby is in the land of "if we win we'll be millionaires" and really not being persuaded.
Any opinions most welcome(before I strangle him!!!:p)

Wean him off it:D
Suggest you only play our lottery instead of Euro one.

Bumpmakesfour

CH27 wrote: »

Wean him off it:D
Suggest you only play our lottery instead of Euro one.

tx x I suggested that we skipped the euro last night..his mouth fell wiiiiiide open and he said in a shocked voice.."but it's a roll over"..like I was insane for even considering it :rotfl:

CH27

Oh dear!
Ask what he is willing to give to buy the lottery tickets ie beer?

Bumpmakesfour

CH27 wrote: »

Oh dear!
Ask what he is willing to give to buy the lottery tickets ie beer?

We do slimming world so he has no beer or treats to barter with And he's just pointed out that I pay a tenner a week for us to go to SW so why can't he have £6 for the lottery..trying desperately to think of an answer because he has a point there :rotfl:

msb5262

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

We do slimming world so he has no beer or treats to barter with And he's just pointed out that I pay a tenner a week for us to go to SW so why can't he have £6 for the lottery..trying desperately to think of an answer because he has a point there :rotfl:

Hi OP,

Interesting thread - you look to be doing really well.

In your position, I'd be pointing out that £10 a week for SW is invested in your health and wellbeing whereas £6 a week for the lottery is what my BIL calls "tax on stupidity" - 99.9% certain to be posted straight down the drain!

How about cutting down gradually on the lottery until you're just on one ticket a week, or joining a syndicate?

Best of luck

MsB

ALIBOBSY

pigpen wrote: »

Switch the contents from the tesco box to the cocopops box and see if she still notices.. Mine eat the tesco value cocopops.. in a proper cocopops box.. they didnt even notice the difference.. the choco hoops are disgusting though.. not at all like weetos.

Besides.. she will get used to the new ones.. she is 8 she does as she is told and gets what she is given and should count herself lucky she gets something other than weetabix.. I actually prefer the choco snaps and I am really picky!

And you dont SNEAK anything in.. you say this is what we are having from now on.. you are the one paying!

The packet switch is good and then when they say they like it you can "reveal" the truth. BTW we didn't like mr t's value bics. Aldi's or Morrisons are good-Aldis are identical in side by side tests (by my kids lol).

We have 4 kids (from age 1-13) and I am now full time at home. You will save on travel costs and the bits we all buy when at work.
You become time rich and money poor so use the time to save money-bit late now but we are growing more and more of our own veggies/soft fruit etc. Even if you just do herbs it helps.

Cooking from scratch and baking makes a difference-you now have time to shop around, can research prices online then shop. Local farmshops can be brilliant money savers same for a good butcher.
You have time to cook and bake and meal plan.

For me I find the value stuff in most of the supermarket ok, but aldi do stuff of much higher quality for a few more pence. I found doing one weekly or monthly shop in the big supermarkets cost me much more. Also shop with a list and alone if you can;).

This week I spent £32 in aldi and £23 in morrisons which will feed all 6 of us this week plus maybe £10 ish for extra bread or milk if needed.

Those first few weeks after the new baby comes it is tempting to get takeaways/ready meals so bulk cook/bake now and fill that freezer for later.

ali x

Bumpmakesfour

Tx MsB xx
You make a really good point I've lost over 4 stone and so far holding that during this pregnancy,still in normal jeans at 24 weeks and very happy with how things are going.Hubby also feels a lot better with less lard so that £10 IS beneficial to the baby,myself and hubby.

He was in a syndicate at work but the stopped as people were unreliable with subs.I think one line a week sounds reasonable so he still gets his weekly "fix".Afterall the poor bloke has had to give up bud,takeaways and yorkies..got to leave him one small pleasure :rotfl:

Bumpmakesfour

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

The packet switch is good and then when they say they like it you can "reveal" the truth.

We have 4 kids (from age 1-13) and I am now full time at home. You will save on travel costs and the bits we all buy when at work.
You become time rich and money poor so use the time to save money-bit late now but we are growing more and more of our own veggies/soft fruit etc. Even if you just do herbs it helps.

Cooking from scratch and baking makes a difference-you now have time to shop around, can research prices online then shop. Local farmshops can be brilliant money savers same for a good butcher.
You have time to cook and bake and meal plan.

For me I find the value stuff in most of the supermarket ok, but aldi do stuff of much higher quality for a few more pence. I found doing one weekly or monthly shop in the big supermarkets cost me much more. Also shop with a list and alone if you can;).

This week I spent £32 in aldi and £23 in morrisons which will feed all 6 of us this week plus maybe £10 ish for extra bread or milk if needed.

Those first few weeks after the new baby comes it is tempting to get takeaways/ready meals so bulk cook/bake now and fill that freezer for later.

ali x

Tx Ali xx
Wow I am literally gobsmacked you can feed six mouths for £60 for a week???Blushing here to admit we spend hundreds...been way better recently but can't imagine for one sec I could get it anywhere near that!!:T
Am planning a big cooking weekend with my mince and my freezer boxes.Thought if I batch cooked bolognaise/chilli/shepherds pie fillings and froze that'd come in really handy.What else could I pre make? xx

ALIBOBSY

BTW cinema popcorn is such a ripoff-even pre popped corn in bags at the shops is a bit of a rip.
I buy bags of unpopped corn-about 70p for 500g. A scoop popped in a big pan or my wok makes a massive bowl full. So maybe 5p/6p for a massive bowl if you include heat and oil to pop plus topping.

ali x

msb5262

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

Am planning a big cooking weekend with my mince and my freezer boxes.Thought if I batch cooked bolognaise/chilli/shepherds pie fillings and froze that'd come in really handy.What else could I pre make? xx

Hello again,

A few ideas...I do these for the freezer:
meatballs (my favourite recipe uses equal weight of minced beef and good quality sausages with the skins removed, then finely chopped onion and red pepper, some ground black pepper and an egg - mix well and form into walnut sized balls ...or you could go for straight minced beef or lamb, maybe with some chilli and cumin)
tomato sauce (can be served with meatballs and rice/pasta or just as it is with pasta and grated cheese)
cheese sauce for macaroni cheese or a quick lasagne with frozen bolognese
fish pie (just the base, or the whole pie in a dish)
stews and casseroles
soup (eg. tomato & lentil soup - with toasted sandwiches, that's our dinner on Tuesday night this week)


HTH


MsB