New and scared but so determined

freebyfifty

miggy wrote: »

I wonder if MSE forum folks should wear a badge or have a secret sign so we can recognise each other in shops and point out where the bargains and the pitfalls are?

We need a secret sign, like rubbing the fingers together or red dots which we can place on all the shelf edge tickets when we discover a bargain or just a red spot on the end of our noses indicating we've sniffed out a bargain :rotfl:

freebyfifty

Innit cold? Hope everyone is keeping warm. I know the heating costs money but it's inevitable this time of year.
I'm doing better than last year though, last year it was on 24/7 whether I was in the house or not.
This year I am determinedly switching it off when I'm at work and when we're in bed. I'm hoping this will save me a little bit

Stay warm everyone x

MuffinTops

It is absolutely freezing. I have been discussing balaclavas for the bike journey as thermals are great at keeping my body warm, but my face gets really painful. Sadly, i do have some thin balaclavas (I'm so feminine) as the cold winters we've been having just about finish me.

I didn't turn my heating on until the weekend though when I had guests. I'm so proud of myself!!! So at least with the energy company problem I'm having there shouldn't be hefty bills on top of tha. I also make a note of my energy use each fortnight (yes, I do realise how lame that is -:o very much so!) so that should help to sort out any disputes too.

But, I digress! My reason for replying FBF (could also mean Frugally Blimming Fabulous ) is have you considered getting yourself an electric under blanket? I had one on last year's christmas list and it has saved me an absolute fortune in heating bills and is one of the reasons I didn't need my heating on. I have the one that has dual controls so you can heat one side of the bed only and I pop it on about 30 minutes before I go to bed and I actually "aaaahhhhh" as I get in and my toes start to defrost.

Mine was bought from Amazin and they say it costs pennies to use, and my electric bill can vouch for it - as could your energy measure? BUT if you can do enough surveys etc maybe you could treat yourself with the free amazon vouchers you don't swipe up for christmas. Or even get one from your ebay booty account? I would be more than happy to send you a link to the one I have if you pm me.

I noticed your signature today too. I am hugely impressed with the amount you've saved since your light buld moment. You are an inspiration.

MsDaisy

Thanks freebyfifty, I'm off to explore excel

freebyfifty

Hello :wave: I can't believe I didn't make a diary entry yesterday
I hope this isn't the slippery path back to my old unfocused ways . The trouble is that there isn't much to report, I'm just plodding along trying to be as money savvy as possible. Everything is paid and up to date and I have spare cash in the bank.........
spare cash in the bank!!!!! That's gotta be worth a little cheer :T Christmas just around the corner and I've got money :beer:.

By making the overpayment to F/mans before the 'due date' I saved myself 84p interest and I'm hoping I can do the same again before the end of the month, so now I guess I know where that spare cash is going
I have stopped ebaying (for now) I have really sickened myself with traipsing to the post office every other day with a bundle of parcels. I still have things on there that are slowly (very slowly) being sold but now I have Christmas more or less sorted I won't be frantically listing everything that doesn't move anymore and I am only going to the post office once a week. I spent 45 minutes queuing on Monday, in the bitter cold (the queue was right out the door) and standing in front of a lady who kept telling me she only had one thing to post whilst eyeing up my 7 parcels with horror!!! No way was I going to be a nice freeby by letting her step in front of me. She should have got there earlier is all I have to say

Only 8 days until payday. Where has this month gone? I think I lost it under a pile of ebay parcels :mad:

miggy

freebyfifty wrote: »

We need a secret sign, like rubbing the fingers together or red dots which we can place on all the shelf edge tickets when we discover a bargain or just a red spot on the end of our noses indicating we've sniffed out a bargain :rotfl:

Okay... glad you came up with something inconspicuous! I will probably have a red nose anyway due to the weather - thus saving 99p on dots.

freebyfifty wrote: »

I have spare cash in the bank.........
spare cash in the bank!!!!! That's gotta be worth a little cheer :T Christmas just around the corner and I've got money

Woooo! :T:T:T It's worth a BIG cheer, well done indeed!

MuffinTops

Whoop to having some spare cash in the bank!

I hear you on the Post Office lady. I let someone in front of me once at the checkout and then we went through the rigmarole of her using a cash card and she couldn't decide on cash back or not and she took as long as I would have done with the few items I had for cash!

You're allowed a day off from diary updates - although i did miss reading your updates.

freebyfifty

Well, it's a bit blimmin' windy out there this morning and, according to the weather forecast, it's only going to get worse :eek: Hopefully everything is nailed down securely apart from my DD's who have to walk to and from school in it

Nothing to report on the MSE front, but when you think about it, is a good thing really. I haven't gone wild in the aisles and my bank balance is safe for another day

As it is coming up to the weekend I am once again obsessed with my shopping budget. I am not venturing anywhere near that tempting Mr A and heading to lovely old Mr T who manages to keep me on track. I have a £4 off if you spend £40 voucher so as well as my shopping I need some stocking fillers for the DDs and the voucher will come in nice and handy.
Is it mean of me to be buying pens and notebooks etc to put in their stocking for school? As a loving mother shouldn't I be buying them anyway? Tough.......it's another parcel and it'll save me buying them when they go back after the holidays

I may or may not be going out for lunch today!!!! There is an old friend coming up from Yorkshire for the weekend to stay with another friend and we agreed to meet for lunch ages ago. I haven't heard from her or my other friend so I'm not sure whether she's managed to get here or not, she's one of those people who seem to lurch from one crisis to another so anything could have happened :rotfl:

I really want to see her but I really don't want to spend £20 on lunch.

Move over Scrooge....here comes Freeby :rotfl:

freebyfifty

I have known our schools to be shut because of snow but even that's rare (last year they had them trudging through 3 foot of snow to go to school)
But for the schools to be closed due to wind and rain is unheard of.
It's gonna get a bit :eek::eek: by the sound of things. :eek::eek:

miggy

Hoping that the weather forecast is overly cautious but at least you know where your DDs are rather than worrying about them traipsing through storms.

Batten down the hatches and stay snug!