May: Pin Money Savings Challenge

Queenie

No advice on the bread & water ... but, how about .... researching the costs more thoroughly first

Try posting in Travel, Trips and Holidays someone may be able to point you in the right direction re: flights/camper hire etc.

nicki_2

April wasn't too bad but was full of unexpected/annual payments (MOT, Car Tax, train fare, car repairs) plus we've just been away for the weekend to OH's parents for a party.

Now don't tell anyone but I gave my sister-in-law and her fiance an engagement pressie that only cost me 60p :shhh: It was an apology glass, BUT I had champagne/crystal glasses already (2 were left here by a previous tenant) so I dug out my craft stuff, a cardboard box, bought some clear film from the florists, some "your engaged" wrapping paper and got OH to print out the poem for me. Once I'd dressed the box and put in two of the glasses with the poem mounted and then the whole thing covered with the clear film I was very happy. It wasn't as wonderful as the £700+ in vouchers/cash they got, nor some of the gifts from other people but it was appropriate and I'll be getting them a housewarming gift as well (A copy of Martins book :money:) and thats not to mention any help they want with moving house etc (not happening for 12 months+ though as they already have a holiday to America booked for next year).

On Friday I took £20 out of my bank account as spending money/money owed to daughter. I spent £6 on books (to go with a book token daughter got for her birthday) for daughter on a buy 3 and get another free, then OH wrote her a cheque for £30 from his Natwest account (we use this as our big purchase account and it will also be the one where the mortgage goes eventually) so by the time we got home yesterday she was only owed £5 which I had left. She's all paid back, we had a great weekend away including a trip to the movies (film but no snacks or drink for a change) and I even have PIN money left to put in my pot

Virtual Savings:£30.74 (£2.69 Asda, £1.55 Co-op, £25.00 Debenhams)
PIN : £7.04

calleyw

Well I hit the jackpot today.

had some errands to run about 30 miles from home. So popped in the local hyper value.

They where doing wall paper wickes brand for £1 a roll and BOGOF and clever old me had my note book in it with all the amounts needed for each room.

So got enough paper for 5 rooms. For drum roll please £17. The same amount of rolls in DIY shop at an average of £4.95 a roll would have cost £168.30 and as we are skint from moving. :beer:

I know the choice was not huge but even at £1 a roll I was happy. As the place really does need decorating.

So virtual savings of £151.30.

But I went and spent £50 of it on paint,rollers etc so we can decorate and some compost to get my veggies started off.

So all in an very happy bunny.

Yours

Calley

elona

Nicci

When I take the kids to the movies , our pockets are bulging with cheap canned or pouch drinks from home and sweets or biscuits,crisps etc then I got cheap elsewhere.

I know you are not supposed to do this but with 4 daughters, and a drink of coke from cinema costing £3 each - I would spend a fortune otherwise.:j

nicki_2

Elona, we rarely take our daughter to the cinema so it really is a treat. Between our video/DVD collection and my mums collection (just about every Disney film ever released on video and more!!!) I can manage to keep her entertained with films for days on end. Infact, a few weeks ago she was really ill for a number of weeks (about 4 in total) and she spent most days curled up under her quilt on the sofa watching videos which I borrowed 5+ at a time from my mum, and she still hasn't seen all the "U" videos

Our trip to the cinema was a treat for OH and me as we rarely go out and since we were child free for the weekend (we stayed at his grandads while daughter stayed at his mums just down the road) we decided to make the most of it. We MIGHT go out again to the pictures on the 14th (which will be our 6th anniversary together) but that all depends on us getting a babysitter (always free as 99% of the time its my sister). We might just treat ourselves to a new film from Asda (one of their £5 DVDs or videos) and spend the night in with a bottle of wine/larger. We're getting good at these cheap date nights in front of the TV

omega_2

After some much overdue work on the budget, I’m definitely going to have convert my weekly grocery savings (coupon, multibuy and rebranding efforts) into VIRTUAL savings.

Still, actual savings will be available to me from:
- extra income: so far £7 mystery shopping.
- anything left in the monthly grocery budget at the end of the month
- freebies
- any account interest
- greetings Card making savings
- OH’s penny pot!
With my present buying savings, it MAY be actual - where the saving can definitely come out of the budgeted amount for the particular person.

Opportunities for gaining extra income in May are more limited, being away for part of it – this might, however, mean that the grocery budget will be under budget!

Overall, I’m hoping for an ACTUAL PIN money saving of at least £60 this month.

aPIN: £7
vPIN: £10.47 (groceries)

elona

Well done Omega :j :j :j

horse0770

Hi Everyone

I have just registered on the site, always reading the chat forums but never posted before so be kind!

I have started my savings since mid april when I got paid, not much so far but here goes:

Real Savings
£10 Sight test - free because of D&A and MSE site
£7 per month Change to MPPI, changed value to reflect new mortgate deal with
fixed rate til 2009.
Virtual
£75 Savings on specs, D&A quoted £200 for two pairs, took prescription
and their advice on styling and bought two pairs for 125.
£0.64 Internet book - half price on Amazon (3.49 compared to 6.99 in shop)
£3.47 Savings at supermarket (shop at Asda to meal plan already, so not
sure much more improvement available but will try.

There you go, not a grand start but trying to learn from you experts!

Queenie

:hello: Welcome to MSE and to our Old Style department Horse0770 :wave:

*I* think *any* savings are "grand" So, give yourself a bit pat-on-the-back. :beer: Well done!

Remember: Big oak tree's from little acorns grow

Lucie_2

Another £3.82 into my PIN money fund this aft from BOGOFs & multi buys in Morrisons. That's £14.06 in actual savings & £27.23 in virtual savings (virtual because I would never have bought 7 bottles of hair product in one go normally)