So it begins......

Whitefeather8

Happymac wrote: »

I also spent so much less in the shop. Really watched every penny, swapped my usual wine for a much cheaper 4.59 a bottle....

I also found 1p...is this what people call roadkill....at least I hope it is!

This really made me laugh. I have also sourced a lovely wine for under a fiver, which replaced a rolling membership to the Sunday Times Wine Club, and have visions of MSE members scraping pheasants off the road for Sunday lunch every time I read that term.

As for self worth being tied into work, this is a biggie that I have really struggled with. Motherhood is such an incredibly important role, but so undervalued in our society, as is caring for the elderly and sick. I am working on that one too, so I would appreciate watching your progress here and learning about CBT for arachnophobia.

Keep up the great work
:T.

Happymac

Whitefeather8 wrote: »

This really made me laugh. I have also sourced a lovely wine for under a fiver, which replaced a rolling membership to the Sunday Times Wine Club, and have visions of MSE members scraping pheasants off the road for Sunday lunch every time I read that term.

As for self worth being tied into work, this is a biggie that I have really struggled with. Motherhood is such an incredibly important role, but so undervalued in our society, as is caring for the elderly and sick. I am working on that one too, so I would appreciate watching your progress here and learning about CBT for arachnophobia.

Keep up the great work
:T.

Hi there, thanks for dropping by. All advice, and chat appreciated! OOhh the Sunday Times Wine Club.......a girl can dream

Notepad

Found your diary Happymac and have subscribed.

Look forward to seeing your progress!

Happymac

Thanks Notepad! we are all in this together........

Well, since I popped in last have done okay. I have made £7 through surveys which was great. I put this towards christmas spends. I have been making small paymets on the small ccard. It is true that 23p here and 55p there add up and you can start to see a small difference. I am really trying to pay off 1% off extra on this card minimum each week. The balance is now 335 so it is going in the right direction.

I am currently at £24.50 for one poll. A pain that it takes so long to get to £40. I will pay this against the card when I get it. Got a couple of things on ebay but I a finding that stuff isn't selling.

I am still waiting on a £10 voucher from Ipsos:mad: Thought this would go towards hubby's xmas but I am running out of time....

Apart from that I've cut back on the food shopping and have been shopping around for everything. I refuse to pay full price for anything over the next few weeks!

Notepad

I've found the same with eBay and also Gumtree - I've only sold a few bits which is better than nothing. At least Gumtree is free, so I'll keep relisting there!

Hope Ipsos pay up soon!

pollyanna24

Happymac wrote: »

So money saving day one has gone pretty well. Took kids (I have 2 one 4 and 8) to the park. They had a ball. Went to the Post office and argued with the teller about the cost of my parcel. She admitted I was right and I saved £3...really glad I weighed the parcel before I went!

In the shops kids found a dvd which they have been searching for..., I said they could either get the bus home or walk and get the dvd. They chose to walk. They are currently on the sofa laughing away.

I also spent so much less in the shop. Really watched every penny, swapped my usual wine for a much cheaper 4.59 a bottle....

I also found 1p...is this what people call roadkill....at least I hope it is!

Just thought this was great! Well done on the diary by the way.

It's good to get kids involved in money saving, and this sounds like something I would try. My kids know when we go to the shops, it's one thing and one thing only that they can get for themselves. It's quite funny sometimes watching them with something in each hand considering what to get!

pollyanna24

Happymac wrote: »

thanks Jcc86. A little effort can go a long way!

This afternoon was not as spendy as normal. I definitely am watching the pennies more. I think I must have been throwing away a lot of food before and just not noticed. I bought two onions for soup. I normaly by a pack for 79p. Two large onions cost 24p. 4 carrots was 47p instead of 80p for a pack. These changes will surely add up and I will start to notice on my shopping bills. I didn't buy any fizzy juice either. i hadn't realised how expensive they had got. Going shopping in mse mode definitely saves. My ds was asking for a kinder egg which cost 65p, Normally he would get this as a treat. Instead I got a pack of dolly mixtures for 40p and he shared them with his sis as a Saturday treat.

Slowly but surely, I feel this mse might strt to become addictive!

cheersx

Is this for you or the kids? I'm lucky that my two don't like fizzy stuff and just stick to squash. As for me, can't remember the last time I bought fizzy stuff, I find it all too sugary. I just bulk buy bottles of fizzy water and then add my own squash (usually lime juice) to it and for a change, I nick some of the girls to add to it!

Sorry, I'm getting really involved in your thread, I don't normally do this, honest!

pollyanna24

Happymac wrote: »

So, quite a reasonable day here. I cashed out on crowdology. had been selected to do a 40p survey. I didn't fit and then got offeres one for £1.96 instead! I am putting this money, all £4.23, towards my dd's xmas pressie, which I don't think is too extravagant at £20.

I am reasonably organised for xmas. have all pals, family and ds sorted. Couple of things to get for ds and something small for dh. Did a stock take of christmas paper, cards and tags left over from last year. think I only need to buy wrapping paper to cover Santa presents.

Listed a handbag on eb of ay tonight. 99p start price. Don't think it is as worth doing as it used to be. worked out that if I sell it for 99p I will get 28p after fees etc. But, 28p more than if I didn't sell it.

I don't live in an area where car boots are done. So, I am running out of ideas for extra earnings. I am waiting on 3 from my survey. I have been waiting 5 weeks for a john lewis voucher from Ipsos I Say. Has anyone ever had issues getting vouchers from them? I wa shoping to use it for dh's pressie.

So, tomorrow I am looking at all my outgoings. My mobile contract is up on 3 Dec. I was hoping to go on to a rolling sim only with Vodafone. Don't want to tie in to a contract. Currently pay £29 a month so would like to cut to £10. Anyone ever tried this?

Looking forward to a good week! xx

I've listed a few things on eBay recently, but managed to get away with paying no fees (except on Paypal when the people have paid for my items). I just do the most basic listing that you can go for and haven't paid anything.

Happymac

Hi Pollyanna24!
The fizzy juice is for me. A wee vice. I have one glass watching the tv at night. I buy only a bottlechecking on the my account section a week but I think it has become a habit. I've had tea instead!

No gumtree where I stay which is a shame as I have loads of stuff. I suspect you might get a bill from ebay for your fees. they take 10% of everything you sell and postage value. They take the money out of your paypal roughly every 4 weeks. They do email an invoice to your ebay email in the middle of the month. Might be worth you checking the my account section?

off to find your diary! x

Happymac

So, I am going to give myself a pat on the back. I have just added up what I have spent on the children for xmas and it works out at a combined total of £56:j now last year I bought DD one item which cost £100 so this is a massive difference. I have been really savvy, only buying sales and using vouchers but even I didn't realise I'd managed to get it all so mse! Even better, they are getting stuff they asked for!