NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

edwink

7_week_wonder wrote: »

I think you are right Thistle-down: I'm sure we got ours from the Book People at about the same time and I remember it being a very good deal at the time.

Please could I have some words of advice/encouragement or a stern order to get a grip! I am pretty frugal at most things - but I *really* need to sort out my phone contract! I am still paying £34 a month despite the fact that my contract expired about 6 months ago. I had a quick look on the web and sticking with the same company I can get a sim-only deal that gives me what I need for just £10 a month. But I'm nervous about making contact with them. Do people recommend phoning up or going into a shop? I don't want to haggle or anything, just sign up for a new sim-only deal: so why can't I do it - this is ridiculous:(

Hi 7ww

I would say pop along to your nearest phone shop and have a word with them. It is so much easier than dealing with these phone companies over the phone. All you get is press this number and press that number then wait ages for someone to answer! Although I have to say that this is not always the case!!

In my experience I find face to face much easier!!!

Hope that is some help!!

Edwink x

Slowdown

Well, after meditation last night I managed to un relax by having to go for milk in small mrT in the village. First time this year and usually it would be every two or three days so hooray. We had run out of milk and no viable bread for oh sarnies. It was 5 to 10 so nothing else was open. However, on the up side, the bargain shelf was abundant so I ended up with a family steak pie, my lunch tomorrow in the form of GF oatcakes, taramasalata, OHs lunch - egg and cress sandwiches, 2 pints of milk, all for £4. I felt pleased because ds1 is being left to cook supper tomorrow night (not sure he's aware we have a kitchen!) and pie is the perfect thing. I was toying with the local Chish and Fip shop so saved a bit there. Didn't like going in and will try not to go for another 2 weeks at least. More forward planning needed.

A little while back someone asked for the festive flapjack recipe. I will post a link. It is delicious and uses up any leftover mincemeat from christmas.

Lovely to see so many of you spending your 'Pieces O' Eight' so carefully. Long may it last.

Kind regards
Slowdown:)

1of3

Hi All

Glad to report have been nowhere near the shops since the last grocery shop and have had more NSD's to report.its been pretty painless so far! I am continuing with the decluttering and have a couple more bags to go to the CS.

I think I will do the 2015 no buying clothes similar to the Frugalwoods blog are at. I still have a lot even after decluttering.I have a voucher for M&S if needs must.

Hope all is well and we all Keep up the NOT buying it!

sjprmc01

I have a virgin BB package with no phone line. It's more expensive than their BB would be 'with' a phone line but it still works out a couple of ££ less per month than if we had a phone line.

The BB itself has been brill (we pay for super fast for OH) I actually could get BB free if I wanted from my employers but it doesn't compare to what we have just now.

[Deleted User]

I've got a real challenge this morning my DD needs to go to Bluewater to buy a birthday gift for someone in her office !!! its the consumer capital of north Kent with lots of temptation

I shall wrestle with my demons (and my purse) and hopefully come home without spending much, if at all.

Wish me luck fellow shipmates Its going to be hard especially as there is a nice John Lewis there also Lakelands
See you all later
JackieO xxx

alfsmum

Good Luck JackieO, keep a tight hand on that purse

As regards Waitrose shopping, I have done really well with YS there over the last month but no set time of day to highlight for bargains. Some days I've been passing first thing and got milk and fruit well reduced, 25p for the large Yeo Valley milk last time. Others days we've been there near closing and spotted plenty of YS. I calculate my shop to get the free paper when possible and of course the free tea/coffee. There are also plenty of half price items until 27th January so I shall be stocking up then won't need to buy them again for months. They are mindful purchases not whims, so I am very happy to shop that way. I'm still 'shopping' from my freezer too and using all the lovely soups I made with YS veg at Christmas, plus pulling out other odds and ends for a meal rather than buying fresh. Always a good feeling to clear another item from the freezer or cupboard and have a nice meal from it.

Apart from food and essentials, I'm not buying and the serious decluttering continues. Even got OH onboard and lots of 'stuff' went from the attic when we put the Christmas decorations back up. In previous years he would have held on 'just in case' so I'm definitely winning. Another bag heading to the CS this morning

fairy3

Morning shipmates hoping for a smooth day on the sea today, been snowing overnight here and roads look very icy so going to be confined to ship.
Savings plans this year will be to overpay the mortgage and pay off CC currently at 0% interest for another 9 months. Am quite frugal anyway but this will be first year living on a pension so will be learning as I go along. All looks good on paper but the proof of the pudding.....
Am fortunate that most of the debts have been paid off from the lump sum received and this thread is keeping me on track as previously money would be frittered away because of wants rather than needs.
There is still stuff to tackle like utilities, broadband and insurances where savings can be made so they will become a focus for the year along with growing my own veg and simplifying my shopping habits without SM's - have Waitro*e and Cwarp as a back up.
Also plan on having more fun and have signed up for a free happiness course online which is around 2 hours with weekly emails and doable as no longer spend so much time shopping!
Hope everyone has a good day

vodkawitch1

I am taking my daughter and niece to do their food shopping today so I am hoping not to be tempted into anything I don`t need. Have to buy some light bulbs but nothing else. We sometimes go for lunch before shopping but I have put a large pan of chicken and sweetcorn soup on so we can eat here instead. I am trying to bake soda bread to so here`s hoping that turns out ok.
It is very cold here but not snowing, hope everyone has a good thrifty day.

7_week_wonder

Good morning lovely shipmates,

Thank you for all your encouragement about sorting out my mobile phone tariff. I tried briefly on-line last night and it was an epic fail. Of course if I'd wanted to up-grade (i.e. spend more money) it would have been completely straightforward, but there was no way of down-grading - funny that!

I've checked the opening hours of the phone shop at the small shopping centre near work and they stay open until 6 this evening. So I am heading there on the way home and I will report back later.

fairy3 wrote: »

Also plan on having more fun and have signed up for a free happiness course online which is around 2 hours with weekly emails and doable as no longer spend so much time shopping!
Hope everyone has a good day

Ooh - sounds interesting, would you be happy to tell us more about it?

PenguinOfDeath

Well that was easy!

Went on the Boots website to peruse the 'sale' to try and spend some points I have built up. Anything I was even remotely interested in - I'm not a big fan of the generic gift set - was sold out, in fact I think most items were.

Might have a look again when we need a toiletry stock up and try and use the points that way as it's money I would have spent anyway, their delivery charge maybe a stumbling block but they sometimes waive that.

I've just run out of my HM muesli bars so I need to make some more, will probably be Thurs by the time I get a chance. Are there any tips to stop it sticking to greaseproof paper? To be fair I don't follow a recipe I just throw in ingredients until it looks right

Walk on by...