NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

Effyb4

I decided to buy 3 raspberry canes from Ald! today. They were £2.49 and a lot cheaper than those I was looking at on the internet. Even if they don't work, it won't be very much money lost. I just need to get 2 posts and some wire to support them.

I'm now baking some granola bars using up some left over nuts and seeds. They smell delicious.

[Deleted User]

Grey Queen. I've been punching the numbers this afternoon. I'm impressed to say I've saved £26.02 on petrol this month and food has come under budget by £9.69 (£60 for food budget). And its been a 5 week month.
I just posted on the over 50s board asking if there's many money saving benefits to being 50. I've number crunched everything and it seems not for me. So I must be up to date with my finances. Trying to improve and learn though so its always an onward journey.
Done all my utilities etc and can't cut back any more than I am. But that's a good sign.

Margaret54

Good afternoon shipmates Asda shopping coming at teatime tonight and got a cheaper delivery price. Only bought what we needed. I am using the breadmaker almost daily so saving a few pounds a week there. I will only need to buy milk this coming week then Will pay the rent and put in £40 for the gas and also £30 for the electricity, and will do it all on Monday morning. I bought a few little books for our toddler grandson, from the Works online during the week which were not expensive and a nice little notebook for myself too. Have birthday cards and Christmas cards and gifts all bought in the sales online for Christmas all at a bargain price so well pleased with it all. Next month is my birthday and I told my dh that I have all I need so don't want a gift. I have plenty of sale fabric to begin English paper piecing for the very first time. I picked up tips from a blog online and also found a book on it on my bookshelf so am planning to make a lovely (I hope) quilt for our dear little grandson's first bed when he is out of his cot sometime It is very relaxing doing it by hand too, so you can carry it all with you if you are out. I reused an Ikea plastic bag which was holding a homemade apple tart I had bought from a church sale and rinsed it afterwards.:) It has a zipper top and clear and big too so holds scissors thread needles and little scraps of fabric. Happy days

pm2326

Just rang mobile provider and reduced my package from £26 a month to £12 ... Saves me £168 a year :T

Have a mobile internet dongle that I don't need and that contract ends March so that'll be cancelled saving me another £180 a year :j

GreyQueen

pm2326 wrote: »

Just rang mobile provider and reduced my package from £26 a month to £12 ... Saves me £168 a year :T

Have a mobile internet dongle that I don't need and that contract ends March so that'll be cancelled saving me another £180 a year :j

:money: Nice one!

I did fancy something nice for a sweet treat this weekend but not enough to brave the shops. So I have just slung a banana cake in the oven. I had to halve the ingredients as the recipe I have is for 2 x 2lb cakes requiring 8 bananas and I had 4. So I halved everything but the eggs (kept that at 2 eggs), substituted SR flour for plain + baking powder (no powder) and almond extract for vanilla extract.

Heaven knows what it'll come out like but I wasn't planning on feeding it to anyone else, so if it's so-so, I'll eat it without whingeing.

Gonna go crunch January's numbers now, back in a bit.

ETA; Spent £208.72 less than I earned. And I bought a washing machine this month. Of course, I have been ill so missed 3 x £10 archery classes, so up on one thing and down on another.

The improv 'nana cake is smelling lush. Fingers crossed that it comes out OK.

vulpix

Hello All,

Hmm Aldi have raspberry canes eh?;)

I have had to have a break from the wardrobe.I have hurt myself again.Never ever again will I take on such a huge renovation task.

Food for January for 2 adults occasionally 6 and a teenager with hollow legs was £75.

What has shocked me is non food £106. This has included loads of greetings cards,gifts,stuff for the house and some clothes from the charity shop for me and youngest.I suppose next month must be better as I have bought all gifts and cards needed till April.But I thought I spent nothing,so writing it down has been an eye opener.

I may have to buy ANOTHER toaster 3rd in a year!Luckily 2 of the 4 slots still work.Have tried cheap and expensive none seem to last.The handle on my kitchen scissors snapped too so that may be another purchase but I only use them to cut the rind off bacon so might be able to repurpose one of the many pairs we have.

My hairdresser couldn't get to the house for snow and is now going on holiday,I am looking a bit bedraggled.Got this posh christening next week too.

I love to hear how busy you all are.Take care Vx

purpleshoes_2

A few spends today but not supermarket, bought some freeze spray in the pound shop for aches and pains, some herbal sleep aid tablets as sleep is a bit all over the place just now, some ibuprofen gel and some water, just back from the corner shop and bought a couple of bits there too, they had 4 nicky loo rolls for a quid on offer so bought some.

Also a fruit stall purchase today as well. 2 pineapples for a quid and ten clementines for a quid.

Going out for lunch tomorrow but wont be expensive, a very reasonably priced mexican restaurant in Glasgow.

Still decluttering, have 4 bags of rag for the charity shop, my mum needs some towels and I have way too many so going to give her some. Gave another 12 books or so away today through freelywheely. Apart from some nutrition books and some books by Marian Keyes who I do like plus another 3 or 4, Ive given away all the books I had in the house, probably around 250. Also binned quite a lot of crap today as well.

Next task is to wash up my zumbawear and other clothes Ive bought but dont wear and ebay/put them on freelywheely.

Have a couple of slimming world and ww books that I bought for the recipes and never used and someone is taking them off my hands, just giving them away.

pm2326

Having made an extra conscious effort to eat out of the freezer since November, I've finally been able to defrost it :j

Drawers of remaining frozen food stuff's still need a bit of tidying up but will leave that until tomorrow when freezer is back to correct temperature. Still mean to use up a few more things before restocking.

Went to aldi this morning to do a top up of tins & household things as realised if I left it much longer I wouldn't be able to carry them home as bags would be too heavy. Spent £19 but hoping this will last me a few weeks.

candygirl

Can I join in please?I have been lurking, n used to be quite OS but fell off the wagon:o Have just done a fridge, freezer n cupboard inventory, n I have potentially about 70 meals worth of stuff:eek:so now will only need top up bits from Ald1 for the next couple of weeks:j

vodkawitch1

Hi

Well done everyone! you are all so inspiring. I have done quite well with the `Not buying it` through January. Cupboards are still quite full so February will be another month of hopefully low spending. I spend 50p today in cs on earmuffs for freezing morning . Ten pound yesterday on fruit and veg in market and Aldi and should not need anything for rest of the week.
Went to London again few days ago as sister staying untill 4/2. Went on bus for £11 return. Had tickets to see Once Musical which were a 60th Birthday present. Billiant show with Ronan Keeting, took a packed lunch. Spent nothing there despite looking in a few cs and large Primark. A huge bonus being the balcony was shut so we were upgraded to the stalls My top tip is always go to the theatre in January if possible!
Have a nice weekend everyone.