NST; January Challenge- The Money Saving Game

Calling14

Hi everyone.

Ilovetea. Sound brilliant bargains you have got. Charity shops here are expensive.
Blubella dating on a budget is awkward. I have struggled over last year, to be honest he has cooked for me but petrol costs are a pain. I cook sometimes. Feel bad as usually go out for Sunday lunch and majority of times he has paid. Glad he has his kid this weekend and next. Save and pay my share next time.

I spend about £10 a week on fruit and veg. Just me here.

Had a sick day today felt awful all weekend exhausted doing nothing, throat killing me and jelly legs. Seeing didn't sleep at all last night got up let dog out and crawled back to bed.
Hope feel better tomorrow as really behind in work and have grandson to collect after work. He was coughing lots last week, holding him responsible lol.

Grateful for
1. Blackberries in freezer - made a crumble.
2. Being warm in my lovely house.
3. Nice clean bedding to sink into later.

apple_muncher

ilovetea - no way will you be on the naughty step with those buys. You'll be the one getting the '50p trophy' award!! I have no opportunity to get ys stuff as dd is only 7 and I do the food shop when I'm not at work, in the morning.

Today I am grateful for snuggles with dd whilst watching Littlest Pet Shop, for entertaining pupils, for having such a wide choice of food in the house, for finally finishing dd's knitted dolly ( complete with hair, skirt, ribbon belt and wings!), for emails from my mum.

Fmess

Hope you feel better soon Calling


Dating on a budget must be really difficult. I guess it depends whether it is something you can see as having future. If your DFD needs to go back a month or two to help you enjoy dating and doing stuff together, then for me it would be worth it if it was something serious, but not if I didn't feel strongly about the person. Hope that makes sense.


Today has been SFD number 15 :j and LTW too, although didn't do any exercise (another fasting day and just didn't have the 'get up and go'). Tomorrow will be a spendy day as OH needs bread for lunch but have a tutoring session so that will bring in some more money towards the debt

Fmess

apple_muncher wrote: »

ilovetea - no way will you be on the naughty step with those buys. You'll be the one getting the '50p trophy' award!! I have no opportunity to get ys stuff as dd is only 7 and I do the food shop when I'm not at work, in the morning.

apple muncher - do you have a Mr A near you? My Mr A always reduces items between 9 and 10am. They do a few more throughout the day but this seems to be the best time for bargains.

thriftylass

blubella can't remember which thread I read it in. but someone was in a similar situation and she was open about her debt and her debt busting from the beginning to avoid giving the wrong impression I.e. not being interested. Depends on the guy, but that guy appreciated the honesty and supported her and they decided on dates that would not mean he always paid but that were cheap or free.

Bobarella

Thrifty- at the risk of sounding beyond the pale, I don't think I've spent a penny on other children's birthday parties in around a year so I'm with you on party bag outrage. I round up & put in a draw all gifts son is given that I know he won't want and then put them in my present draw to re gift. I have him make home made cards for the birthday child & I use wrapping paper I've saved.
For his own birthday party I used a mixture of party bags I'd saved from other kids parties & made my own from wrapping paper, they all got a piece of my home made cake, & I used toys I'd saved off magazines, he'd been given for other kids parties etc to fill them. Scrooge Mcduck mum that's me

Calling14

Thanks Fmess and very sound advice there. Can't see my dating having a future, perhaps because I am not blown away by the guy, but we have nice days out together and stops me staring at spreadsheet, seen him for a year now and he loves my savvy ways.

Bonarella, kids parties are so ott now. Last few taken Grandson to were frozen themed parties with Characters.!!!

WelshKitty85

Evening everyone!

It's been a busy one today. DS was back in school so made up both packed lunches and did the school run. Children took sausages in their food flasks and finger rolls to make hot dogs. They loved them!

I was in uni all day. Took instant porridge with me for breakfast and sausage sandwich for lunch.

Picked children up to go to after school activities then made tonight's meal (stuck to meal plan). Have then been working on assignments until 10 mins ago. I have finished one but still need to complete another by midnight tomorrow. Will be glad when tomorrow is over and I will have some breathing space before the next lot are due.

Upto 15 SFDs.

Today I am grateful for
Remembering to eat breakfast
Food flasks to provide a warm lunch for DS and DD
Comfy slippers

Fmess

Today I am grateful for;
1.) my practical car
2.) my warm bed
3.) good friends

liltdiddylilt

Hello guys

Sorry been a manic day! I too only shop on a Monday morning once Jelly is safely ensconced at nursery apple so I feel your pain on the lack of YS goods. However fmess is so right about Mr A's. I usually get to mine around half 9 and by 10 the YS section is barricaded off with stacks of bagged fruit and veg for really knockdown prices, let alone anything else.

thrifty I went to a birthday party for a 4 year old once (aged 22:o was friends with her parents) and she had an ice skating party, with a second party and buffet upstairs, then a disco, and when they were handing out the party bags, I kid you not they were all different animal backpacks, so like a cuddly toy with a zipper, full of about £20 of stuff that had been made specifically for this kids party with the date and her name on rubbers and rulers and things amongst other things. There was even a bag for me. A unicorn. It was lovely... lol. I remember asking about the cost and they were really nonchalant when they said, oh, £25 a head (for 20 little 4 year olds?!?!)

Having said that, one of my ambitions is to be able to be in a position financially where Jellytot can have a really decent party once she is old enough to appreciate it and has proper friends to invite. With cake in the shape of something she loves, and yes maybe even a disney princess for the day but it will be saved up for, and affordable, and the party bags will contain cheap tat like all kids bags and it will most likely be at home with a bouncy castle so I definitely need to move lol. Getting more expensive as I type this party... :huh: :rotfl:

Not a SFD. A £70 in Mr L day.. :eek: - and a naughty step purchase of a laptop lap tray £7.99

So that budget is blown, but I had run down all the fresh stuff and most of the freezer and needed bits to do meals with the stuff that was in the cupboard.. so in honesty 90% of it will be for next month. Still I am taking it as budget well and truly pee'd up the wall!

Today I am grateful for:
1. My mum still being here. RIP Aunt Rose & sorry I couldn't come to your funeral, and RIP KissJen from these here forums, who lost her battle with cancer on Wednesday.
2. Doctors out of hours services getting Jellytot antibiotics without the need to see anyone thank goodness
3. An imagination and computer skills

Back tomorrow guys but I really need to get some shut eye. Going to be a long night I think. xx