NST: May the odds be ever in your favour!

thriftylass

Hello :wave:,


I hope you are all well (I'll read back later to find out what I missed).

Well I left this challenge a few months back for various reasons. Now after a few spendy months (birthdays galore) and poor self restraint (e.g. a deadly combination of wallet at work and massive appetite) and trying my own thread under this name and even under a new name I got nowhere and realised I'd like to come back here as this kept me in check and I loved this supportive wee community.

So if no one objects I'll be back lurking first and then hopefully join you again in June.

With rising CC bills, decreasing savings and DH's redundancy looming at some point it is utterly necessary to find my MSE ways again.

Calling14

Nice to see you return to the fold Thrifty. Welcome back.

WelshKitty85

Hi everyone!

Welcome back thrifty.

I am pleased to report that I have had a very productive morning! Have cancelled my mobile phone contract, despite their various tactics at trying to get me to upgrade, so now instead of £30 a month I am paying £8.50 for a sim only contract with a much better network.

I have also cancelled sky. I would have been prepared to stay with them if they had offered a decent discount but the best they could do is £2 off what I am paying now, so it's been cancelled. Will look at phone and broadband elsewhere and make do without the TV channels for now. So that reduces my expenses from £42 to £15 per month, plus I can get £75 cash back from the new provider, plus an extra £35 through a cash back site.

My M&S voucher for switching banks arrived today so have been shopping for holiday essentials and haven't spent a single penny of my own money! Still have over £45 left to spend at m&s too.

Off to update my budget spreadsheet now...

Calling14

Not feeling very MSE. However Talk Talk broadband giving a discount of 10% of the regular direct debit price if you pay the bill within 24hrs of receiving it online. 1.57 saved !

Had to spend today, bunnykins food and sawdust - just in case he runs out of it whilst I am away - need to source a rabbit sitter as he won't feed and water himself.

Welsh Kitty wish I could cancel Sky been doing some surveys and now realise how little I watch tv and hardly any of the sky programmes, Tied in for a while yet and still on half price package.

So glad its Friday and off most of next week so probably won't be on here much. Head is fuzzy as been up coughing most night roll on hometime.

Keep the naughty step clear may need space later oops!!!!

wishus

Hello Turtles! Sorry, I didn't post yesterday as I was busy all day and I went to my creative writing group in the evening. Gets me out the house!

I have one more NSD to report from Wednesday, and some roadkill - 12p. Also got £10.63 cashback and lodged a query for another £6, which Quidco have promised in 72 hours - yay!

I was particularly pleased with myself yesterday for getting out of the house early so I could pick up some essentials and pizzas - the fast option for dinner when you need to be out in a jiffy, or don't have long to cook and eat before bed when you get back. I made it to Aldi for opening, so got a bit more exercise, and probably saved £2 that I would have spent in Mozzas.

I thought I'd blown my WW budget too yesterday on wine and getting the pizza size wrong, but it turns out I have been logging 56g of cereal every day and not 30g like I'd been eating, so I'm fine, yay! Probably won't be doing Eurovision drinking games tomorrow night though...:beer:



I have to thank you Turtles for showing me the benefit of tracking NSDs. I won't make target this month, but it has made me more aware of trickle-spend-temptations, and gives me a push to try to be a bit more creative with what I have in the cupboards already. I know I can do it next time. :T

academiablues

Afternoon all! The Only Girl, that is a very reasonable price for all of you, wow! Welcome back Thriftylass
Wishus, I'm finding tracking the NSDs really useful as well. Thinking about logging another NSD stops me from buying a bottle of pop or a packet of crisps at work, which will hopefully work wonders on both my bank balance and my waistline in the long-run!
That said, not a NSD today sadly needed to buy some birthday cards and cheap wrapping paper for the pressies I got using my Sw@gbucks giftcards. Got £55 back from work for train tickets, but as I've already budgeted for this month I took it straight into my savings account before I spend it! Also bought chinese from Mr A, thinking it would be cheaper than takeaway - as we only buy one meal for the two of us at the takeaway, it actually worked out more expensive(!!), but is probably better for us
Have a good Friday evening turtles - bank holiday weekend, woo!

apple_muncher

Hello Thrifty! Good to see you.

Wishus - yep, tracking NSDs really helps us stop and think about little spends!

Calling - hope you feel better and have a good week.

Welshkitty - awesome moneyback shenanigans! And well done on finishing your assignment.

tog - glad your birthday went well and the 'no presents' worked.

stewby - glad granny's home and still feisty.

Samiszel - hope you get fully better soon and don't catch any more lurgi.



Today I am grateful for the instant contact that email gives us, for finding a kit for making small mice that I can copy, for plenty of walking in my 'new' MBTs (got them for a bargain £15 yesterday), for our friendly robin popping in, for a lawn full of pretty daisies.

Fmess

Evening all,

Welcome back thrifty

Wishus, glad you find the SFDs are working for you. I love collecting them and like you say they prevent the small spends that often escalate.

Today was a spend day, it's payday and the start of half term, so I 'treated' myself to a takeaway. I think I definitely still have too many treats! OH has gone out again but that gives me the house to myself, which I am really enjoying at the moment.

I'm looking forward to the week off and catching up with some lovely people. Hope you have all had a good Friday.

Bobarella

Hi All
Late check in. Long day!

The Only Girl -think that meal sounds incredibly inexpensive. How do they do it??? Sorry your husband couldn't be with you. Mean boss..

Stewby - that's good news about your gran.

Can't believe we are on the count down out of May now. :eek:

My bank balance hasn't changed since the 18th, something nice about that. Not much to report really. NSD 17 anyway.

Have a good weekend everyone.

bob

Samiszel

Hi again Thifty! :hello:

Glad you had a pleasant birthday, The Only Girl.

I've reached 15 NSD (including today). Had a friend round this evening for dinner and a catch up, and managed a delicious meal out of bits lurking in the freezer. Score! Baked some choc-chip cupcakes just in time too, for dessert.

Off to the Chelsea Flower Show tomorrow with my mum and later to a friend's birthday... at a casino :eek:

Probably won't be able to check in tomorrow, so have a lovely Saturday all!