What small moneysaving things will you be doing this week? W/C 08/01/18

FatVonD

1smallstep, do you run a B&B or do you do airbnb?

Bullet journal peeps, how does a bullet journal differ from a list book? And do you all spend hours making them look beautiful like on Pinterest?

Staff shortages and lack of organisation on my part meant that I ended up being an hour late leaving work last night. I'm doing the same shift today so need to keep a closer eye on the clock to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I am going to pop into the dog rescue with the second bit of ID needed to sign up as a volunteer walker and then hopefully will do my first walk on Sunday. I'm not looking forward to the poo bag, I have owned a dog in the past but it was 30 years ago when the streets were still littered with dog carp

I won't have much opportunity for spending but I need tea bags for home and work (they do supply them but they're always running out), bin liners and I've decided to buy a tub of hot chocolate to keep in my locker to stop me going to the cafe. It's taken them 3 months to get me one so I may as well put it to good use

I might treat myself to saveloy and chips tonight if the chippie is still open on the way home, in fact I could buy the saveloy said at work and defrost some buns, I'll do that instead

Have a good day everyone!

Bagpuss741

Today I have/will:

1. Checked online banking
2. Mother took me to Waitrose to stock up on cat food as my little darlings will only eat gourmet perle and gourmet soup which is currently on offer plus the food is on the pick your own offers.
3. Free latte in Waitrose
4. Free newspaper in Waitrose
5. Meals from stores
6. Listen to podcasts
7. Home physio exercises
8. Surveys, consumer pulse and bzzagent

1SmallStep

Hi FatvonD... Well done for talking yourself out of the takeaway
I am currently sat in the bank drinking their free tea and water while they try to fix the coin machine I might have broken by putting a old 5 coin into it! Whoops! I do a mixture of a1rbnb and private rental for students etc, depending on whether longer or shorter lets suit our personal circumstances at the time. I've been doing it for about 5 years now, with some breaks. It's saved us from dire financial straights at times!

foxgloves

Greetings my chilly little January Savers,
No list today so will tell you about our city centre trip. You see, pre-LBM, such a trip would have been one big Spend-fest with frequent stops for breakfast, lunch, etc, much flashing of those naughty CCs & using of overdrafts. We are sooooo much more sensible now: Parked at cheapest car park, had coffees but paid using our Personal Spends, used vouchers to half the cost of new undies & a shirt in M&S (mr f had his eye on that shirt before Christmas but didn't buy it & today he found it on the sale rail for £7), took cash from Savings Piggies to cover specific purchases. Found a fab present for next Christmas for a good friend which she will love....£12 reduced to £3. Treated myself to some new make-up & lovely new make-up bag (half-price) from my Christmas money. I suppose what I'm saying is that everything was paid for using the appropriate budgets & at best prices, rather than how we used to be, which was buying it with never a thought as to if the money was in the bank....which it usually wasn't!
Other good things: mr f found some geeky dvd he wanted 2nd hand in CEX for £2. I tried on a dress in 'Monsoon' - only £17 in the sale & was amazed I managed to squeeze into a 16 with the weight that's gone on since September. I didn't buy it though. I liked it, but didn't love it. And the tight bit over the tummy isn't going to improve till I have my op so £17 saved. More money saved by taking a packed lunch to avoid caving in to paninis & chips. Called into Sainsburys on way home....had a £6 off voucher. Shopped to list, adding up as we went along & used the £6 to buy 2 lots of meat for the freezer. Stocked up dry goods for my big kitchen jars....lentils, bulghur, chickpeas, which will provide lots of meals.
So all in all, a good shopping trip. I haven't blown any budgets & I still have a little Christmas money left.
Fancied another coffee while in Sainsbury's but had a word with ourselves, managed a caffiene-less 14 mile drive home & put the kettle on.
Have a peaceful evening all......or a fine wild time if you're going out.
F x

foxgloves

CLF - I can't really advise re onion sets. I've never tried planting them this time of year. I've planted Japanese onions in Autumn & successfully overwintered them. Usually we wouldn't sow our onion sets until Spring. The only stuff I usually sow in Jan is broad beans - end of Jan.in unheated greenhouse, and chillies....heated propagator indoors.
F x

1SmallStep

Foxgloves, thanks for sharing your day. I had a city centre trip too today, and kept the faith!
After getting my 5 coin returned (there were three in there, so at least one other must have done the same as me at some point and not hung around to retrieve it!) I used the machine to put 49p in very small change in from my pockets, purse. It gave me disproportionate satisfaction that it was easy to do this and I'll probably try to bring a handful from the coppers pot in next time I come to town too! Went to the library, prompted by a poster earlier in the week - thank you- but had forgotten the card, so just had a good mooch around. Discovered a couple of free events I'd like to go to over the next month though, live streams of events at the British library. Then I joined a genuinely free (rather than a pay by tips) walking tour. I resolved to try to find out more about my city this year. It was just four of us plus the guide, very sociable and a interesting 90 minutes looking at places I pass regularly through new eyes. Added a few steps onto the day too! Will definitely do this again - they run about 20 different ones through the year. Got a bit nippy and drizzly toward the end. Had a mooch around Waterstones it didn't find the thing I wanted for my Xmas voucher, and resisted buying a not quite right thing too. Made my way to John Lewis and used my voucher for coffee and cake. A guy was also doing the same thing for the first time just ahead of me in the queue and we both thought it was a fab deal. The assistant was saying you can get the vouchers on the app so don't have to worry about having them with you. Sounds like that would suit me, I usually forget to use them! There's a great view from our JL cafe, I'll def do that again - can't believe I've not bothered before! Read my kindle book and genuinely enjoyed being there.
Went on to a shop that was closing down. Took a bit of finding it as it had moved premises since last time I went, two years ago. I had a voucher from then that didn't have a expiry date on. Plucked up courage to enquire if it was still valid (I nearly didn't... I wonder why money things make me nervous, I'm usually very confident with people!)... I don't think it was really but they delighted me by saying they would take it anyway. With everything down by 35% I came away with a lovely solid 3 pan steamer set for peanuts really. The excessive packaging can be reused to do about 5 bin bags Then to A1di and topped up on cleaning and groceries, got everything we will need for next wkd except fruit, plus all the guests stuff. Now snuggled up on the sofa with a cuppa waiting for guests to cook their dinner (mine will pop in the oven easily at the same time, it's lefyobes

1SmallStep

× leftovers from earlier in the week!

Thanks for collectively inspiring me that saving money doesn't have to mean staying in and hibernating!

vickthestick

1SmallStep the heating is *fingers crossed absolutely fine just now. DH, bless him replaced a couple of olives and it seems to still be going. For now...

Took No 5 Daughter to Hobbycraft to spend her Christmas tokens and picked up some bargainous items that she is very pleased with :T Nice Mummy Daughter time

Willowtree222

Hi,

I went to Nespres the coffee shop for a free coffee rather than paying for one. I own a machine, and I am a member and do buy their pods, but decided today to have one without buying any pods.

I have also started basket shopping too. If I can't carry it in the basket, I can't have it. It saves me a minimum of £15 per shopping trip.

Thanks,

allydowd

Hi January Joy-Seekers,

:wave::wave::wave::wave::wave:Can I re-join you?



Just a quick post:



Debt Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Year Three:

* Check online banking.

* Keeping an eye on Broadband Allowance.

* Bulb has blown in sitting room. It's a three bulb fitting. Am not going to replace the bulb.


* Deep cleaned own kitchen instead of paying someone to do it for us.


* Make own smoothie instead of buying in supermarket.






Onwards and upwards.