Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

@badmemory - we do the same and record anything we want to watch or pause it and start watching about 20 minutes late so we can fast forward through the hundreds of ads.  My dad spends most of his time watching sport on tv - football, darts, snooker, cricket, tennis and most of that is broadcast on the paid for services.  Luckily he can afford it and as he is housebound it's almost essential for him.  

Makingabobor2

That's an amazing deal with VM, we are still waiting for the email to see what is happening to ours. We currently pay £40 a month, for phone with free weekend calls, basic TV & internet. Refuse to pay much more as its definitely not worth it. We have been loyal customers for over 20 years, so they need to be nice to us....lol

Blackcats

@Makingabobor2 - I told VM how old my dad was and how long he'd been a customer.  It definitely felt like a different negotiation this time and that it was more about keeping a customer than pushing unsuitable blooming bundles of pricey services.

what a beautiful sunny day it's been.  Had my dentist visit today which I had been putting off for months well actually it was a year overdue.  It was an item on my overdue annoying task list for March and I do wonder why on earth it became such an issue to just do it.  The H&WB pot has taken a hit today and will be further depleted next week for the hygienist visit and MrBC has a physio appointment this week.  Just keeping reminding myself that the pot is set up to pay for the looking after ourselves things.

we went to the cafe after the dentist and had one of their fab Mediterranean breakfasts.  Egg, spinach, halloumi, Turkish sausage, tomatoes and toast.  We won't need to eat much tonight.  I might make a yoghurt and fruit and nut bowl.  

Sun_Addict

I usually dread haggling with VM but you can now search for a better deal on their website. I found a lot cheaper package and swapped it online. It was so much easier. 

Blackcats

Thank you @Sun_Addict.  I managed to cupcake online login details when I was on the haggling call so I hope I can do it online in the future.

April's budget is up and running based on our plans for the month.  It's a busy month so our eating out & fun budget has been generously funded.  I'm quietly hoping for an underspend without compromising on our social activities.

we had some orange swirl ice cream from Lidls for pud tonight.  It was really yummy and as good as an ice cream from a posh ice cream vendor.

savingholmes

You're making me want to go and look for ice cream now!!

Well done on the haggling for your Dad.

Blackcats

Thank you @savingholmes.  I can also recommend Solero Orange Burst lollies - very refreshing and virtually calorie neutral 😇

I revisited the frugal queen blog today after a long absence.  A couple of good reminders to go back to basics.  Always work from a written budget which I am getting much better at.  I'm also improving at aiming to spend less than the allocated budget and not aiming at the budget figure.

the second tip was no waste.  Now I know this is obvious but it was good to apply this into thinking about a broad range of categories - food, gas/electric, water, petrol, re-purposing or repairing  existing things.  I'm also eeking out products like toothpaste, handcream, moisturiser etc.  there's usually so much left at the bottom of the tube that it will go on for at least another week.

It's chilly tonight but I've layered up with a cardy and some thicker socks and the heating is staying off!

PennysIntoPounds

I am always appalled by how much there is left in toiletries packaging, nothing leaves this flat without having been cut into, usually several times! 
And don't get me started on stick lipbalms, a well applied fingernail can get a good couple of days extra out of those 😁

Makingabobor2

PennysIntoPounds said:

I am always appalled by how much there is left in toiletries packaging, nothing leaves this flat without having been cut into, usually several times! 
And don't get me started on stick lipbalms, a well applied fingernail can get a good couple of days extra out of those 😁

I agree about lip balms. I hate them anyway, as the plastic can't be recycled.  I won an UpC*rc!e on in a competition a few months ago. It is in a small glass jar and is lovely.  Not sure how much they cost, but it seems to be lasting for ever, and I know I can recycle it. 

Blackcats

My almost empty tube of primer with the end cut off is still going strong.  MrBC always smiles that I put primer on my face 😆

Not a very MSE day today but we are having a night away and going to a concert tonight.  It's been booked since last May so I'm excited it's finally here.  Found a Lush and treated myself to a couple of bits.  There's a bath in the hotel bathroom so I bought a very pretty, nice smelling bath bomb.  Someone else can clean the bath after I checkout tomorrow.