It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Siebrie

@TheBanker I know what you're saying about M&S. I regularly have long discussions in my head before purchasing something: 'I need X; I can buy it for €x at the local discounter, I like it, for the price it's a decent (not good) item; I have a voucher for the expensive shop, I can buy it for €xxx using the voucher, I really like it, it's splendid quality. But do I really want to spend it on that? I can pay less if I pay with money, but that's real  money, and I have a voucher to this expensive shop .... huh, what to do, what to do?'

Katiehound

Siebrie said:

  I really like it, it's splendid quality. But do I really want to spend it on that? I can pay less if I pay with money, but that's real  money, and I have a voucher to this expensive shop .... huh, what to do, what to do?'

well, if you don't spend it , it will be wasted and the retailer will get all the money!

I would either spend it on something that you really really want, or spend it on something that is reasonable value remembering that if it expires with cash remaining that will  have 'gone down the drain!'

I have bought M&S vouchers - reluctantly- in a Christmas savings club because I could not find anymore DDs required for various bank accounts. I eventually spend them on food- 3 for £10 deal kind of thing because even though I knew it would be a bit cheaper at almost any other shop I would otherwise waste the money. I was hoping to finish with this scheme at the end of the year- but still don't have enough DDs to do so! (Oh and I end up spending them at motorway stations because I am actually parked there- not at a shop 15 miles away)
As you can guess I do not intend to throw away £20!!! 

OrkneyStar

Hello all, Been lurking for a bit but am reading posts abd sending you all good wish vibes! In other news, our fridge freezer has (half) died - we can afford a new one but I've decided to use all the frozen stuff up before we get a new one, cue some interesting meals! The fridge part has completely died, and in the freezer part the bottom two drawers still freeze/keep frozen, albeit slowly, and the top drawer seems to be chilled but not freezing....so it's operating as a make shift fridge. It is going against my usual approach letting the freezer get emptied but it will be good to start afresh when we get a new one. Wish us luck. PS We're 99% sure it's beyond repair and don't want to waste money on engineer when it could go to a new one (we've also cleaned fan,  cleared iced up parts etc). 

TheBanker

OrkneyStar said:

Hello all, Been lurking for a bit but am reading posts abd sending you all good wish vibes! In other news, our fridge freezer has (half) died - we can afford a new one but I've decided to use all the frozen stuff up before we get a new one, cue some interesting meals! 

Reminds me of my mum's 'freezer tea' - made when times were hard and the money had to stretch a little further than usual. She'd cook up all the odds and ends of fish fingers, sausages, chips, potato waffles etc and we'd help ourselves, buffet style!

London_1

That's just reminded me I have a £25.00 voucher for M&S from last Christmas ,but I can't think of anything I really need clothes wise, so perhaps once my freezer has gone down a bit I will use it to top up, perhaps with chicken or meat of some description.I don't eat ready meals at all. Any odd left over will possibly go on tinned stuff. I had saved it to buy perhaps some summer holiday stuff and forgot all about it  

JackieO xx

elsien

If it was me, that’d probably go on wine or treating myself to something I would normally consider too expensive

bupster

London_1 said:

That's just reminded me I have a £25.00 voucher for M&S from last Christmas ,but I can't think of anything I really need clothes wise, so perhaps once my freezer has gone down a bit I will use it to top up, perhaps with chicken or meat of some description.I don't eat ready meals at all. Any odd left over will possibly go on tinned stuff. I had saved it to buy perhaps some summer holiday stuff and forgot all about it  

JackieO xx

Jackie, I just spent exactly £25 in M&S on one of these - it's lovely! 

https://www.marksandspencer.com/teddy-fleece-hooded-blanket/p/hbp60519402?color=GREY

skogar

If you live near an M and S Jackie you can keep an eye out for yellow stickers if you go in regularly. Sometimes I have managed to get some good reductions (usually on meat and non-preprepared things). Or perhaps you might spot things suitable for Christmas presents. I did use an M and S voucher I was given to buy a few bottles of wine once as I couldn't think what to use it for. :-)

London_1

I rarely drink (actually have hooch in the cupboard and can't remember the last time I even opened the bottle The fleecy blamkets looks nice , but I have an electric throw my DD bought for me I may try for some reduced stuff one evening around 7 at my nearest one in Hempstead Valley. I'll have to wait until I have a bit of wriggle room in my freezer first though :) some great suggestions though chums 

JackieO xx

linz

Another idea that may not have been mentioned that some people could consider when the price cap goes up again is to cook one large meal eg a large casserole or stew and share it out amongst neighbours or friends who live close by and all take it in turns, that way you'd only be cooking a meal every x days.