Tips on getting through every day without spending a penny !

darich

i think preventing your kids going to parties so you don't have to buy a present but continuing to gamble on the lottery is wrong.
Drop the lottery and let the kids go to parties. In years to come the kids will remember that you stopped them going to their friend's parties. And remember, if they stop going to parties, they stop being invited and eventually lose their pals.
The important thing is you carry on doing the lottery though....right?

In general i agree with your list but i think it's a bit extreme.

looby-loo_2

Why not buy a loaf of bread and make up 5 packs of sandwiches and freeze them for hubby? Make a fruit loaf cake, slice and wrap in cling film.

Then each morning he only has to grab bag of sandwiches, cake, fruit and it's done! It'll save you money in the long run.

Cheese and pickle freeze well
Chicken/pork and pickle - I nick a couple of slices off the Sunday joint and it's hardly noticed so it seems like a 'freebie'
Corned beef - put the can in the fridge overnight then it slices easier and you don't get wasted crumbs

Fruit Loaf
8oz SR flour
3 1/2 oz butter
3 1/2 oz sugar (any)
1/2 teaspoon spice (optional) (cinnamon or mixed)
6 oz dried fruit / or 3 oz coconut + 1 oz glace cherries / small bag peanuts
1 egg
1/4 pint milk

Wizz or rub the butter into the flour, stir in sugar, spice and fruit followed by egg and milk. Mix well. It should be softish, not dry. If dry add a little mor milk.

Spoon into a 2lb loaf tin. Cook for about 40 mins at gas 4/180C. Cook with Sunday roast the save fuel (sorry that sound a bit obvious)

Test with knife Cool and cut next day. This cake can be frozen but will also keep up to two weeks

A lot of cake and sarnies for £60!

lauren565

hi thanks looby-loo i didnt think sandwhiches were freezable but shall definately have to try that on Sunday! Thanks. I am not really bothered if people think my list is extreme - each to their own. I feel we do have a good balance; my husband and I do lots of enjoyable free things like taking the kids to the park, we live right near a lake and feed the ducks, and we are members of the national trust and living in Nottinghamshire are surrounded by lovely places to visit. My major cutting down on spending is for during the week, obviously we try not to spend at the weekend but we leave room for leisure activities AS A FAMILY, hence why I am not so pushy about my children going to parties, because we do lovely things together. I'm not stopping them going to parties altogether in the future, just for the moment because they are each getting an invite three times a week - and its a bit ott. And if they lose their friend for not going to a birthday party, then they were'nt a real friend anyway !!!!

So far this week all I spent was £95 food shopping on monday 28th jan which will last for a long while, and 6.86 on wednesday for petrol. Thanks for those who are supportive

Love, Mrs Scoogey Lauren x

nearlyrich

I am all for saving money but not letting children go to parties is going a bit too far, I hope the OP was joking on this one....we became mortgage free without depriving the children of the normal childhood experiences but they did learn about money and are both pretty good with managing their income.

My biggest tip is not to pay too much for the things you buy, it's easy to save money if you do a bit of research and haggle, we were doing this in the days before everyone was on the internet so you had to physically call into shops or ring them to get the best deal.

lauren565

glastowinebar: i think im stuck in the middle of a contract with bt for broadband unfortunately but its only approx £10 a month and then i try not to use the telephone for calls.

MUSTBEFUNNY_2

"And if they lose their friend for not going to a birthday party, then they were'nt a real friend anyway !!!!"


Surely it's the other way round? If you can't be bothered coming and celebrating my birthday and buying a gift and making my day special, then it's you who are not much of a friend Except it's kids we are talking about and they don't get a choice as to whether they want to be a gooD friend or not..

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

My daughter used to be friendly with a girl whose parents owned 2 massive houses in our village (home counties). They very obviously had loads of money but they were soooo mean that when they had a party the party bag was a tescos value bag full of ehhhh well nothing, there was never enough food as the mother used to allocate one (cheap white) jam sandwich and say 3 crisps, etc to each child:eek:. It was unbelievable and you could tell they did have pots of money...they were just mean.....

.....and me I'm in debt but I'd never act like that:o

aardvaak

BACKFRMTHEEDGE wrote: »

My daughter used to be friendly with a girl whose parents owned 2 massive houses in our village (home counties). They very obviously had loads of money but they were soooo mean that when they had a party the party bag was a tescos value bag full of ehhhh well nothing, there was never enough food as the mother used to allocate one (cheap white) jam sandwich and say 3 crisps, etc to each child:eek:. It was unbelievable and you could tell they did have pots of money...they were just mean.....

.....and me I'm in debt but I'd never act like that:o

That's how they got their money!

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

No offence - I'd rather be broke:p. I've been to plenty of parties where it's obvious that the parents are doing their best to give everyone a good time with what ever money they can afford....these are the parents I admire and would want as friends...Godfrey Burns, Silas Marner & Scrooge can party on there own_pale_:whistle:

Retired_I.F.A.

Got to smile at the milk one, must save you oh about £2 a year.

And the lottery No chance of winning the Euro lottery but I spend £10 a week on the british one. :rotfl: thats a cracker ! You've more chance betting on red rum to win next years grandnational.

Poor hubby, stop living life today mate and when the mortgage is paid off maybe then you can have a big mac