starting old style- tips?

Teresita_2

Hi there

I have to agree my sons both were contented on Farleys and to make it better Lidl sell Farleys cheaper than most supermarkets.

The only own brand Nappys I have got on with are Tesco and Aldi's although didnt like Aldi's wipesw they seemed to bring them out in a rash.

I too found this board extremely helpfull and bulk cooking is a god sent for me. Hope your OS mission is a sucess.

But remember, if u fall off the wagon just get right back on it!!!! It's so easy to think oh I am a failure if you have a bad day. Takes a while to get used to it, but it's so rewarding.

Good luck

katiesmummy

Teresita wrote: »

Hi there

I have to agree my sons both were contented on Farleys and to make it better Lidl sell Farleys cheaper than most supermarkets.

The only own brand Nappys I have got on with are Tesco and Aldi's although didnt like Aldi's wipesw they seemed to bring them out in a rash.

I too found this board extremely helpfull and bulk cooking is a god sent for me. Hope your OS mission is a sucess.

But remember, if u fall off the wagon just get right back on it!!!! It's so easy to think oh I am a failure if you have a bad day. Takes a while to get used to it, but it's so rewarding.

Good luck

tbh i'm really enjoying it! i hate ready meals and have always cooked from scratch anyway so there isnt much different in the cooking except the leftovers now go in the freezer instead of the dog!

i had a friend up the other day and i was making the garlic bread when she arrived & she wanted to know why i didnt just go and buy one instead of wasting my time making one- she has never had to struggle or budget in her life!

i will give own brand nappies a go and see how i get on

one more o/s thing i did today- i discovered the freebies page on gumtree and got a whole bag full of clothes for ds that will last till he's 1-result!

dollydaydream07

i tried boots and tesco own brand nappies for DD and they were both fine - and with boots nappies you get double points if you are a parenting club member

tsstss7

katiesmummy wrote: »

ok, i really want to get started with old style, being on a tight budget and all... i have been looking at the collection threads, and i really dont know where to start!

probably the best place to start is shopping cos thats where most of my money goes...

my son is on formula milk- i really tried with the breastfeeding but it didnt happen. i buy 2 tins of sma per week at 6.89 per tin, this is the cheapest i have found- if anyone knows of somewhere cheaper please let me know

My ds is nearly 17 weeks and I am now counting the days until I can give him food as he would polish off TWO 9oz bottles if I'd let him ....we limit him now as anything over 9oz's causes serious tummy ache :rotfl:

We have used Atipmil, Aptimil easy digest, hipp organic, ready mix farleys, ready mix sma and breast milk (mixed feeder). Thie initial change to aptimil ED was because of colic and it seemed to help - after 12 weeks we tried the hipp as it is so cheap and organic (less than a fiver for same volume). The ready mixes I now get whatever is cheap rather than aptimil as he's not fussy and it doesn't seem to bother him. I'm trying to bf more but as fast as I improve supply his appetite increases and/or another problem crops up!:rolleyes:

nappies- i use huggies at the moment, am unsure about store own brands- any reccomendations?

Tesco own brand beats huggies for me I stocked up on huggies as I liked them better last time and regretted it as they leak on my lo for both wees and poos! Am trying boots next week as it seems own brands are pretty good these days. I also use prefold reusables and am into the cotton bottoms although I did think I'd prefer shaped.



baby wipes- i always buy boots own which have been bogof since my son was born

I like huggies but mostly use cotton balls still for tops and tails.

meat- is it cheaper to buy from the butchers? i mainly buy chicken (3quid from iceland) and mince (78p in sainsburys for 400g i think)

i know that the market is generally cheaper for fruit n veg & i do buy some fruit n veg from the market- why do market stalls not sell braeburn apples??

is lidl any good? there is one not too far from me, its a bus journey but for the sake of 90p bus fare i would be happy to go there if its gonna save me a bit of cash

Very cheap and good but prepare to have long arms if you are carrying home! I always seem to buy loads when I go there.

i cant think of anything else at the moment

thanks in advance

hope this helps a bit although you have already embarked on you os journey.

katiesmummy

your lo sounds just like mine!

he seems fine on the farleys so i'm gonna stick with it- i dont know why i didnt try it in the first place tbh

havent got around to going to lidl yet but am definately gonna try and go on monday instead of sainsburys so i will let you know how i get on

really looking forward to collecting my breadmaker on monday so i can start making my own. i dont have the energy to do it by hand!

one thing i do want to do soon is start decorating my house which is in a very sorry state so i need to think about how i can do it oldstyle- ebay and freecycle spring to mind immediately for bits of furniture i need. would have to find someone willing to deliver or a cheap man with van tho as i dont drive

darkblue_2

Hi everyone,

I feel guilty for lurking on these forums for so long and not contributing.

I've recently left work through illness and so was forced to make some major cut backs (that's what Statutory Sick Pay forces you to do!) and I thought I'd share some general tips that I've learned to save the pounds.

Haircuts. I've begun cutting my own hair. I invested in a semi-decent razor and it looks just like how the hairdresser did it. Keep in mind I am a man with short hair, so it won't work for everyone! You don't need top skills to use a razor. Just attach the clipper and always cut towards your crown. My partner helps me with the fine cutting at the back of my head.

Groceries. I've recently made a post on this great thread:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=11235047&posted=1#post11235047
About how you can save money by buying the cheaper brands. Not all cheaper brands are quality, so this thread helps sort the nice from the naff.

Ebay. I love shopping, and there are some great buys to be had on ebay. Only buy what you need - it's easy to get sucked in to the "it's cheap - so I'll buy it" mentality. If you need it, great. If not - don't buy.
Also - beware of fakes/scammers and phishing. Only buy from reputable sellers with good feedback. If it all goes awry, you can always get your money back if you use paypal. If you buy from someone who will have no money in their paypal account, you won't get a penny back.

Also - selling on ebay. It gets rid of clutter and could make you some money.
Make an 'aboutme' page to build buyer's confidences. Be reasonable with postage and always get proof of postage. When you start to get good feedback, more people will use you with confidence.

Fake tan. It's a strange one seeing as I'm a man, but by me having to cut back means my partner has to - she's a full time student and lives with me.
She used to spend a fortune on fake tan, which she uses religiously! We've discovered some quality products that are cheap. Asda's own brand developing fake tan. It takes a while to develop, but it's streak-free and easy to use.
Superdrug's Solitair brand is also equally as good, and comes in mouuse form, too - which apparently helps keep streak-free.

Books. Join your local library. There's a wide selection and as long as you return them on time it's completely free. You pay for it through your tax, so use it!

Gym. This can be very expensive. It's always best to shop around. Check out moneysavingexpert's main site for free loop-hole offers. Some insurers give away free gym membership - check if your work do coperate memberships - if not, ask why not!

Childcare. Martin Lewis was on GMTV today talking about childcare vouchers and how you can save by making salary sacrafice. First of all, ask your employer if they do it - check to make sure you don't lose money from it - and then start saving!
See the main article for more info:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/health/childcare-vouchers

Washing machine maintenance. This sounds like a strange one, but a OS moneysaver told me to put a cupfull of vinegar into my washing machine, and run it on an empty load. Doing this once every month can keep your clothes smelling fresh by getting rid of the gunge that's caused by detergents and fabric softeners. It really works and it's cheaper than a repairman's bill! It can also prolong the life of your washing machine.

Surveys. If you've got some spare time that you'd like to turn into spare cash - you can join paid online surveys such as yougov.com, sliceofthepie, globaltestmarket.

I've got a cheque on it's way to me for about £25 from the latter - for 2-3 minutes work every second day - for about a month. It's not much, but it's sometimes fun to fill out the surveys, and you know your voice is being heard by big companies.

Finally

What You Eat = What's In Your Wallet.

I originally came to this website because I was tired of spending so much money on food.

Shopping online helps you cut down on impulse purchases.
It's worth the £3-4 delivery charge.
You can plan ahead and buy meals rather than ingredients. I.e. know what you're going to eat for the week and go online to buy it.

Pasta bakes
Baked potatoes
Home made meatloaf
Spag bol
Meatballs
Mac cheese
Casseroles
Pizzas

They can all be planned ahead and cooked in advance so you save money and waste less.

Happy moneysaving!