Snowy Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Well done Sha! Uniform buying is a real pain isn't it? I'll have to splash out on some new stuff for middle son this year, but all his old stuff has been patched and repaired and shortened ready for little one starting in September. He'll be a little second hand Rose! At least we do get the use out of any new stuff (and I've just remembered I might still have some in the loft from when oldest son was at that school ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Especially pleased as she's at a private school, so the uniform can't be bought anywhere else!!! The boys are not so bad; you can get trousers, grey shirts & grey jumpers at Tesco, Asda, M&S, John Lewis etc, but the girls are all uniform shop Fortunately DD isn't the rough lout her brother was & doesn't wear out her clothes before she grows out of them! He seems to have grown out of that phase too thankfully! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I'm struggling with an email offering me 50% off Crocs Nadia. Perfect for mucking out chooks BUT I'm managing without them. On the plus side. I allow myself £30 per week to spend in cash, this includes the charity shops and will have to cover all my beauty treatments (I've promised myself 1 a month this year as a treat - mind you the first "treat" will HAVE to be a bikini wax!!) The good news is I already have enough cash "saved" to pay for my 6 week pole dancing course. Although I really wanted to get my nails done as well...... Jeez it's only January!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAB Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Thanks for the inspiration everyone. I am well skint just now as have taken around 9 months off work to help the wee boy we are adopting settle into our home - as I am the main breadwinner in the family and the world also decided to have a credit crunch at the same time, we are really feeling it! So - went to the last day of our local Woolies and bought up lots of different colours of fabric dye for cheap. Have used them to transform loads of ancient bathtowels which were looking well past their best and have now been rejuvenated. Similary have revived one of my dresses, a top, and a pair of pyjamas that I would otherwise have been getting rid off. Have been up the loft looking through the bags of children's clothes there (as we have biggest loft, all my family give me clothes their kids have outgrown which sit along with my own kids grown-out clothes until ready to fit someone else in the family) - have sorted through them and parcelled out garments which will now fit my 3 neices, my nephew, and my new son. The kids and I then play "stay or go" (self explanatory) with any clothes family members don't want. If staying, they go to the new recipient or back up loft if don't fit yet; if going they either go on ebay or charity (depending on sellability on ebay). I am counting any money I have made on ebay as "virtual money" and I am allowed to spend the money in my Paypal account on other items on ebay as long as they can be covered by the money I have made and as long as they are for a specific purpose (e.g. elder son's birthday coming up and so far gathering gifts via this "virtual money"). My 12 year old daughter and I are crafting like mad for gifts for forthcoming birthdays and are aiming to build a collection in time for Christmas 2009. We so far have only used craft items already in the house, donated by elderly friends/relatives who have donated them or left them to us when they died, or craft kits received as Christmas presents. We are also redistributing gifts that don't quite suit (e.g. my OH doesn't wear aftershave and got 2 for Christmas) to others who would appreciate them for birthday presents. We do a bit of this sort of thing usually, but are really going for it bigtime now - nothing like a credit crunch to focus the mind on how to be less wasteful and more frugal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Paypal money is very useful! OH's cordless drill died yesterday when he was building me some raised beds on the lottie, so I've used my paypal fund to buy him a new one (on the understanding that he does actually use it occasionally ) I'd really like a greenhouse, but keep missing out on freecycle. I have some comission from a catalogue account that would cover it, so may get it that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiblick Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Well since it's all YOUR fault that I didn't start in January because I purchased a I shan't feel too bad about starting on February 1st. Shall I start a new thread for people who want to start then or stay here? My version is going to be A Year of Domesticity - 'cause you see we've been in our house 3 years and had always intended this year to be the year we got around to painting it and getting rid of the previous occupants curtains and carpets! This was also going to be our frugal year and now it has to be because between the two of us we've been hit with a 25% reduction in income and redundancy is looming for himself. I hate that we seem to be jumping on the recession fueled frugality bandwagon! So the plan is Groceries & Bills & House Decorating (nothing fancy). I want to be mindful of spending and stop buying books & DVDs and everything and anything that catches my eye, and I truly have enough clothing to last me a year, especially if I re-lose the 2 stone I re-gained in the past 2 years! So part of the pact is no purchasing of confectionary, I can bake! Anyway I must go back and re-read the thread properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoebe Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I'd be happy to start on Feb 1st. Books and kitchen things are my weakness and I really have no more room for either, and my budget is showing lots of minus figures, so retrenching would be good idea. As long as I can buy an egg skelter thing before Feb 1st for all those eggs which my hens are (eventually ) going to lay.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Books and kitchen things are my weakness I read this as books and kitchens I wondered how many kitchens a girl could have cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoebe Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 thats an idea - just think of how much new stuff I would need to to buy to equip a second kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiblick Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Books and kitchen things are my weakness what can you mean? I don't have a picture of the bookcases... Retrench, how may I retrench? a baronet must be seen to live like a baronet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoebe Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Lovely Dresser Wiblick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Books and kitchen things are my weakness what can you mean? I don't have a picture of the bookcases... Retrench, how may I retrench? a baronet must be seen to live like a baronet! I like the comment under your dresser: "So lovely! My gran used to have one of those brown mixing bowls for making cake, and I always got to lick the bowl. I could fit my whole head it in! I think you should only buy bowls that you can get your head in." I could see that going down well in John Lewis kitchen dept, "I'll take this one" when asked why you are putting your head in a mixing bowl Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 - that comment made me laugh as well I have one of those bowls on my dresser, it's a bit crazed now and I rarely use it...........I also had bookshelves built into the kitchen - just for cookery books We always need more bookshelves in this house - coffee table books have a new meaning here - we make coffee tables out of our (shelfless) books I'm not into the buying nothing new bit - just hovering on the edge.....but I am making myself think about any purchases and asking myself if I really need something before I buy it......and if I can buy it secondhand then I will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Well I too am trying to think of a 'motto' for this year - it won't be 'buy nothing new' and it won't be 'live on £4,000' but something along the lines of 'trying to waste less' or 'make do with what I've got'! I was going to buy a new sewing machine, I have my mum's very old one but it wasn't working. Then I decided that, as I can't bear to part with it because of the memories it holds, I might as well have it fixed. £50, it's being delivered back on Monday and the repairman promises me it will work as well as it has done for the last 100 years! I've never used an electric machine, and as she managed to clothe five of us with it, I reckon it will do me for the odd curtain or cushion-cover. I am trying to get rid of unused stuff, and use what I have rather than buy new things for the sake of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiblick Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Thanks all for the comments on the dresser. Well since I will be doing home decor and will be spending money on new things: curtains, flooring, paint & two sofas I'm also in a dilemma about how to 'frame' this coming year. I know if I only spend on groceries, bills & the home decor I'll be spending a LOT less than I usually do. Olly perhaps Mindful Spending or Epicurean Frugality - only buying what you really need, buying quality and not being chaotic with spending? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Olly perhaps Mindful Spending or Epicurean Frugality - only buying what you really need, buying quality and not being chaotic with spending? Ooh, I like both of those! Mindful Spending is a good one - stop and think before I buy new (or buy anything, really). PS I lurve your dresser! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I like 'Mindful Spending' I do a lot of shopping online and found I could ignore what I was spending - especially if I used Carl's card From the 1st Jan I've been using a file - I print out the confirmation for any orders (so that I can keep a check on deliveries) and file it at the front. When the item arrives I staple to invoice to the confirmation and file if behind a divider. It has certainly made me realise just what I'm spending money on - and how much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoebe Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Ok, I'm convinced. I'll try three months "mindful spending", from Feb 1st, with a notebook to monitor online and other spending and review at the end of April to see if other, more drastic action is required. Still 7 shopping days still that starts though !! (pathetic display of willpower there ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 OK so far this month I have done it - and kept within my £30 per week cash to spend. I even managed to pay for my pole dancing classes (£30) out of this allowance, bought a nice mirror in the charity for a fiver and yesterday I used the last of my cash (I made a resolution to get at least 1 beauty treatment a month - I need to re-discover myself as a woman this year!) to get a full set of proper Essex girl acrylics done (So now it's £15 a month for infills, I know I know!). They have made me feel good though, nice nails always do and it was those or a bikini wax - I'll just wear the lowest cut swimsuit I have instead!). The only things I have bought new (except groceries) are the goody bags for my hen party. I even knocked back a nicely priced cast iron cassorole dish in Aldi - despite being desperate for more cookware I can use both ON and IN the aga - my current saucpans have plastic handles, I have ceramic casseroles and I seem to end up cooking everything in a 14 litre stockpot! Anyway then Mum came home from Aldi with the self same casserole dish! I used it to steam all our veggies for dinner today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAB Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 I have managed to recycle some of my clothes on ebay and sell on some unwanted gifts there too. With the "virtual money" which then made it into my paypal account I then have been able to buy gifts for 4 neices birthdays and to get a couple of gifts for my son's forthcoming 10th birthday. The clothes I had bought for my nephew for his birthday have been given to my younger son insead after I saw the height my nephew has grown to! Instead I got him a great game out of poundstretchers for £4.99, reduced from £14.99. My son had requested a bike for his 10th birthday, but on examining the trail bike that my daughter has grown out of he realised it was unisex and was in good condition and thought the dark purple was OK - so has decided to just have that instead, which saved a bit of cash. We did need to get him something big for his birthday though, so got a subscription to the Dr Who DVD collection which he will love and cherish forever knowing him, so worth the money. A couple of gifts given to us which have not really suited us have been set aside to be given as gifts to identified others for their birthdays. My upcoming 40th won't cost anything as my OH built the poultry run as advance birthday present and the kids gave me a turkey each. We have also been making birthday cards from craft materials we already have. So....birthday presents for 4 nieces, 1 nephew, 2 brothers, 1 brother-in-law, 1 sister, 1 son, and me have only cost £4.99 plus the subscription to Dr Who files (£11.98 per month)! Not bad. And other than essential food and some cleaning products the only non-essentials we have spent this month is a comic for youngest son (to celebrate him enrolling in school); some cheap Dylon to revamp towels and clothes; about £25 in the woolies sale which netted us 6 CDs a music DVD and a picture frame; and 2 pints per week in the pub for OH (though I am sure he would list these as "essential" ! Thanks forum members - "reporting in" like this really helps me stick to task! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Selling on ebay is great, and as you say the money on paypal then makes good guilt free spending money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Of course selling on Ebay can also raise a laugh..... One of my current listings "Britannia 90cm Electric Range cooker Blue with chrome accents – very snazzy and modern! Electric ceramic hotplate hob 5 rings 2 of which are dual element – including the elongated ring in the centre Large single electric multi function oven" Question "i just want to make sure there is no gas to this cooker". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 well, I suppose that they had to ask. I sort of got the idea (now, I could be wrong) that it was electric (but maybe I mis-understood) cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Confession time : - I have a re-con cube ( does that constitute recycled ? ) arriving on Monday/Tuesday, and a recycled cube with 4 Orpies arriving today...... I bought what felt like a ton (or should that be a tonne - which ever's bigger I think ) of weldmesh wire yesterday to make a big run with, and am off to Homebase with my 20% discount voucher to buy all the corrugated plastic & bits to do the roof with, also to cover the ex-batts eglu. Hopefully they'll still have some of the reduced big sheets they had on Sunday & we didn't have space to transport it!! Have I been a really bad girl, or good, I can't make it out Sha x BTW, my Nan is giving me some money, which I have funded some of the above with, so not quite so horrendous!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I've brought a car DD had my old one last time so DS had tabs on the one I'm driving now, chose the colour and everything so he is having driving lessons and due to take his test in April, so I needed another car and intend to keep it for as long as possible. So in the spirit of buying nothing new (OK stretching it a bit) I went along to our local vauxhall dealer, this will be my 5th car from the so I expected a bargin I'm getting a 3 door corsa diesel, 70mpg £35 car tax low emissions and £120 insurance i got a discount as a returning customer, 5% off as an NHS employee and cashed in £500 OH GM points, 3 yrs servicing included in price - no deposit & 0% interest for 3 years, BARGIN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
