Money Saving Thread

[Chell]

Argh, so fed up. DH has just paid £411 for our car to have a service, new starter motor, brake pads, etc. He started the car and it is still making the noise it was making before the starter motor was replaced. The mechanic is now saying it could be the ring gear. I am so peed off. It has to go back tomorrow which is the third day it has been in.

No car, very little money to spend, half term and very wet weather, very depressing.

I am desperately trying to fill my childminding vacancies as my work load/income has recently halved.

Anyone else needing to save some money?

[Chell]

On Hotdeals there is a code for £15 off £75. Delivery is only £2.75 at certain times so a decent saving. I normally shop at Asda but this is helpful as I am on a training course this weekend. Saves me going out to shop.

[Moffgal]

Oh me, me me, I really need to..... well, not rein thngs in as such, more get better organised. I've gone overdrawn this month and I'm so annoyed. Some of it is sortable and I need to ask DH for some cash for, so thats OK.

My account receives the tax credits and CB, plus a small wage from working for DH, which goes straight to the joint bills so that doesn't count really. So we've recently rejigged how we do things and now the tax credits and CB should cover our food shopping bills. DH then as a result of how he gets paid alwasy makes sure there's some cash knocking around for any other expenses. Usually.....

But I HATE having to ask if there is none, and he squirells it away. And if I ask ( and we've had this argument before!) I get huffing and puffing and the sarcastic 'bludy el, more money'. He doesn't mean it, I know he doesn't and by the same token I know he knows I don't ask unless I need it for say half term days out, playgroup fees etc. It's not like I go out buying shoes and bags!

So, we need to talk again I reckon, get it so I've always got access to so much a week for the extras. Needs to be done this weekend as next week is playgroup and nursery fees and I am stony broke!

[Chell]

I know what you mean about DH, I sort all our finances. DH pays money into the joint account to cover the direct debits. He then pays money into my account which I use to buy food/petrol/everything else along with my wages. I work it this way as I know the direct debits are all covered and exactly what is there is to spend.

I'll say money is tight and DH will say, 'but I've just transfered x amount'. He doesn't really pay for things so has very little concept of how dear food, petrol, etc are.

[Samba]

On Hotdeals there is a code for £15 off £75. Delivery is only £2.75 at certain times so a decent saving. I normally shop at Asda but this is helpful as I am on a training course this weekend. Saves me going out to shop.

what supermarket, Chell?

[Chell]

what supermarket, Chell?

Sorry, Sainsburys:
http://www.hotukdeals.com/vouchers/sainsburys.co.uk

My friend says that if you add things to your basket and abandon it then they often send you more codes. Looking at MSE, codes for Sainsburys can't be posted on there.

[Samba]

Thanks Chell. I did a Tesco shop this week and it was almost £100 with no extravagancies in there at all. I think the food shop has really gone up, and I used to always manage a code or two on Tesco's - not anymore.

[Sam]

Thanks Chell. I did a Tesco shop this week and it was almost £100 with no extravagancies in there at all. I think the food shop has really gone up, and I used to always manage a code or two on Tesco's - not anymore.

I've noticed this too, I've not had any from the major supermarkets for ages. Ocado sent me a £20 off £60 recently which was great but they are quite expensive so not sure I saved very much!

[bubbasweet]

I was reading something about food prices recently. Apparently they've gone up 4.3% overall so far this year, but last year they went up 15%, so I guess 20% or thereabouts in 18 months does make a difference. Everything is expensive now, though. Putting fuel in the car I refuse to put more than £70 in the tank irrespective of whether it's full up. Thankfully we only use about one tank a month unless we have any longer journeys to do.

We've got to have some work done on our car next week - new clutch, which will be about £700 and something else might need replacing too, which will be another £500. I'm not sure what the other bit actually is (DH did explain but I wasn't paying attention ) but if that goes then the clutch has to be replaced AGAIN, so it's better to get the possibly knackered thing replaced at the same time if it's showing any signs of wear and tear. Fly wheel perhaps

Once I've had this baby and things have calmed down a bit I'm going to try and get on top of our food shopping once and for all. We've got a Waitrose 2 mins drive away and it's all too easy to just pop there and get a few bits and bobs, rather than driving the 15 minutes to Sainsburys I don't do a proper shop in Waitrose ever, just if we need F&V or I happen to be going there for something specific. According to mysupermarket Sainsburys is actually cheapest for the stuff we buy regularly, although that website can't factor in all the reduced meat I pick up at Waitrose when I go in at 4pm I suppose On a weekly shop, Tesco and Asda were about 8% more expensive for the stuff we buy, which is mostly own-brand and value bits, with occasional branded items because DH is lactose intolerant - the only ketchup that doesn't contain lactose (last time I checked) is Heinz for example, ditto Hellmanns mayonnaise...

I also need to figure out a way to re-jig our finances. My maternity package is quite good, but I'm hoping to save quite a bit of it as we've drained our savings in the last 12 months doing work on the house and then because DH broke his leg last year and couldn't work for two months (he's self employed, so no work = no income ).

[Chell]

I've been using the Asda Price Guarantee and Asda is always cheapest. I'm a bargain hunter and buy what is on offer though. I've made use of the Sainsburys code as I am sick of poor quality fruit and veg from Asda. Getting £15 off means it won't actually be expensive shopping there this week. I can't see me using it again until I get a code.

We're going to go to Sainsburys in a couple of weeks to do a food shop to take to Center Parcs. My Mum and I both have Nectar points so we will use those for holiday treats

I try not to pick up food shopping throughout the week unless it is necessary or a real bargain. I got Weetabix minis in Poundworld yesterday, I won't buy those at supermarket prices. I pop to Home Bargains for some bits too.