Good lord, where have I been?

[radegund]

Where did the time go?

We're still pretty whacked out after the extension. Snag list is outstanding, but it's essentially done. We live here now, and every day it feels less and less likely that the real owners are going to come back and evict us. Most of the boxes are even unpacked.

Our main object at the moment is to juggle the cashflow so that we squeak unscathed from payday to billpay, slaloming between our creditors like an Olympic athlete. Fun times. [We'll be fine. But it's a little hairy this month and next.]

To that end, we're penny-pinching. (Or cent-cinching, which is the same but in euros.) Problem is, we trimmed out a lot of the fat a few years ago, and it's tough enough to see where we can trim any further.

Things I'm perfectly happy to do, off the very top of my head:

• Go back to washing my hair in bicarb and vinegar (reasonably effective, as I recall from 2006).


• Shop more often in Lidl.


• Find out which of our staple meals are actually cheapest and dearest, and plan accordingly.


• Keep a hawklike eye on expenditure, and stop spending on non-essentials when the allotted budgets are exhausted.


• Work for pay every spare minute I get (which is not very many minutes, admittedly, but I have been doing a bit of paid work).

Things I'd strongly prefer to avoid:

• Stop buying organic food.


• Cut out paid childcare and house cleaning (they're such a relief).

I dunno. What are your favourite money-saving strategies? I'd really love some inspiration.

Comments

[radegund.livejournal.com]

I love shopping in the food co-op, but I'd do Lidl organic produce if it came down to it (Lidl is around the corner from us - it isn't that I have a position on it versus Aldi).

Bicarb and vinegar will be an alternative to the ultra-eco-spensive stuff I use at the moment (Burt's Bees Raspberry and Brazil Nut shampoo and conditioner, to be precise - which is looooooovely). I try to avoid petroleum-based cleaning products (more out of distaste than any in-depth knowledge of their effects), so the cheap shampoos aren't so appealing.

I must indeed check out the 2 euro shops and the Asia Market again (I used to get stuff there from time to time when I worked in town).

This satellite dish idea is interesting. Any idea if it's possible to get CBeebies with one? If we gave that up, it'd constitute a fairly serious imposition on the boys. (We've considered ditching it, of course, for all sorts of reasons. But at the moment it's low on our hit-list.)

[sm2005.livejournal.com]

I decided about a year ago that Aldi's produce was superior to Lidl's, but can't remember the finer points of the competition at this stage. Might be worth trying both to see how you find them. There's an Aldi in Rathmines now, I think, which should be moderately handy for you.

Yes to Cebeebies on the free satellite signal. It's the only channel CA gets to watch. Sadly, RTE isn't broadcast on satellite yet, but if you have broadband you can watch most of the programming live online or on the RTE player for 2-3 weeks after first broadcast.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm. Interesting stuff. We actually watch virtually no TV. If we could get BBC2 and CBeebies, I think we'd be set. Of course, we can't rely on Lidl to supply a cheap dish - I wonder how much they cost when not discounted? To be investigated. Thank you!

[sm2005.livejournal.com]

What's RRP on your shampoo? Found this on ebay which looks like it might be good value, but can't really tell since I don't use it:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/3X-Burts-Bees-More-Moisture-Raspberry-Shampoo-12-oz_W0QQitemZ350233451131QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518b8a5a7b&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Yes, very good value, even when you count the shipping. Again, thanks!