what's all this about then?

[famishedass]

Is it a topic where we post all our credit crunch ideas. I've got a good one, I do it every single January and have done for 20 years.

I don't spend any money in January. Apart from food and petrol of course. Don't go out, don't buy takeaways, don't buy anything. Just the thing to get over the excess of xmas.

[famishedass]

Yes, that was a boring post wasn't it.

Well, I am the first person ever to post under the new credit crunch thread so

NER NER NE NER NER

[em83]

is any1 feeling the effects of this damned credit crunch yet?

[CaramelisedOnions]

well, not really.

Although we are feeling the farming crunch if that counts. Miserable, but for other reasons, it happens......

[shinyshoes]

I'm not really feeling the effects hugely, ok food has gone up and i'm having to watch the pennies a little more towards the end of the month but we still go to the cinema, takeaways, meals out.

RE the January thing. I find this a terrible month, I get paid early, (just before christmas) and so does DP. What I do though is forget i get paid early and put them aside until January like I would have been paid. Because it's a 5 week month I still have to go steady

[em83]

i am like u shinyshoes, watch what im spending carefully and still have a few treats here and there
i dont particularly find december a bad month for spending money as i save all yar for xmas -- ever since my oldest was born i save his and 2dd child benefit up all year- for xmas,birthdays,days out etc.the way i see it is wat iv never had i will never miss....

[squilly]

I shop, shop, shop in January. Love the sales. I do, however,set my monthly grocery budget and a plan for raising money during the year(Ebaying, car boots, whatever!).

The credit crunch saw us cut down our grocery bill from £500 pm to £350 pm, not by buying cheap crap to eat, but by careful meal planning and using the mad about bargains site for things like coffee and cereal, which I tend to buy in bulk.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

I have nearly finished my christmas shopping, always do it this time of year when we are busy and have money coming in.

As to being affected, then no we are busier this year than last as are most of the pubs, hotels etc where we live.

[squilly]

Hurray for the staycationers

[em83]

nearly finished 4 xmas already !!!

its not the fact i cant afford to do my shopping yet but the fact of wat my kids like now (eg batman )they may not like come xmas!

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

I haven't done them, will do them closer to the time, but my parents I have done, have ordered cake tins so I will make fruit cakes for other family etc. Only doing token pressies with DH this year.