Just for fun

Camembert, coffee and combined appliances – this week's MSE Forum highlights

Forum Executive

13 May 2022

Food has been this week's major talking point on the MSE Forum, from the price of a tub of margarine to how meal planning can make your grocery spending go further. Here's our selection of highlights from around the boards.

Not a member yet? Here's how to register for the MSE Forum.

A few of this week's top threads

We're always scouring for useful, interesting or cheering threads. A few that caught our eye this week:

Forumites have been sharing their meal plans for the week, swapping tips for eating well without spending a fortune

Success of the week

At MSE we've always been big advocates of haggling. This week, one Forumite told us how they'd managed to save £666 a year on their phone and TV contract simply by asking for a better deal.

Wanted to share my experience with you all. I followed all the suggestions made by Martin and others on the forum and have managed to successfully haggle down my new contract price from the £121.50 originally quoted to £66 a month. That's a whopping saving of £55.50 a month or £666 a year. I was originally offered £80 a month and only a six-month discount, but after waiting only 24 hours this was further reduced and extended to the full 18 months of the contract. Have a go – as this shows it can be worth it.

~ loui55

Photo of the week

In the What are you making for dinner? thread, goldfinches shared this photo of a very tasty looking asparagus tart they had made as part of their batch-cooking efforts.

Please note: We love seeing your photos in the MSE Forum, but if you're uploading one, make sure it doesn't include any personally-identifiable information such as your face or address.

Money Moral Dilemma

Every week, the Money Tips email features a real-life Money Moral Dilemma (MMD for short). They're intended to encourage debate and, as such, they're usually among the most discussed threads each week.

Should I sell a dress back to the seller for the same price I paid?

I bought a second-hand dress online for £25. After it arrived, the seller messaged me saying she missed the dress and that she'd buy it back if I didn't like it. After wearing it a few times, I've now decided to sell it, but I've seen this dress can fetch up to £120. I've listed it back on the same site I got it from for that price, but the original seller has now messaged, asking if it's "her" dress and saying she wants it back, and if I'd do it for the £25 that I paid her.

You can find out what our MSE Forumites think and add your own two cents on the Money Moral Dilemma discussion thread. Remember the MSE Forum rules: keep it kind and keep it clean. Remember, there's a real person behind every Money Moral Dilemma.

Got a Money Moral Dilemma of your own? Email us at MMD@moneysavingexpert.com and it could be featured.

Latest comping wins

One of the most frequented boards, Competitions Time, is where compers come to find and share competitions. There are countless success stories, but here's a picture of the most recent win: a Doctor Who audio drama CD won by theladysaphir.

pol_dc's thread about winning a Camembert also made us smile this week.

Want to peek at past weeks' MSE Forum highlights?

Selfies, stamps & sandwich makers – this week's MSE Forum highlights (6 May 2022)
Sunscreen, spiders & golden pigs – this week's MSE Forum highlights (29 April 2022)
Cocktails, carpets & cold lunch meat – this week's MSE Forum highlights (22 April 2022)
Freebies, flasks & finger puppets – this week's MSE Forum highlights (15 April 2022)
Hippos, robots & comfort cake – this week's MSE Forum highlights (8 April 2022)
Tomatoes, teens & pregnant hens – this week's MSE Forum highlights (1 April 2022)
Wombles, dogs & errant landlords – this week's MSE Forum highlights (25 March 2022)
Cats, coupon fairies & noisy tables – this week's MSE Forum highlights (18 March 2022)

Your two cents

On our Old Style MoneySaving board, Forumites have been keeping track of the rising cost of everyday groceries, from coffee to cream crackers and orange juice to margarine. In another thread, the price of a pint of milk has come as a shock to some shoppers.

Let us know about the biggest price hike you've spotted.

If you're not a member yet, it's easy to register for the MSE Forum.