The super savvy savers continue steering their way through September

[northender]

Thought I'd start a shiny new thread as we've filled the other one so quickly.

[northender]

For any new to these threads, or lurking, come and join us. It's a wonderfully supportive thread for anyone trying to be more frugal for whatever reason

[blueteapot]

Second that! Thanks northender :)

[Collieputthekettleon]

Thanks northender.

[Unescorted]

Thanks North I am on the laptop so I have added a link to the old thread so everyone can find us.

Hello to our new newbies.... I love that we seem to get more & more people joining.

Today is beautiful I have been for my run - I had bed legs for the first mile which was odd. Dh & DS are off to see the finish of the 1st stage of the Tour of Britain. Some friends organised for DS to meet the Sky Team so he is super excited. I think I will take DD for a walk out to my M&Ds - I need herbs and a bottle of white wine so it isn't altruistic ... [who me?]. I think I will raid the vege patch too... the carrots were looking good last time and there is a tomato glut.

[Collieputthekettleon]

There's a new toddler group near by. And its FREE! so happy!

(Some of you may remember my isolation woes. And the local rip off £5 per hour toddler group)

[Girlfriend36]

signing in

[Ememem84]

Have just made chicken sweet potato and lentil pasties. Super garlicky. Yummmm.

The sun is shining here. All windows are open. we are having a clear out Sunday.

[TheOnlyPink]

Thanks north!

collie that's brilliant news about the toddler group. Isolation was a very big issue for me too, so cab totally understand the excitement!

Not much going on here, yesterday turned out to be a nsd, my mum very kindly picked up the bill! Today is all budgeted spends, petrol for dh and milk and fruit for lunches tomorrow.

Meal plan done too! It's all gluten free.
Mon: roast chicken dinner
Tues: thai coconut curry with chickpeas and rice
Wed: beef stew with sweet potato topping
Thurs: pork belly with braised cabbage and carrots, mash
Fri: homemade burgers, chips and salad
Sat: greek style chicken thighs
Sun: bacon and beef meatloaf with baby potatoes and waldorf slaw

[SpottyTeacakes]

We've been out for breakfast (Dh paid) and to the playground. Need to do housework now but it's such a nice day.

[babsmam]

£40 in B&M on party bag stuff and pressies although the kids owe me £8 each.
Been baking with the kids and trying to work out which of the cazillion pickling recipes i should use for my beetroot.
Sainsburys order being delivered tomorrow. (£75 and counting)

That's good news collie
Thanks for the new thread.

[Pointlessfan]

That's great news Collie!
Thanks for the new thread, filling it 6 days into the month must be our record!
We've been doing some gardening. DH dug out a new bed but it's a lot bigger than I was expecting. We now need to buy plants.

[SpottyTeacakes]

I just thought I'd found the perfect coat for ds on a selling site then I got 'sorry sold straight away on another site' I'll have to go shopping for him tomorrow as he only has two pairs of socks

[574ejones]

Brilliant collie and thanks for the new thread north.

NSD today. My DF brought over a big bag of cooking apples and tomatoes yesterday so I have an apple crumble in the slow cooker (never done it this way before but oven is playing up). Will freeze the rest.

Gorgeously warm here so have done all the washing and hung it outside - one lot dry already.

[Collieputthekettleon]

I just noticed that some people had responded to my kitchen blind dilemna! So sorry I missed it anyhoo, have decided on Venetian blinds so we can make use of any daylight throughout the day whilst still having a bit of privacy. Have found some on eBay so I'll bid on them.

Just been blackberry picking! Mmmm

[needastrongone]

Thanks north

Last day in Sorrento today, we went to/up Vesuvius. Stunning again. Had a large hotel breakfast so an ice-cream has sufficed for lunch today. However had to pay to get in. I think we will be under budget for the holiday but will know tomorrow when I get the room bill, the hotel is cashless.

I am looking forward to foraging when I get home.

Last night I bought 2 Percy Jackson books from Amazon for DD and a Regis 'black box' set for DN, whose birthday is in a couple of weeks. This was linked on the Christmas thread and you get loads of stuff in it for £15. I could only buy one though, which was a shame as it would have been good as a Christmas present for DD or birthday present for one of her friends. Useful if you have teen girls to buy for.

em Pasties sound lovely! As does the meal plan pink

[needastrongone]

at fluffy asking spotty if she had used the DW..!

[needastrongone]

wolf Did you mean Davide's near the station? We've passed it a number of times if that's the one? Hard to do Sorrento on a budget I imagine!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Thank you North.

Need it was the important question of the day.

£1.50 for paracetamol, I ran out of Aldi cheapies.
£2-3 on junk food.

[lilacclery]

Just caught up again!
I like that idea you had girlie of joining near end of meal & just having dessert that's brilliant, best part too!

[Ememem84]

need they were - except I didn't cook lentils for long enough... Lesson learned for next time.

Did you find the Christmas shop in sorrento???? And the delicious chocolate shop selling those white chocolate limoncello stuffed balls. Yumm

When we were there dh had to stop me from buying "erotic Pompeii 2015" calendar for work. Hilarious.

Just been for a sunshine walk. So lovely. Saw loads of blackberries. We're going forraging next weekend. Yum!

[ohhelpohnoitsa]

Checking in. NSD so far but have to call at the shop for bread milk yogurt and fanta (boys'end of holiday treat!).

[needastrongone]

Em We found a few shops selling absolutely lovely Christmas decorations, handmade from wood, but they were very expensive and you would need more than one to be effective. Limoncello around every corner!

Erm, the Pompeii art was very, well, graphic wasn't it? Those ancient Romans passed the time in unusual ways

I NEED to forage now!!

[Ememem84]

I thought it was hilarious! childish me

We I bought some blue glass baubles. Only took hand luggage with us. Had to courier them back home.
We didn't have a tree last year as were away so am looking forward to having a tree and using them this year!!

[Ememem84]

Also - NSD today. Yippee

[TelephoneIgnoringMachine]

Can I join?

My meal plan for the week is

Mon - Spaghetti bologaise
Tue - Lasagne (using some of the bolognaise sauce)
Wed - Homemade pizza (using the last of the bolognaise sauce)
Thu - Roast chicken dinner
Fri - Chicken sandwiches & salad
Sat - Chicken supreme (in white sauce with mushrooms, served with rice)
Sun - Soup made with stock from the chicken and/or beef bones I have in the slow cooker right now. It's called perpetual soup - or, how to always have some really cheap stock ready.

My problem is, DH & I make a plan for the week, buy the ingredients, & DH decides he doesn't want something on the plan, or "forgets" to get some crucial thing out of the freezer or whatever (he's a student, I work). So that night's meal won't work. Then he can't/won't decide what he does want, DD & I get dinner, & DH & eats whatever crap is easiest when he eventually realises he's acting like an arse because he's hungry. Any strategies for dealing with this?

I miss foraging - I'm looking forward to DD being old sensible enough not to fall in the canal, grab the brambles, or fall down the bank... we used to collect so many blackberries, and crab apples. Almost free jam!