The friendly frugaleers natter on through November...

[blueteapot]

Hope you dont mind me starting a shiny new thread

[blueteapot]

Is anyone not on their mobile able to copy in the useful links? They seem to have been omitted for a few threads

[Unescorted]

Thanks Blue.

[CremeEggThief]

Thanks for the new thread, Blue. Sorry, on my mobile too.

[Whatabout]

Thanks blue. Marking place. This thread I will have lots of willpower. I hope.

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

Thanks for the new thread.

Have pm'd you Creme. Don't know how much use it will be but feel free to ask any questions.

[northender]

Thanks blue, marking my spot.

[Lovetoknit]

Thanks blue, just trying to catch up after a busy day
for creme collie and anybody else feeling low due to the weather or personal circumstances
NSD today
DD has a first birthday sleepover at friend house tomorrow so need to make a card from the stash and luckily already have a present
fuzzhope you don't mind me asking but does it help to know the diagnosis, my ds (11) is on autistic spectrum but so far it has been a real struggle to get any clear diagnosis and therefore any proper help for him at school
For me personally it has been about understanding how his mind works and knowing how to help him in different situations e.g. he lost one rugby boot at school, was very upset about it but wouldn't ask for help

[SpottyTeacakes]

I've been woken up at 5 by a text from my step mum saying she's ill and can't have ds today, which is fine, I hope she feels better. Just wondering how early I can phone my mum! Typically had the text not woken me I would be having the longest lie in in a while as ds is still asleep for once!

Thanks for the new thread

[lilacclery]

7 I think would be reasonable to ring your mum it is an emergency after all. My ds is up since 5, currently lying across my chest as if he's going to go back to sleep but I really really need to get up for work - will wait five minutes to see can have my porridge at work instead of home.

The idea of a meet up is fabulous if a tad unrealistic, I think it'd probably be a picnic too.

Interesting reading of everyone's mental health struggle. Dh is in a bad place for months I think he may be bipolar, he's getting counselling and has changed counsellors recently & seems to seeing this one more often so I'm hoping there'll be progress.

Suffered depression in the past myself but having my daughter seemed to rewire me & I've never suffered since I've heard that pregnancy hormones can cause you to go either way with it.

Had a member rejoin my class tonight who's in the serious depths of depression at the moment, was so glad she could open up to me hopefully gaining control of food & health will help her recovery.

Spends were €3 on an anniversary card yesterday 10 years with dh.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Lila I would have to leave at seven at the very latest!

[SpottyTeacakes]

Oops just spent £22 on a present for ds. I have finished my Christmas shopping but it's been in my wish list for months and is at its lowest price ever

[babsmam]

Morning. I was told that about pregnancy too.

[Ememem84]

Marking place.

I'm out for curry tonight but not drinking much (two drinks) as have a big study day planned tomorrow.

Apparently have 2 client meetings today too which helpfully boss only told me about at 11 last night (while I was asleep his text came through).

So have to go in completely unprepared.

One of them is over lunch too so will probably have to cancel my plans. Sigh. If better get a nice lunch out of it.

[AuditAngel]

Funny that someone mentioned how many of us have auto-immune disorders, I have one too. I have pernicious anaemia, which is nothing to do with Iron, but means I can't absorb vitamin B12 at all. My mum and 2 sisters gave arthritis, I think what I have is better than that, although, without treatment it can kill you hence the name "pernicious"

Yesterday £19.10 on take away dinner for us all. DS had a bad day at school after a sleepless night, so wanted him fed quickly and into bed early after finishing dancing at about 8.

I think I may have forgotten to post that I paid £60 for DD1's Spanish lessons. Dancing still to pay for. And she has her first karate tournament tomorrow, in Colchester. I'm really glad work pay for my fuel (do I'm happy to drive to a meet up and collect people en route.....)

[Wolfcub]

Thanks for the thread Blue

[Pointlessfan]

Thanks for the new thread, am on mobile too I'm afraid. Should be NSD today, that will make 4 this week!

[Collieputthekettleon]

Thanks my lovelies for your kind words regarding the lengthy job hunt. Once we move away I'll be surrounded by job opportunities & I get fairly excited when I think about it. I actually got bored hunting for jobs up there because there were so many.

Hopefully a NSD.

Frugal win though - decided to wear two pairs of shite black tights at once instead of buying new black opaque tights. I also returned £14 worth at Tesco - not £5. However I have bought two new books from Amazon last night.

I'm really excited about them. One is The Jolly Christmas Postman for DS and the other is called Do Nothing... Christmas is Coming: An Advent Calendar with a Difference. It was published in 2009 buts still relevant.

[riverboat1]

I was just reminiscing about the Jolly Postman the other day at work Collie! What age do you think it is suitable for? Would it be a silly idea to get it for my 2 year old nephew do you think? He is probably a bit young I suppose.

I'm on my way to work, and have my packed lunch with me which means I've made it through the first week of November without buying M and S lunches! Only three more weeks to go...

I need to buy some bread today for tomorrow's breakfast, but hopefully that should be the only spending I do.

[Collieputthekettleon]

river go for it! I bought it for my 2 year old DS. He will love pointing at things in the pictures.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Thanks Blue

[needastrongone]

I am not scary, promise. And, you would all be welcome at mine, but would have to drink wine!

I am going out in a minute, little bit of a spendier day than the last few have been. Having shellac done. Then need to get pony feed. Do the banking for work. Buy a pressie for DH from DD (annoyed.com that I have to do so, she's 14) and buy some wrapping paper. DC having their hair cut later so that will be £20. Need to withdraw some cash too.

Welcome, wine. I say that a lot in my house

[fuzzpig]

Thanks for the new thread blue!

River I would say the Jolly Postman would be better from about 4 years, the pieces can be quite fiddly and it might be frustrating for the parents if they get ripped by eager toddler hands! Love the book though - got the Christmas one for my DCs last year (they were 5 and 7).

Loveto I think the diagnosis will be helpful for me, and I've also told people I know, like my colleagues, because I want them to understand why I'm different and what I struggle with. I'm not really going to get any support from it, although I've been told about some local support groups and stuff. I think it's different as an adult as most of the assessment was listening to my own experiences, and my parents were only brought in for some of it. Presumably if assessing a child then the parents would be there for the whole thing. Sorry you're finding it hard to get DS support, I've heard about so much of this - especially now in the home ed community where a much higher proportion of kids are on the spectrum - seems that there is just not enough support and understanding out there even from professionals. I was lucky that this time I saw a specialist - assessing adults for ASC is pretty much her entire job - but when I saw a psychiatrist about it they had shockingly little knowledge about autism .

We're going to an Egypt day at a museum next week, I need to put together costumes as frugally as possible. We have white pillowcases to turn into tunics, and mum lent me some eyeliner (I need to get some makeup remover though or they'll have Cleopatra eyes for days!) but need to figure out the rest .

[Fluffycloudland77]

Baby oil works for eyeliner, I put a drop onto my finger and work it into my lashes. Then I wipe with loo roll.

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

If you want to keep all the letters and not get it ripped, I would say older than 2 as well. Although you could always keep it stored away from small hands until he's older.

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

Like the look of the Advent book. Am now looking though the author's other books.

Amazon's random pricing algorithm is hilarious though. They have 2 used copies from £999.11, which seems a it steep.