Juggling July - Frugaleering into Summer

[roguepixie]

New thread for everyone here.

[confusedofengland]

Trying desperately to make today an almost NSD! Took DS1 for his second swimming lesson of the week & promised him chocolate as a bribe if he didn't cry & tried his best. He upheld his end of the bargain (well, there were tears at the start but they soon went) so got him & DS2 small choc bar each, 40p total.

The heavens are open here so want to stay at home & do baking with Dses post-nap, but we have no eggs! Was thinking honey flapjacks, as no golden syrup either. Have sachets of porridge oats which should do. Can hold out another day for yoghurts, bananas etc.

Adora when I was little many moons ago we used to buy 'lights' from the butchers for our boxer dog. They stank, but she loved them, I believe they are lungs. She also used to get a raw egg on her food once a fortnight, to keep her coat glossy, plus numerous bones (marrowbones were better) from the butcher for a small donation to the charity box. The cats used to have the boiled giblets from our roast chickens.

[AdoraBell]

We have rain ATM, not forecast to last all day so I may venture out later.

Bet the cat enjoyed those giblets Confused. I don't eat offal myself so other than the obvious bits I don't know the names, and clearly translating isn't straightforward! It is all very cheap here, OH keeps thinking I've said fillet steak when I mention the dog's diet, think it's because MIL gives her cat chicken breast. Anyway, I digress, tomorrow I need to pay for Pilates for the month. Today I just need to get myself off this cozy sofa

Could you do some pastry? I remember when my mother made pies we would make mini jam roly poly things with the scraps. Or fill any larger bits with raisins and sprinkle a little sugar. I don't remember her ever using egg in the pastry.

[jaabaar]

Just got 500gr of british mince beef for 1 pound in Lidl! Cant believe hpw cheap Lidle is. Did a shopping for 29 ppunds which would have cost me 60 in asda!

[ExasperatedSigh]

Lidl rocks

[LazyMonkeyButler]

Hello! I'm new to the thread, hope no-one minds one extra .

I desperately need to have a very cheap week, as we are off on holiday on 9th August & have no spending money saved as of yet! I was also off work on sick pay for 2 weeks this month, so my pay will be pants lower than usual .

I did think I might manage a NSD yesterday, but then remembered that both cars needed a tax disc!

We haven't ventured out of the house yet today though, so my purse has remained firmly shut so far.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Everyone's welcome Monkey.

NSD today.

I offered my cat chicken livers once, he looked at me like I was trying to poison him.

Lidl has great big blocks of halva at the moment, 2.49 for 400g. I got the vanilla one for 1.99 because I cannot be trusted around halva. I ate half in one night.

How's the sunscreen doing adora?.

[AdoraBell]

I ventured out

Sunblock seems to be okay Fluffy, thanks for asking.

Just splashed out on a new top each for DDs, had some credit left on a gift card. I'm having a snack before the supermarket. Not much to get this week, will report later.

I've recovered from last week's mega costs, now I have tooth ache. I was hoping it was just a neglected section if gum but it's making my head thump.

[OnTheNingNangNong]

Can I join in please? Very late into July, I know!

Had a NSD today, stayed at home and did lots of table tennis with DS1 and picked peas, strawberries and raspberries from the garden.

Going on holiday next week and I need to buy some bits for that in the next few days, want to keep it to a LSD as much as I can

I'm going to dye an old jacket and linen trousers to try and get a bit more wear from them. Dylon is £4 in Wilkos, so it's definitely the frugal option.

[AdoraBell]

Everyone is welcome, hope the dyeing comes out well.

[Fluffycloudland77]

That's good Adora, I hate sunburned skin. I've seen some shockers in this country.

dofreestuff.com/ Don't know if this is any good but it was on superscrimpers.

[takeaway2]

NSD 13!! Hopefully ending July with another one tomorrow which will take me up to 14.

[daisychicken]

NSD yesterday but £80 in Asda today (£30 was meat which is now divided up & in freezer & will last several weeks) plus £5.25 at kids am. Planning the rest of the week to be NSD's

[ExasperatedSigh]

Welcome to all the new froogs :)

Another NSD here.

[AdoraBell]

Me too Fluffy and I've had sever sunburn here, midday, too busy looking after toddler DDs at a motorway service place and I didn't realise my back wasn't in the shade, mid summer so I had a vest top on. Plus I forgot to out sunblock on my back. I don't care who tells me I'm being fussy MIL when I insist on sunblock.

Anyway, spent £40 between two supermarkets, £2.40 on roads and £3 on parking.

[roguepixie]

Adora, thank you DS had a great time in Prague. He was even chosen to sing a solo twice . Am so proud. He is such a normal 13 yo (eg he can drive me mental one minute and bring tears to my eyes the next) but he sings like an angel. Beautiful to listen to (goodness knows where he gets it from??)

Anyway, had a slightly spendy day yesterday - lunch out, cinema and a book for DS. Am being very careful with everything though so all of it was planned. For me, that is the major thing - to plan the spends rather than run amok in the shopping centre!!

[Fluffycloudland77]

£1.65 in morrisons, they have leaflets at the end of the aisles with vouchers on the back. One voucher is for £5 off a £35 shop until 11.08.13.

[confusedofengland]

So far just £3.15 on mouthwash for dh (he likes the expensive stuff!). Had a Starbucks today after swimming, but paid using gift card, which was a groupon deal to buy a £10 card for £5. Boys had babycinos, which were free (50p at Costa!)

Ended up making cheese scones yesterday, yum

[AdoraBell]

Waitrose is coming to Chile! Only in the form of placing products in a local supermarket. Haven't looked yet as I'm sure the prices will be over inflated because of being English.

Rogue Wow, two solos

[ExasperatedSigh]

£4.50 on ice creams in the park,,£1.50 parking, £2.50 on mini golf. Posted some more nappies off, got stung on postage :( Wish I'd held out for a better price for them now.

Plumber coming to fix toilet this afternoon, so will be about 80 quid.

rogue well done your DS!

[Fluffycloudland77]

www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_st?qid=1374706551&rh=n%3A266239&me=A2OAJ7377F756P&sort=price&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 If you something for amazon and you want cheaper postage buy one of the books off here, as long as it is fullfilled by amazon it's free super saver postage.

There's a way round everything isn't there?.

Sorry you got stung by postage Exasperated, we've all done it. Royal mails websites good for working out p&p before you list.

[Tommetipsy]

Limps back onto the thread. Have been doing ok but DH dropped a bombshell about being fined by HMRC for late tax return for his business. He was self employed for a couple of years (IT contractor). The fine is £1300. I could cry today.

I feel numb. I've been so careful with money and he's been an arse.

[AdoraBell]

Ahhh, that's crap Tommee has he got funds to cover it?

[Tommetipsy]

I don't think so Adora. We had to put so much into fixing the dry rot. We have a small amount of savings but this was supposed to be going towards a visit next year to my best friend who now lives in Dubai.

[confusedofengland]

Tommee Will your savings cover it? Or will they let you pay in installments? It is frustrating & scary when you have to find so much at once.

Rogue well done DS!

Welcome to the newbies, dyeing clothes is great, we did it with DH's jacket that got left in a sunny window for ages & it meant he didn't have to buy a new one. Just make sure you wipe the seals of your washing machine thoroughly afterwards.

Spent £15.77 at Tesco on top-up bits, shouldn't need to go for another week or so now (and it's been a while since I did a 'big shop' so pleased with that.

[roguepixie]

Tommee - get your DH to call HMRC straight away. They are very very willing to sort out a planned repayment and will set up a Direct Debit in order to get the money back in stages. It's worth a call.

Thank you everyone for your congrat's re: DS. He's amazing. My buddy and my best creation.

Adora, oooooh, enjoy Waitrose. I love them. They are my supermarket of choice ... (probably shouldn't say that on a frugal thread)>