Juggling July - Frugaleering into Summer

[roguepixie]

New thread for everyone here.

Fingers crossed confused
Hope you had an enjoyable birthday evening takeaway

Doing well here spending wise and should be an okay weekend. Scaffolding is still up so still not having to pay the roofer. Fridge looks pretty full so shouldn't need any more food for a few days

Looks like another hot day, have a good weekend everyone

Credit crunch meets poas!! Hope you get the result you want confused!!

Food budget looking tight but I'm determined not to exceed it so I'm going to meal plan ruthlessly from the contents of the cupboard and freezer and hopefully stay on track.

Have to pay out for treats today because I just cannot believe the children's reports and SATS results. DD's school massively cocked up meaning she had no extra time in the papers to account for her dyslexia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia but, despite that, she aced 5s across the board and was three marks shy of a 6 in maths. I was

I'll have an NSD tomorrow but today I will spend...a little.

Good luck confused ... this is definitely "where threads converge" .

helena - what wonderful news and well done and congratulations to your DC. Huge congrats to your DD - that sounds like a truly excellent result. Have a lovely time today celebrating.

Spent £35 on maths tutor today - which is a definite luxury for DS but necessary. He is very able but lacks confidence in maths so we are building a strong foundation for him - having good results so money well spent. £4.60 spent on Ebay posting so technically a NS.

Relying on fridge/freezer and larder today. Need some veggies/fruit but can wait 'til tomorrow/Monday.

It is free listing on eBay yes, I load mine up then send it all live at 8.30 tonight.

It was positive, just as I thought. A mum just knows

(Will be back later to catch up, just wanted to share the good news)

Congratulations! How exciting.

Woo-hoo confused congratulations!

Congratulations confused. Here's some . Wonderful news.

Is this our first frugal-baby?

Hoorah confused, congratulations :) A frugaleering baby, how lovely.

Congratulations confused!

Asda shop was missing lots last night, so needed to do top up shop at Tesco this morning. Only spent £14.50 though so not bad and didn't buy any luxuries, just what was on my list.

Forgot to mention in the excitement, I checked our balance earlier to find we had no money left Turns out ds's karate school have taken the initial large payment twice, grr. Bit annoying but so relieved we haven't somehow burnt through £100+ without realising.

Congratulations Confused, can't do the little piccys on this pc, but have some flowers and big cheesy grins.

Congratulations Confused

Dh finally got paid yesterday, things are still tight but neither of us feel quite as stressed as we did in the last few days. We've had a tenner each for the weekend (he's away with ILs and the kids so needed a little for ice creams but apart from fuel & 1 meal (I bought ingredients in this weeks food shop) it's a 'free' mini-hol) and I've had a day out crafting with a pal). Hopefully tomorrow will be a NSD.

I still need to go through the freezer and list what we have so I think I'll do that tomorrow & do the cupboards as well - I'm hoping I can figure out a rough menu for quite a few days from what we have. BUT.... do I let the freezer & store cupboard get low & know we might have some more tight days ahead or should I "buy" the ingredients and put that money aside so that I have cash to restock?

£13 on fish and chips. It was rubbish, over greasy and too much for one person.

I am never never never NEVER buying f&c unless I am in the rockfish in Devon.

Daisy, glad your dh got paid.

I guess if I was you I would keep some stuff in the freezer and cupboards if you can afford to shop at the moment but use up some of it.

Adora so funny to hear you talking about snow-capped mountains when we are in the middle of a heatwave here

Helenagrace well done to your DD, fantastic

rogue I think money spent on improving a child's confidence, in school or out of it, is money well spent, so maths tutoring is totally worthwhile

exasparated what a pain about the karate payment, but at least you know where it's gone.

daisychicken if I were you, I'd do a bit of both - get in plenty of basics for now, but try to leave at least a tenner somewhere safe, just in case. Glad DH got paid, though.

Fluffy was that £13 just for one person We often cook fish/pie/something at home & just buy chips to go with it

Thank you all for the congrats, am obviously quite excited! Not telling anybody still scan, so at least I can chat to you all on here

Not too bad yesterday - DH spent £36 on bits for our folding caravan & £6 at the pub (J20 for me).

Congratulations confused xx

Daisychicken - I agree go a bit of both - keep in the cupboard some simple ingredients that can be turned into a meal.

I haven't been on here for a while but think I might start logging my spends. It's even a funny month and I have found myself doing things I haven't done in ages, like being caught out when we have been out and having to spend money on food and for some reason I have had to throw food away as it hasn't been used up quick enough - but no more determined to be better x

Congratulations confused and well done to your DC Helena

NSD yesterday. Summer fair at DS's new school today so I am sure to be parted from some cash.

It was for two, someone slap me if I want fish and chips north of Kingsbridge again.

I listed 10 items on eBay and hit my limit, I could list on dh account but we always bicker when the invoice comes for fees. And by that I mean have a big row.

Congratulations confused!

Aww thanks everyone for all your congratulations for DD. I'm so pleased and proud of her.

Yesterday was quite spendy but it was all stuff we needed - birthday presents, camping mat for DD's guide camp, make up bits I was running out of etc.

We ate out as a celebration. Spendy treat but deserved in the circumstance I think!

Sorry Helena, I was too hot and bothered yesterday to notice your DD's exam marks.

I bet you nearly burst with pride. I hope it gave her confidence that despite her difficulties she can achieve high marks.

Well despite my best intentions of posting here more regularly there's been about 200 posts since my last one!

I tend to have 5/6 NSD each week as where I work is not near any shops but still manage to spend what I earn each week! Am facing mat leave at end of Oct so trying to get ahead with annual bills & Christmas savings & that now which means not having much left to spend at the moment but leaving us more comfortable come winter when there's less coming in. My last mat leave financially crippled me but taught me an awful lot, this time around instead of being reduced to paying every 3 months since(she's 3 now!) I will have it paid until the following October, will have ?100 for meat saved with my butcher for Christmas, ?110 in shop & scan vouchers which we tend to use to treat ourselves, ?80-?100 in tesco Christmas club plus presents savings, tv license saved for following April, wood pellet delivery covered etc - worth the sacrifice when I look at my current cash availability of ?20 or so, heading to see Bruce Springsteen Tues night, have diesel & me being pregnant & both of us working following day means that no alcohol will be consumed so that ?20 plus whatever dh has will cover eating out!

Congrats confused on positive pregnancy test - we do tend to know before doing test don't we!

Congrats Helenagrace on your daughters fantastic results

Paying car tax every three months that should say!!

Well done to Helena's dd! I'm so jealous of all these yr6's getting their results.. Ds1 doesn't get his till Monday!

Thanks for the store cupboard/freezer advice - it does make sense.

Yes Helena well done on your DD's great achievement :) You must be so proud.

Welcome back lilac, sounds like you've got things all under control.

This morning we've noticed one of the skirting boards in the bathroom is rotting :( Not sure what the source of the problem is but there was a mushroom growing out of it ffs. It's a downstairs extension, so we're hoping for a best case scenario of washing machine leak (machine is on opposite side of that wall). Worst case, take your pick really: drain issues, rising damp, the whole extension falling down...as first time home owners we are imagining the worst.

I really need to get a job or start bringing in money somehow...