Let's make merrily with August austerity!

[CremeEggThief]

Hello All,
I've taken the liberty (again!) of starting our new thread for August. The merrily sort of ties in with Christmas and keeping an eye on any bargains out there, if you're super organised and like planning ahead.

Today's spends were £5.10 on travel, £1.20 on 2 bottles of water, £4.20 on 2 hot chocolates and £17.25 on a meal out (long story!).

Excellent news, Helena :).

NSD.

Well done Helena! Wow a 50% pay rise! We got told we got a 1% pay rise wef August. Looking forward to pay this Friday then!

Miraculously a NSD. Dd had a party to attend and ds went swimming with the father. Have started to write party invites for dd's 4th birthday. Thankfully she's asked for a home party.

I am quite petite yes... But 2 children later I do have an overhang and widening bum which is causing me these knicker problems! It may be that I just need to exercise to get rid of that. Seriously though I can't seem to wear trousers now particularly to work. I can just about do some looser casual ones for non work days but I have been wearing just skirts and dresses to work for at least the last 6 months due to this knicker showing issue.

NSD today. Have seriously done my back in

50% pay rise. Wow! Congratulations.

Had lovely weekend with my mum staying. I think DH is shellshocked from all the bitching and cackling

Have made a list of all the meals I'm going to cook and freeze in our chest freezer in preparation for going to work - at least 2/3 double portions each of:

bolognese, chili, squash and sweet potato soup, veggie paella, squash and sage risotto, sausage casserole, leek and potato soup, mexican bean soup, basic tomato/veg sauce, veg and chickpea curry.

The plan is to make one or two of these a day for the next 10 days and freeze it, eating one portion each as we go. That way I'll be covered for about half a term.

I need to go and buy a massive set of tupperware and freezer labels tomorrow, and we'll do the shop tomorrow as well and start with the bolognese/chili.

Ohhelp! but I'll have the wobbly bum effect!!!

MissA you are so organised! Imagine that lovely feeling when you open your freezer and see your stacks of Tupperware

Cool poor you how have you hurt your back? I have had problems with my back over the years and the pain is just awful, I have cried with it. Really hope you feel better soon

NSD today

Oh my god, its been 2 loooooong days.... Packing and unpacking done and we are settled at my parents where we will stay for a couple of months... So wonderful to be home again... Haven't spent a penny since seeing my parents but next week we will sit down and make a budget over who pays for what and so...
Denmark is nice and not to chilly yet...
Good night all.

Italian pleased you all arrived safely, that is good news

I get back ache if I don't wear a bra, I got interventioned & I'm a 28D so you wouldn't think I'd have to bother.

Well done Italian you must be shattered though.

Lol at the the knicker talk I am petite too, size 6/8 (it's genetic, don't shoot me), but, reaching 40, I have found a stomach overhang which is less than attractive!!! And un-shiftable (or perhaps I care less).

We've been a bit less frugal this last few days, DH is less than on-board with frugality. So, we have had a few post long walk drinks in the bar with the DC, which is lovely in a family type way, given they are teens and often out doing their own thing at home. Only a few quid at a time up here though.

Also booked them an activity day, lots of zip wire, archery, laser quest etc at £80. We've done little else other than long walks this holiday so fair play, as they are teens.

Today we've been to a local farmers market and got some hand brewed bottled beer for DB's b'day for £11, some haggis for DH!! and some bracelets for DD's friends for looking after dpony.

Weather is lovely.

Home cooked meatballs, passata and pasta tonight.

Thanks for telling me about the Hudl. I hadn't read any reviews. The kindle fire at £89 is a good buy...I will take a look .
NK, I feel your pain regards childcare cost. Same here over the years but both kids in school now so it has dropped a fair bit. I went part time after the first baby so that was a big chuck to lose too (as well as childcare to pay too). I envy those who get free childcare.
Congrats Helena!!

My back goes into spasm when I'm stressed, is it anything like that Cadbury? Hope it gets better quickly.

Mega spend today 200 bloody pounds in the supermarket included birthday presents, cake making ingredients and school art materials because DH couldn't find what they've stipulated this week in the stationers. And £20 on food after discovering that what I'd cooked at home had glass in it, we think it must have been in the rice packet.

cadbury sorry to hear about your back. If it's muscular, diazepam (sp?) and co-codamol or co-dydramol will really, really help. I did my back in earlier this year during a Tennis Inset at work (no, I'm not even a sports teacher) and normal pain killers wouldn't touch it. I felt funny taking the diazepam as it's an anti-depressant as well as a muscle relaxer but it really did help.

Won't be NSD today as we're getting tupperware and labels and probably a huge shop of food to cook a lot of batch stuff.

glass that's quite scary, Adora, glad you noticed it in time!

Bloody hell Adora, that's pretty scary re the glass Is there any way you can prove it was the rice? I am imagining the consequences, that's all. We occasionally have a spend like this too, but if it wasn't just on food, just spending in one place for a variety of things, it's kind of more bearable!

I have a very very dodgy back cadbury In fact, back at the consultant next Monday for results of a further MRI scan. One of my disc leaks, but it's got a lot worse recently, so they are investigating further. Your pain relief will depend on whether it's muscular or nerve pain. I have both, so take all those peonies mention, plus Gabapentin, which is for the nerve pain. Plus, Acupan. As mentioned, they are anti deperessants, with muscle relaxant 'side effects' too.

Glad you have arrived safely italian

Should be a pretty low spend day today as we are doing the activity day tomorrow. Do need petrol for the car but I 'budgeted' for this at the beginning of the month and have already knocked the cost of a full tank off our disposable income for the month.

Congratulations helena, sounds like you've had a very busy few months and not quite done yet.

I have really lost track of my spending this week as on the back of badvoc saying winter is coming (I loved the GoT books btw. I was hoping there would be another out for Christmas as it's well over a year since I finished them) and the other frugal autumn/winter thread I've been getting organised. I've got winter coats for dc as they're still cheap on ebay and I'm trying to complete a few jobs round the house. We'll overspend this month definitely so will need to pull it back in September. I think it'll save us money in the long term though.

I have been preparing too! :)
(Lovely to find another GofT fan!)
Washed my winter coat yesterday (it was new last year, mum bought it for me)
Boys have loads of coats (thanks e bay :))
Just need new snow boots for boys but not buying yet.
Got all my winter clothes out yesterday - this means a heat wave in sept :)
Also gave some away that were too big for me.
I have bought a couple of things on e bay for an Xmas arty gift I am making for my children (too embarrassed to tell you what it is, but if any of you have Star Wars obsessed dc it's a fun idea:))
In some ways I hate having to think about Xmas so early and budget so carefully, but in others I am so relieved when it's all done by the end of nov :)
Need some facial stuff for ds1 - puberty has well and truly arrived

Off out for Mexican for lunch mmmm I'm so hungry!

Did day five of the shred this morning trying to get rid of my wobbly bits

badvoc - DS is just about to turn 15. His main passion is rugby but any odds and sods he needs for this I give to others for pressie ideas. Other than some Body Shop facial stuff (they do 50% off very regularly), have you any ideas for this age, given your DS's age? I really don't want to do gadgets. Both DC have a mobile contract which is due to expire so this will be part of their presents anyway.

DD is easy, I struggle with DS every year.

Plus his b'day is September!!!

Enjoy the mexican

Well my 2 still have stockings :) they get more excited about them than the other gifts!
I try and do; smellies...lush bath bomb, Deo, face wash etc. I even do an Xmas facecloth! Book, DVD, choc/sweets. Silly things like glow sticks too.
I know lots of people also do pants and socks.
We also had Xmas jumpers last year :)

Adora that is awful about the glass.

Badvoc DD is 18 and still has a stocking! I love getting all the little bits for it and do try and get them early, to spread the cost out a bit.

£4 in asda on fruit.

Spent approx. £50 on clothes for DD6 from Asda. Jumped up to next size so, hopefully, they will last her through the winter months. Got 5 outfits.

We need to get the back windows double glazed in Oct/Nov time. They are rotting away as I type. DH reckons £1000 should do it but I am not so confident. We are going to get the front ones done next year (they aren't as bad). We have a big bay window at the front that will cost a bit.