No-Spend November - sign up for a frugal month ahead!

[PeoniesforMissAnnersley]

Everyone welcome, if you've been lurking then de-lurk and come and join in!

NSD - No spend day
LSD - low spend day

We are a friendly and supportive bunch, recording our spends, frugal wins and frugal fails daily/when we can. Lots of good tips on discount vouchers, household cleaning and maintenance, cheap meals and more!

NSD!

Glad that you're out MissA. Do you feel better (beyond the pain)?

What we've done to cut down costs include shopping at Aldi, bulking things like Bolognese etc out with lentils or even quorn, buying milk and UHT milk as well so that we don't have to pop in when we run out - we only go to the supermarket 1x a week.

Make soup. Just made a really yummy parsnip, carrot lentil soup. It'll feed for 4/5 meals (eg lunches for dh per week) and that costs v little.

Bulk cook on weekends (I work ft) so that at least there's food most evenings and no need to get takeaway or be tempted by mcdonalds.

Will think of others...

sporting lentils are your best friend. Chuck them in everything! I have perfected a tomato sauce recipe that's really easy to cook loads of that will then get used with lots of things throughout the week. Add green lentils for a hefty pasta sauce. Mix it with some left over veg and chickpeas. Add red lentils and stock for tomato soup. Put on jacket potatoes. The possibilities are endless.

I have a small number of items I invest in. I bulk buy sundried tomato's from amazon. I get a huge bag that can last a full year. You only need a couple in some sauce or soup to make a huge impact on flavour. I also buy coconut cream from waitrose rather then cheap coconut milk from aldi. It is expensive but it really makes a difference to an otherwise basic curry recipe.

I've never been able to perfect the art of using dried beans. They never seem quite right when i do them so just stick to what I get cheap tinned in aldi with the occasional tin of butter beans for a special treat. If you can do dried though you can bulk cook beans in advance and freeze them in bags for ease of use. They are really cheap that way.

We don't drink alcohol so for our Friday treat I spent £1.65 on some soda water and a lemon. Crazy times! :o

Happy Birthday Girlie

NSD for me, DH is about to fill my car with petrol.

Sporting I use a blog, but my links never seem to work, it's Penny's recipes. Have just signed up for a daily email of cheap recipes and so last night's dinner was egg and chips. She recommends baked beans with it. Not sure if you can select only veggie recipes.

Ok catheter advice needed! Wasn't allowed to take more pills due to chances of clotting. Period will come sometime tonight, tomorrow or Sunday but currently I'm not wearing any pants due to giant catheter tube. What should I do? Ask them to de-catheter me?

Oh I can't wear tampons, only pads. Sorry, realise that would be helpful to know in this scenario.

On the plus side they know what was wrong with me. It's a bit embarrassing - I had a birth defect! At 30! Normally it would be picked up on in v early infancy and need a quick operation then t fix but as mine had had 29 years to worsen my operation was a fairly extensive one and I have a big long wound down mg tummy.
He also explained that huge sections of my bowel were badly oxygen deprived and if he hadn't operated they would soon have died and become ischemic, but that the process of re-oxygenation and re-nitrifying them will hurt like the billy-o. Safe to say I'm back on the morphine!

Really pleased you're finally 'fixed' MissA. Although it still sounds like you have a way to go. Don't be embarrassed about it, previous doctors should be embarrassed they missed it so long! As for your period, this is pretty grim, but after I gave birth I was put on a disposable bed sheet and given a sanitary towel, which sort of stayed in place because I wasn't moving around much. Tbh it wasn't great but they have seen it all before. Take some painkillers, relax as best you can and try not to let it bother you

£32 Tesco delivery but that included some Christmas stuff. Donation to NSPCC, we have a monthly dd but we like to give a bit extra at Christmas. Hoping for a lsd.

Good tips, I have a very large bag of red lentils in cupboard and am going to soak chick peas over the weekend. Good idea freezing beans. I need to be more organised with all the food and planning it. DH is upset because he had to take peanut butter in sandwiches so need to be more on the ball.

Going to do a large soup to be eaten early next week and do a stock take of the cupboards and freezer to find out what we need and what we have and use stuff up.

Going to make some cakes and biscuits as snacks and even try to make some bread. Friend brought us salted cod last night, it cost £19.50 but it will make around 4-5 meals once chopped and frozen.

We had a look at Aldi catalogue and have planned what we would like and have budget of £100 for all Christmas treats and food extras and will not go over. There are only 3 of us and I realise we end up ridiculously over spending every year. NO more!

Going to start doing some christmas crafts with DS and some painting as a gift for DSIS and BIL.

MissA just tell them. I wore knickers and pads with a catheter they just put the tube out the side. I was in itu and dp didn't even being me any clean pants or pads so I was stuck in nhs ones! He did bring me hula hoops though

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. I'm currently in a v expensive hotel room which has a gigantic bath in the corner!

Sporting I've been taste testing the aldi Christmas range and its all lovely. Especially the after dinner mint thins. Do you get the £5 off voucher in the mirror/daily record every month?.

MissA, they'll have dealt with periods before. I had a gynae op and woke up with a towel in place to catch the blood.

Spotty, how do you feel?. I was on a high for days after we got married.

I'm feeling nice and relaxed. Glad it's all over and not liking one of the photos of my on fb where I look really fat!

Glad you're enjoying your v expensive hotel room spotty!

MissA - hang in there. Do you feel slightly better? Id tell them about the period coming. It's not a big deal for them.... Happy recovering.

Today will spend doing the weekly shop although probably not as much as last week as last week spent on replenishing supplies.

And will be looking for a new shower. It's died. Fair enough. At least 15 years old and we've been wanting to replace it since we moved in here 3 years ago!!!

Yesterday OK - I had a day off work and spent £7.10 on coffee and croissants out for me and DH as a treat, and about £4.50 on milk, papers and apples. Today is the week's main shopping so won't be specially cheap, but I hope won't be very expensive either. My bargain suit arrived and is a perfect fit.

Glad you have a good day Spotty. MissA, so glad they've finally worked out what was wrong! Keep taking the morphine.

Thanks all - told them and have been given a magic pair of super stretchy pants, can use my own pads.
I'm not in huge pain but I have a tube going down my nose, through my throat and into my tummy which is really hurting my throat - it started as annoying/uncomfortable and is now really sore they won't give me a time frame for removing it. I'd choose it to go over the central line or catheter any day. I can't talk even as throat hurts too much. Grrr.

Argh that sounds thoroughly miserable MissA! :(

Been Christmas shopping a little this morning and trying to really finally decide what to choose. Was considering taking the DCs into town to start choosing presents for daddy (his birthday is in Jan too so best to do it all at once) but the weather is vile ATM.

£90.00 on christmas yesterday, 2 of girls big presents though
£25.00 on stocking fillers for all three, presents for friend & boss

NSD today- not leaving the house :)

Hope you are feeling better Miss A.....

PS happy birthday girlie

have a lovely day spotty, congratulations...
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Fluffy the aldi voucher is usually the last Thursday of the month. There should be one this week. Sometimes they do more in December too.
I get 2 one for the thus it come out and one for the week after.

LSD so far but going to a christmas garden centre so that may all change.
Spendy day yesterday as at ikea and adjoining shopping centre with DD

Hi all thanks for the bday wishes had lovely day and feel throughly spoilt! Went out for tapas with friends last night which was £14 each, drinks about another £8 and a cab home was £5. Considering I hardly ever go out not too bad!

Been to a vintage market today, lots of lovely things but so pricey! Resisted a few things but bought Christmas decorations for £2.

MissA you are being so brave, am so glad they finally sorted you out but I am angry on your behalf it has taken them so long!

Congrats Spotty

Just been fleeced at the xnas fair. ...spent about £30 in total but its only once a year and they had a ton of good things to do and proceeds are going to a very good cause.

Going to the flicks tonight with my tesco Cineworld vouchers and handbag full of contraband. Will cost £20 for babysitter but well worth it.

missA one day you'll look back at this and it will just be a short blip. You are doing well to sound so positive!

£17 new heel tips on boots, shoe cream & waterproof spray. My shoes are all ready for winter now.

You guys are so great love hearing all your news. spotty hope your day was amazing and do post pics if you can / are willing, esp of dress on the actual day!

I feel I'm on the final strait now, no tubes left except one central line into neck with 4 ports for pain killers and liquid feed as I still can't eat.
However, I keep having these attacks of unbelievable sharp, stabbing pain under my ribs on the right side that make it hard for me to even breathe, they're only able to take it away with a very strong anti inflammatory that is normally only used in theatre so every time I need it about 5 Drs come in to authorise etc.
Their current theory is that the pain is either the bowel reoxygenating/settling into non twisted position etc OR new current fave as it is recurring in the same place, that it is extreme trapped wind!
The pain is indescribable (worse than twisted bowel was) can it really be wind? If so, I need ALL your wind remedies now!

I need to trump, help!