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!

Sympathies MissA. I had a bowel perforation due to a massive infection and diverticular disease about 6 years ago, landing me in hospital for 2 weeks on massive antibiotics and being fed by IV as I couldn't eat solid food. I will say that the cramping was horrible - and was lower middle and lower right - always worse after eating (as that kicks the bowel into gear), felt constipated, bloated. It wasn't until it got really bad, my temp shot up and my blood pressure fell drastically that the GP pegged something was really wrong and sent me straight to hospital. Bowel/abdominal stuff just wipes you out as not only is it painful, but it affects everything and makes you feel "off" all the time. I hope they sort out what's wrong very quickly for you.

Well done girlie! Celebrate!

MissA sounds awful and I cannot believe they haven't figured you out even with private healthcare. I despair. I know your symptoms can sound like a number of things but when my son got admitted to GOSH with 6 weeks of symptoms the doctors basically took us very seriously and although it took them 2 weeks to eliminate diseases (for which they were very apologetic) they did figure it out.

Good luck. It may be worth staying in the hospital till they figure you out. I know that when we were considered 'out patient' ie 'do come back if things get worse...' We never got any answers.

MissAnnersley. Sounds dreadful, and I hope they diagnose the problem soon.

What does count as a low spend day? I've spent £8.40 on Tube and bus fares, plus £4 on lunch with colleagues (subsidised canteen so cheap). So £12.40-ish in total. Snack supper as was out late at a work thing.

imogen I guess definition depends on your budget.

It could have been a nsd today but I've got that refund from southern electric. So.... £300 off my credit card and £50 left in my account to:

Buy our US visas
Buy dd's school photo £15 ffs
Possibly get holiday insurance but mine with be ££££ so not sure yet.
Oh and 2.50 for dd's school disco ticket

Yesterday was a nsd. We have been struggling financially and yesterday dm stocked my cupboards and db bought the dc some much needed winter clothes. I am so grateful but feel embarrased that they have recognised how much we are struggling. We are so lucky to have family support.

((((MissA))))

need yes I can pick and choose days for school dinners - it's one of those outside companies where you book it all on the website.

It's mostly due to friendship issues that she wants to have hot dinners but we seem to have resolved one issue now thanks to a chat with her teacher... so fingers crossed.

Aww mercury that's so sweet. I don't think you should be embarrassed though, she's your mum :)

Spent £1.80 yesterday but got home late and ended up spending another £9.50 on a take away. Not good!

I just phoned tax credits and got straight through

Had fish n chips for dinner last night as dd requested on her birthday. Written to complain as they had no kids meals or regular fish available, dd disappointed and ended up spending alot more. Plus the payment machine wasn't working and there was a huge wait. ...was nice in the end but I've been told they send vouchers for complaining. ...

Planning a lsd, off to work. Benefit mascara is running low though so need to check on prices for that. ..ot wait to open my bday vouchers!

I returned £40 worth of bras back to debenhams two weeks ago and they haven't received them. On the phone now I really need that money!

Only spent one pound since Sunday. Really pleased.
Miss A - could it be gallstones? Symptoms sound very similar to mine when I had them.

Argh I'm so pissed off they won't give me back my money said I have to ring again tomorrow and it'll be another six days before I get my money. Ffs.

Relatively LSD
£8.56 on food top up until shopping tomorrow..
£10.00 in poundshop for 3 birthday gifts for best friends son, stocking fillers for my kids and an extra present for the girls friend who I forgot on Tuesday...
Off to work now, will only spend food shop and petrol tomorrow, should be £50.00 in total then a nice quite weekend in crafting, baking etc.....
It is great to read everyone's posts you keep me inline :)

singme I had an ultrasound and it didn't show any stones, but I have heard of people having "sludge" in their gallbladder that doesn't show up on scans and causes the same effect.
When you had gallstones, did the pain last for days at a time? Most of the sources I have read say the pain from gallstones lasts hours rather than days.
Am going to ask for a special test which shows Gallbladder function, among a whole battery of other tests I'll be demanding to rule as many things as possible out.

Missa...my gallstones pain was all the time...for 3 weeks.
Until I had my op.

Ok, that is really good to know (sorry you had to go through that though, sounds terrible!) I will definitely push for the HIDA scan to see if the gallbladder has sludge in it then. Thank you

And my pain was predominantly in my back and shoulder.

Ask for a prescription of fortisip milk shakes to keep your strength up.

They are packed with nutrients. Very good after hangovers apparently too, according to my gp.

Miss a - my pain lasted about 18 hours but my worry with your symptoms is that a stone or some sludge could be stuck which can cause really serious complications such as pancreatitis and then the pain would be prolonged. I would definitely pursue it. It is horrific pain so you have my sympathies

Just to add - keep a record of what you eat. Try a really low fat, low citrus diet for a couple of weeks and see if it helps.

This website is brilliant as it lists what may cause an attack.
www.gallbladderattack.com/gallbladderdiet.shtml

£2 bus fare
£3.69 breakfast forgot to eat before we left! Was very pleased to have a proper sit down though after school run from hell (thanks DS).
£8 two umbrellas for DCs

Only managed to take a sandwich because DH remembered and had defrosted some bread for me :o

Oh and my first orchard vouchers arrived - the free from range (DH is coeliac)

NSD, bought a cider but its free on quidco clicksnap plus the my supermarket app so I should make £2 iyswim.

The my supermarket app is worth downloading. It tells you the cheapest place to buy things & the cashbacks good. If you combined the birds eye offers it would be pretty cheap.