Join the Fantastic Frugaleers for a February full of frugality

[northender]

Shiny new thread ready for Sunday. Newbies very welcome. This is a wonderful thread full of encouragement and support

I think flour will be fine.

Definitely keep the trousers!

Spent £2.45 on a drink last night. Going to a toddler group today will be £3 I think. Not been before and it's in a posh area so they probably won't like me

Should be NSD today apart from £44 for a Crb check for an agency who can find me local government work.

vinegar it's really hard when you see your dcs unhappy at school! I hope it's all sorted soon and they are feeling better. It isn't easy to cut costs but it can be done. We have had to as we're now down to one wage until I pick up some work. My DS is going through a bullying issue with another child and is a bit unhappy, he's started bedwetting which is a bit worrying as he's not done that since he was 3. It's not going to be an option to move schools at the moment and we can't afford to HE.

Still onward and upward, got to do proposal for some London based work which will be 2/3 days per month indefinitely and will be £100 per day which is below my day rate but I can work at home and do Skype and locally based PPH job which could be lucrative and also ongoing which could help me grow my business. Looking forward to the day where I can truly say I'm my own boss!

spotty I always think of you as being kind of posh! Maybe it's the user name - i sea you drinking high tea and cake every afternoon in a bunting strewn tent a la Paul and Mary in Bake-off!

vinegar I don't bake at all (despite my love of GBBO!) but I have a drawer full of baking stuff which I'm making it my goal to get through -im sure lots of it must be out of date. In fact I have some mixed dried fruit soaking for barra brith which was dated November 14. It's my turn to attempt bread rolls tonight!

Thanks for all the encouragement - I'm keeping the trousers! They were from Boden, I never normally shop there but I was sent in that direction by the lovely ladies over at Style and Beauty! I'm pleased as I have some lovely tops that I could wear for work but I had nothing to wear them with. I reckon I have just increased my work wardrobe by 5-6 outfits.
I have playgroup today which is £1 but after that the rest of the week should be no spend.

iamnotanugget the knitting pattern is here at cbeebies: www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/activity/sarah-and-duck-hat-knitting-pattern
and I also found this crochet pattern: zarascrochetcorner.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/sarah-and-duck-inspired-hat.html?m=1

Not had a chance to try then yet! I haven't made a hat before.

I want to learn to knit now so I can have a Sarah hat!

LSD - 2 pounds for parking. My brother has said yes, please, to me knitting him a scarf for his birthday which is a lovely frugal result. I've not got as far as decreasing with knitting, but may give it a go with that hat TeWi

Had a good talk to DP last night (involved tears and hugs) about how sad it's making me having to work so much at the moment - the plan was for us to both do part-time and share childcare between us but I'm not seeing much of DS at all during the day. I end up doing the early starts and bed times just to get some time with him, and then work late at night and am getting shattered.

Short-term the solution - it turns out - is to give DP a list of things he can do instead of me so any spare time I have is genuinely spare e.g. he can sort out the overdue Thank You cards, figure out what we're having for dinner, do the family washing, etc.

Haha thanks six unfortunately I'm just average and boring and don't have a big detached house or 4x4

PS fuzz my DM pulled me out of school for the last half-term of primary due to bullying teacher and crap headmaster. I was a sensitive kid . I loved it! She wasn't working though, so I can see it's a different situation.

If it's a short-term solution - i.e. sounds like you have plans to relocate anyway - then hopefully it's easier to work out if financially doable?

Personally, I don't like waiting for life to change to resolve a situation - hanging on for a bit longer because I think a factor is going to change (in your case getting a new home) because I'm a bit of a control freak (!) and don't like being dependent on other factors I can't control, but also these things can drag on and I suppose the question is, if you don't move in the next few months will you have wished you'd pulled them out or not?

The reason we're flat broke is because we made a massive lifestyle change and move to a different area for the sake of DS. He absolutely loves it and as a family we're so more at peace. It's just hard when our lifestyle makes it tricky to fit in with our friends and families' (turning down invitations to birthday trips that involve spending, etc.)

One good thing from HE in your case is your children can learn hands-on about important life skills, like handling money, budgeting, shopping frugally, etc. which are all being put into classes anyway.

nugget glad you liked them - i stumbled across it one day and now its my go to recipe every Sunday, they freeze well too!

only petrol spend today, fly to Amsterdam tomorrow and euros already accounted for so hopefully bank account shouldn't get touched now until Monday yipee!

well done all, its only february but everyone seems to be pretty much off to a running start :)

Thanks missmystic glad you had a positive experience!

I see what you mean about not hanging around waiting. A very common quote from the many posts I've read from HEing families (I've hung out on the home ed board for years as we were considering it) was "I wish we had started earlier".

TBH I am pretty sure that DD wouldn't want to leave school ATM. She has been really upset thinking that the bully would make her leave! :( I would need to absolutely guarantee that she would still get lots of opportunity to see BFF.

What I see happening, if we do decide on HE, is that we would take DS out (who would say yes instantly) and let DD carry on at school, but I have a feeling she would end up wanting to stay home too. Although if the bullying got even worse I may have to not let her, if it was doing her even more damage :(

Anyway, I've decided that since I can't really go into work/town today (snow = traffic plus apparently some of the drivers are on strike today?!) I'm going to get all my whirring thoughts onto paper in a pros/cons type list. DH finishes work at 12 today so hopefully we will have some time to discuss it alone.

Re trousers.. in terms of spending/resources I would be even more radical and say 'buy a second pair' or even a third. Here's the thinking.

1. I bought a 350 pair of shoes that I LOVE and are high quality. They are on year 4 and sort any outfit. I care for them and they bring me pleasure and confidence everytime I wear them
2. When you find something that works clothing wise if you have two then you will get loads of wear and can keep on for a bit best.
3. You won't try in vain with loads of coffees and time wasted to find something in a few nonths time

4 you are sorted maybe for a year!

Good decision to keep the trousers pointless and definitely buy another pair when you can afford it. I agree with needastrongone that frugality isn't just about spending less, it's about spending well which often ends up meaning the same long term. My mil was shocked at what we spent on a hall cupboard (for shoes etc). But I researched it for ages, found a solid wood one which is beautiful but also holds everything we need it to and I fully intend it to be a 20+ year purchase. In order to save up for the ideal cupboard, we manged for years with a basket and a wooden shoe rack. Mil on the other hand changes her furniture every couple of years but buys cheap stuff which doesn't last.

That's good advice about trousers. I might get some in a different colour, maybe the light ones for summer, not until payday though! They are definitely better quality than I normally buy so I'll look after them.
Just had a good find in the charity shop - a toy that I almost bought DD in Toys R Us a fee weeks ago for £1.49! She is playing with it now. I also bought her a book and got a birthday card for a friend, £5 in total. The old me would have spent that just on the book!

I decided to look for the rolls recipe - had to go back 5 pages, wow this thread is moving super fast. We don't eat white bread as it bloats me like you wouldn't believe but going to try this with brown flour instead, they look so squishy and delicious!

vinegar I hope you get paid again before next month's mortgage is due, don't be afraid to ask someone for help either friend, relative or food bank etc

pointless glad to hear you kept the trousers, they sound like a good purchase. I struggle with trousers and jeans because I'm short and carry my weight on my lower body, when you find something that suits stock up!!

chapati's sound good I've never seen a recipe for them are they similar to wholemeal wraps? I might get my rarely used breadmaker to knead it for me while I get on with something else!

I've an online shop coming this evening from Tesco €64.42 minus my €16.50 voucher from finishing up with delivery saver leaves €47.92 owing. I've only ordered the bare essentials such as bread, pet food, milk, spread, frozen veg, daisy dishwasher powder(highly recommended here!) and hope to just top up with fruit and yogurt from aldi plus some meat from butchers. Myself and the kids are away at the weekend, I'm out for dinner tomorrow night, and myself and dh are out for dinner tues night - using a voucher 2 starters & 2 steak mains for €30 so this will cut down food shop a bit too.

I've moved my money around to cover various bills and temporary savings for others today and am happy enough with whats left. I bought a few bits for my class last night €3.50 and diesel to cover extra driving at the weekend €58.

northender I've a basket for shoes in hall, it needs decluttering dd has lots of shoes in there that no longer fit! I bought Coat Storage Argos and the baskets above are great for hats, scarves and gloves they're teeny and it gives a nice little shelf for display as well. Might move dds art stuff to something storage wise in playroom and that would free up the treasure chest it's currently stored in for shoes. Your storage sounds fab.

Nsd as playgroup was free.

Hmm not a very frugal day

90p parking for 2 hours.

So £45 for my counselling session, although my mum and dad have offered to help me out with the cost of them.

£5.50 in a charity shop, got 5 nice cards and 2 gifts for dd (bday next Monday) for that though.

£11.99 on a beautiful book which is signed by the author, it is a children's book and the illustrations are stunning. It was a splurge but so beautiful I couldn't not buy it will also be for dds bday.

No other spends planned

if anyone uses waitrose for small shops (and free paper/coffee!) I've started getting vouchers for £3 off a £30 spend from the till. Bear in mind they take the discounts for using ny waitrose card etc so needs to be more than £30 after those! However did quite well in there for our top up shop this morning. I don't know if our waitrose is great and our Tesco's rubbish, but I don't find much price difference between them.

Miscalculated my personal money - back to original nothing leftover for the weekend! Oh well bills are covered & there'll be food in presses so I'm ok with that.

NSD today. Should have one tomorrow too.

Very behind on the thread, must catch up later. Rubbish few days as DD1 is being bullied at school and have been trying to sort it out. Head being useless, lots of tears from both DD1 and me. Promised her we csn't watch Sewing Bee together tonight to cheer us up and buy fabric at the weekend to make stuff. That will be expensive!

Aw, I hope your DD is ok and both enjoy the sewing bee. On that subject, I would love to learn to do alterations etc. My mum can teach me and she suggested getting cheap clothes from the charity shop to practise on. I think that could pay off in the long run as I'll be able to make my clothes fit me!

I am really very sorry to hear about all those folk that are having issues with their DC at school. It's heartbreaking seeing your child hurting, I am not sure that I will ever reconcile myself to it, ever.

Had my Morrisons delivery today, which was about £70, but included washing tablets and cleaning items, toilet rolls on offer etc. I love their 'flash sales' as you go through the check out process. I have 2 huge punnets of blueberries for £1 each, 200g size. Punnet of black grapes for £1, huge piece of salmon for £2.50 (I have frozen). I love my market delivery, but they do tend to send produce that is in season only, so I was ready for a touch of variety and some nice soft fruit.

Indulgent shellac too, brows and lashes dyed. My hands are so awful because of the pony that the shellac is almost a necessity

Slight frugal fail in that I have loads of vegetables left, so could have stretched my next delivery on a few days, rather than Saturday, but I won't waste it, will batch cook and freeze.

I often forget how little of each veg you need to make a soup. I have done chunky veg soup for tea, and have a massive pot of it in the slow cooker, but only used small amounts of parsnip, carrot, sweet potato, turnip, squash, celery.

Also had a delivery from Joules clearance sale, free delivery. I wanted just to like one thing, but I like them all, bar one . Going to have to be very tough and send all but one back.

spotty I am one of those folk with a large 4 bed detached and a 4x4 but still try my best to be frugal

Re spending more but saving long term, this is very much this house. It was the one time we said we would do everything according to what we actually wanted rather than 'saving' money. So wooden floors instead of laminate, redesigning the kitchen to our specific wants and paying for it rather than managing, paying for a huge patio rather than 4 squares, changing the upstairs layout. It all added to the cost (mortgage!), but we are nearly four years in and it all works so well and is such good quality it looks new, despite kids and dogs.

I can't keep up! Thanks for the warm welcome

£2 spend today on tinned pineapple for dinner and biscuits (naughty).

Trying to decide whether to pop into town tomorrow to return some items and spend a voucher, or to aim for a no spend day.

Oh have also invited my folks round for lunch on Sunday so need to get in something for that. Might use my m&s card to buy something nice and start my points off

Bullying is one of the worst things. Sorry so many of our DCs have experienced it. My DS was cyber - bullied by a so - called friend about 18 months ago and he didn't even realise it was bullying at the time, as it wasn't physical. It was heartbreaking reading some of those messages . All you can do is keep supporting your DCs and finding ways to boost their self esteem, as well as keep talking to the school.

£28.50 on DS's bus pass and 93 pence on a stamp.