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

Waitrose essential loo roll gives Andrex a run for its money too.

If only there was a way of pushing for housing :o we are still about 50th on any place we bid on. Band B (overcrowding)

£350 A WEEK?! Bloody hell. Wasn't planning to watch the rest of the series but I'm fascinated! I need the distraction TBH. :o

Very very grateful for all the kind words and advice

Fuzz - the main issue I think is that if you were medically retired I think the expectation is that you would start receiving PIP (was DLA) but if you are almost well enough to work 12hrs a week a PIP claim would most likely be rejected and you would be moved to JSA. JSA will expect you to look for fulltime work (probably not suitable?) Which leaves you in a really difficult situation.

Spends today: £27.86 supermarket (unplanned really bargain £3.69 on 18 glasses though!)
and £3.19 in boots.

By the way Fuzz, I'm really sorry your kids are having such a rough time. I hope you manage to work something out.

fuzz I really hope you can sort things out for your kids soon. Is home schooling the only option? Can you move them to different schools? Sorry if asked before.

So an agency guy and someone from a Council rang me today, "gutted" as I sound perfect for a 6mth role that they have been trying to fill for a good while. I said I am on gardening leave until end of March so can't start. Apparently...there might be a loophole in order to end my contract with my previous employer earlier, still get redundancy and start this, but, it's a bit of a journey and obviously a short term contract, which may extend after. So I'd lose maybe 6 wks notice pay for 6 months guaranteed actual pay. Things in favour is that it would be fab for my CV...and frankly, I'm bored after 4 weeks off and I have 8 (or 12) weeks to go. But at the same time I'm applying for permanent positions in less favourable roles.....argh!
Confusing but nice for the ego

In awe at £350pw spends....but I recognise most of the items on their conveyor belt - my shopping habits pre-kids in my wealthier times

NSD

Fuzz I'm so sorry your dc are unhappy. I can't imagine how hard that must be. Just to add my two pennies worth. I agree with need that you should think about the work issue separately from your dc problems. If you leave you can only claim jsa if you're job seeking, which you won't be. I'm sure you've looked but the 'entitled to' website should give you an idea on how your benefits will change.

My understanding is that, in many ways, as long as the children are being educated it doesn't matter where. I have known a few people send their dc to a mainstream school 4 days a week and then to an alternative place of education on the 5th day. Would that be an option for you? Does your dd go to brownies or similar to help expand her friendship group and give her confidence? I don't have any suggestions for your ds, he's still very young, other than maybe a few play dates to strengthen friendships. I'm sure you've thought of these things, so my apologies if you tried them ages ago. Please look after yourself too though as I'm sure you're feeling the strain.

£1 playgroup. 1 more week until payday

Definitely don't want JSA, my concern was that I'd be forced into it because of DCs' age IYSWIM, but I'm clueless really. Benefits calculator seems to think we would go back on WTC regardless of disability but I'm never sure of these things and would hate to depend on benefits again (when DH hurt his back it was horrific being at the mercy of ESA appeals etc)

Interesting about pip, I did get DLA (HRM and MRC I think) while I was working, but when it came up for renewal I stupidly didn't do it. I was in a much better phase and was utterly terrified people would think I was a fraud. At that time, my 'worst day' was very rare. Now I realise I'm not actually recovered like I thought :(

Babs sorry I missed your post and questions earlier. I could possibly earn a bit teaching piano as I used to teach in a music school, though I'm not a qualified teacher or anything so it'd be very low key/by word of mouth type thing.

I don't have a career, just a job. It's not really something I can progress in as a part timer (was all planned out before I got sick). I enjoy it though and when I am well enough to work I do well. I'm also planning an event which could do really well across the county and I'm so excited about that because us lowly people don't normally get to do that stuff. I don't want to leave really - it's been great for my mental health in some ways too - but when I'm having a relapse it feels impossible, and that's happening more and more.

I totally agree I need to look at the two issues separately though. I must remember that.

If we can hang in there until DH has finished his training, and should get a pay rise and maybe a better job with different hours, then things will be much clearer! :)

Thanks again everyone

I don't mean I'm just waiting for DH to earn more so I can immediately stay home BTW :o (although he has said he'd be happy with that, he just wants me to be well) - but things are a bit up in the air so it'd be good to wait to see what comes of his training (which is being uber-fast-tracked apparently) :)

5/2
£3.59 tiny top up shop (this budget is really helping us control impulse food spends! AND it's helping me snack less as I am determined to make the few treaty bits I bought last rather than rushing out to get more!)
£2.99 DH had an evening meeting and grabbed some food on the way home between buses.

Oh and thank you for all the suggestions nugget it all helps! DD has actually just started brownies and loves it - she was reciting her promise last night :o it is really helping her to have a social outlet outside school. DS is on the list for cubs/beavers too.

Fuzz, I think your answer is there in your last paragraph of your 22.55 post. Just try to ride it out for now. xx

Thank you for the kind words re bullying all. Hugs to everyone who's DC's are going through this. Thinking of you Fuzz, hope you find a way to make everything work for your DC's and your family.

Loved Sewing Bee, not sure about Patrick's 'tache though! Pointless, being able to do alterations is so useful, have kept some trousers and skirts going through 4 pregnancies now! Leading to do proper mending - invisible and darning - is so worth it too, especially for knitwear. DM taught me and I have rescued my beloved cashmere many times!

Food shopping coming this afternoon. Managed the use my £10 meat voucher on the 3 for £10. It was still expensive though not sure why

Working this morning and one of the derm nurses is making coffee cake. I love her she always makes us Friday cakes

£18.33 in Farm Foods on lazy tea (crispy duck, onion rings and garlic mushrooms! Eclectic!!) and pizzas for tonight plus goodies for babysitter. DP are out tonight for the rugby so today will be quite spendy. I have budgeted £30 inc my share of babysitter but won't be surprised if it's more.
fuzz my heart goes out to you. I have no advice but I am livid on your DD's behalf. I hope things resolve

I spent £22 yesterday on what was a not very frugal shop, but there was lots of veg in that so with the meat I have in the freezer I should be able to make a few meals out of it.

Shouldn't spend anything today though, as DD is still off school so we won't be leaving the house.

Online shopping arriving today. It's the big monthly one I do with all household and toiletries stuff so comes in at £93.
Will be a NSD apart from that. Need to post an eBay parcel but only got a few hours sleep last night with DS2 so they may have to wait till tomorrow.

Popping in to see if you were watching eat well for less last night

They were such food snobs!! I did laugh about the marinated chicken as well (who buys chicken already marinated anyway ) I missed the bit where they said it was £350 a week though I can't even imagine how much food that would be!!

Hoping for a lsd day today, going to cycle in to town to save on parking, need to take dd up to the hospital later to get her hearing aid checked so will have to pay parking then but no other spends planned.

Thanks again everyone. I do feel happier this morning, thankfully DD is not in the same group as this girl for the trip and I've got things organised for both schools next week to try and help.

Creme I think you are right that we need to continue riding it out. I am happy that DH and I are totally on the same page about what to do, and I'm going to look into other possibilities for childcare too just in case.

I'm really pleased with myself today, I went into town (via work to sort out annual leave - all done, phew!) and resisted frivolous spends. I did have breakfast out as I'd planned but went for the cheapest, resisted drinks etc. I think we are going to have a 'food out' budget (so anything like macdonalds, takeaway as well as restaurants etc) separate from the normal food budget. Probably just add up what we spend this month and use that going forward.

I'm going to watch EWFL now too :o

Expecting sorry I was so behind on the thread I didn't see your DD is being bullied too. I'm sorry the HT is being useless. It seems surprisingly common! We were, ironically, concerned about sending DD to this school (no other choice though) because we had heard bad things about bullying there. A friend of mine told me the HT had said, when she was trying to stop her DD being bullied, "oh, we don't have bullying here" - erm, clearly you fucking well do mate! Anyway they've got a new HT now so we are hopeful things are better and they'll sort it out. We shall see!

Hope you have a great time sewing - although the materials will be pricy it's a lovely thing to do together. :)

Thanks Fuzz! Got another meeting on Monday but not holdings breath. It's been going on on and off for a year now. Just want it sorted and DD happy. If its not sorted this time I think I'll be looking at alternative schools.

Agree about the useless HT's!

NSD today! Whoo! 3 this week, so proud of myself, first time ever!

hope your meeting goes well expected, sorry your DD is having trouble too.

LSD, £2.80 parking at Audiology and no more spends today!

I've been thinking about all the sensible advice you gave me this week about my trousers and seeing them as an investment instead of regularly replacing cheaper ones. It's made me think about other false economies. One I thought of is very cheap loo rolls as they never have very much on them and run out quickly. I always get supermarket own brand ones but the posher sort rather than the basic ones. I just wondered what other false economies you can think of - might be a helpful thing to share!

Fuzz, going back to wtc - I know under uc there was a plan to have a set number of hours working (think 48?) as a couple, but not sure if this was ever transfered and applied to wtc/ctc. (or even uc!)

Could you make an appointment with the CAB for a more accurate financial run down?

That's a good idea tewi thanks :)

Watching the stuff on EWFL about how various food stuff is made is making me feel a bit... Yuk. It just seems really non-foodlike IYSWIM!

That's not to say I don't use convenience food, there's a definite place for it in my life especially when I'm ill. For example prepared veg/fruit (though not carrot batons like they show on this programme as I find they go off really quickly) is a godsend because I find chopping painful sometimes. But I'm glad we don't use that much. Simplifying our meals and reducing my expectations (eg realising that the DCs really don't care if their veg is frozen!) has helped reduce our bill.

£350 a week and 17 food shops is insane.

HOW MUCH sugar in that dolmio sauce?! Crikey. I was feeling guilty for adding a tiny pinch when I make a big batch for the freezer but that was a fecking saucer full!

Ooh I just realised that since I've taken next week off (had leave to use up and DH has training that means he can't collect DCs on Monday anyway) I can do some batch cooking! We've run out of everything I made last time. If I'm not working that should mean I have some energy spare :)

I should be able to do:
Spag bol
Tomato/med veg pasta sauce
Pesto (ok not technically cooking but still better to make in bulk and freeze!)
Leek/spud soup (possibly with spinach too)
Lentil stew
Stir fry mix/seasoning (I do little packs of garlic/spring onion etc as a base)

Also, is it worth freezing cheese sauce? I make a mean bechamel but I have only ever made it at the time IYSWIM - it'd be good to make in bulk (it's so lame, but on bad days even stirring hurts my hands and arms) but would it survive freezing? I've not really frozen dairy stuff before.

And another thing - I find sweet potato very hard to chop so DH could do this before freezing, DS loves them as chips. BUT our oven currently isn't working, so would I be able to grill them from frozen? And should I parboil them first?