We are the Marvelous Frugaleers - Mindfully Managing our Money in May.. Come join us!

[Laska42]

So here is a new thread for all the Magical May Frugaleers!

All are welcome to come and join our friendly supportive group if you'd like to take control of your finances in May and beyond..

We are working together to support each other, live within our means, pay off those debts and save for the life we want!

Good luck everyone for another month

I won some micro scooters for the do on eBay last night. £32 for dd and £34 for ds. My mum gave me £15 towards dd's for her birthday. So from my own pocket got them for about half the price of new ones.

Direct line have to longest pending cash back of anyone. I've got £21 still to come from January. It's been confirmed for about two weeks wish it would become payable.

Going to put my wedding shoes and converse on eBay. Will wait until Thursday. Hopefully that'll make a bit.

I need diesel, but that can be reclaimed from work. We were planning on filling the car at the last minute near Folkstone tomorrow, but I'm worried that we'll be running late and not gave time. I think I'll fill up today, and top up tomorrow when we get to Folkstone (I can reclaim fuel bought in the UK, but nothing abroad)

Going with DMum today to test drive her new car. She has asked me to go on to her insurance. I haven't been on it before, but since she is living here at the moment, it makes sense.

I also need to get some rolls to make up for the journey tomorrow. Other than that Issey should be NSD, as too busy packing!

My cupboards are always run down

Had a baking session last night. I'm quite liking investing time to get ahead with the weeks meals.

National trust today with a pic nic. Will need fuel this week and more food as it's half term. I can do aldi in my lunch break from work so will go there Thursday

Bank holiday here, I'm still in bed, I don't want to get up as I have a massive pile of papers to mark for tomorrow. Luckily all my lesson prep is done though.

Collie I can only sleep on a rock solid futon because of my back, I also used to get really bad lower back pain, but that disappeared when I got rid of the mirena coil.

I will take a look at ynab Wish. Sounds like the sort of thing I need I see there's a free app but am guessing it's limited.

My DCs have CTF (with nothing added from us!). We are also with Nationwide - is it easy to transfer them to ISAs?

DSs birthday next month and he wants to take friends paintballing at £22 a pop! How few friends can I get away with without seeming mean?

Thanks Ipsos, will get into town this week to do the transfer.

Staggering what 10 year olds now expect for their birthdays. Several friends to an expensive activity plus of course a brilliant present. Time to reign in the entitlement me thinks

Dd's having a pizza express pizza making party. Eight of them at £12 a head could be worse and thus way no stress!

Right just got back from vets and town.

Girlie cat is in the vets having some tests done, they are ringing me anytime now to tell me if its feline leukaemia or not am trying not to think about how much this is all going to cost. Just hoping insurance don't start getting funny as this will be the second large claim in a few months.

My family clubbed together to buy me some converse I put in £20, my mum £15 and my brother £10!! I still think they are a rip off for £45 but I needed some comfy shoes to wear to London and they do look cool I am lucky to have such a nice family

I also spent £6 on two pairs of running shorts for dd and £2 on a work book for dd to do on the train tomos.

Well said ipsos about childrens parties. There seems to be a huge industry around events generally, weddings, christenings, proms, childrens parties etc. This then is hyped up by social media and the pressure is ramped up on people to compete/conform. Kids love the simple things.
We went to a wedding yesterday which was done on a small budget. There were 80 guests, friends provided the wedding cars and the photography, the reception was at a local village hall which they had decorated themselves with reuseable things. The food was a barbeque, a DJ played 80s music all night (heaven ) and their main extravagance was providing all the drinks. The result was a fabulous party, memorable day and all comfortably paid for with no wedding planner or coordinated stationery in sight.

Had to get some things for camping e.g. croissants and snacks plus some cat food and litter. Probably spent £50.
Hope you get good news about your cat girlie.

Wonder if I could sell massive water fight and bbq to DS?

DS had a massive water fight for his 12th birthday last year, they had great fun in the garden (and pretty much emptied the little pool). I made a m&m cake, did some fruit skewers and bought some soda and crisps, worked out pretty cheap, if totally knackering for DH and I (there were 12 kids including my two), 5 stayed for a sleepover - we put all the matresses we could find in the house on DS's floor, set his PC up to watch films on (diary of a wimpy kid trilogy) and supplied copious amounts of popcorn. I won't mention the smell in the room the following morning

I've been online window shopping for a bed for DS, in winter he sleeps up on his mezzanine, but in the summer it's just too hot up there, so he brings his matress down, but it's on the floor. I've found some for under €100, so I might go and get one tomorrow as have a very light day at work, and there is some money left in the account.

€320, 2 days to payday.

For the kids parties we use my Mum & Dads house - luckily ds's is in January and therefore we usually have enough snow for a huge snowball fight / tabogganing races. If it is a mild winter they are happy climbing trees and generally running about. We move DDs to Summer (from Feb) so she can have a music festival on the lawn.

£35 scooter for ds
£21 in tesco on veg and ingredients for cookies plus beer for dh which he will pay back (that was £13).

Dinner is sausages roasted with med veg and couscous. I'm starving just remembered I forgot to have lunch

ipsos the kids love it - the hottest party invites in the village. It is not often that the kids get to act like idiots - what they don't know is that the branches are all checked for load bearing capacity by my brother who is considerably heavier than a 10yo. So it seems to them that they are doing something very naughty - every now and then an adult will "tell them off" for climbing the trees or going too fast.

I have the same problem Spotty except it's lunchtime here and I've been too busy to remember that breakfast should happen in the morning, preferably early

We've also done water based parties, DCs thoroughly enjoy them IME.

Everything cossed for girliecat

Need shopping today but I'm waiting to hear if a plumber can come and fix a broken pipe.

for Alzhiemers awareness day.