July Frugal thread, Just chatting and saving.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Everyone welcome.

Ipsos I find being p/t is the key when I first went back to work in was for 17 hours a week dd was only 7 months, I increased my hours to 22.5 when she was about 3yo and am only just upping them again now she is 9yo!

If you can find a term time job thats even better, what line of work were you in before you had your son? is it something you would want to go back to?

It is hard being a working single mum but I enjoy my job, always a balancing act though!

So today venture out to the reuse shop at our local tip, its an amazing place so many bargains to be had! I found an intact picnic set in a lovely rucksack for £3! Will be ideal if we ever go camping and obv for picnics dd found a china doll for £1 which she has spent the afternoon washing, it has come up looking good as new. Also got a flower pot for £1, total spend £5.

Had a look in Wickes at paint, planning on decorating the kitchen next week it was more expensive than I thought tbh, about £30 for 2 tins, does that sound about right?

I got into a long argument over that with someone on another forum, ipsos. It's pointless.
a) most primary children aren't responsible for getting themselves to school
b) rewards need to be given for effort against personal targets and be earned, rather than based on good luck.
c) where's the motivation for the child with poor attendance who has made an effort but has been ill enough to need to take time off (d&v, chicken pox). With 100% attendance, the incentive has gone and these are the children you are trying to motivate.
d) it isn't very inclusive for children with long term health issues.

There is some protection in some workplaces to deal with this but the Equality Act is a bit woolly when it comes to this I think.

Definitely no harm asking, with computer programming is that something you could do self employed? I am in awe of anyone who knows one end of a computer from another, I am a complete technophobe!!

Dds Narnia film turned up from Amazon today, having a lazy afternoon watching it as going out tonight!

Agree with certificates for attendance, it is completely down to luck! My dd has had 98% attendance this year which is the best she has managed since starting school, complete fluke though as she has managed to be ill mostly over the hols!!

Meant to say agree with certificates for attendance being pointless and non inclusive!!

Girlie dh said b&q are doing two runs of dulux for £20.

Found a lovely shared ownership three bed house £122k for 40% in Chichester. We couldn't afford it now but at least I know they are available.

I hate the whole attendance thing, they could at least do it if the absence is authorised. Dd had three hospital appts in January hardly her fault luckily her school don't do that.

I don't know how kids manage full attendance, they've got immune systems with no immunity! surely they catch every virus going?.

One of my colleagues sent her dc to school with meningitis thinking he was trying it on to get a day off.

Fuzz Your children sound adorable.

£3 in Morrisons on cake and stuff.

Got a free bucket, car shampoo and sponge from Halfords on O2 priority app. I will put it with the other unopened car shampoos and sponge under the sink....

I'm fairly sure excluding disability related illness from the work absence monitoring system was one of the things discussed with HR when I was having issues a few years ago. I'm sure it's in the policy and possibly mentioned on the ACAS website too.

I've just spent £6.99 on one of these. Might be a reasonably cheap day out over the holidays if people are interested in walking/puzzles. If you ebter the answer on the website you get entered for a £1000 prize draw too. They have them for all over the country.

Thanks Fluffy they are pretty sweet most of the time! DS is looking particularly squishable right now, as he's lost his first two wobbly teeth so is all gappy :o

Agree the attendance pressure is ridiculous. Schools are breeding grounds for germs, and if parents feel forced to send their children in when they're brewing something then of course it'll spread. One unexpected side effect from taking the DCs out of school is that we haven't had nearly as many bugs/viruses.

DCs happily playing with lego so I'm resting (having actually managed a little tidying - so things are improving :)) and checking out obsessive compulsive cleaners on 4od :o

thanks for the link rafa - looks right up our street!

Going to be intermittent the next couple of weeks as currently on the m5 car park heading south. Waves at all SW frugallers. Spendy day travelling with service station breakfast and nt lunch. All in the holiday budget. I hope it lasts

That was an enjoyable walk, even though I'm 3 clues short of the answer. Found a couple of nice secluded public gardens that were totally free of tourists as well, so those will be nice to sit in for the rest of the summer, and it covered a few places I hadn't thought about walking.

Might see if I can rope in a few friends to do some and share the cost.

Well on finally on way home from Kidzania freebie after spending 45 minutes looking for bloody car as no one could remember where it was parked

Great concept but needs more thought for older children.

Amazingly only £8 on parking and £7 drinks/snacks

My food delivery was £51 which is good as my approved food order was £25. Just shows how much I usually spend on snacks. Plus I didn't get strawberries or raspberries as we will try to go to pick your own.

I had a frugal fail today by making the most inedible chocolate cornflake cakes ever made

Oh no muturn! I buy a special 'chocolate covering' from tesco to make mine and they're yum.

I am supposed to use chocolate, golden syrup and butter. I decided that I could reduce the amount of the last two and increase the first in an effort to reduce calories and improve colour. This was a load of nonsense as the chocolate coagulated in to a single, crumbly lump that leaves most of the cornflakes untouched.

£62 at Aldi (how?) - but had some presents for birthdays in August and some math and English books for the kids (yes horrid mother - but they love it... They honestly do).

£30 at tennis - a new t shirt for ds and paying for a tournament.