August Frugaleers Part II

[PeoniesforMissAnnersley]

Thought I would start a new one since the old one is full!

I agree about the primark vests, I've just bought some more after having my last ones for at least three years.

I'm considering sorting through my old handbags and attempting to sell some to make some space. None are posh, but most haven't been used for long and even a few pounds would be worthwhile.

Lost a whole long post! Can finally get back to joining in as our kitchen makeover project (which completes the inside of the house bar a lick of paint in our bedroom!) is nearly done (thank god!). No more DIY now for a good while (we cant afford to do any more anyway!). We went with painted cabinets (done myself, took ages at it but they look fab), new worktop / tiles / sink & tap / lino. Local joiner & tiler in one has been a godsend and getting in materials at cost etc for us. DF is an electrician so has upgraded the kitchen electrics for the cost of the bits and pieces. It looks like a sparkling new kitchen so I am very pleased. Total spend including all new double oven / hob / extractor around £1500 which although a bit outlay is a hell of a lot less than we would have spent on a new kitchen. Totally broke now though but I can finally relax and say we're 'done' with the inside of the house bar a lick of paint in our room, so we can start saving again.

Will have a read back through the thread now to catch up. I have missed you guys!

A bit behiind but on smoothies - I make my own at home and they have all the fibre in them that is in the fruit - where would it go? it's just the same fruit/veg blended...

That rich lady wound me up too. Why couldn't she see that long term paying off a mortgage would benefit her kids far more than buying them designer sunglasses? Surely one of the joys of being a teenager is going shopping with your friends with maybe a tenner to spend and seeing what you can get? At that age we prided ourselves on being able to find second hand jeans in the wonderful Birmingham Rag Market and making our own jewellery from beads!
I think all this fast fashion is causing massive problems. It makes it too easy to buy things thinking "it's only a fiver" or whatever and before you realise it you've spent loads. Nevermind the environmental impacts of throwing it all away. I would love to be able to buy more expensive items that will last but I can't afford them and it's easier to pop something in the trolley whilst at the supermarket.
Anyway, rant over! Just the dentist to pay for today - scale and polish - yuk!

Oooh, glad to see you all talking about the Ann Robinson show last night, I loved it. Last week's one was good too.
That woman spending all that money on her teenage girls, was a bit deluded. And to be frank, the girls laughing at the lower income woman's handbag disgusted me. It's one thing to spend ridiculous money on labels, they can do what they want with their money, it was that horrible, sneering attitude that made me look down on them. I would be ashamed of my life if one of my children treated someone else like that.
And the woman who was addicted to shopping, I felt so sorry for her. I can see how she got into that situation tbh. I became a sahm at 21 when my ds 1 was born, and I was so bored. Lost all my friends because I wasn't out partying or living the student life. I used to go shopping for something to do, and buy myself things to make me feel young and carefree. I copped myself on a lot once we bought our house, but I still cringe when I think of how much money I spent over that 14 months or so.

Thanks for the tip on m&s tights! I was thinking about how crap my tights were last winter. Seemed to never get a good fit. Primark were up around my arm pits and kept falling down, tescos legs weren't long enough, so kept falling down.

Ds 1 went off to school this morning! €60 for his yearly school expenses.
Ds 2 is lost without him. They fought like cats and dogs for the past few weeks, but at least it was company! He starts preschool on Monday tho, so not long to wait.
Weather is nice today so got washing on the line.

That rich woman annoyed me too - she seemed to think that by over-paying the mortgage you give more money to the bank, which is the opposite of the truth, you save £££ on interest which is why banks don't want people to over-pay. Hrumph!

And her older daughter was obviously becoming so spoilt and smug, giving sly looks to her mum mocking the "poor" woman when she was trying to call their habits into question.

The takeaways were a bit though

What did you all think of the ethical spender woman who's husband was on a 6 figure salary, yet refused to buy her child black leggings and tshirt for the nativity?

I wish I could afford proper furniture. :( most of ours is cheap and it doesn't last long at all.

I just spilt boiling hot tea down my chest & it's so painful. I've had cold water in it for a while now

And my big frugal fail is: put the washing on as no rain was forecast and 11 mins left on the cycle and it's raining.

So many sad faces! Ooops.

Also- I am tempted to watch the TV show but I don't want to be angry haha!

theonly that eco woman was mad, what a misery guts, she actually seemed to be a bit obsessive...

Oh collie I hope your day perks up a bit! I feel like that about our furniture too. We have the bare minimum as it is, and what we do have is either cheap and cheap or second hand and broken. There just always seems to be more important things to spend on
Hope that was just a shower and the day brightens up.

peonies I think she screamed of bored housewife tbh, all these ethical rules kept her entertained. Like the curtains. She could afford any price really, but to make it more interesting, she decided to only buy natural fibres.

The ethical spending woman was interesting, I would feel annoyed if my child was told by a teacher to just get mum to order it online. Most kids have black t shirts and leggings anyway so I was a bit skeptical about not having them. We had no money growing up, my mum borrowed from people in that situation. I'd be reluctant to spend money on something they wouldn't wear again, so I'd make sure they got the wear or ask around. I think it's ok to not want your children to think that you can just produce things. It makes me so sad when children have no idea of value.

Hi Everyone!

I've missed loads as I was away in Disneyland Paris , very spendy and paid for everything whilst thinking that I'd got majorly ripped off there, but so did everyone else I guess so not too upset about it.

I managed to stick to my guns and spent 108 Euro in total, that included 58 Euro for a really bad buffet Pizza and pasta meal at Buzz Lightyear themed Pizza Planet, it was so horrible I can't even describe it, you had to pay before you went in so I couldn't even have a look first to see what was on offer. It was described as pizza, pasta, salad bar, desserts and unlimited soft drinks, well the pizza was cold pasta was a choice of spaghetti or penne and 'meat' sauce or cheese sauce, the salad bar was a bowl of cous cous and chopped up tomatoes, dessert was marshmallows or warm yogurt, the drinks had run out so it was just carbonated water coming out and the staff were in no rush to sort it. The whole place was dirty too, we were all so tired after such a long day we just ate a few bites and left, although my son managed to think that the pizza was good and did get through a fair few pieces.

I let the kids buy one souvenir each, dd1 got a pencil - 6E, seriously - dd2 Minnie mouse ears on a headband - 13E and ds2 went for an Eiffel Tower that lights up

I wanted to share my purchase with you here because I love it, and nobody in real life will appreciate how happy it's made me.

I'm now going to read through all the posts I've missed over the last 24 hours, As I've got an hour to spare.

I'd complain about the meal, the fact you had to pay first is disgusting. The worst that happens is they ignore you, it's not as though you could have just left once you had paid!

I honestly don't think they would get away with it anywhere else, it was dire and I was shocked by it, pizza hut buffet is like fine dining compared to this.

I think I'll fire off an e-mail and see if anything comes of it, 57 Euro was the cheapest meal to be had anywhere in the park itself - McDonalds would have been a better bet but it is a good 30 minute walk away and we would have had to leave the park to go into the village and return later on which isn't great when you only have one day there.

Shame they let it get so bad but it was so busy there I'm not sure they even care.

Candy Ergh, it sounds rancid. What an awful sounding place. I wonder if they are on Twitter or Facebook?

ipsos thats quite cool. Itll add up fast if you keep on going. How much do you charge per hour? I had no idea what to put!

Candy trip advisor? Sorry you had such a rotten meal.

Today I need to get DD2's birthday present, budget is £25.