The super savvy savers continue steering their way through September

[northender]

Thought I'd start a shiny new thread as we've filled the other one so quickly.

spotty he's 22 months and now in 2-3 stuff. just.

girlie I do but most of the stuff I've seen is girls stuff. There was a tatty boys tigger t shirt on FB yesterday for more than it costs new in Asda!

My friends little boy is a squidge older than DS And she said she has loads of stuff for me. phew! I'll give her some money for it all.

did a huge wash and it's out drying in the sun. I consider that a frugal win :)

Does anybody else's dc still have epic hayfever? My ds has had a very very stuffy nose all summer and it's still going on. I'm a bit concerned as I know that it might be sinusitis as a complication from last spring's scarlet fever, but I don't want to ask the GP for antibiotics if it's just a bad summer for grass allergies. Puzzled.

NSD today I think. :-)

Perhaps he has a dust mites allergy?

Almost a NSweek here! I made a conscious effort not to spend this week as I'm at work, I take packed lunch so don't need to spend anything really. We've done really well. Only spent ??2.50 on a happy meal on Monday for DD as DMIL didn't collect her from nursery until late and didn't get chance to give her tea as she normally does. We normally plan ahead for days like this but was a bit unexpected, we had ran out of bread and everything else was frozen and had to rush home for a plumber who was popping over, so we bad parented and opted for a happy meal. Bad mummy.

Got my final bridesmaid dress fitting in Saturday. It's a 120 miles round trip, but I'm nipping to my friend (the brides) house first which is only an 80 miles round trip and she will take me the rest of the way. Bid to save money. But to be honest will probably spend the extra on lunch. So may still just drive myself. So actually no idea what I'm going to do!

But frugal win this weekend. Bridesmaid shoes for ??10 after spending months trying to find some, all the options I found were horrible and over ??25. These were in a little shop, last pair, perfect and reduced! Happy times. DH didn't seem to understand the excitement.

collie I'm fed up of rubbish boys clothes too. Older ds is fine, can get plenty of "cool" t-shirts and trousers for him in h&m, but I want little boy clothes for my 3 year old! It's hard getting practical but nice stuff!

ipsos have you tried a saline spray for him? My ds 2 gets very blocked, but if I use the saline a few times a day over a day or two it clears well. Or if you think it's an allergy you can get liquid zirtec over the counter afaik.

lilac just got my bank fees for this quarter too, ??40 over 3 accounts.

Broke my no spend streak! It lasted a week! Was feeling very down this morning, my ds 1 is finding school very stressful, and I was intending on going out for coffee and cake. But bought a yankee tart instead for ??1.70. It's one of the new winter scents, which has cheered me up no end!
Spent ??4 on milk, a posh pizza that was ??1 woopsie, and cinnamon for chai spiced banana bread later!

pink agreed

Can anyone tell me when the next half term is? I'm trying to work out when the next TU sale is on. thanks!

Hi Pink. ds has actually been on zyrtec for about three months now and it stops his eyes and nose itching but his nose is still blocked. He refuses to have any nose drops as he had years of them as a baby and toddler and gets the screaming ab-dabs now at the very thought. He had his adenoids out twice before the age of three, and all the consultant and GP visits associated with that, and it was all a bit stressful for him.

We have spent a lot of this summer sitting in a steamy bathroom, but I'm starting to wonder whether it might be a bit late for hayfever. I did wonder about dust, but I can't see why that would have suddenly become an issue. We've done epic cleaning and we have two humidifiers running which hoover the dust out of the air so it seems like that should not be an issue. We're now off dairy again but that isn't making much difference.

??20 at Lidl today after I went in only for milk and fruit but they did have coffee beans on offer (1.2kg for ??6.99) so I bought 2 packs for dh who needs his coffee in the morning, yoghurts for dc and DVD - 1st stocking filler
Tacos or chilli and rice for dinner tonight, going to put it in the slow cooker so it will be ready after dds piano lessons. Feels like we are back having usual school term dinners

??110 at Aldi this morning but that did include 4 bottles of wine and snacks bits as we have family staying this weekend. Will see if I can make that last a fortnight.

It's our 10th wedding anniversary today! Not doing much as am at work today. Dh has dd at home at the moment trying to work. I'll be with them this afternoon and we will try and pay in my cheque from HMRC.

audit - finally got through to them and turns out that it was because I had a couple of jobs (not really - just one job but because I do a couple of examinations for other universities they pay me and I d to declare NI Etc, HMRC thinks I have many jobs and so raise my tax level? I don't know. Anyway the woman was v nice and said she could confirm that this was indeed my money and that I could spend it if I wanted. Lol.

Tonight will go out for a dinner for all of us.

collie saw someone post on the Christmas bargain thread that the next Tu sale is on 22nd of September.

Grr, pressed post by accident.

ipsos you poor thing, sounds like you've really been through the mill with ds health. No advice, just lots of sympathy!

nk congrats on your anniversary! Hope you have a nice afternoon with your rebate!

Collie vertbaudet do some nice kids clothes and often on offer boys tops

Ipsos sounds like your son has been through the mill a bit, my dd was the same has had two lots of grommets plus tonsils and adenoids out before the age of 4yo she is very anti anything medical now (understandably) hence why she freaked out at the thought of having a blood test!!

I popped into a farm shop this morning, only bought some eggs for ??1.10 and a stocking filler for dd which was ??3.99.

Going to Lidl and got massage booked later.

Really hope they sort the pound signs out soon!!

That's a shame collie ds is almost three but only just in 2-3 so I can't help!

Half term is last week of October.

Congratulations nk

Dd has swimming this pm so I need to pay for that plus something in the cafe whilst we wait. Spent ??19 in tesco ffs.

Thanks Pink and Girlie. ds does very well but he does have a rough time with allergies and things.

Pink who do you bank with? My main account & joint are with ptsb and once there's ??1500 passing through the accounts, even back & forth there are no fees. Only thing is can't lodge to them on weekends so that's why I keep the business a/c with aib.

Do any of you shop on aliexpress.com? I've been looking at a few bits on there for Christmas and for winter clothing.

lilac we are with aib. Fed up with them tbh, I've been more careful to reduce the fees, they were almost ??70 over the 3 accounts last time. How do you find ptsb?
I've bought stuff from Ali express, a pillow pet and some small toys. Found them good, stuff took about 4 weeks, but was exactly like the pictures. Loads of people had great success with them last Christmas on the bargain thread. And anyone who didn't, got a full refund. Clothes are apparently tiny, but other than that, seems worth giving a try imo!

Ipsos...have they investigated if he could have nasal polyps?

Letters today asking for £90 for a music residential with the county orchestra for DS2 and £50 to settle the balance for the school residential for DD. Both to be paid ASAP. Ouch.

Ds1s school photo has arrived. I have the smallest package but it's still £20. Then there's the compulsory school fund fee of £15. Then it will be the Xmas outing - usually £15/20.
Don't think there is a big trip this year, thank god.

Hi.

Been a tough couple of days here so I haven't had a chance to look back over the thread.

Checking back in.

Pink I really am very happy with ptsb. The day I went about setting up an account the staff were busy and it was the manager who ended up sorting it out with me. At the time I'd a E600 overdraft with aib which he encouraged me to throw savings and anything spare at & to start afresh and that alone made a huge difference to my finances because I had that along with credit cards 'to spend' When I set up the joint account it was so quick and easy too. If there was any account that I could do online transfers with and lodge at weekends I'd move from aib business in a flash, it's just my self employed income is all cash & I need to pay the company their share by tues of following week.

I've bought stuff from aliexpress like phone charging cables and covers and one pair of boots, but not clothes or toys, I think I'll start though because if I bought now I'd have the stuff in loads of time for Christmas.

Spends

£1.80 parking

£7 in Poundstretcher got quite a bit for that including 3 packets of make up remover wipes for £1 and also got 4 tins of John West tuna for £2.50!

Went to Lidls and spent £23, got loads for that including big thing of washing powder liquid, not used that before so hoping will be o.kay?

I have lots of eggs now so going to think about baking a cake plus veggie spag bol for dinner tonight, have made a vat of it so should feed us for a few days!!