Frugaleers Flying into the New Year All Welcome on the January Thread

[SpottyTeacakes]

New thread hopefully someone can add some old links?

Thank you east I'm 16wks and don't know what I am having as yet, but thank you

Oh what that's horrible but at least you have the money to meet those expenses.
Our fridge is the barest I've ever seen it, however if I was home myself I would manage to survive on what's in it but as we're back to school work etc this week I will do a shop. Have a good list done so it should see us through to middle of next week.

Congrats on baby news too, you're very welcome here.

My postman kindly brought hospital bill from when ds was in & my credit card bill. Bill doesn't reflect payment I made during Christmas so that's a relief & hospital bill is expected €300 Childrens allowance due tomo of €280 though so this will pay it.

Just having a rest and some MN time, having done 30mins editing (about 5% of the book I reckon so that's a very good rate for the money I'm getting).

Still catching up with the thread (determined to keep up this month though, as I can already feel it helping me stay on the frugal wagon!). Ipsos that's so frustrating about the lens. I know bugger all about cameras, but would you not be able to borrow the lens you need from somebody to take the photo you want? I can see your dilemma.

I get really upset sometimes when things don't work out the way I expect them to. For me it's an ASD thing I think, DD is the same.

On a much much smaller scale I'm really miffed. I messaged an Amazon seller about an item I wanted to get with my Christmas money, because I wanted to check it's exactly the right one. It's a graphic novel series that I'm collecting. It was listed as a paperback but I wanted to check if it was the gloss or matt page edition. The reply said it's a hardback! FFS, I wish sellers would check that they are selling under the right listing. I blame that little button on the items that you can click if you have one to sell. I know it's really fussy of me BTW, normally I'm really not fussed but these are gorgeous, relatively expensive books and dammit I want them to match!

Ineed yes a few of us have started the penny challenge :) I'm doing it electronically as we never have enough change. I'm also doing it backwards, as I'm less likely to have as much spare next December. :)

Also doing penny challenge backwards fuzz seems like the most motivating way as it'll be building quicker. If I do well at it & things are going well with the debt clearing I might start at 3.66 again on 1st cult to make for a bigger result at the end

I'm doing the penny challenge backwards but have lost count already. Can't remember if I did yesterday but did 3.60 today.
Going to book summer holiday today and Easter and need passports all-round. No savings for me and can't afford to spend. I know for some holidays are out of reach but this is our first abroad in 9 years. Cheap UK prior to than. London is not cheap either is it?
Does anyone know the best area to stay to see nhm, science museum, Buckingham palace, British museum and London eye which are on the list so far?

Babs everyone is in easy reach in central London really. We've sometimes done travellodge but I prefer the hotels at Canary Wharf, a little further out but good value. Fraser place at Canary Wharf is apartments which is great as you've got everything you need so can eat breakfast in your own kitchen, watch tv in the sitting room in the evening when dc asleep etc also love the Hilton at Canary Wharf but I really think if travelling as a family an apartment is much better.

For anyone doing the backwards penny challenge, today should be £3.63.
(I know I'll get lost at some point and its a quiet day in work so I've done a spreadsheet to track it!)

July not cult!

Crème congratulations on your new job, brilliant news!

Spotty I use the big box Persil powder (45 wash size). I buy it when it is half price in Tesco so it is reduced to £5.50 and it lasts for ages. I have a bio one for light things and a non-bio one for dark things. The bio one is great and gets things like tea towels and towels really clean and also they both smell nice.

It was the first day back at work today for me after 2 weeks off and it was a bit of a shock but nice to see everyone again. I am exhausted now though! I am going to have to go on a diet I think though as even my elasticated work trousers feel rather snug - it must have been all that chocolate .

NSD

5 pages since yesterday
luxy hope you feel better soon
unescorted for the dumplings you mix together 2 eggs yolks with 1 mug of milk and 1 mug of Czech coarse flour (Polish one called Krupczatka works too), add 2 mugs of sliced white bread chopped into little cubes and 2 eggs white beaten until stiff. Mix well and fill 5 mugs 3/4 full which you need to grease well with melted butter. I put a metal foldaway steam basket at the bottom of my pasta pot before I put all the mugs in and pour in enough boiling water to go halfway up the mugs. Bring to the boil and cook with the lid on for 25 minutes. Take the dumplings out and slice them about 1cm thick.
LSD today £4.59 at Coop for butter and sausages after I went in for blood test
Cottage pie mix in the slow cooker
DDs are back at school but ds has an inset day. Luckily dh is at home so he is doing the school run in the rain

Congratulation creme great news

Hello all, frugelleers I have not had a good morning

Started thinking about dds 10th bday party and have ended up spending a stupid amount of money on birthday party stuff and things to go in the goody bags. Spent £60 ridiculous really, in my defence that is all I am going to spend and have gone with the pony theme. I think if you have a theme it always seems to cost more.

I also decided against getting a cake made when my friend quoted me £40-£50 and am just going to get a horse cake topper for £3.50

Have also explained to dd that as she is having an expensive party she will not be getting as much present wise.

Went swimming this morning with dd, that was £6, spent £1.40 on snacks (should have taken some) and £2 on parking - should have been £1 but stupid machine ate £1

Will not be spending any more today!!

£9, boots re-heeled
£7 envelopes and a food magazine

Friend told me about the penny challenge, I will do that too. Will try to catch up later, cold is getting the better of me today.

lila you pay hospital bill???

super I am so sorry you had a panic attack, that must have been just dreadful. Take care and rest up if you need.

creme, I must have missed that you had a new job. Congratulations and good luck.

Bad girlie

That London on the cheap thread was brilliant wasn't it babs? Not, my contribution, the advice that folk generously gave.

My washing tablets are whatever is on offer. I have also started using fabric conditioner again after 10 years, not on cleaning cloths and dog towels, but do like the feel on clothes. It's easy to drop if you need to be frugal.

ipsos Can you try to concentrate on the things you CAN do with the new equipment, rather than the things it can't? I don't know if that's feasible at all? I am good at endurance running, but crap at speed, so concentrate on that, rather than trying to be Usain Bolt

Ahh, that's a shock what. DH used to do this all the time, which is why I do the money in our house. It's easy to do though, poor you.

Spends today are £20 cleaner and whatever vacuum bags are on Amazon. £70 Abel and Cole, all my fresh fruit and veg, soya milk, some cheese.

Struggling so bad with this cold that DH came home from work to walk the dogs for me. I've made fresh juice in the Nutribullet, orange, blood orange and grapefruit for a Vitamin C hit.

I did work though, and had to go to the farm at 6am to sort the pony, just flaked out now.

Well I've taken photos of stuff to eBay so have sort of started. Won't list it until Thursday though on a ten day listing as Sunday evening is the best selling time. I should do ds' Jojo all in one fleece lines waterproof snow suit. It still fits him but he hasn't needed to wear it this year and I doubt we're going to get any snow are we?

I've also:
Stripped and washed bedding plus dried and put back on
Been to the post office
Hung up another load of wet washing
Folded up dry washing
Ironed
Generally tidied up.

Looking forward to dinner though we are having feta and couscous stuffed peppers with falafel. Will be enough couscous and feta for lunch for a couple of days. Need to make ds' a lunch box for tomorrow as it'll be his first full day at pre school!

Welcome and congratulations Iam, sorry I missed that.

Thanks everyone. I was actually called in to work extra this afternoon, so started early! I don't think they need me back until Thursday, my official start date. So my spend today was £1.05 on a pasty, as an emergency lunch!

Welcome to all our other newbies. Lilac, coming from Ireland too, I knew adults had to pay for hospital care, but I didn't realise it extended to children!

Just sold the all in one for £20 to my best friend

Back at work today and NSD!

I've paid in my £3.63 good idea to start again in July. I can't do transfers of less than £1 online so thought this morning I might just have to end it 100 days early! Instead il head back up £1.01, £1.02 etc.

I have a first world, non-frugal problem...we currently employ a cleaner x3hrs fortnightly, £10ph. She has messaged me to say that her prices are going up, which is fair enough, but the prices are being upped to £11ph if she comes in weekly or £12ph if it's every two weeks. Aibu to think this is a bit unfair? Friends of ours employ her for the alternate week so she isn't missing out on a weekly job by coming to us. I've said that il have a think about it but I'm a bit

Difficult ursula, re the cleaner. My cleaner charges the same, however often (most of the street use her, so I know this), but, when I once got a quote from a 'professional' service (iyswim?), their prices for weekly, fortnightly, monthly were lower if you used them more frequently. The explanation was that there would be more cleaning to be done if it were less frequent, which I sort of understand.

I know my cleaner wasn't here long today, as the house had been cleaned thoroughly for our NYE party. I paid the same, sometimes she's here longer than paid for, it evens out.

Took boys to play centre this morning ds1 had a free play voucher from a party and they didn't ask how old ds2 was and I didn't say he was just 1 so free hour of playing.

This afternoon ds1 got himself the imaginext castle in wilko sale for 12.50 n I got few bits for present cupboard half price.

Then in tesco I got 2 large (almost 4kg each) gammons reduced to £6.90 each how I carried them I dont know and with few other bits we needed I mannagwd to spend £20+use a £2 off £20 spend. Husband has a fun eve of freezer Tetris ahead its a mans job dark cold in garage chest freezer!!

Iam well if you find put sex at 20weeks scan and its a boy you are more than welcome to it all should imagine it will be max of £5.80 postage with Hermes or £3.80 if its under 2kg. Feel free to pm if you want nearer the time.

£240 holibob deposit, £43 airport parking. Will do passports at the weekend. £2hundred and odd quid.
Looking at travel lodge Waterloo or an apartment. Dc are good at sleeping and I'm hoping they would be worn and (famous last words)