We are Resolutely Frugal! Frugaleers continuing their new frugal year. All welcome!

[fuzzpig]

Hello! I hope nobody minds me starting the new thread :o

Frugal fail at the weekend: didn't freeze my soup quickly enough and had to throw out a huge batch. It's left a gap in this week's plan but thanks pointless as I now remember I have some B&S patties in the freezer that I can do with eggs!

I have had one of those days!! Planning on getting DD to bed, organised for tmrw then into pjs ready for silent witness

NSD today. I had four last week so would be good to do the same again.

25 tv license I'd fell behind when I was ill. 20 ee mobile phone
10 account fee

Spendy spendy but all necessary evils.

In other news I managed to take ds to and from school which has made me happy. Been too wiped out to do anything until today

All your talk about patties reminds me I've burgers in the freezer which will fill a gap in the menu plan

I've completely bottled out and put the heating on constant. It's freezing here.

On the plus side I haven't spent any money on rubbish because I'm still puzzling over photography and python programming.

Whatabout New coat is also Laura Ashley , yes, and thanks all for making me feel more positive about buying it .

BUT ( and I hate to ask for more ruddy sympathy) but Fkety Fkety Fk .. What a bloody day! ..

First news of course on turning on radio at 7am was David Bowie ( a big part of my Yoof gone..

And then .. got to work.. manager calls us in straight away.. .. looks like I and the rest of our team ( housing services) are being made redundant.. FK FK FK.. We wont know definately for a few weeks yet, but its very, very likely .. Govt cuts mean that Local councils like mone just wont be able to afford anything but childrens and adult social care any more.. (watch out for your libraries, parks, bin collections, street lights, after school and older person's clubs etc ..)

Thank heck, weve paid off mortgage and are not of the age where we have kids at home, .. but DH is just about to retire himself.. I'll be extremely unlikely to get another job in my field ( Im in a local authority working to build 'social housing'. and FKng Cameron , Osborne and their ilk, have done away with it all!) ..

Ah well, I needed a change in my life, luckily , I should be able to access my (v small) pension and pension savings .. Could be the campervan will come early.. , though we shall have to have some income..

What a day!! ..

I think , Sod it! (it may have to be homemade be pea-pod wine soon!) ' Ah well..

I'm just jealous of you guys having heating :o we are managing ok with the little heater thing though. Our house is so tiddly it doesn't really take much to warm it up TBH! And the best thing about the new heater is that it's silent, so DH can put it on before he leaves for work without risking waking the DCs from the noise (previous one was a fan thing) and we can come down to a warm living room.

Anyway. DH has taken DS to Beavers which I just realised I haven't paid for yet, shiiiit and DD has a friend round to watch a film. I'm going to disappear upstairs to get some work done. Author has found someone to print this book and she says it'll mean she can get properly started on the sequel ASAP. Which means more work for me, yay! Can't deny the timing is brilliant as I've realised just how many of DCs' activities need paying for soon - new term/block starting this month and next month for various things, and new uniform for Badgers as they're officially enrolling this week. Yikes. More than worth it though, they are getting so much out of these activities and are growing in confidence all the time since they've started. :)

Super I forgot to say huge well done for doing the school run. I found that really hard at the best of times. Big achievement and I'm glad you are pleased about it :)

OMG Laska xpost. Shit. Sorry to hear that, how bloody stressful, and yes just another example of how utterly screwed local govt is I really really hope it doesn't happen, but at the same time you've been doing brilliantly with your frugaleering and I'm sure you will take this in your stride somehow.

fuzZ would you be an angel and Pm me with details of how you are getting your typing / editing work? I think you mentioned it here before.. I think I should sign up ..

Oh laska what a shit. On the positive note at least you've paid of your credit card before all this happened. You could get a job doing something else?

I'm really cross with school. Dd is really upset (and now saying she wants packed lunch) because she was told she wasn't allowed out to play until she had eaten more dinner. I completely disagree with stuff like that

So do I spotty - great way to give kids hang ups about food!
Laska that's rubbish, bloody Tories. Thank goodness you paid off your mortgage last year.
Ursula hope you enjoyed your bubble n squeak, ours was delish! DD managed 3 helpings and also nicked all my peas.

Sorry to hear that laska I live in a muir housing association property and the cuts they have faced have been shocking, really feel for our ha who tries her best with what she can do. Hope for the best for you whatever you decide to do.

Thanks in aching a bit tonight so going to cosy with a film.

Poor dd I disagree with that concept too and always tell ds he should eat the fruit/sandwich before cake or whatever but if he's full to leave it.

Shit!! Laska are your skills transferrable to a housing association that specialises in shared ownership & social rent? We have DCH & Coastline Housing in Cornwall.

NSD.

£30 Pilates lessons.
£20 gas.
£2.50 in the shop.
£1.80 bus fare back from Pilates.
Total: £54.30.

Thanks all. yes Housing Associations are probably the best fit (as i work with them all the time anyway). I shal put some feelers out but sadly they are also under the cosh from this lot.. ( you see according to this govt , social housing is a dinosaur which is stifling everything else.. everyone can/should be able to afford their own home it seems ) .. (oops on me Soapbox gain !)

Well its early days yet, first, and then ill have to start thnking what I can / want to do ..

Revolution anyone?

I'm in laska! Hate what they have done to schools.

I'm in too. Bunch of dickwads!

Laska I'm so sorry to hear of this awful news, talk about getting knocked when you're down. You did incredibly well clearing all your debt last year & will take this in your stride too.
I think it may have been ipsos & Upwork you're thinking of regarding the proofreading although I know fuzz does this type of work too.
Would you have to travel for work or would there be opportunities on iow?

Can't do link on app but anyone reading this thread - some great ideas they wouldn't want to come on here

Upwork! thats it, Thanks Lila

I would have to travel if I want to stay in the same field, But perhaps its the opportunity to change my life i've been looking for..

but what Butcher? Baker? Candlestickmaker? (Actually id really like to be a SAHGran and concentrate on my veg plot or get that campervan now and take off for an adventure with Dh ( .. well both really .. ! ) ..

Ill go and look at that tightwad thread now

So sorry laska. Hope you find something.

I'm in. Boss might already have started. There's now an expenses list in the office for billing David Cameron directly.

Epic frugal fail today. Got up far too late to do the stuff I needed to do before work and missed the bus. Had to get taxi to work so £25 down. Would have been NSD otherwise. Would have been cheaper if driver hadn't taken a ridiculously convoluted route though.

Evening. I have missed loads. I'll try to remember.

Laska I am so very sorry to hear about your loss and about your job. No lover of the Tories. This country will be decimated, but the books will balance....

Ah dear spotty, I know how that feels round here.

Ipsos Abel and Cole do high quality, organic meat, not frugal at all, but I suspect no nitrates either!

£50 Abel and Cole delivery and £45 Morrisons. That will be shopping for the week.

I'm in for the revolution too!

Very upset about Bowie today. First time I've cried for about a year.

I realise now of course that I have totally outed myself for anyone to find in RL in a small place like this .. ( but I reckon I can trust you lot.. )

Im getting the banners, headbands and slingshots ready . 10am Downing Street? ..What should we have for our fighting slogan/war-cry ? (anyone work for MI5 here? ( btw if you dont see me again here , I got a knock on my door from the Plod, )

ipsos Great that you can get out and about with your DS. Were you worried about something specific or more of a 'good to know all is ok in general' feeling? Either way, it's positive!

Em How was the DH mood today, after walking in the rain and not getting up?

In clarification, DH only tells me to get him up at the weekend. We both are up and about early mid week. We will have to see what happens at the weekend.