Friendly Frugaleers chat their way into February...

[Ipsos]

Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from last year

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/1324074-For-those-who-cant-afford-to-use-central-heating-this-year-How-are-you-going-to-cope

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1543785-your-top-tips-for-money-saving-and-a-more-frugal-life

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1600030-Small-money-saving-habits-petty-even

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1628874-Gas-Elec-Bills-monthly-and-SKY-so-angry

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1911061-NO-MORE-COLD-MUMSNETTERS

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2209167-Slow-Cookers-are-shit

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2224969-saving-money

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/2258202-Debt-mutual-support-thread-number-6-start-the-new-year-with-a-clear-purpose-and-keep-moving-forwards-even-by-tiny-steps?

orchard.tesco.com/ Sign up to this.

www.topcashback.co.uk/home And this.

www.quidco.com/home/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

www.hotukdeals.com/all/deals/new?page=3 Check this daily.

So I've decided to properly track my spending for Feb, and I work best on paper.. I've got a notepad but what's the best way to organise it?

Just spent £12 at Tesco, some budgeted some not.. Do I write each item and the price? Or just Tesco £12?! Argh!!

Welcome baba.
%£31 butchers, £7 co op,

Welcome tamara

Thank you

Spent 99p on a music download today - though the mortgage went out as well so today's total is going to be the highest of the month!

BaBaBoom look at the YNAB tutorials. They will help you.
www.youneedabudget.com/

Welcome Tamara!

Welcome :)

Baba I'd generally write 'Tesco' or, assuming it was all food, just write 'food'. It would take foreeeeever to write individual items if you did that every time.

For bigger, non food purchases, like when I did an Amazon order with a CD case and tupperware, I wrote the two items separately.

Welcome tamara.
Thought I'd spent £1.49 on a kindle book but turned out it was free so that was good!

I love a boring post.
fuzz really hope things look up for your DH. Hope everyone who is poorly is taking it easy. Welcome to new frugaleers!
It is my DH's birthday this week. Need to find him a good cheap pressie from the kids. We will bake him a surprise cake for Friday night (he is away this week). Perhaps I will put a nice photo of us in a frame (we have shockingly few family photos around the house. They are all on the computer...).

Thanks everyone apologies in advance this is likely to be a frequent rant for the foreseeable future! The sooner we get something else sorted the better. :)

Slightly IKWYM about photos, that's the thing with digital isn't it, there's no need or incentive to actually print anything! :o

Right, we're off to meet DH so I can go to my appointment. Got some books to return at the library, in the interest of clearing some space in this pit of a living room... have a lovely afternoon folks :)

That's funny, I was thinking about our lack of photos yesterday. Have some lovely ones on the camera, must print and display them.

Eeek we got our mid market rent flat! A whole £60 a month cheaper than where we are now and its brand new! It does mean we have to move in on the 19th of Feb though, better start thinking about packing!!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/digital/kindle/first/ref=kf_surl_rw

Did Amazon prime members know about this? Free book on the first of the month!

I never print off my digital photos either, but I have all DS's primary ones going up the stairs, and a few around the house.

I'm feeling much better today, so maybe it's just a virus and not tonsillitis after all? My throat is still a bit sore and I am tired out, but that's about it really. I managed nearly all my Monday housework jobs (vacuumed and mopped downstairs, dusted the whole house, cleaned the bathroom, changed towels and 2 loads of laundry), but I'm shattered now and need to rest for a while. Hoping to make my Pilates class tonight, so I'll see how I go. NSD so far.

Great news about the new flat, 5minutestobed, and welcome to Tamara .

That's exactly how you feel creme, sore throat and zapped of energy. Have just sat around today. Tried to sleep but couldn't. Don't really want to eat either which is most unlike me!

Baba I would write £12 Tescos -x groceries x fripperies, or words to that effect.

£17 on art materiels for school, £6 on chocolate supplies for the week mostly for DDs, and £3 on envelopes.

Excellent news, 5min! :)

I had my autism appt, it was great. Went straight home to rescue DH and DCs because he'd forgotten his keys

I resisted picking up food and drink in town - planning is definitely helping. I knew I had toad in the hole planned for tonight so it was easier!

Good stuff fuzz Did you learn anything good that would help the rest of us at your appointment?

It was quite brief really because it was just a follow up and I'm really happy with the diagnosis :)

We did talk about my DCs though. I am pretty certain they are both on the spectrum as well, but I'm not sure about chasing a diagnosis. They both got zero help from school when they were there, and now they are out of school a lot of the issues are gone, especially with DD (CAMHS discharged her because her anxiety is so much better). But the specialist reckons that actually, if they're doing well now, and in her words 'have me as a mum' then there probably isn't any need. And she said that adult diagnosis is a lot easier now so if it's something that comes up it won't be a problem.

We also talked about therapy, as I'd really like some CBT or similar with somebody who understands the spectrum - I've talked through all the crap that happened when I was little, but until I met the specialist last year nobody had ever understood the way my brain works (ie differently!) and how that has intertwined with those issues. Got some info for various services which is great :)

She was also really lovely and reassuring about the work situation, which I wasn't expecting to discuss, but it was nice to talk about it. Not least because I am in tremendous pain this afternoon and even though I'd like nothing more than to be back at work and chatting with customers and stuff, it is impossible.

Excellent fuzz. Sounds like a great appointment

Fuzz Keep optimistic, otherwise it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Pointless Sounds awful. Do you know what triggers your attacks?.

90p parking today. Dhs vape battery broke so I had to do a manic dash to find another one. Took 3 hours and 39 missed calls.

Adora have you thought anymore on buying a spin dryer?.

That's great fuzz. Is there somewhere that we could read about how asd brains work differently? I didn't know about that.

No idea fluffy, I feel sick now too and my stomach keeps cramping. I just said to DH before I had DD I never got sickness bugs, I seem to get them every few months now. I don't know why or even if it is a bug, usually I'm only sick once and feel better for it but I get a few days of extreme tiredness and nausea with it.
Anyway, enough of my grumbling! Pleased your appointment went well fuzz. I suspect many adults have Aspergers but were never diagnosed at school as so much more is known now.
Managed NSD but might get DH to get me some plain crackers or rich teas or something.

great news about the flat 5mins*

That reminds me, Girlie how did you get on with the shared ownership place ? I rememeber you were going to see about the finances . Is it going ahead?

fuzz that all sounds reallly positive

We emptied out our £2 pig again over the weekend and there was over £100 in there! this is from saving from when we got back from hols last July , and all it is is putting the ramdom 2s in there when we get them. (mainly me though Dh has been keeping his during the week to contribute at weekends when he is back for a few months now)

I know it was raided once before Christmas for about £30 cat-sitter money so Im pretty pleassed that it had so much in..

This is our agreed 'fun' money to buy something we really want and we split it equally , not sure what Dh is spending his on , but ive ordered a pair of grey ankle boots Nice eh? (and a bit of a bargain I think)

My puss cat was a bit under the weather yesterday, nothing bad I think , probably something he ate, but Its made me think that I should get pet insurance for him now,(weve not had it before) Buts hes 10. anyone got any good tips for insurers who do good deals for older cats?

I had a bit of a win financially today. I was checking my bank account numbers to see that it all matched up with what I thought I'd spent during the month and it didn't at all. It turned out that I'd got an annual interest payment and a small wedge of interest had dropped into my current account. Yay! I feel quite chuffed about that.