Fearless Frugaleers Finding Their Feet in February

[SpottyTeacakes]

I've got fruflu

Feeling a bit better today, although still no voice and as weak as a kitten. I had a shower, got dressed, put the recycling out and went to the shop. £20 on gas and £5.99 on toilet roll, cake, nuts and chocolate. Washing machine is on its second load, so might have a nap between putting the dryer on and making dinner.

I had an email from Hotpoint yesterday about fixing my dryer, as it's one of the affected ones, and they estimate it will be fixed in AUGUST! My alternative is to purchase a new dryer at the special rate of £59, so I need to think about it. My dryer is coming up to 4 years old, so it might make sense to get one so cheap now instead. Hmm...

Creme I wish they'd offered me that! Ours is eight gets old and they came and fixed it! If you message them on fb they respond much quicker (thanks what). Anyway our washing machine is even older and also still going strong (another hotpoint) so if you'd rather not spend £59 I would get it fixed as ime they last years. Sorry if that was a bit of a babble

£9.99 popcorn etc
£16.50 dress for dd. Since when did supermarket clothes get so bloody expensive?!

Dd is a bit better today but still pretty wiped out. We decided to go to the show we had got tickets for as we were all going a bit stir crazy from batting stuck in the house. However, we ended up paying for taxis there and back as Sunday buses are a pain and we didn't think dd would make it otherwise.

A bit frivolous but worth it. So, about £10 on taxis and another £10 on drinks and snacks for us all and dd's friend. We also took a lot of food and snacks with us so did Save some money. I think it has done dd good to get out. I'm just hoping she will sleep better tonight and can go to nursery tomorrow.

Fucking hell that turned into a spendy day. £11.99 duvet cover for DS
£16 on activities, £13 lunch (ran out of tine for pic nic making) and £34 in the shop (I know) but dc owe me half back. £28 on two wbd costumes but one will go back as got 2 sizes. Need a black jogger suit for DD wbd costumes so sports direct tomorrow.

It's been really busy this week. Wednesday was my mum's birthday £30 on flowers, chocolates and cards. Went out for dinner, Chinese New Year party. £5 yo feed the scary dragon, £5 contribution towards the bill, DH paid the rest.

Thursday £38 on special bottle of cognac for DH for Valentines. £49 shopping in Tesco.

Friday NSD.

Saturday £20 parking at the theatre. One of the mum's negotiated a 50% discount, it would have cost £10.20 to park locally for the day plus £7 in train fares for DS and I, so worth having the comfort of the car (especially for the late journey home). Dancing teacher (who we gave a lift to) unexpectedly gave me £10 for half the parking which was very much appreciated. £6 something for 3 coffees. I don't normally have a coffee shop habit, but this wax for myself, teacher and another mum.

Late supper £15.

Diesel £40 (reclaim from work)

Today £80 in Tesco including £19 on new tights for DD1.

Am batch cooking. We went to m&s after our walk and bought a chicken (and some breaded chicken and some thighs 3 for 10) yoghurt and fruit (including a pineapple) £20 spent.

Am defrosting pastry so I can use yesterday's leftover dinner and turn it into pasties.

Have also used up some ropey looking oranges and made granny's special orange cake (so called as After the war oranges were a rarity here - and probably everywhere). Have made a small loaf sized cake and the remainder has been split into cupcakes and frozen. Except for 4. Which I've baked for lunches this week.

Am also washing my lovely red coat. It says dry clean only. But it was a cheapy one from asos. And to dry clean will cost more than the coat. So have thrown it in the machine luckily on its own as the dye has run from it on a cool wash and will see how it comes out.

If it's doesn't quite work it's not a massive issue as was going to retire next winter anyway.

em we have had a baking / cooking day this wekend too. Sad looking cauliflower, pepper & green beans is now piccalily, to go with the pork pies and pasties. Lunches will be luch if any make it to Monday.

Hello to all the new people.

Fuzz I derail this thread so many times.

North the quilt is fabulous.

I have found a really cheap way to get through Valentines - have a huge blazing arguement the day before. Not had to spend anything & until the lazy bastard moves his dinner plate off the table I won't be. He has gone off on his bike in a sulk.....

Oh dear unescorted!

Oh god! Poor you unescorted hope everything gets sorted.

Oh no north :( hope it all blows over soon.

I am sure it will - I am just expected to do all the housework & cooking now he has a job. He forgets I also have a job (ft, longer hours than his plus longer commute) and it won't kill him to do some of the housework without the teeth clenchingly awful "I have done xxxx for you". I may kill him though.

Hope you guys work it out unescorted.

We spent £4 in the pub having drinkies overlooking the creek. (Not for Valentines, just because)

Today I've received a treasured item from my childhood. I'm so glad to have it here with me. I'm so so so happy!

We went to a cider farm. It was free today and DS saw his first tractor, shire horses, goats, chickens and pigs. Never seen him so happy! Frugal win.

Didn't buy any cider though.

Aw that's lovely Collie I do love having some nostalgic items. :)

Unescorted uggh sounds rather sexist, that assumption of his! A frank discussion needed.

That's so sweet collie! Ds loves all big vehicles helped by the fact that his grandad (my dad) has a quad bike and tractor and lives on a big estate with a couple of farms on.

Ds has a really high temp again it's been going on for six days now on and off. Wish this virus would just bugger off and leave us all alone.

Unescorted hope you get sorted with that one.
Sounds great collie.

Collie it is lovely to have things to remind us of good times.

Fuzz I have a long memory he is going to get marigolds, washing powder and furniture polish for his birthday.

Wreck loev the name btw. Hope your DS gets better soon. There are some really nasty bugs going about.

Hi all another busy day working here, NSD again though so thats good plus my sainted mum has fed me all wend am still stuffed from dinner 2 hours ago!

Just spoke to dd who got upset saying she was homesick so am going to pick her up tonight, plan had been to meet half way tomorrow morning but actually this works better as can have a nice quiet at home day tomos.

Collie fantastic advice thank you, am going to start making a note of all these things! Do you pay a service charge on your new build? Do you know what the covers?

North the quilt is amazing - well done

That sounds like a lovely day collie. We've had a nice day too apart from a disagreement when DD wouldn't believe that she is not supposed to eat play dough and then cried when I took it away! Just waiting for our friends to arrive so we can order take away. Otherwise no spending today.

Fuzz that may have been me about the pecan plaits as I love them but trying to lose weight so avoid them

WreckTangled love you new name we also saw the good dinosaur today
at kids club which including myomniplex discount was €10.80 for us all I did spend €18.70 on popcorn but this total would usually only cover tickets & this was the kids midterm treat ahead of schedule

Rowing with dh too Valentine's Day was going very well until I disagreed with him in Lidl after the cinema. I know I'm right so I'm not backing down. And just when I thought things were improving with him, he shared his mental health difficulties with a friend of his yesterday which I thought was a step towards acceptance & recovery

Not fully caught up but welcome cheese

We've had a good day of working on RL relationships at home. Church was good and involved both quality street chocolate and strawberry dohnuts. That some serious religious education.

Not the cheapest of days, with tenner to church, £22 for lunch out and £60 to tesco. Nice day though.

I hope it's going well out there and not too many lurgies. Sorry I'm a bit out of touch. We're restricting ds's screen time to almost nothing, and the same for me. It's very different!

Roast chicken and sweet potato fries for dinner. Lovely chilled day.

Sorry I missed your post cheese. Welcome to the thread!

girlie yep we have a service charge. And if you do too - it'll be included in the rent that you pay. No idea what it includes other than cutting the communal grass areas. I'll have a look for you. But its £11ish per month for us and we have a lot of green boggy and useless communial grass areas.

Here is my Spring Bucket List if anyone is interested. (For next month)

Visit a farm and see the lambs
Catch the train
Plant some seeds
Woodland walk
National Trust Easter egg hunt
Put some daffodils in a vase
Decorate Easter eggs
Make some Easter cards for Grandparents
Visit a farmers market
Plan the holiday
Put some tulips in a vase
Have an egg (or ball) and spoon race
Hot cross buns at the beach
Visit the moors & spot ponies
Sit on a tractor
Pasties on St Pirans Day
Fish n chips
Play poosticks (small sticks, stream/river and a footbridge)
Decorate cookies
Cycle ride and hot drinks afterwards
Print off a new photo and stick it in a bright / cheery photo frame!
Find a brand new park
Watch the sunset

Cannot wait to welcome Spring! I've written my Bucket List so I can roughly plan our "happy extra" spends for the next few months.

That's fab Ipsos we noticed similar when we reduced screen time. It started when my younger DC started school, we decided that they wouldn't watch any TV at all Mon-Thurs. Took a week of complaining but then they pretty much forgot all about it. They just play more. Of course now that they aren't at school we don't have the same rules, but they do generally avoid TV during the week and especially during school hours. Game time (Nintendo DS or the iPad before it died) has been 30min limit for a long time now. In the mornings they play Lego or board games until I get up. I think it's a great idea to cut down and work on being 'in the moment' with him to help with the things he's struggling with :)

Had a nice day, didn't get as much of my work done as I'd hoped but that was because I was helping DSD with some coursework. Lots of spider diagrams with many colours representing different marking criteria etc. Quite fun! And glad that I am able to help. She does struggle, she is very dyslexic and bless her she has to work so much harder than her peers just to keep up. I'm so proud of her :) she got the highest mark in her class on an exam last week too oh and I mentioned the other day I was thinking maybe she would be better not getting a job at uni straight away but she's found out about being bank staff for childcare (when she finishes college she will be qualified to do this) as that means she can pick and choose what shifts she accepts, which sounds like a great idea to me!