Fantastic Frugaleers Continuing Austere April!

[Cagliostro]

Hello! :)

Am also just realised that I walk past a clothing bin on my way to work. So am taking a bag of old clothes for a walk this morning.

Oh crap we are out of milk too. And fruit for tomorrow & Friday!

Can anyone recommend their stretchy skinny jeans? I'm quite curvy and Sainsbury's fit perfectly but they bobble so so badly! And there's a hole in them after a few months.

Collie I've got next ones on atm they're comfy and fit nicely plus their sizing in generous so I feel slim

Wreck amazing! Do you have jeans or jeggings?

They're jeggins but they still button up at the waist and they hold my flab in

Collie I have quite a few pairs of Next skinny's, not jeggings though, even the stretchy skinny's are pretty comfy. Next leggings are brilliant too, the really thick ones at £18, which is a lot of money but they are indestructable, never wear, bobble or fade. I have some pairs that are 3 years old and get worn to death.

I am jealous of Forest School, wish my DC could do that!

Welcome mommy.

I am not working, so I am going to resurrect the house, do lots of washing as it's so lovely and then go to Aldi.

Finally a warm sunny day in Cumbria about bloody time too so am off for a pedal as soon as ds is dropped at nursery.

Nsd yesterday, but had to go to asda this morning. Needed lots of fruit, bread rolls (dd2 and 3 have tuc crackers with peanut butter sandwiched in them for lunch, thank god we don't get the lunchbox police at our school), and other assorted bits. £35 and only treats were new headphones for me (£5) as I have mislaid another pair, and a mixel for ds for being so good.

Today will be lsd. One of the pre school parents asked me if I was going to the toddler group this afternoon (I've never been) and it's £3. Big moment for me

Knitting we've just been to the haven site close to you-ish I guess. Well in the lakes lol.

I've finished work. Going to chill out and then get my head around a few work things. My boss has been a bit weird since I saw her for first time in ages today...

Girlie That's awful about the sick monitoring. I've never worked for an employer who monitored sick days to that extent, thankfully. It must be so stressful and worrying if you get ill, and surely must encourage people to go into work when sick?

Lsd today - picked up a few bits from Asda earlier today. However I need to order a desk for my home office. Think I'll go with Argos as they have some at around the £40 mark, which is a bargain. Not really looking forward to putting it together when it comes though.

I've won a couple of competitions this week which has cheered me up no end! I love comping...well, actually I love the winning!

I'm going to buy some Next jeans and leggings in a min. my flab needs containing asap.

And I need to meal plan & do the weekly shop. It gets harder every week because DS gets fussier. :( please tell me this is a phase. Shopping has crept up to £60 per week.

We haven't had our water bill for ages so will have to phone them in a min. Fingers crossed we aren't using too much. Nervous!

It's a phase collie.
New look jeans are good too and jeggings.

LSD £5 in co-op.
Sat in the church garden waiting for DD and it's lovely.

100% phase Collie. I am a fairly laid back parent, but did get myself in a bit of a stress about food with DS, PFB child. I was so determined to do this hypothetical 'right' thing, I made him a fussy eater. I think it's actually true of all aspects of parenthood, with the benefit of wisdom. The more you worry, the more tension and stress you introduce to any given situation, without you even realising it. DMIL tried gently to tell me this re the food, but I of course didn't listen.

Soon as DD came along and DH started working silly hours, I didn't have time to stress, and without realising it, DS became less and less fussy and would try more stuff.

Now they are teens, they each have the odd individual thing they are not so keen on, in the same way as adults, but will eat pretty much everything. It honestly is a phase, promise!

Spends
£89 Aldi, most of the food for the weekend competition, two massive garden tubs which are brilliant for water buckets for the pony.
£6 gas for the heater for the horse box
£36 feed, jodphurs.

I'm still on track for saving a fair bit this month though.

Easy tea tonight,.

Oh need I am SO relieved to read that. Thank you! Your advice and words of wisdom are very much appreciated phew!

Just as I'm browsing Next for jeans I notice my current Sainsbury's jeans have a threadbare knee now they're totally fashionable.

Just phoned up South West Water and my bill has increased to £53 a month. But that's OK and in line with what I expected. Its based on usage. However - I will endeavour to cut back on water usage. No point in literally pouring pound coins down the drain (if I can help it!)

Feels awful at the time though doesn't it Collie? You can almost feel the tension rising a little in your body as you put the food down on the table can't you? Your welcome! DMIL used to joke no child will starve themselves willingly

Indeed with your ripped jeans you are very much down with 'da kids!!

I'll check what we pay in water and report back. Meter, based on usage.

Lovely afternoon at home ed geography club. A real testament to the wonderful supportive community we have round here - a big proportion of the children there have ASD, anxiety etc, and oh it was just so lovely seeing them share their work, encourage each other and celebrate everyone's contribution :) :)

Really sad to see the news about Victoria Wood though.

DS has just had his final report pre GCSE, I am hoping he converts his predicted grades into reality, although he's currently laid on his bed on his Iphone If he bombs, that's his call, not mine. It will piss me right off, but he might need to fail, to succeed long term.

cag that sounds lovely!! Just read about Victoria Wood. :( how sad!

need that's EXACTLY how it feels! You are spot on! Again
I've got no idea where our water meter is so I leave it up to the pros. We've definitely been using more water & £53 is less than expected!

I wear clothes that actually covers my bits so I'm too overdressed to be down with da kids yo!

Dd is almost six and this week she ate cucumber! Amazing! It stresses me out sometimes but I do try not to let it show.

I failed all my GCSES and it taught me a lesson! I had to prove everyone wrong. Ended up with a fab degree and career.

Hi all, I was really shocked to hear about Victoria Wood Cag can't believe how many people have died this year

Thanks for all the support re work, I did speak to my manager about the email today and she agreed it was heavy handed and unnecessary so I then spoke to the locality manager who apologised and said she completely agreed with me! Apparently the email is sent out from someone in admin and they will look into reviewing that system as there are of course some circumstances (like mine) thats do not warrant a shirty email. So feel a bit better about it now!

Collie it is a phase, I think with food the best thing to do is not get too het up about it, the more attention your ds gets for not eating the more he won't eat iyswim? With my dd I don't knowingly give her food she def won't like but if she doesn't eat her dinner there is no alternative, i also find that giving smaller portions but with a few alternatives on the plate tends to be more successful then one large portion of something - if that makes sense?!!

Need am sure your ds will do fine but yes must be hard not to say something if you can see he is not revising much!!

I have managed another nsd

Collie We are so not down with 'da kids! Girlie is right, small portions and choices, but only in so far as 'sweetcorn or carrots?', 'cucumber or cheese?' or whatever. So they feel they have some control. That's a good suggestion.

You are right, DS will find his way. DH thinks I ought to hassle him a bit more, but I'm holding off, and hoping the fact he is competitive will help. Life can take a windy path sometimes. But it's his path, not mine.

Radio 5 is playing lots of Victoria Woods clips

Hooray for the cucumber!!

Ah that's good girlie.
I find for least fussiness help yourself is easier for dc although more faff and washing up for me. Everything in bowls and help yourself

Re: sickness monitoring, surely must encourage people to go into work when sick? - Good point! And all the more worrying when you work in, say, a hospital. With sick people who could probably do without getting sicker. :(

Wreck how was toddler group?

Collie sympathies, DS is a fusspot too. Sigh. He used to really love stuff like peas and sweetcorn but even that's a no now! There are very few veg he willingly has now.

Good to see the managers see sense re the sickness monitoring Girlie

£27 on dog food. Am toying with the idea of getting pizza delivered for DDs, feel exhausted today but there is plenty of food here.

Ditto what Babs says re fussiness. I used to give the DDs something I knew they would eat and I had what I hoped they would try on my own plate. 9 times out of 10 they wanted what I mummy so I would "share".

I am so not down with 'da kids.