Fantastic Frugaleers Continuing Austere April!

[Cagliostro]

Hello! :)

Currently sat on the count with Swiss chocolate and a bottle of rose and Dh. Watching chitty bang bang. He's never seen it. Can you believe it.

Fantastic list as always Collie

Think this wend may be spendy, need to pop to Lidls to do a weekly shop (£40 budget) and am actually going out tomos night first time in flipping ages!! Dd is going to a friends for a sleepover so am going out with a friend for dinner, reckon that will be £30 ish - I don't drink so that saves a fair bit!!

fluffy I am dying to to know what three items were!
girlie you will definitely save if you are not a drinker! Have a lovely night - if you haven't been out in a while then you really really do deserve to enjoy yourself!

girlie can I be rude and ask why you don't drink? I'm finding more and more that people take it badly if I say I'm not drinking (I think I've mentioned this before) and I guess I'm just wondering how you deal with it.

Girlie have a fab night, you really deserve it after all that's been going on lately! Agree it's soooo much cheaper when you don't drink - was really shocked at the prices when we had cocktails at DSDs' birthday dinner.

Collie that's a lovely list :) that's the proper stuff kids remember as they grow up I reckon, it's not about expensive trips and toys. Em that's beautiful, about the pansies.

I accidentally on purpose ordered some books today. An Usborne seller on my FB list always sells stock for much less than RRP, and there were a few new titles I've been hoping to see (for home ed purposes... this is possibly the downside to HE, the book spends have gone waaaay up... but at least we have time to read them now I guess! :o). She's the only seller I know who does that, the others sell at RRP, but I must say she's doing really well out of it - she might only get a smaller profit per book, but she's selling loads and that's got to be better than barely selling any (because you can pretty much always get them for under RRP on Amazon).

Mediochre day here really, not been out so no other spends for me although I did ask DH to pick me up some chocolate!

DD is over the moon as we were researching Spain recently and one of the library books had pictures of the old currency. She was so taken with the old coins with holes in (she started collecting foreign coins last year) and I mentioned it on FB and my friend dug some out for her :) and other friends have said they'll have a look for old currency too! :) Lucky lucky girl. I have a feeling when we give her the coin album (birthday present) there won't be much space left in it. :o

Another frugal win - found even more great resources online. And I've been pondering magazine subscriptions for a while. Today on a home ed FB group I found out that you can get some on Clubcard points! I had no idea as I've only ever used them for restaurants and entry tickets. I can't remember exactly how much we have saved up but I think we'd have enough to get a few of the children's ones on there. If I could get some free magazines for the DCs I would feel less tempted to spend actual money on them. Although I am considering getting one of the children's newspaper ones as DD is starting to get more interested in current affairs, but I think she would still struggle with the adult news (emotionally more than anything, IYSWIM).

Oh I forgot to say re: bikinis, not that I'd ever wear one myself for fear of people going blind from the trauma, but Bravissimo are excellent for swimwear if you're large of boob :) I have a one piece but I'm sure they do bikinis/tankinis as well and they are proper integrated bras so very supportive.

Just got places on a trip to Kidzania, that weird place in London. DD went before with a friend and loved it. I'd avoided signing up to this when it was advertised first as that was when we didn't know what was happening with DH's work, but I'm glad I have now as I'm only paying £12 per child - looked on the website and it's nearly £30 each normally!

Spent about a fiver on chocolate eaten almost all of it tonight

Girlie hope you have a lovely evening.

tomorrow should be either N or LSD

Falalalaaaa ho hum another night of not sleeping [drums fingers]

Have emailed the council about room hire, yikes! Haven't sorted out prices in my head yet though. I'll offer private tutoring at the same price as piano, but not sure about groups. DD goes to a lovely writing club which is £2.50 for an hour, for 8 children. But she does it from her home so no hire charges (and very few resources needing printing etc). Obviously I would like to cover expenses and still earn some money on top, but I also don't want to make it too expensive, especially if people are doing it weekly.

Spendy meal for my mum's birthday last night.. 83.00 however some of that includes my brothers meal so will get that back at some point. He's rubbish at giving money back.

Today should be a NSD hopefully. I'm at work till 1. I'm shattered and have zilch energy this morning.

DS enjoyed his group class and exercise class yesterday. It was an extra and he'd like to continue. Will be re looking at my budget to see where I can fit all in.

Em I just flat say I don't drink as I chose not to. I will have one or two when out with the field or on special occasions but then swap to soft. The majority of people are great with it but the idiots just get a flat because I don't want to.
Cag, how much will you costs be ? You don't need to post but I would say how much is the room, how much are resources and divide by number of children you are comfortable with in a group as a starter. Then add a bit for hourly rate. Would that work as a starter on price?

I'm off out with the girls today. Probably about £40, skate park £7 but DS has cold so not sure.

I may go to bravissimo for a bikkini. Size 10-12 but 32f does cut it in these flimsy offerings

I need to go food shopping and have to go to tesco as I need my prescription and it's right next to tesco but the complete opposite direction from lidl. Going to try and do it cheaply.

I usually go really early but the dc are still asleep!

Em Have you been bra interventioned on style and beauty? Your only one size up from me on the bottom but your 3 sizes up on the frame. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if your frame size is a 30 and the cup EE or F. People are very shocked when I say I'm a DD because I'm so small. They expect a DD to be massive.

First Can't remember exactly, I was out of it for 10 days post op. I do my lists in order now so I can zoom round aldi. I chuck everything in big blue ikea bags at the till and sail out. No packing at the shelf for me anymore & I sometimes get congratulated on my speed by the cashier. Don't forget to download Shopmium, it gives free food too.

My console table arrives today. I'm on pins with excitement.

babs I'm the same. I tend to have one or two drinks then switch to soft drinks. But there's always someone who comments. The usual remarks are "are you pregnant?" " you're so boring" but some people get really pushy with it. I've had people flat out refuse to buy soft drinks before. The worst was thankfully someone I don't see any more. I drive one night and she decided I was being boring. So bought me Diet Coke. With double shots of vodka. Luckily I realised.

fluffy no I've not been bra interventioned. But I did go to three shops here for measuring late last year. Two confirmed the size. The other m&s told me they were wrong and suggested I was a B cup. No was in hell they were right.

cag I have some currency that dd can have for her book if she'd like. I think I have a Singapore dollar coin, a Turkish lira. Can probably save Israeli shekels too while in there.

Today I'm going riding. Then to parents to collect a melon. Then maybe for a walk.

I've emailed a local forager woodland guy and at some point we're going to go out walking with him. He knows so much about the local wildlife and coastline. It should be fun.

Dh is looking at buying a stand up paddle board for the summer. I'm not convinced he'll use it as often as he thinks he will. I've suggested he hire one as and when he wants to use it. I think it's about £30 for a couple of hours. To buy they're a staggering £700!!!!

That's rubbish em. I hate the way people think you are some kind of weirdo cos you going want to get smashed or lose next day to a hangover.

Measure your frame Em, a size 10 with a 34 frame doesn't add up. I wonder if they added 4". It's still depressingly common for them to add the inches.

www.brabandproject.com/gallery/search/band/34 These are all 34 bands. Only a few are size 10.

I promise to never mention it again. Ever.

Cannot believe another woman spiked your drink when she knew you were driving. You'd have lost your licence straightaway. What a cow.

They spiked your drink?! That's disgusting. And a criminal offence surely? I've never understood the attitude that alcohol is the be all and end all. I reckon if they can't have a good night out without alcohol, they must be the boring ones.

Thank you so much for that kind offer Em! DD would be ecstatic with that! Don't think we know anyone IRL who has even been to Israel or Singapore. If you are sure you won't need them again that would be great, I can paypal you for the cost/P&P x

Hey all, the sun is out here this morning again, hope it is sunny where you are too.

More spendy yesterday, dp had a scan on his tummy at the hospital, the pain is not clear gallstones or twins , so it's a specialist next to find out what the hell it is. After that he was starving, so I introduced him to the Lidl bakery! Spent £40 on mostly fruit and things for smoothies. Then £15 fuel, and £8 Macdonalds for dp and ds (I had a free coffee).

Blew my calories by having 2 slices of lemon cake (240 a slice, I worked it out), am doing mfp, and have lost 11lb in 4 weeks. Not a soul has noticed, which confirms that dp sees me as a piece of furniture.

So I did the first go at the beginner 30 day shred. I bought the dvd a year ago . Conclusion, I need dome dumbells (argos today), and my left leg does not take my weight! The 10 mins was only 300 steps, does anyone have, and use, a treadmill? Want one but need to justify the price!

My bikini days are done! I too am a 34dd, but will get to a 32c with another stone off. But the more weight I lose, the more like a granny's bum my tummy looks (dead empty skin). So attractive!!! Will hopefully cycle today. A sunny saturday is the best, it is my 'day off' as my lovely mum has all 4 of my dc's while the shop is open I love her very much!

cag I too have some odd coins from my job a lifetime ago. I will churn my hoard and see what I can find.

I'm a zombie. Woke up at 3am :( been up since. Thanks to a water infection. Grrr!

I just had a shower and slapped gradual fake tan on as I looked far too sick and pale. My hair is naturally black so I just ended up looking like a Goth. The tan is light so will blend in and will just give me a nice glow. Thank goodness! I bet I did a terrible job too

A LSD as I may end up buying coffee.. Must stay awake!

NSD yesterday YAY! Plus I randomly checked my Nectar account and I have £10. Not bad at all.

cag I have, old francs, few american coins, some dirhams (uae), some possibly south korean coins, and a tiny barbados 10cents. A true oil industy haul! The will cost pennies to post, so if you do want them, pm me an address

at the drink spiking. What a wench!

Love the pansies story Em! My garden is full of them. They are so beautiful

Oh wow Knitting thank you very much :) :) x

cag no problem. Pm me your address, I'll have a look and see what we have and will pop it in the post once I'm back from Israel. Don't worry about postage it won't be heavy.

yep. She spiked my drink. I called her on it. Apparently you can't have a good time if you don't drink.

I do drink. Just sometimes I choose not to. Or choose to limit what I have. More and more now I feel that I'm happier having one wine or whatever then havjbf the option of driving home.

I also keep finding that any more than 2 drinks and I'll be suffering from hideous hangovers. And in trying to be more frugal and healthy etc. So alcohol just doesn't fit in with that.

I sent DH to the shop to buy a bottle of wine last night and he bought two. Give an inch...

NSD today although I have a crippling hangover so want a macdonalds