Fantastic Frugaleers Continuing Austere April!

[Cagliostro]

Hello! :)

Girlie she will be six in June!

Dinner was burgers with salad and home made wedges - yum!

I think I want to live in the Channel Islands after seeing Em's lovely photos!
Spent £39 in the garden centre, got 20% with my discount card so got loads for that. Been weeding and planting this afternoon. DD "helped" she is filthy which is always a sign that she's had a good day!

Gosh that sounds hard Wreck. Might be good to try that book. I've got how to talk to kids but I didn't find it that useful tbh. 1-2-3 is much better.

money I'm in jersey, not on holiday. I live here. I used to really hate it. But have begun to appreciate it more and more. We're getting out and re-exploring the place. It truely is lovely. lucky cow

Dh is making chicken goujons for dinner. Yumm

Have relisted some things on eBay. And have finally broken in my new "country" boots. I can finally get them on without help. (Previously Dh had to push them on while I wiggled them about). Result!!

Last picture I promise. This is from part of our cliff walk.

Hi all, hope you're all okay.

I'm really shocked - I've just drawn up a 'summer schedule of expensiveness' with a list of everything we are doing, everywhere we are going and the big bills (car insurance, services, MOT, House insurance and birthdays) all due between now and 14th September (5 pay packets) and it's coming in at £2755 (EEEEEK). Hopefully I've over-estimated. Most expensive months are this month and next but I need to be uber-frugal to try and dip into my savings as little as possible.

On a positive note, DH has had a pay-rise giving us an extra £120 a month, I've had an increment of £25 a month and my gas/electric has gone down by £19 a month. I've managed to get 3 days of mythical mystical overtime, 1 day at time and half and 2 days at double time.

It's also been a no-spend day today.

Thanks for your help wreck with travel to London managed to book return for £45 means getting 8am train there and 5pm train back and fixed on those trains we will pay for underground on day. Still unsure if to take toddler or not he will love the zoo but unsure on how will work on train as have a booked seat (was mandatory to pre book seat on advanced ticket) and fine if just have ds1 he can go on my lap but if I have them both n pushchair it starts to get complicated - or am I just making it seem more difficult than it is - oh and am shit scared of getting across London safely with one child let alone two.

Ok, so ring fence that £145 for five months and you're £725 closer straight off.

Dipping into savings is better than paying 20% interest to pay insurance in instalments.

www.reducedgrub.com Blog on buying up reduced food and making lovely meals out of it. She obviously lives near a branch of M&S.

Frazzled Download clicksnap, shopmium, shopitize and topcashback. On Tcb click on instore, then groceries.

Got dhs insurance down to £270 so allianz can do one.

East if you take ds2 and have the pushchair then I would advise getting the bus rather than the tube. They're frequent and very easy. I'm assuming there aren't loss of commuters on the train so the seat thing may not be an issue, even if there are they'd be on a much earlier train than 8am.

Back on the frugal wagon tomorrow. Am going to count up the change in Dhs change pot and my purse and pay it in to the bank.

Probably about a tenner there if not more.

Yep Fluffy, the savings are earmarked to pay car insurance - much as it kills me to hand it over as I just can't afford to commit to another monthly direct debit anyway. It's £1402 for myself and DS1 but I did a quote just for me, and it was coming in at £379, so I'll pay that from my savings and he will pay the rest for his.

Six of my ten eBay items have sold, so £71.50 plus postage will be coming my way. I have relished the others, but apart from a Pandora charm, they're only on at 99p each.

Right, I've got lots of things to eBay (mostly clothes). I did a big stint of eBaying a few years ago, but I think I've forgotten everything I learned! Can anyone give me a kick up the backside some motivation ?

The Jungle Book gets great reviews doesn't it Girlie?

Luverly pictures in the last few days Em

You did the right thing wreck. Consequences, and following through. Consistency and boundaries. Your DD is lovely, she's just pushing to see if it works!

Great Ebay selling Creme.

Great day out today, although I am shattered now. They won!! And were excited to do a victory gallop in a huge arena. DD is shattered and in bed already, the pony is looking rather scrawny so an extra feed, a day is required, so we are up at 5am to get that feed in, so good night all.

Great news Scarlett on the increased income

I'm pleased they won. I wouldn't be impressed with 5am feeds though. I don't suppose they make auto feeders for ponys though.

Oh that's brilliant, Need.

Nsd number 2. Need milk and garlic tomorrow, am only shopping at the coop as it us the only supermarket type shop in the village our shop is in. I am NOT going into town next week, and will set £5 a day budget.

Potted on lots of my seedlings today, the greenhouse is filling up.

Also did an inventory of the freezers. Enough food to feed an army. Have meal planned for the next 2 weeks. Will only need milk and veg as we run out, and things for lunch bags next week (yogs, will make the treaty cake things).

Yay need ! Well done to your dd and a polo for the pony.

I'd love to live by the sea Em - preferably somewhere hot in the Med .

Wreck DS was quite challenging around 5 ish as well, then again at around 7 (apparently boys have a hormone surge between the ages of 7 and 8). He's now 9 so I've got the tween stage to deal with shortly!

Does anyone on here do freelance work using Elance, PPH or similar? Although I've got a new job I need to earn more as I've got debts to pay off and I'm wondering what the best way is.

For you Frazzled - my.npg.org.uk/single/PSDetail.aspx?psn=689

Spends:
£2 maths subscription
£20.48 Amazon - torch for DD's Brownie camp, case for my Kindle, plus crayons and KS2 maths book to reach free delivery. I've fiddled about with my wishlists now and I have a separate one for really cheap, super-saver eligible items which can wait until I need to reach £20 (mostly cheap DVDs I want!) :o
£4.19 food

Anyone know about Apple products - my iPod has been unusable for ages. It won't charge, and it wasn't that old! I've tried getting new (approved) chargers but even that won't do it now. :( Is it worth taking it to the Apple store?

Yes take it in.

NSD here whoop!

In addition I am working throigh bringing my at insurance down considerably. Have a quote saving £252 plus £40 cash back using "topcashback". BUT on MSE noticed a tip about using specialist brokers for modified cars - I have 3 to call in the morning.

This week I'll be comparing all of my insurances for cash back savings ;-)

Thank you. Will do! :) Would it matter that I bought it on Amazon (directly from Amazon themselves, and it was new)

Thanks for the link Cag, that's dm birthday sorted! And thank you fluffy, I will download those before going shopping this week.

#bump for Ebay selling tips! I've a load of things including a £2300 Chanel handbag an ex bought me (ridiculous extravagance!!) anyone have any advice about selling named luxury items???