May the frugaleering be with you - frugal chat and support for frugalers old and new.

[babsmam]

I took the liberty as we were nearly at the end of the last one.

trying they need proof because they got into a bit of trouble last year I think re offshore accounts and not knowing who was behind them so all this kicked off. So many people here have had their accounts closed for refusing to provide the information. Then struggle to open new accounts elsewhere (because they either don't have the info or won't provide). I wrote a note to point out I live here, can't have a uk account, work here, they can see my wages going into my account...

So many banks are run by HSBC - m&s is linked I think...

Morning all! Miserable day here, it's chucking it down.
Need cat food and meal worms for my friendly robin in the garden then I'm taking DD for a hair cut. I need a new mascara too, hopefully I have enough Boots points to cover that.

Raining here too.
Been spending on communion cake toppers £8 and another £15 on Thursday.

Rain rain rain here too. I was going to go for a walk at lunchtime but might sack it off and go to the library and read my book instead

Money situation here:

My ac £43
Joint ac £14 something
Payday on Friday.

I am hoping that the small shop Dh did yesterday in Iceland won't hit joint ac until Friday when my share gets transferred!

I also need a new mascara. I had a Mac one. Which just made my lashes clump. So might venture into boots in the next couple of days and see what they have. I really like the bourjois black and white one. But haven't seen it for ages! Have about £25 worth of boots points so mascara will be covered with those.

I meant to say, does anyone know where/how Laska is? Last I heard she had a sick baby grandchild. I hope all is ok.

Clinique do a lovely mascara, not waterproof but an 'all day' one, only one that doesn't smudge on me.

We use HSBC for business banking, I'm not at all impressed. Very pleased with Santander thus far.

I need toilet roll today and it's training tonight, so a tenner approx will be spend today.

I either using benefit they're real or max factor masterpiece. I'm lucky in the eye lash department though.

Ds at pre school and dd at school I'm going to do level 1&2 of the shred in a row.

Will be a nsd. Dinner will be Mexican lasagne with left over chilli from last night. Ill just have a bowl of chilli though.

Hi all!

Been missing since the start of this thread, so have lots to catch up on.

Life has been frantic. We had a big (120 competitors) race on sunday (we host/organise with British Cycling), so have been flat out. Was a brilliant success and fab weather for it!

Trying not to overspend! Dp's birthday today, so will be spendy today...then I am back on the wagon as DS and DD2 have birthdays next month.

Hope everyone is ok, will read back now...

I used to work in finance so can understand from both sides why it is such a pain to have to ask certain customers for fresh identification or proof of address, proof of Nationality etc. It is just to keep your file up to date and as obvious as it may seem to you, the FCA have very strict rules the banks have to follow including what paperwork to hold, when to collect fresh identification.....I promise they aren't doing it as they are bored!!

Hello! Happy news chez Ipsogenix today. Ds's foot thorn popped out in the night. It turns out to be a 7mm long wooden thorn which must have driven itself right into the ball of his foot. No wonder he kicked up a fuss when I tried to get it out.

Other happy news - I got an email saying that the cost of my beloved FT subscription was about to nearly double, but I rang up and they have fixed it at the same rate. Wonderful people. Lovely newspaper with liberal views and non-scary pictures suitable for ds. Love it.

Now I am trying to clean and tidy the whole house and wishing I could remember all that I have spent in the last frantic day or so. Frugal admin fail.

Need I agree so much with you about the Tories. Very frustrating and really very worrying that they are tearing apart instead of fixing these systems that have served us so well for so long.

need House was good, my porcelain was shining like very first day. Dd was disappointed that her bed wasn't made but I've cut down from 3 hours to 2 hours weekly so bedmaking is not one of my priority tasks. However this weekend dd will be getting a lesson in how to make her own bed I hadn't left a list and cleaner didn't remember what I had said. I think she covered everything I asked though. Hard to tell some things because dh, au pair and kids were home all day afterwards!

girlie I will deffo post a kitty kat pic. I've a pic of the litter, not sure which 2 will be ours, will post that soon for you.

wreck I've seen liquid smoke in lots of recipes but not seen it for sale in ROI anywhere must check it out.

em love the sound of your dinner we do a 5 P's dinner - pasta, pesto, parmesan, peppers, pepperoni(actually chorizo) haven't had it in ages actually. Must put on menu for next week and start doing a menu plan again too. Now I buy food and dinners get made but no proper plan. Bolognese made on Sun eve did me and the dc yesterday and will serve everyone tonight, not bad for 1lb mince, 2 grated carrot, onion and two tins tomatoes.

cag I do that every now and then go to the supermarket and say right this is how much I can spend and that's it and it really improves the decision making. A couple of weeks ago I brought €60 into aldi with me and didn't calculate exactly and had to leave last three items at the shop because I was up to my budget. Avocados and coffee were two of the three and obviously the other one wasn't that important as I can't remember it

Made the purchase using my visa debit on Sunday, cashback money in my account today, happy dance

delighted thorn is out ipsogenix poor little soldier

em could you transfer some money from personal acc to cover the shop rather than pay overdraft fees?

We're paid weekly, I with same bank as our joint account so transfers are instant, paid on Thurs. Dh is paid on Friday but with a different bank so could be Tues before his goes through.

Balance on my account €145.74
Joint account €218.10

This is best personal account has been in a long time, joint could be better but what's due out of it is covered and I'll be transferring €450 again on Thurs however €290 of that leaves almost straight away for cash bills and paying standing orders.

Ynab has definitely helped me organise and improve our finances.

Haven't heard from laska in ages will try pm her and see how that goes

mommy yeah it's such a pain. I'm having a nightmare at present with one client who is refusing to provide me with the kyc docs for his grandchildren. We've told him unless he provides then they're not getting their money. If it was a small amount of ask the directors to reconsider. But at £70k each I'm not taking any chances. He's kicking off.

But we've told him the rules. He signed our service agreement. And it's more than my jobs worth to bend or break them.

I guess with my personal situation @ HSBC it's just stupid as they know why I have an "offshore" account. bah. But hey ho. Hopefully the letter j sent yesterday will be the end of it and they won't close my accounts!!

Ugh I think today is a write-off :( I'd already decided not to go to a park meet up as I'm not well enough, but the weather is awful anyway. DD has Brownies and I've got a pupil after but TBH I just want to sleep!

Going to be spendy today I think, booking DD's party. It'll be her first 'big' party, with a 'hall and entertainer' type set up. She had bowling for her 5th and rock climbing for her 7th, so only a few guests for each. I'm really excited though - I feel like we aren't just celebrating her turning 9, but all the amazing progress she's made this year in many ways. :)

We're also doing a surprise home ed trip on her actual birthday - she asked to stay at Nanny's and she knows we're going to London on the day but has no idea that I'm booking a 'school group' (i.e. much cheaper!) tour round an exhibition and that some of our friends are doing that too - it was a happy coincidence that the only day they could do was her birthday. They've paid me their share now so I need to pay to secure the booking.

Babs I am an E cup, I bought bikinis (not tankini's) from Curvissa. They have quite good discounts for first purchases. (I'll go back to catching up now)

That sounds like a lovely birthday cag.
The bloody cat just went and yowled on the landing and woke up DD 40 mins early from her nap. I am not happy, she's going to be grumpy all afternoon. Plus it's still raining. I'd planned to do some baking with her but my energy has drained away.

Fed up. I had an interview this morning and guess what? Once again I didn't get the job. The feedback they gave me was I didn't mention the school had been in special measures 3 years ago in my answer to why do you want to work here. I didn't know, but not sure I would have if I did know, as I talked about the positive things I knew about the school (good approach to safeguarding, healthy eating, rights respecting school) in my answer. It's their loss if they can afford to turn down a teacher going for a T.A. job, but why can't it ever be my turn?

Rubbish creme that sounds like an excuse rather than feedback don't worry something WILL come along

I've had a busy day. Did my work out and hoovered downstairs, two loads of washing washed, got ds from pre school, had lunch, hung out all the washing, emptied and reloaded the dishwasher, cleaned all the kitchen work tops, hoovered all of upstairs and I think that's it. Will be time to get dd soon then she needs to do her spellings and they both need a good bath

Em, it's a blast isn't it when customers don't play ball!!!! Hope your account is sorted out nice and quickly

Hello, I'm going to need this thread! I've just returned to freelancing and will be on a much tighter (and less predictable) budget from now on.

Really need to keep on top of my finances and be good about cutting down on unnecessary spending...

Ugh sorry Creme how disappointing! :(

Hello all. Had a busy few days. Took DS and DD1 to Thorpe Park on Sunday. Bought an annual photo pass for £50, since pictures are £10 that is quite a deal. Lunch for 3 was £20, lent a friend £15 for their lunch. £6 on drinks and about £10 between the children for sweets including something for DD2.

Then the week went pear shaped. Sunday night had to get the OOH doctor out fir my mum, ended up going to hospital by ambulance. £8 parking at hospital. 90p for coffee, £7 for lunch Monday at the hospital.

Mum has suspected meningitis. They still aven't fond the lumbar puncture to confirm this.

Monday night DH took kids to dancing, got takeaway on the way home £15. DD1 threw up in the evening and I threw up in the night, only just starting to feel better now. Of course, now I can't visit my mum

Booked flights to Spain in October for myself and DH's cousin £206 for both of us, she'll give me her half. Will need to book parking too.

Parent's evening tonight for DS. Unfortunately we have to take the girls with us as mum is in hospital. DH did suggest he stayed with the girls while I did school, but it is DS's first one at secondary.

Bloody hell audit I hope she's ok
Welcome skirt.
Sorry to hear about your interview creme, hang on in there, another school will be lucky to have you.
£14-something this morning on cat food and meal worms. 60p this afternoon on polos. 60p!! I remember when you could get a packet for 12p. That makes me sound really old doesn't it?!

sorry to hear that crème - that's ridiculous.

sorry to hear about your mum audit - all so scary!

I've received my appointment to have a colonoscopy done in a few weeks time. yay - more kleen prep. :(

a few nsds - eating out of fridge. fun times.

Welcome skirt

Creme Internal candidate got the job by any chance?. Sounds a poor excuse to me. Whenever I've seen that in the NHS it's been an internal candidate job. I am sorry, it really knocks your confidence back.

Audit Your poor mum, she must feel awful.

£3.25 on cat food and mashed potato.

Hmm, perhaps Fluffy. A woman left the Head's office a few minutes before I went in, but went down a corridor, instead of coming to the waiting area and signing out and I noticed the previous candidate before me hadn't signed out, when I sigened in, so that might hAve been her... I am just so fed-up though, and tempted to sign on for JSA, which I am entitled to, but don't claim, as we get by on child benefit and tax credits and child maintenance. Even an extra £73 a week would make an enormous difference to us! Actually, even £73 a month would help!

Audit, sorry to hear about your mum.