Thanks all for the re-welcomes !
I really do need to catch up , and as usual I wont be back here until Sunday I expect . This thread moves so fast , but its great to see how popular it still is andthat we are all still frugalling ..
I had some frugal wins today :
Got a Big tube of Dr Ceutical’s Body lotion ( its great and usually £19.99 in Boots ) for £4.99 in Tk Maxx.
Also a Principles cardi, a brand new Next t shirt and a Wallis top in the charity shop - £2 each! (all exactly what I wanted, and I had nearly bought an almost identical cardi and top in H&M earlier , but frugalled out! )
Then my work colleague gave me a big bag of rocket and another of basil , she had bought lunchtime and had then decided she wasn’t going to use them ! ( so I had MNetted cold chicken and rocket salad for dinner, Ill use the basil tomorrow ) She also gave me a Morrisons £5 voucher she said she wouldn’t use (so ill probably spend that on 
tomorrow!
Oh, and I put £2 in a collection.. pretty good day
So looking back ..
Northender . I was doing the Michael Mosley Blood sugar diet , It worked really well for me , I’m wasn’t pre-diabetic but certainly ‘apple shaped and at my age , they say its really not good to be .. the BSD has really helped reduce the tummy, so really pleased.. I’m quite happy with my weight now , but am trying to get a few more lbs off at the moment ( so I can put it back on , during my holiday in a few weeks!!)
Girlie Great news about the house ! Is this still the shared ownership one or did you go for another? you'll be fine, dont worry, it will be so great to have your own place, with a garden.. I was a single parent housebuyer also , and I really had to start changing when I remarried! (was used to doing things all my way , and then realised I had to discuss things like furniture and decorating colours with him also .. was a bit of a shock!!
)
wreck yes E is 3mths! (I had to go check again ), she was born early February ( and a bit premature though so she is like a 2 month baby really I suppose ) . Those 3 months have flashed by! , but we are so glad that the prognosis is really positive now ..
ipsos Re treating yourself. and frugalling.. One thing I found after finally paying off the credit card debt (which I had when I started on this thread about 18mths ago ) , is all of a sudden I could buy some things .. (just as long as I didn’t put them on any credit card!) .. It did seem strange at the time , but now I have started to trust myself to use a credit card again , but I do make sure I pay it off in full every month.. If I cant.. I don’t buy it!. I now have savings too.. and this last year is the first time I have ever had money in the bank since I was an adult !.. and Yes, it’s not a lot (under £1000) , but I do add to it every month now even if its only a small bit .. ( WOW ...actual savings , Me !?!.. )
Lila it’s a Honda Civic Tourer.. not flash but just the sort of car we need , for what we do .. ( it's Dhs car really and he paid for it too, even though its me that drives it! . We do only have the one car though. (DH is still working away during the week and doesn’t need a car where he is.) .. Its great though, no tax , had 4 years free services and , really measly on fuel.. (as well as being pretty, did I mention it was metallic red? ) I am so pleased with it. ooh and it has a DAB radio too!!!
As for YNAB.. I love it also ,and I have it all set up for how I use it but I am going to have to change it a bit because , (another first for me) I have just opened a joint bank account with DH (we’ve only been together 23 years!!) . I’ve never had a joint account with anyone before .. It will be fine though , he is the sensible finance one of us two , but this is a ‘household account’ where we will both put in the same amount each month and it will be me probably who will be using it most . . This is because if any of you remember , he is planning to retire early ( well he’s been saying this for two years now, I’m sure it will happen soon ) . Anyway I’m going to have to learn to add another YNAB account (I’m sure I can work it out though) .