The Fantastic Frugalleers Meander into May.....

[Girliefriendlikesflowers]

Thought it was about time I started a new thread

Meal plan:

Wraps (chicken for Dh and dc if they want it)
Pasta and sauce
Chilli
Spag Bol (with left over chilli)
Pizza
Veggie korma

£9.72 on top-up from the Co-op, until Sainsburys delivery on Tuesday evening and £1.90 bus fare home.

Struggling with this summer cold today, even after about 9.5 hours unbroken sleep, which is very unusual for me.

Thanks fluffy and Creme :-) Trying Ds turned 6 one month ago.

It's too hot here too, and we are to be at a barbeque in an hour (ooops).

We tried new gluten free fish fingers this week and I suspect that something in them is making ds very bad tempered. He really likes them and has had them every day but one, this holiday, and the one day we missed them was the only non-angry day. Food is so weird.

It could be a testosterone surge, Ipso. My DS was more badly behaved at 6 than at either 5 or 7.

Afternoon all - it has been a busy day today.

Hall patched and painted, 3 loads of washing, 2 loads of dishwasher one bed in the garden weeded.... and I went for a run this morning. Tonight I will be mostly lying on the sofa. Is it too early for wine?

Meals for the week
Roast chicken & chips - I will use the left overs in salads for lunch/ stock
Shepherds pie
beef & bean - mexican inspired thing
homemade pizza
grilled mackeral & salad
lamb kababs
And we had cabronara last night

£71 in Aldi - I am not sure why it has crept up... possibly the nice charizio, olies & pancetta.

Frugal win - I have realised that the Aldi lemon squash & a bottle of sparkling mineral water tastes exactly the same as the San Pellergrino lemon spring water. Difference 65p per glass / can.

Ipsos - my ds was a terror at 6. We put it down to no longer being the smallest at school.

£15 charity donation.

Lovely day at an open farm event went for the afternoon and arla were there giving out mini bottles cravendale and a new 0% fat milk then towards end they gave away large pots of the yogurt they had for tasting and blocks lacto free cheese so we got about 1 pint milk, 2 different tubs yogurt and 2 blocks cheese, ds1 also did a quiz so we got couple arla glasses. Spent £2.80 on lucky dip in straw pit n ice creams. Got to see piglets, sheep shearing, cows, ds1 did an obstacle course and sack racing. Great totally free event_even tractors trailer rides were free but too long a q for us in the heat.b

Thanks creme, we had a great time and got to catch up with family too .

We need to check our bank balances and move some £ around later, hopefully in the right direction though. I've got my eye on a few things for the house though.

Boiling hot here too, have mostly pottered about in the garden but ventured to the shop for ice creams!

Gah, sunburn shoulders stupid git
£46 decathlon, £13 in £shop, £57 Smyth's toys but dc owe me£22 of that. £11 Amazon but mil owes £4 of that, £50 fuel for car, £1.70 tyne tunnel,
Today has made me yearn even more for a better garden. We can either move or take down or kitchen and garage extension. Neither option is cheap or easy but is years of being unhappy in summer? Sorry self indulgent problem

Same babs but legs and arms too

Thanks Purple, I didn't even know there was a gardening section on MN . I will try it.

Hello all, I'm back :) holiday was fab, am completely knackered and sore despite doing my best to rest when I could! It was hideously spendy, lots was expected though. Was rather pleased we didn't go near our top end budget for games though, we put aside £150 but spent £94 which for 6 games is very good. DH and I played two of them just now and they are brilliant. The DCs had free rein to choose one game each and they chose naice educational ones to our surprise :o

I had a small wander round the shops in Leicester and Birmingham, took it very easy though and spent a lot of time at Wetherspoons on benches with my Kindle. I actually found trainers at last (I realised recently thanks to an old Facebook post that I'd had mine for around 5-6 years, and at least 4 of those years they had holes in ) - £48 for Karrimoor runners including gel insoles, they are sooo comfy. I'll be emailing Sports Direct as the service was fantastic worlds apart from our local branch and the guy really knew his stuff. I'm relieved as I actually HATE buying shoes - it is so hard to find something comfortable and I always fear I'll buy the wrong thing.

Anyway it was a fab trip, the DCs really enjoyed the museums and they did enjoy the game thing as well, although it was a bit much for them, really busy/noisy etc. And we got loads of time with friends there too. :)

Got back to find an email from the new client, happy with the second round of editing so I'll be getting the payment soon. Yay!

Will catch up with the thread soon, tomorrow we're off for a home ed trip to Kidzania - spectacularly shit timing really, but it was an opportunity not to be missed... oops.

Iso your DS is 6! Blimey 6 and he is giving a talk at 6.
He must be exceptional.

I did that last week. Learned my lesson today and smothered myself in factor 30.

I'd definitely go for a better garden, babs. How much indoor space would you lose if you took down the extension?

Cag, when you have had time to recover you must tell me all about the space centre, please. Glad you all enjoyed it.

Pleased you had a good time cag.

I was slathered in f30 but clearly not enough.

We could reduce the garage back yo it's original size (about a meter wide) and get rid if the pitch roof which will let more evening light in.
We have a kitchen diner that is 5x5 m and it would reduce to 5x2.5 ( the original house footprint. We don't use part of the kitchen now as its glorified storage but we might if we stay when the DC are older as a dirtying area for them. Then again we plan to move in 5 years anyway maybe. However I'm the one duo would drive this as everyone else doesn't mind.

Welcome back Cag, pleased you had a good time. Did you like Birmingham?

Glad you enjoyed it, Cag. Rest up after the trip tomorrow.

We're back from our week away to London.
I was frugal in some ways but not in others.

I 'accidently' stepped into a MAC store and urban decay.. I spent about £110 on makeup for me, woops. My excuse is it's my birthday soon, my op next week and I haven't spent money on myself in a long while.

I was suppose to go half's with family member I was staying with on few things like food shopping and meals. However I paid for some extras and a meal out as a thank you for letting us stay. I'm not going to start rounding it up and working out who owes what. They saved me a ton on accommodation fees.

Not sure how I'm feeling about money lately. I've fell a bit off the bandwagon. I need to work out what the best way for me to properly save is.

Spendy say as need to buy the dc sandals. Already boiling hot too!

Right, I turned up at a school at 8.20, on the understanding I had supply work as a T.A. all week, so I've spent £25 for a weekly ticket and planned all meals around working- only to find they've made a mistake and don't need someone until next week! I can't even blame the agency, as the secretary admitted it was her fault. She was very apologetic, but that's not going to recompense me, is it?

Oh no! That used to happen to me too when I was agency. They should refund the £25 as a gesture of goodwill really.

That's such a kick in the teeth. What a waste.

That's rubbish crème. I think the school should recompense you tbh. I know they are on a budget but that is a basic mistake.

Thanks everyone. The school did say they would pay me for today to me, but whether or not the agency hold them to it is another story. At least I have travel sorted if any work comes in this week, although as it's the first week of term, I'd say it will be quiet. I'd already told my other agency I wouldn't be available, but I suppose I could swallow my pride and let them know I am.