The frugaleers jovially jostle their way into June July and joyfulness

[Ememem84]

ta da!

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I'm having a day of admin snerd - it's such a pain isn't it? That's amazing that you got away in your tent four times! What are your parameters for camping i.e. do you go Easter hols or October half term? We have always stuck to summer but in the spirit of making the most of it am planning some colder camping!!

Today's spends: £7.98 top up shop; £26 on 2 x jellycat comforters (will be DDs present to the babies).

It's been a busy day today.

DS had his sports day this morning which was fun. He got upset at some point and really cried. I'm not sure why and will probably find out when I pick him up from after school club.

I then went for my clinic appointment then went home, got ready and went for my interview. It went okay as far as I know but the way one question was worded I stumbled upon. However the answer I used in previous answers so fingers crossed ey.

I then nipped into home bargains and picked up a few essentials including envelopes for DS birthday invites as they came in the post and also some gift tags for DS to write thank you on which will go on his sweet cones.. So spends for today £6.89.

During my clinic appointment I was able to check my emails and work info and accessed my online pay slip for the two night shifts I've carried out. I'm happy with that and when I get paid on Friday I shall divide it between my separate accounts.

LSD. £3.50 on Diet Coke, lemonade and crisps at lunchtime. Met dm in town and stopped at the pub for drinks.

So far avoided purple skinnies.

So have I Em but more due to lack of faith in security of credit card than willpower!
Ursula the earliest we have camped is Easter and it was bloody cold! Usually stick to May half term and summer hols, August is usually warmest but it does get dark noticeably earlier.

Dh has spent £60 on a washing machine on top of the vouchers we had. It's quiet! Hooray and eco friendly! Hooray

And arrives on monday. Yippee!!!

And the new bath has been fitted! Double yay!

£117 in Aldi. Probably an NSD tomorrow. I need to go to Sainsbury's for a few bits I couldn't get in Aldi at some point but will try to coordinate that with a top up sa lad shop to try to curtail impulse buys.

£24 afternoon tea which was delicious.
£9 in Morrison's.
£4 football

Love afternoon tea babs

Smoked salmon sammies, cucumber sammies and egg sammies? Scones and jam and cute cakeys?

em well done on the washing machine. Try washing clothes on cold if you use bio powder. I only wear stuff once. I still do sheets on 30c though.

Purple skinnies can wait. Impulse control is a skill hard learnt and shops spend fortunes persuading us we need stuff.

£10 steak dinner for tonight.

£31 sandals and bag from marks sale. I'll send my other bag back. I have a free return label. Mil gave me £30 for my birthday so they cost me £1.

fluffy purple skinnies will be bought in payday (21st) if: they are still there and f they are in my size and if I remember.
This is my new trick.

Have just sold a pair of shoes on eBay £32.50.

I too love afternoon tea. I had it at the weekend with DP, but he paid.
Tiny sandwiches, but lots, two different types of scone and jam and cream and then tiny cakes...yummmm
It was instead of lunch.
NSD for me today...out of desperation because the hotel room costs in York have just emptied my account. Travelodge won't take cc.

Date lunch with dh, 35£. Was very nice just chatting away without dd, we tend to only go out with her because we both like that better. Then 120£ in ikea on all the last bits and bots for the entrance room and bedroom.
Have a friend visiting from Germany in the weekend so polishing of my German

Hi all,

Well I went for a walk at lunch time... And guess what... It's not a NSD

£5.05 in the works for a birthday present for our nephew.. They had a sale on so picked up his present ready for his birthday next month... So surely this counts as a frugal win?!

Also £6.57 on a card, gift bag and wine glass for my sister in laws 40th birthday next week.

Went into Clarks and they had some lovely shoes in the sale but I resisted.... I have also resisted the Cath Kidston online sale this evening... Oh I hope this house move is worth it

Hope everyone is ok! Nearly the weekend.. Hooray!

Having a good-ish sort of week here. Ds has sports day yesterday which was excellent.

I've had to give up my nice cheap habit of staring at the BBC referendum live feed all day as the Chilcot report just seems so terribly sad.

I may have to try gardening instead. I've paid the extra £30 annual fee to have a second green wheelie bin and it's really helping with keeping the garden under control.

I know how you feel Ipso, I too have been staring at the bbc news. Usually I love politics and am quite switched on but the shenanikins in both main parties are beyond the pale.
It will be interesting if Teresa May becomes PM and Angela Eagle Leader of the Labour Party. We will have women leaders of both parties in Westminister, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Not to mention the IMF, Germany and, possibly, America.
What a change to tradition that would be.
As for Chilcot...no real surprises. Did you see Blair apologise?

I agree following it is cheap but not good for my blood pressure or stress levels.
Gardening is though. I have dug up parts of my lawn and planted veg. in beds. Am going to make proper raised beds at the end of the summer. Whatever veg I get I freeze and use in stews and casseroles in the winter.

Hello all. Yesterday I had to buy dressings in Boots as DS managed to burn DD1's leg with the frying pan whilst flipping pancakes. I blame the teachers being on strike! Unfortunately I had no idea how bad it was (fairly bad, about 3-4 cm long) so had to buy a variety of dressings. £10ish.

Tesco £35 but that included £16 on gifts (DD2 has a party this week and one next week, Tesco had some Frozen sets reduced from £10 to £2.50 so I bought all 4 on the shelf, so 2 will go into my present box, plus two colour changing mermaids in fizzing shells) plus some "good " diet food for me.

Then, £49.95 on a 12 week pass for slimming world. Need to get my head back in that game.

Today £2.99 buying a fruit salad and drink at lunchtime.

I need to dig out a credit card bill. DD2 had new school shoes during the Easter holidays, from Clarks. Yesterday I picked them up, and the heels are almost worn out. They have lights in the heels and the light workings are coming out. I think this is appalling. I am going to take them back and complain.

DS's shoes have always lasted a year, DD2 has worn out 2 pairs since September.

It's not even as if she only gas one pair of shoes at a time. She has boots, Wellington boots, trainers, party shoes, crocs etc.

NSD today but have to do my confessions for the previous two days!

Monday:
coop £4.59
mcdonalds (DH) £7.08
sainsburys £2.06
bus £11.50
newsagent £1.69
mixels £8 (used as rewards)

Tuesday:
bus £7.20
swimming £12.50
shredder £13.00
wilkos £1.05
wetherspoons me and DCs £15.36
ice cream £3
DH lunch £3.60 (turned out not to be gluten free as advertised, DH has been really ill today :()
puzzle (DH got it for me in a charity shop :o) £0.99
coop £0.81 to get cashback

had tesco delivery as well but not sure exactly what it came to as it's not out of the bank yet. guide was £100 though. Ouch

Today was fab, had a (smaller than usual due to holidays etc) maths class first, then one stayed for piano, and I had another pupil this evening. Also made my first homework sheet and did a lesson recap/homework email for maths, felt all proper and teachery :o :)

Thanks Trying. I'm glad it's not just me. I watched a tiny bit of Blair's speech but I found it too sad. I missed all of the Iraq war stuff when it was all happening, as I wasn't into watching the news at that age. All I remember of Blair was how excited we all were when he won his first general election at a landslide and chucked the Tories out. It seems so terribly sad now to see it all come to this.

I agree that poring over the BBC news site is not good for the blood pressure or stress levels. I've been congratulating myself all week for sitting nicely with good posture at my computer desk, but now I've got a dodgy stomach from the stress, which is not good as ds has a lot on that needs me this week. Ooops.

I love your point about women in power. You are the second person to mention that to me today. Interesting!

I've had a frugalleering epiphany this month. I realised that I know how much money I have available to spend each month after groceries and household bills, and that I can control that to make sure I don't go over budget. How did it take me a year on this thread to spot that? Anyway, I'm on a mission now.

Still not caught up with you guys

Confession time - I've been crazy busy but I've also been to test drive a new car, the finance on it is at same rate as credit union & would cost me €450 monthly for 5 years, I currently pay out €305 monthly on car loan finishing shortly & put away €130 for car tax & insurance. It's not that much of a stretch more. Car tax would go from €790 annually to €200 & it is more efficient too

Interesting point re women in politics.
Today should (hopefully) be an nsd.

Am off to work and then off to a drinks thing at our local museum later for one of the banks summer client parties. They always have nice freebees/goody bags (notebooks and pencils and pens oh my!) and always have lovely canapés.

Staying for one drink. As a) am tired and b) am still on antibiotics so technically shouldn't be drinking anyway. But holding and gently sipping a small glass of something bubbly in the sun probably isn't going to hurt. Today is the final day of the antibs too. So am a bit more relaxed.

Part of me doesn't want to go as do not really feel like being sociable and making small talk. But hey ho.

I may get chips on the way home...