The frugaleers jovially jostle their way into June July and joyfulness

[Ememem84]

ta da!

I'm going no spinning this morning then we're going to look at cats so excited! If we get one I assume we will then go on to pets at home. Hopefully the traffic won't be too bad as it'll all be going the other way. Dh taking the DC to soft play whilst I'm spinning I can see them whilst I'm doing it which is fun.

lila I forgot to buy two major ingredients so we got a takeaway. £10.

Wreck Wilkos do cat stuff really cheap, our cat box is from there & they do a lovely covered tray for £30.

Fluffy we don't have a wilkos! I wish we did as I love it

lilac I have a sinus rinse teapot thing. That's on today's agenda.

Do you have a range shop wreck? Failing that pets at home have a loyalty scheme which I think gives 10% off first shop. Not sure if you have to register first

I remember buying cat things including a lovely cosy cat bed. Do you think the little sod ever slept in it? Not even once! He is far too comfy making the armchair all furry.
Going shopping today, I've been saving up for new trainers so going to treat myself.

Nope no range either I'm just warming up on my spinning bike. I've done 2k already and the class doesn't start for five minutes.

Hello all, welcome back Italian and congratulations. Annoyingly I just lost a long post, so I think I'll do smaller posts!

Ours has a covered dog bed. Cats love a dog bed.

Bonus points awarded if you manage to evict the family dog to sleep on the cold floor.

£4.50 for parking. £20 back returning a pair of shoes I ordered, they weren't leather, so they went back. £20 on a gorgeous sun hat for DS. Unfortunately none of the kids ones fit him, do small men's it was. Hopefully it will last for a while. He does like a hat, and doesn't tend to lose them. (He tried to get me to buy him a linen flat cap too, £20, he can have that for his birthday.)

I returned the water bottle I bought for DD1 that broke when knocked off the table onto the patio. Sent a long complaint to Smiggle custo,er services, they said to return it. I swapped for a replacement. Also returned the coloured pencils my mum bought as one kept breaking when sharpened. Previously I would have just moaned.

I have a cat and a golden retriever. Guess who spends the most time in the dog bed? Hint - it's not the dog!

Cat also likes to lie in doorways - which results in dog whining as he's too frightened to walk past the cat.

£43 in the camping shop buying the things DS needs for his forthcoming camping trip. That was a sleeping bag liner (our bags aren't very warm), bed roll mat, plastic bowl and plate, cutlery set (don't want him to lose ours!) camping towel, torch, mini day sack.

Couldn't get him wellies there as too narrow. Ordered from M&S £15 (I think). Also needed to order replacement school trousers as ordered to wrong ones (but the others will go back).

BTW - Hello! Wanted to join in for a while but these threads move fast! (Sorry for any typos - smashed phone screen yesterday).

£50 in Tiger, buying lots of gifts for 2 parties DD2 is going too (but only £7 per child), present for DD1 to take to a party yesterday. Plus some LED lights to go on bike wheels (DS has his, the girls' have been put away for stockings) padlock, 2 fans with spray bottles, ashtray with a lid for DH (disgusting habit).

School fair yesterday afternoon. Gave each of the girls £5. £2 for mum and I to go in, 50p on a box of cakes (a friend begged me to buy some as no-one was buying). They gave DD2 a cake (actually, the lovely lady took a £2 coin from her and gave her "change" of 2x£1! So she thought she had paid. She is only 5 and is just starting to get money)

Tesco food shop £125, but have forgotten eggs, Yorkshire puddings and DS has lost his compass.

Welcome Noodle

Thanks folks. :) :) Yeah she had a completely amazing couple of days. Keeps saying "I can't believe..." about various things. She is going to be sooo knackered though! She woke up at 3am on her birthday, we were all sleepless TBH watching the referendum stuff and in my case being ill. She got really upset when she realised how the voting was going (it really hadn't been our intention to involve her in it at all, but she'd kept asking throughout the campaign etc - unexpected positive though, she is now fascinated by politics, so that's become an upcoming home ed project). Trials of having a sensitive kid! Bless her. She did really well considering how little sleep she had, she was very tearful on the way home. Her friend invited her to sleep over last night - I was tempted to say no, but this is her BFF from school and they don't see each other much, so she's having an enforced quiet day once she's home.

Rainforest Cafe was absolutely fantastic, we all loved it! We got to sit right by the elephants. None of us had ever been there - my DSCs have with their mum in the past and they recommended it. It was hideously expensive though (despite using a voucher I'd found online) so we were very very grateful that it was my Mum's treat! Definitely a rare, special occasion type place.

It's funny with DS, sometimes he is absolutely fine with crowds etc, but I think the combination of some newish people, and the nature (no pun intended) of the event itself, made it a bit difficult for him. We hired an animal handler, she was amazing! Lots of little mammals, reptiles (we are totally in love with a tree-climbing gecko) and some creepy crawlies. All the creatures she has are rescues. I held a hissing cockroach, so I am feeling rather proud of myself - I was quite scared TBH! But when I looked up close, it was actually kind of cute. She did an amazing job of reducing fear in the kids, lots of them held animals they were scared of at the beginning.

Internet is being absolutely fucking useless, it keeps cutting out so I am swearing at the modem a lot. I've written down the helpline number to ring tomorrow. I think it's in the phone line itself though as the landline is being odd as well. And the laptop charger keeps failing too, FFS. Still while I was unable to sleep last night I managed to sort through a lot of our old photos, so that was something more productive than faffing around online like I'd usually do. :o

Possible frugal win here. Went back to sleep after my cuppa and woke to a text from my riding instructor. She desperately needs another "grown up" for a hack later on. And she'll cancel my "debt" from yesterday (if we cancel after 6pm the day before were due to ride we still have to pay).

So it's a win win for me.

Just booked a holiday for us! 11 nights in Crete on a B&B deal for £702 for both of us, AND I'll get £30 cashback too. Whoop, whoop!

Wow creme great deal. Cretes lovely! (Does that include flights)

Have tidied up this morning. Done the last load of essential washing before my machine gets looked at by the repair man at some point next week. And am meal planning. So far on the list:

Sunday - roast beef
Monday - red Thai beef curry
Tuesday - baked cod with cheesy breadcrumb crumb top and veggies.
Wednesday - chilli and sweet potato jackets

Nothing. For thurs and fri as yet.

Thanks, Em. I have always wanted to visit the Greek Islands, but put it off when DS was younger, as I didn't think he would cope with the heat. Yes, flights, transfers, accommodation and breakfast. I just got travel insurance for £7.16 for both of us too,again through Topcashback, so should get 86 pence back for that.

I'm getting cabin fever stuck in the house and not being able to drive. However I've started to decrease meds I'm on with good effect.

Yesterday I went for a walk with my mum whilst my DS rode his bike. It was only a short one however first time I've actually been out. I was pretty tired after but expected it.

My aim for this week is to stop the daily visits from nurse and walk to the clinic providing I can get a decent appointment time and hoping to get the twice daily packing down to once. It sounds stupid bit this means so much to me. I rely on my indepedendence and hate relying or taking off others. I need to work on accepting help to be honest. This is one of the hardest parts lately, accepting help when I need it without muddling through.

I'm obviously off work so no income. I'm hoping to maybe do a nightshift next week and see how I get on. It's weekly pay so can subsidise what I've missed out on past couple weeks. I'll just make sure my wound is covered well and wear shorts under my trousers. Or maybe leggings.

I get paid on Wednesday. Unsure what to expect. I know it's going to be a tight month to be honest. I've held back my CB and tax credits from this month. I'm going to have a re think of how to do my budget.

And last but not least, I think I'm going to ditch the fags. Dirty habit I know but it's been one of my coping habits for the past year or so and only thing I spent on myself. The money I spent on them will go into a side account to save up for holidays. Although I expect to be grumpy for next few weeks till out of my system. I'm not going to tell anyone. I may or may not use a vape thing. I'll see how I feel. I have one and some random flavours.

Oh and also another thing. I heard from am ex last night, one of whom I was very fond of. Although I know it's been over for a while, we'd talk as friends and I always had a teeny tiny glimmer of hope somewhere deep inside although I knew it ended for a reason. Mid conversation he told me he may have met someone. I kind of didn't know how to feel. Being the bigger person I told him that I'm happy for him and how amazing. I had an odd feeling I thought I'd be more upset. I guess I describe it ad a bit numb and I know that chapter of my life is finally closing. I said I suppose this is where our convo ends and we should talk anymore. He kind of disputed this and then said well maybe this is a joint decision with this new person. I told him that it would be unfair to her and I think I'm going to silently cut all ties. Will he notice? I don't know. We have mega background together and it would be unfair to both of us. He was the only person I'd ever had made future plans with and believed in them. I need to acknowledge and grieve through it all properly in my own time. I know deep down it's best to keep my distance and cut all contact. I kind of have a little plan in my head of what I'd like to do for myself. Maybe one day he'll realise what he had- I'm not doing it for that reason but at least I can keep my head held high. I suspect that he expected a massive backlash or reaction from me. He's got none of that apart from a wish you well. I'm surprised I reacted so calmly. I think some of it is relief.

Sorry to go off on a tangent.

Meal Plan (subject to juggling)
Today : butternut squash and mushroom risotto.
Tomorrow: same.
Tuesday: jacket potatoes with cheese and coleslaw or pesto (DS) and salad.
Wednesday: gnocchi with avocado, olives and pesto.
Thursday: veggie burgers and chips and salad.
Friday: out for dinner. DS- pizza.
Saturday: pizza (DS away).
Sunday: Quorn escalope with vegetable rice.
Monday : tofu and veg stirfry with noodles.

Sounds brilliant creme! I haven't been to Crete but have been to Zante and Kos. We love Greece the food is brilliant, the people are friendly and the beaches and weather are amazing!

Today we were the family whose ds weed in the soft play. Luckily I was spinning so it was dh's fault.