Marvellous Frugaleers - Chatting and saving through November, and into December.

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Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from an old thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/1324074-For-those-who-cant-afford-to-use-central-heating-this-year-How-are-you-going-to-cope

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1543785-your-top-tips-for-money-saving-and-a-more-frugal-life

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1600030-Small-money-saving-habits-petty-even

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1628874-Gas-Elec-Bills-monthly-and-SKY-so-angry

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1911061-NO-MORE-COLD-MUMSNETTERS

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2209167-Slow-Cookers-are-shit

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2224969-saving-money

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/2258202-Debt-mutual-support-thread-number-6-start-the-new-year-with-a-clear-purpose-and-keep-moving-forwards-even-by-tiny-steps?

orchard.tesco.com/ Sign up to this.

www.topcashback.co.uk/home And this.

www.quidco.com/home/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

www.hotukdeals.com/all/deals/new?page=3 Check this daily.

NSD.

Cath, yes that's lovely. It's always nice to be appreciated, you wouldn't believe the amount of people unable to say thank you.

Spendy day then. £32 train (including my friends ticket)
£21.50 lunch (took my friends ticket off of this)
£8.05 in m&s on pizza, cba to cook
£9 Costa

Both dc got a free hey dougie magazine, colouring page and DVD.

The lights in regent street are gorgeous this year.

Spent a small amount on tube and bus too not sure how much until it comes out of the account.

Spent loads today, little food though.
Car was £105, went to garden centre to look at Christmas display. £2.50 on choc and potatoes, £58 in the range, £6 Iceland and got free chicken nuggets through the bonus card worth £1.50, £24 in aldi on Christmas stuff and odds off food.

Going to join need on the no frugal corner.
Had to get this from the range as just reminded me of ddog so much.

Oh I see, Cath. That makes sense. I'm sure your DH was right, about then being on their best behaviour.

Sounds like a good day out, Wreck. Hope you have had a good rest and are feeling better, Em.

Aw, that's lovely, Life.

Yip probably not regular church goers so on best behaviour.
Em, hope you are feeling a bit better, when do you start your counseling?
North I think it's a good idea you go too, without minimising anything for anyone else, you may have some PTSD
Wreck. The day out sounds great. How is ds?
Cath I think that sounds like a lovely gesture for your old practice

Cathode nice gesture

Wreck glad your DS is feeling better and that you had a good day.

Went to a Christmas fair today - spent about £25 on a birthday present, and a set of reindeer which are gorgeous but I didn't really need. Feeling pretty unfrugal this week.

life I had a session on thursday. It was useful. I talked. And someone impartial listened. We discussed what's going on, how I want to resolve and how I can help myself. A lot was in basic terms "suck it up princess,that's life get on with it". Which I know. But was good to hear it. And to be given tools to utilise to help just brush things off and let go. This is what I struggle with. And this is what causes the anxiety.

I think it's a combination of anxiety stress/busy at work/busy time of year socially/sgetting over illness etc.

I told dh today I don't want to be pushed. I don't feel like eating (very unlike me) so not to push me to help with meal plan etc. I'm just not interested. I've been eating because I have to not because I want to. I'm feeling tummy stress. So food isn't my priority. I'd rather eat biscuits than healthy.

Dh is being as understanding as he can. Some of my "issues" are not easy for him - mil bring one. But I have to deal with this. For him. and for me but I feel mostly for him I have to be able to be in a room with her. For him. If she chooses to be a dick I need to learn not to react. And let him see she's a dick. The fact I have to spend a week with her in march does not thrill me. Sigh. But for dh. I have to because I know he would for me.

And sometimes I need days like today. I sat on bed with my blanket and binge watched Gilmore girls. It was shit weather. It was cold. I've drunk tea and water and vegged. Recharged. Feel happier. and nsd

Well done Em sounds like just the ticket, a duvet day. :)

Spent the day not achieving much, but then got offered some more of that post-translation editing I did a while ago. Yay :)

My loop energy monitor says "welcome to winter" or at least it says something like that in graph form.

It says I could save £400 a year by switching to the co-op from SSE but I wrote to SSE first because last time I did that they introduced a new tarrif very shortly afterwards and then I didn't need to switch.

Cathode I also gave a gift to my old gp & receptionist when I was leaving as I was happy there just it wasn't practical.

Em definitely self care needed to make you stronger for the week in March.

I wasn't feeling too sharp last night so said to dh during dinner that I just felt like crying so he packed me off to bed at 7.15pm & he did bedtime with dc, I was asleep in minutes. Still feel tired but not so overwhelmed this morning.

I need to take the car to kwik fit today as it's making some dodgy noises. We will have to hang around in town until it's done so could be spendy. It's meant to rain all day which is shit as we could have gone to the park otherwise.

Only post on here occasionally but do you not find Kwik fit very expensive? I get a much better deal at my.local independent garage .

em sounds like you're dealing with a lot of issues, I hope you take it slowly, I was told (and its sometimg ive started to do) to write down each day in a diary, 3 things you have achieved that day, just little positive things. It helps.

all thanks for the advice. That isn't something I'd thought to do. But it's something that makes sense. I like lists. So listing things that I've achieved/make me happy would be good for me.

It's not going to be a quick fix. I realise that. I'm not sure dh does yet. He has always been one of those "let it go move on to the next thing" types whereas I stew for days.

We will be in NZ for 3 weeks next year one of which will be spent with mil. I'm anxious about the flight the being away from home and being around her. Dh knew I'd be funny about the flight. That's a given. The added pressure of having to watch my back around mil is not cool. But I can do this.

Positivity. That's all I need.

Yesterday I achieved three loads of washing, a nap and three episodes of Gilmore girls.

Today annoyingly I'll have to go to the pet shop for more cat food. I've ordered more on Amazon but it won't arrive until 30th. £8.86 for 2kg of biscuits. I'll be paying that today for a small bag no doubt. I tried to change my subscribe and save date but can't. Annoyed that I'm having to spend today but it won't go to waste.

Sounds like you have made a good start em.
Spendy day today. Flooring fitting and shopping

Sand no I don't really. Plus if I go to a local garage I have no way of getting home or anything with the dc at least I can go into town etc if I go there. I only go there for problems with the suspension etc just simple things. Anything more complex we do go to a local garage

Exciting, Life. New flooring will transform the look of your house.

Small steps, Em. Try to live in the moment and take each day at a time, instead of looking so far ahead.

Cath, I bet those kids had been bribed.
Happy birthday Girlie. 38 in young but I think the 30s are hard years. Little money and kids arguing with you.
£46 on diesel yesterday evening. But I drive a lot and get expenses for it.
Thanks for the advice on Vick . I will definitely try that. I have a permanent cough ( CPD) so may help.

Happy Birthday girlie hope you are spoiled by dd and your family and friends.

Happy birthday, Girlie! You're the same age as me now.

I took my box of chocolates to the GPs today and then treated myself to a trip to the garden centre.

I think I'm going to start running down my two freezers so I can take occasional trips to M&S and Waitrose for gluten-free stuff and fill them up with that. The food is really good, but I'm currently having to go weekly because there's nowhere to put it. I'd like to run down the cupboards before Christmas anyway, so that will be good.

em on long haul flights I recommend you take some melatonin it helps you sleep and relax but isn't heavy duty and no side effects its help with jet lag too if you take it a few days after. I like it
I went to Drs got signed off for 28 days, and the I get 3 weeks for Xmas, ill only get statutory pay, but I don't care. Feel better already.
Family now have a really tight budget but ill ave money from no morning and after school care and no petrol. But health is more important.

That's good allthebest.

Em I'm glad you're working through things.

Happy birthday girlie!

£110 kwik fit
£10 Costa
£10.99 boots
£38 h&m
99p charity shop
£2.20 on some sweets.

Happy birthday girlie! :) :)