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

[CathodeRayTube]

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.

snuggly I thought it was something to do with Christmas stuffing. Was dreaming of a table with all the stuffing types. It sounded like heaven.

Nsd today. Free lunch st a seminar. "The effective trustee" or something.

need only using sinful nail oil since Friday and there's already an improvement in my nails! This is what I've been doing, cleaning off old Sally Hansen nail strengthener, putting on some oil letting it soak and then put on another drop of oil before putting on the Sally Hansen miracle cure again. Making progress!

Spendy day today as I'm heading into town to buy some bits for a Christmas party. I have a Lipsy lbd but it's sleeveless and I'm a tad worried about getting frozen arms. Also need black tights, some earrings & new long lasting eyeliner!

Bus will be £2 and may do some Christmas shopping whilst I'm there.

£70 in supermarket but they had run out of cat litter and I couldn't find any alcohol-free beer so I'm going to a different supermarket later/tomorrow. Bought a few stocking fillers - selection boxes and that sort of thing.

Couldn't go to the bank or post office as my blood test was half an hour late.

I went and took part in a research project at the hospital today. They did all sorts of tests on me.

I met a lovely nurse who was like the living personification of relaxation and she taught me more in 15 minutes about combating stress than anyone ever has before. I'm trying to fix what I've learned in my mind.

It made me realise how much my own situation is to do with the people that am habitually surrounded by. Just being with a properly chilled person for 15 minutes really made a difference.

NSD so far.

I went and got the free Christmas cards from WH Smith's today. Thank you for the heads up!

(O2 priority moments)

Foot not broken.

70p vending machine bribery for ds
£9 tesco.

I need to buy one of the nurses at work a Christmas present, i do all the admin for her clinic and she's soooooo lovely.

Thank you Cath and Christmas. I am going on Amazon now to get it.

That's a relief Wreck!

Study sounds fun CRT and great that you found them so helpful re: stress.

Had an epic lie in and have cancelled Brownies for tonight, DD is under the weather and I'm achy as hell so can't manage picking her up. I have a piano lesson this evening but it's here so will be ok. Trying to be productive. Haven't heard back from landlords yet as to when they want to visit next year sometime would be preferable but need to get the place sorted regardless.

Finally got round to selling some toys on FB, a family member is going to buy some but I feel so bad I can't just give them it :( I did ask for less though and explain about money being tight etc.

Had a long chat with DSD last night, uni is going well and she's finally having a learning disability assessment next week which is a big relief.

She reckons we should go and bug the council to see if they can help with the housing situation She says someone she knows did that when their LL put rent up and they got housed... pretty sure there must've been more to it than that but you never know. At least we can tell them about the health issues, ASD etc. Everyone I've spoken to is horrified that they have changed the rules re: sharing a room (it is now when the YOUNGER child is 10) so I want clarification on that too.

That sounds good, Cath.
Pleased your foot isn't broken, Wreck.
Been having a quiet day with poorly DD doing things like play dough, drawing and making rice crispy cakes. She is properly full of cold, poor thing.

NSD. And I got paid about £60 owed from June.

Wreck, so glad your foot isn't broken.
Just ordered the Hot Wires thing at the reduced price on Amazon, so thanks for the heads up. That's one DGC sorted.
Cag, before you go to the council get some letters from GP or whoever stating your conditions and medical needs. It's def worth a try. You gave got nothing to lose.
£1 in the market on new gardening gloves.
Frugal win as my phone hasn't been working for the last few days so I took it to the EE shop. They replaced the sim, reduced my tariff by £40 per month ( said I was being ripped off, which I was) and enabled wifi calling. So now phone works when I am at home. I have a sim only package with 1gig of data which is fine for me.

Evening.

Sorry that I am only reading the last few posts at the minute, having a busy week.

North, I meant to give you these last time I read. It's bound to take time.

Mammy I'm glad it's working! It's a great product isn't it? I actually need to use mine, I moved it to the kitchen drawer, as I thought that would encourage me to use it more. It needs to be back in the bedroom. I slather it on just before bed. Cheap as chips great product.

Glad the foot isn't broken Wrecked.

Great stuff about your experience Cath. Would it be possible to be able to extract yourself from the folk that surround you negatively, or more a case of learning strategies to deal with them?

Cag I really do think you need to push hard to change your situation. I suspect that's not really 'you', but I think you are accepting more than you need to. Be bolshy for the family!

I really need to catch up with the finances and paperwork, but chasing round a bit this week,

DD's 6th form open evening last night. Lots of teachers wanting her to do their A Level subject. She's had all A's and A*'s in her mocks so far, I'm so pleased as DS gets the academic plaudits, but she's just as clever, only no-one notices.

We had our own financial adviser come to work today for an annual review for DH and myself. He's doing a great job. Markets are slightly skewed at the minute due to Brexit and sterling effectively being devalued but our pension and stocks/shares ISAs have had a 9% return. He's tweaking some stuff for us, and I am upping my own contribution to the limit to gain the current advantage, but this is very much for folk that have a buffer of cash savings and looking medium to long term slightly more risky investments. However, I thought I would post, as it's about making money work best for you this thread, which we are trying to do.

Spends today.
£3 coffee (for the house, run out, I am the devil without it)
£25 Fish and plants for DS's new tank. This is his Christmas present but the tank needs to settle for 4/6 weeks before adding fish, so we agreed to get the tank last week, to stock it in time for Christmas. This will be a project for his Gold D of E, but he's really into it at present and it's better than gaming.

Yes you are so right. I am not one to kick up a fuss but the time has come.

I'm only just stopping by, work is crazy & dh is off work for a few days & going to paint dining & sitting room so I'm spending my evenings tidying & clearing clutter

Spendy, spendy day
£223 on Barbour coat reduced in binns, £26 molten brown for 2x sets for Christmas boxes although they were reduced in boots. £21.99 stuffing station, £1 parking, £2 sainsburys, £1500 from savings to cover cc bill.
Need to make Christmas list as planning more spends but I have budget for that. Also need new bras and sports bras in a bit too actually use my gym membership more.
Knackered as work is full on and I'm a bit behind with having a couple of days off.

Cag it definitely has! Well worth kicking up a fuss and seeing if it helps, you really could do with a break re. housing.

Oops, posted too soon.

Well done to Need DD. It's easy for steady kids not to get the recognition, hope she has had a good confidence boost.

Cathode glad the relaxation nurse was useful. Did she give you tools to use day to day?

Life is that how much a reduced Barbour is? Ouch! My DF had to get rid of his 30-year old Barbour recently - it was still serviceable but after his illness it was way too big and he is teeny now but will never gain his weight back. So it had to go but he was gutted.

Not a good day money-wise. I drove halfway across London to visit a friend - I hate London traffic and parking so usually take public transport but I needed to collect a jumperoo that I had lent to her rather urgently, as she is about to emigrate! Anyway, I braved the drive and the Blackwall tunnel, had lovely chat, went to local pizza place for lunch (£15) but then got back to her house to find that I had a £65 parking ticket outside her house! I am really cross with myself for not checking - I had asked her whether I was okay to park there and she said yes, so I didn't investigate further... and it was when i arrived but not between 1 and 2pm. Friend didn't think as parking rules are new and she is up to her eyes in packing up their whole lives and not thinking straight! Hey ho. But it would have been cheaper to take the tube and buy a new jumperoo after all! On the plus side though I also got a few books she no longer wanted and also a giant stuffed giraffe. I have yet to see what DS makes of it but I am looking forward to his reaction tomorrow

On the plus side, I got a letter today to say that DS has been awarded DLA. I am reallly pleased, it means we can keep going with the speech therapy for a bit. I felt a bit funny about it when I saw the letter as I don't really feel we deserve it - he is nowhere near as severe as the most adversely affected kids. But then I saw my friend's child today, who is 15m younger than DS and the differences in their dependence and capability really hit me. I just think that I am so used to my 'normal' I don't notice it as much any more.

Swings and roundabouts. And the usual strawberry purchases and crisps for me

Just ordered DD's main Christmas present, £54 for a scooter. There were loads of cheaper ones but some of them looked a bit flimsy and this one is adjustable and should last her a good few years. I hope the weather is ok over Xmas now, she'll be disappointed if she can't try it out!
Think I'm pretty much sorted for DD for Xmas now but I'm going to look in the charity shop for any kids' CDs or DVDs.
What's everyone getting their parents? I'm struggling to think of anything for them.

That's good Christmas.

Snuggly were pretty poor this year so just getting token gifts for my parents.

LSD today. Spent approx £3.

Seminar was good (free sandwiches!!)

Work was busy.

Dinner was delicious - meatballs pasta and garlic bread with a glass of red.

Dh asked whether I'd heard of hush before. And was there anything I wanted. I told him a skirt. He said ok.

Today was my last day at work this week. Have a hair cut booked for tomorrow. So will spend gulp probably about £50. But I haven't had my hair cut since probably February.

NSD!