Springing into the New Year with the 2017 Frugaleers

[CathodeRayTube]

Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from an old thread grin

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.

Em I find that wrapping a warm scarf round a throat like that day and night, and drinking very hot water to scald it helps really a lot.

I know what you mean about your cousin. If I home educated I would be like that I think. I'm very glad to have a nice school to send ds to. Maybe I should stop watching the news.

I actually did have a pretty frugal day yesterday after all (not so good on the diet though!) I took out £100 in cash to cover all groceries/coffees/food out etc for the week. Again a much more realistic budget as last year I was only allowing £50 and now I have 2x nappies, wipes and, increasingly, formula to budget for.

Yesterday I spent £13.54 in Sainsbury's on flowers and items for lunch at friend's plus salad for dinner. Today so far I've spent £5.75 at softplay and I need to pick up a few groceries on the way home.

All I took a look at your blog and have already transferred some money to a separate account for next Christmas!

Tonsillitis can be reasonably mild, Em; no worse than a very sore throat. One of the times I had it, I managed to go into work as a reception teacher all week (although I did collapse at the weekend!) If there are spots or white patches at the back of your mouth, it probably is bacterial tonsillitis, which might well need an antibiotic.

You're on a roll today, Life! Can you come to mine when you're finished?

Spends: £3.81, on bread, milk, rubber gloves and a packet of crisps. So that's £9.14 on top-ups, when I was about to have a whole week's delivery. I also made DS a GP appointment for next week, returned my library books and ordered the next book for the book club I'm in from the library.

Nsd. Didn't bother getting ham dd can have tuna instead.

Am going to book a massage (will be £12.50 as half price Sunday's in Jan is in your city tits and 8) then I WILL finish my job application.

Wreck I thought you were getting a massage on your tits!

outrageous tayto!

@ Tayto & Wreck!

Excellent frugalling there Cathode. I always fancied buying shares.

£20 petrol
£27.50 birthday gift
£9 zylkene for the cat.

I'm going to do a list of all birthdays for this year & hit card factory.

Updated spends:
€5 chocolate

Mammy, I think it was you who mentioned having a house full of chocolate, the ridiculous thing is I have a house full of chocolate too but I can't resist half price Lindt reindeers .

First draft of application done and sent to my sister (HR experience and a degree in English ).

Wraps for dinner.

Cag Do you think you will HE when the DC are at high school age? Honest question, no underlying agenda (hope you know me better than that!). I think what I mean is, how do they go about gaining GCSE and A Levels etc?It seems even more challenging at 14-18 years.

Cath Self perceptive comment re anxiety (the home ed comment), fair play to you.

Hope you feel better soon Em. Gargling with aspirin helps too, more than one GP has told me before.

Been at work all day. Pretty glad to go actually. I Like work, it gives me routine and a sense of purpose, however much I enjoy my time at home.

DH isn't back until tomorrow, the house was totally spotless when I got home. He's even upended sofas, chairs, rugs, bedroom furniture. Been to the tip, Christmas is gone from Need mansions. He is also less able to sit still than I am though....... I'll post a photo in a bit of the 'Happy New Year' letter grid, rearranged into something else.

Went to M&S and spent £40, more than I envisaged but they were reducing masses of stuff, all the fresh stuff, bread, meat. Filled the fridge and cupboards.

Lasagna and salad for tea.

Usually says Happy New Year

That was me Bertie and my aunt gave me a dairy box since!

My spends today were €35 at GP, €19.11 at chemist paracetamol ibuprofen & a nail buffer! Gp gave me prescription for 100 paracetamol so cheaper than buying over the counter.

Got my cc bill €13.79 in interest.
Dh came home sick today too.
We're saving loads on food though cos no one is eating

Will catch up with you all later, I'm going to get up for an hour or two

That's brilliant, Need. I love it!

All I have left of Christmas food is a Terry's chocolate orange, a small bit of salted caramel cream and some Yule log, of which I'm having a secret slice a day. DS doesn't know about it and it serves him right, as he ate most of my Guylian chocolates and over half my Cadbury selection box. Mwah, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Hi all-can I join? I'm a total novice frugaleer having been mainly lucky with finances over the years but we've just had an unexpected blow so I really need to spend as little as possible and put the rest into paying off bills and saving for a balloon payment on a car I had to buy after writing mine off just before Christmas.

Wow, that was a long sentence. I must have forgotten punctuation is free.

Need that is awesome

Sorry crème I knackered now. House done top to bottom. Christmas out, bookcase f from when new carpet was laid back in. Halloween and Christmas s stuff mostly boxes ready for the attic. Couple more book boxes to go through. 3 boxes for the chazzer and more in the attic. I've realised I will not sell it so I'm going to suck it up an gift it.
Scout leaders meeting tonight and will go see if there are a any fitness vest left in normal size in aldi.

Welcome newbies

Thanks need, yes I'm pretty much aware of what goes on here. We're definitely a dormouse family, and to get a healthy perspective we need to live in the company of a lot of chilled-out, party going mice. The best friend I've had in recent years was a girl so chilled out that she frequently lost her passport, house keys and car. I'm currently working on several schemes to find nice chilled-out friends.

Well done on the M&S haul. I think I might go down and have a look once school starts again.

Welcome PurpleDaisies

We had a fantastically useful playdate today. A three year old friend came over and threw his weight around a bit and made a bunch of demands, and then had a massive tantrum when he had to leave. It gave ds and me both some perspective on our own more minor frustrations, which was strangely helpful. Good, free lesson in counting one's blessings.

Application sent. Wish me luck Frugaleers. I should at least get an interview as I have a hidden disability so I've asked them to consider me under the guaranteed interview scheme...

Love that sign, Need.
Em, pharmacist should be able to help with your throat - hope you feel better soon.

Welcome all to the new frugaleers.

£8 on top up food shop.

Fingers crossed Wreck.

That sounds nifty Wreck. I had no idea there was such a scheme. I must look it up. Good luck with the application.

I just noticed tilde wholegrain rice is still half price in tesco and also Johnson's baby shampoo 1/3 off, if it's useful to anyone.

I've had a little success this week. I swapped generic bird seed in my bird feeder for sunflower seed hearts and now instead of ignoring the feeder, the birds are forming an orderly queue. Yay!

bertie yes. I'm tracking it. As of last month anyway. I have downloaded FMC onto my phone and keep track of EVERYTHING there. Periods ovulation headaches how I'm feeling. Absolutely everything.

creme just got the torch out and had a look at my throat. No white spots but it looks bumpy. Trouble is I'm not sure what it looks like normally. I'll make an appt tomorrow.

It feels like throats infection I've had loads before. Which was a bummer. I get totally wiped out. I've had glandular fever so know I need to be careful and take care of myself.

Trouble is, I can't afford to take any time off work. If I don't get pg I have to go away in march and will be out at our busiest time for the month. So time off between now and then is not really doable. Obviously I know if I can't do it I can't do it and need to rest etc.

I'll speak to work about working from home later this week. If I can at least stay home that'd help I think. 😭

Have drunk a ton of water today. Eaten healthy. Lots of hot drinks and have tried to stay warm.

Sheppards pie for tea. Then hot water bottle lemsip and bed with Netflix. Early night big sleep and I'm hoping I'll be over the worst. Hoping.

thewaitress well done for acting upon my advice 😊
Good luck wreck.
We bought our breadmaker second hand for £15 off gumtree, so worth a try.
Nsd.