Springing into the New Year with the 2017 Frugaleers

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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.

Forgive my ignorance but the Thames barrier are those shell like things in the river? Which help the tide? cag that's cooolll!!

I think you can also pay (no idea how much mind) to have a tour of tower bridge (you get to see the underneath but that moves...well Stephen fry did...)

I bought the dress in pink and purple...

Aiming for nsd today. I have to buy lunch. But I have a gift card for a cafe so will use that.

There's a place here where hot choc is £5. But it's made with real chocolate, milk and cream. Totally worth every penny. Though not very often as they're huge

Nice dress. I don't need it though as our only hope for a wedding dumped her bf.

Sounds like a fab trip cag.

Pleased to hear about your cousin crème. Do you have much snow?
We have a couple of cm but pretty much guaranteed the town will bring to a halt. Fgs if you don't like or can't drive in snow stay off the road.

No snow here. They forecast and it didn't come.

need & em £49 for that dress is a great price and it's a dress that you can wear over and over again.

My groceries came to €151.03, I estimated €150 so I'm ok with that, and we're well stocked up with healthy food. Yesterday evening was totally health orientated. I went to Aldi and did a big healthy grocery shop, continued on to my Unislim class and lost 1.5lbs, and then went on to course with nutritional therapist which was absolutely fantastic. I learned loads of stuff but also cemented that my thinking regarding food is correct too. I can't wait for next week, and she's making soups and breads for us next week.

creme great news regarding your cousin
cag the bus pass spend is eye watering but at least now you don't have to consider change for bus fares so no need to spend to get change, and you can make a journey without considering if you can afford the bus.

Must check out Jamie Oliver's chicken jalfrezi I have a hankering for curry since smelling a work colleagues lunch yesterday!

Bank is near a shoe shop where I got terrific value in January sales last year, maybe I could spend the money there

lifelong that statement about your hope for a wedding was funny!

I think I'll have a wedding in April, a subcontractor who I work with daily is getting married, I'd be surprised not to be invited but would much prefer an evening invite, weddings are costly.

Cag I am having a delayed reaction... did you say you were learning Japanese? I used to take classes but have long lapsed. I have a small Japanese-English dictionary if it is any use to you? Happy to post it.

Will be lsd today. Not doing much but DH is out tonight so I might get an oveny pizza for myself for later. IF I can face taking DS to a shop. Otherwise... dunno!

Just caught up on the last ten posts or so....that dress is a beauty!

I'm avoiding all clothing spend at the mo as I'm on a huge pre-wedding diet so no need to buy clothes as I'll obvs be far too slim for them in another few months

Only spend yesterday was on a loaf of bread.

Today planned spends are £8.40 on a new prescription for anxiety, I might have a Starbucks as a treat which is £3.60.

Lots more ebaying planned today.

Did someone else say that have beta-blockers for anxiety? Do they work? I've been suffering terribly lately with work related anxiety...

stumbly is the anxiety with work justified? Maybe try other forms of destressing as well as your new medication.

It's hailstones outside my window at work now!

Not really. I'll try to keep a long story short but I had a breakdown about five years ago due to my undiagnosed bipolar which put me in a psychiatric hospital. Partially due to working hours, but also many other things (not least the bipolar itself).

Now I have a mild form of PTSD and have linked the trauma of the breakdown with work. Am working through it with a counsellor but in the meantime I need to at least be able to turn up on a regular basis without panic attacks.

need That sounds as if there is something very wrong going on inside your Mum. I'm sorry to hear that. Very glad you get on with your DF.

To be honest I'm really happy for you to bring your personal stuff to the thread. The rest of us do, because so much of our personal stuff impacts on frugality. If you yourself bring personal stuff to the group, then it actually makes it easier for us to do it, as otherwise it can seem like you are perfect, and the rest of us are not iyswim. Anyway, what I mean is, do rant away any time.

Stumbly that sounds really hard, I'm sorry to hear that.

Hi all, just catching up slowly!

Need and Cag i think you are truly amazing individuals who could have so easily allowed your experiences to bring you down and define your lives. Instead you have shown true resilience and courage and ensured your own kids childhoods are filled with love and support - i honestly think it is inspiring

That dress is beautiful Need

Am now debating signing dd up for the National Geographic magazine! It does look good and could be part of her birthday present.....

I was out last night at a colleagues leaving meal, was a fun night we went to a Thai restaurant, spent £26 (I think) the only slightly annoying thing was that my stomach has been a bit dodgy so couldn't stuff myself as much as i wanted to!!

My nephew (13yo) is in hospital as he had his appendix out ystd so am helping brother and sil out and looking after my 3yo niece today, she is really adorable and no bother at all. Currently sat playing with dds Sullvainain family stuff - she is so cute could eat her up

Plan for today is take dn out to a local garden centre for a mooch about, tidy up a bit and then take dd to my dads as I am working this wend - boo!

girlie we bought Bil a 2 year subscription for Nat geo for Christmas. It was £19.99 for 24 months instead of about £34. And I got a free fleece and a world map!!

They may still have the offer

Just got home from work. Two people died today. Both had cancer one was only 49.

Dh has laid the new vinyl. One of the Drs gave me some clothes for dd that his dd had grown out of.

Nsd. Swimming lessons later.

Wreck do you find out when people have died then? I always wondered whether the GP gets an email, or whether they just notice after a while that the person has stopped showing up.

I often wonder how GPs find out if a youngish patient has left the country too. Maybe GPs have lots and lots of people on their books who aren't even UK resident any more? (Particularly students, I'm thinking.)

I wondered if people might cross their fingers for me tomorrow? Ds and I are going to see a very fancy dietician and I will have to try very hard to keep on top of all the details in the discussion. Any encouraging vibes would be much appreciated.

This trip is a bit of frugaleer affirmative action on my part. It's going to cost £180, so I'd better get my ducks in a row.

Hello, I'd like to rejoin the thread if you'll have me.
I was on last year, but fell off and stopped being frugal, felt bad and stayed away with guilt!

But, having decided I need to sort myself out again, I read this thread and how I've missed you all !!
Its like catching up with gossip from old friends (I don't have any irl). Can I just say you're all amazing.

I started jan 1st, logging everything. My only resolution is to check the bank every day. I skated so close to my overdraft end in december I had bloody nightmares about it.

I'm the one who has 4 dc, too many pets, and a dp who runs a bike shop (hanging in there), with massive (over 15k) credit card debt and a financially abuse ex who makes me beg for maintenance, then berates me for asking for it - gah.

Hi knitting! Not sure if I name changed since you were let on here. I was SpottyTeacakes.

cath yes we get notified usually by the coroner, Macmillan, nursing home, hospital etc. If a GP hasn't seen a patient in the last two weeks then it has to go to post morton.

Wrt patients leaving the country sometimes they'll let us know, is they don't they can easily stay on the books until, for whatever reason, we realise we've had no contact in a while in which case they get a letter sent to the registered address asking them to confirm they're still in the area within three weeks or they'll be deducted.

crt could you record the conversation on your mobile phone so you don't miss anything? Then you could play it back later? Would it help to have notes with you so you don't forget to mention something that is important to you.

knitting hi there, I nc since you were here last I was lilac and I was self employed as a weight loss leader as well as my full time job and have two dc, I have since stopped doing the classes. always welcome here, I also don't have many friends in rl at least not many I see regularly.

Welcome back Knitting, I remember you and I haven't name-changed!

Cath, good luck for tomorrow. Have you got some food diaries you can take along? Hope it's of great benefit for you all. Don't be shy to point out you've successfully re-introduced some foods and supplements too.

Spends: £4.40 window cleaner. He turned up at 8.45 a.m. I'm the snow! (We had a couple of inches here, Life, but mostly gone now.) £3.30 bus. £5 yoga; it was a lovely, friendly class. I'm going to try to go every Friday, unless I get asked to work. £2.29 on wraps and chocolate in the village shop. Total: £14.99.

Happy Friday everyone .

In the snow, not I'm the snow!*

I only have one friend in family, none outside. Dh obviously.

CRT I like the idea of taping the consult. You should get some written support too from them. Studies show most aural info is lost very shortly after consultations have ended.

Welcome knitting, it doesn't matter what happened you're always welcome here.

NSD. I got a refund on the insurance I bought thinking it was indemnity but it was public liability 😩 So £59.01 back in the kitty. I was so nervous of ringing up but I bit the bullet today.

I am so pleased Teddy & CremeCousin are on the mend 🍾, it's excellent news.

sorry stumbly didn't mean to read your post and not answer.

Well done on your success so far with counselling, I always think medication helps to get us through the toughest times with mental health while we're building ourselves back up

That's a good thought to record the meeting. I hadn't thought of that. My phone is a bit rubbish unfortunately, but I'll take notes on paper.

I'm going with detailed food diaries, and written questions, which I've sent in advance, and also symptom diaries and medical histories.

I've got it set up with the assumption that I'll get stressed and brain-fail in the meeting and the lady said she was happy to do the whole discussion by phone afterwards as long as she gets to physically meet us to have a look and weigh us and stuff.

The £180 really focuses the mind doesn't it? I wonder if we'd all try that much harder in GP appointments if they cost £100 a shot?

Wreck that's good to know that GPs are notified if we keel over. I always wondered that.

Yes, hospitals always send letters to GPs re RIPs.

Good luck with the dietician Cath. I am sure you will be fine if you have notes going in and can jot down the answers to your queries. It doesn't surprise me it is so expensive, private medicine always is!

I have a few friends in RL but I have realised since giving up work that a lot of my friendships were work based and they don't really have the same momentum now I am not at work, even those I really liked on a personal level. Of my RL friends a fair few have moved away over the years (one recently to NZ), including my brilliant sister who used to be less than 5 mins walk away. When I went through my most difficult time with realising DS was autistic and my dad's cancer diagnosis within a couple of months one couple in particular (very old friends, and local to me) were amazing. The friend used to work with autistic children and she really understands DS and he loves her. I think she is the only person outside of my immediate family who genuinely loves him. But today she told me they are moving away. I feel ridiculously gutted, actually. We are not in each other's pockets but somehow it feels as though all my support networks are leaking away. I have been in tears a lot this afternoon, if I'm honest. I think it is the culmination of the erosion of a lot of my social networks and giving up work and I have realised that I am actually quite lonely. Unlike a lot of mums I don't seem to make friends through DS because he doesn't have have friends or play with other children at nursery, so there are very few play dates. Not sure what I can do about this but will see what the new baby brings.

Sorry for the moan, DH is out tonight so I wont get to cry on him either. And everything makes me cry at the moment (end of Obama! ) Will bounce back tomorrow.

Knitting I also love a bit of knitting! Abandoned recent bootee almost at the finish line though because the pattern was confusing. Must consult my mother on that!

My spends today

60p coffee
99p sausage on toast
£1.55 sandwich and a packet of crisps.

Dd getting her hair cut tonight and my Iceland online shop is on its way £40ish for food it's feee delivery if you spend over £35. I know not everyone likes Iceland but there fresh stuff is good.
MOT in the morning I'm dreading it. Depending on what happens that will set the mood for the weekend.