Frugaleers, keeping their frugal resolutions in the new year. Keep on, erm, resoluting!?

[Cagliostro]

Hello everyone! :)

Mammy that book sounds interesting. I must see if it's in the library.

Cag Talking about the faff of making up bottles - One of my friends who bottlefed (a bloke who was a full time carer) used to go into boots and buy a new bottle and a carton of formula, empty the one into the other right there in the shop and stick it straight into the baby's mouth. It used to make me roar with laughter the approach that he took that was so casual compared to mine. Sometimes he just opened the bottle top and poured in an arbitrary amount of calpol into the milk, without noting the time or amount or anything.

It was hilarious, because I was the exclusive bf Mum, carefully measuring calpol with a syringe and noting times and amounts carefully to avoid overdose. It just shows there are all sorts of ways to do it.

Had a nsd today, went for a run in the morning and then did admin and cleaned the house, off to teach tonight and I have a sweet potato and lentil soup in the slow cooker for when I get home.

He'd have found it difficult to breastfeed cathode

I used presterilised bottles and premade formula a couple of times with dd, the luxury of having a bit more money than when I had ds. Just when out & about travelling. Ds wanted his warm anyhow, dd took it whatever way it was served up

Like I have said before, he's a beanpole too, size 28 inch jeans hang down by his hips (but I think that's cool anyway....)...

I've just spent exactly £20 more today, on revision guides for the DC, advised by the school. Not negotiable spends really imho, particularly with so many changes in curriculum, 2nd hand not an option.

Interesting discussion re approaches to parenthood. I found it knackering at times, especially having 2 in 18 months and DH working so much, but not hard, sometimes tedious, often joyful and rewarding. I've got friends that found it very tough and others who were pretty relaxed, knackered, but relaxed.

I wonder if personalities that are prone to want to do stuff 'right' and are anxious to get it right find parenthood harder in general? Notwithstanding illness/SN etc? And not really aimed at anyone either. Just musing. DSIL suffered badly (was sectioned), she's such an anxious person in general. Other DSIL is horizontal personality-wise, had twice as many DC and sailed through the earlier years.

Waffle, waffle. Probably talking crap a per usual

ps - I got into a right pickle about DS and food/nutrition (I HATE Annabel Karmel with a passion now...). So tense. Made him a fussy eater. I found as soon as I relaxed about it, he ate stuff. What a waste of worry and stress!!!

Need he's eating healthy food & exercising not eating junk in front of his games console all good

There could be something in your theory need
I place a high importance on tv not being first choice of entertainment, no tablets & cooking primarily from scratch & not indulging wants as often as needs. My colleague has children of almost identical ages, 3 & 6, not a keen cook, eats chipper food at least twice a week, indulges wants as compensation for being a working mum, both dc have tablets and both our children are happy healthy friendly children

My dc are both fussy buggers.

Ha mammy. We all definitely have certain 'stuff' that matters to us more than others. I've got many things too. One of those is ensuring that DD feels she has as many and equal opportunities as DS. The family always accuse me of banging on about this.... and manners... and nutrition...not too fussed about TV as they are both always on the go, it's very personal isn't it?

I did tell him to put at least 3 of the falafals back from the 6 he had put on his plate.

Cathode your loop is probably more advanced than the smart meter. We all have to have one eventually. If you don't want one they can shove it until it becomes compulsory

confused Welcome back, I remember you because I bullied you into giving up coffees & buying a tassimo

wreck I sobbed booking Dh into the Drs today. Please tell me it's an hourly occurrence in GP surgeries.

£5 sainsburys. Too late home to cook cottage pie so it's a reduced pizza, reduced frozen apple crumble, smart price custard. Bought their gold label tea, the smart price tea is too expensive now per bag.

Enjoying the children discussion. Hoping I have the joy of parenthood to come over sometime over the next few years. Although worried about it too as I have mental health problems and worry about how I'll cope - I have an anxiety disorder, can you tell?! Lol but I just need remind myself to CALM.

Spent £1.40 on a coffee on campus on my way to work when otherwise it would have been a NSD . It was soo cold though and I was half asleep so I splurged. But I worked 6 hours so I earned money too at least. Knackered now I've come home.

Fluffy What's the feeling on the Amazon Subscribe and Save?

I need to utilise my Prime account more.

MSE are predicting that Boots will reduce their sale to 70% on Friday. There's some lovely 'smelly' type sets still knocking around, plus No 7 etc. Would be great presents.

Ooh thanks for the tip need - I hadn't looked at the Boots sale (other than a bit of wrapping paper) but I was pondering treating myself to some Botanics stuff, I find their stuff tolerable (I am REALLY fussy and have annoying skin, even Simple brand stuff I can't handle?!) and my skin is frankly fucking horrendous at the moment. So will have a look. :)

Need to plan tomorrow. Thursday therefore pretty much the whole day out of the house.

Oh no fluffy is he ok? We don't get many people crying but it certainly happens.

need If you want to save more with Amazon prime register for a free online course, register with nus as a student (£12) and you get prime half price. S&S, is it cheaper than the pound shops, home bargains et al.

Save the student is a good place to start.

wreck excellent, I'm glad it happens every hour.

Fluffy Thanks that's good to know about the smart meters. Is there something difficult going on for your dh then?

Mammy yes I think Bf was not an option for my bloke friend. He could hide an astonishing number of pre-made bottles in his big coat pockets though. Like and entire day worth for two very close together babies.

Need around here there are a lot of very A-type parents who only do wooden toys, and want their kids to go to the best private schools and be fabulous musicians and all that. The dreams of elegant perfection during the pregnancy hit a sort of reality crunch when the equally A-type infants start throwing their weight around, refusing to eat or sleep and screaming non-stop because the dummy is the wrong shade of aqua marine, or whatever. Often the grandparents are not there to help because they are also quite high maintenance and the whole thing spirals exactly the sort of screaming indignity that they'd really hoped to avoid. It's all good fun, as I'm sure you can imagine.

That's funny about you not getting on with Annabel Karmel. I couldn't stick it either. I went the other way and used to share Costa chocolate muffins with ds in his pushchair. I was all geared up to be a jolly relaxed libertarian mother and unfortunately it did me no good at all, as wheat and chocolate both turned him insomniac. Live 'n' learn.

We've had 5 play dates already since the start of term. Feeling pretty good about that. Also they are free which is handy.

Don't worry, Italian, I didn't take it that way at all.
I'm thinking of maybe BF at night to save having to get out of bed and make up bottles while babies cry! It was so easy doing that with DD and I'd just go straight back to sleep afterwards as I hadn't had to turn on the light or anything.

confused I remember you too but not your old name. I would have been Pointless then.

NSD but only because my mum did our shopping while I stayed at home with poorly DD and I haven't paid her back yet. I owe her £65. DD really out of sorts, we've had a very lazy day.

Fluffy, DH has found out that we could get a PCP deal on a second hand car for about £70 a month less than what we're paying now. Same dealership and finance co. Do you think they might let us switch?

I saw that on MSE about Boots, I might call in after work on Friday and see if they have any baby stuff cheap i.e. bottles, maternity pads etc.

You'll have to finish the finance on the car you have now because the FCA don't like you rolling one contract into another. Dealerships got their bottom smacked on that one years ago because people ended up owing loads more than the car was worth and therefore couldn't get out of them.

VT is still an option.

Hi all I am all relaxed and chilled out after 2 days at the spa Was sooooo nice, we didn't want to leave! My budget was spot on so that was good and I feel all lovely and relaxed so money def well spent.

My carefully planned childcare/cat arrangements all seemed to work out as well, my mum has said after doing it for one night that she doesn't know how I do it case of having to and been doing it for 10 years now!

Been catching up on the thread, someone mentioned going to see La La Land? Let me know what you think as am thinking of going next week and also if you think it would be suitable for nearly 11yo dd?

Yy to the various ways of parenting, I was pretty clueless when I had dd and after 3 months of pulling my hair out did the ultimate mn parenting sin and Gina Forded her that woman saved my sanity I swear!! Dd was like a different baby, ate, slept and generally much happier and as a result I felt much more in control. I think if I was having twins I would be looking to try and get them into some sort of routine as a way of coping tbh. Oh and dd was mix fed, it worked very well and I bf her for nearly a year.

Hope you are o.kay Fluffy and your dh.

Tomorrow is a catch up day, need to go to town and pick some bits up, collect the cats various prescriptions and do a Lidls shop.

I did Gina ford with dd and it worked really well. With ds I was completely led by him and it worked really well. Different children need different things it's about what works for you. And wine. Lots of wine.

Nsd here.

Girlie I'm glad you enjoyed your spa. My house is so clean and tidy at the moment I don't know what's got into me. Even my washing is all folded. I've worked out if we put the clothes horse on top of the kitchen table the washing dries in less than 24 hours in the winter. Heat rises I suppose.

I suspected that might be the case, fluffy. It looks like VT then. MIL has kindly offered to lend us money for a deposit on a new car which we can pay back as and when.

Pleased your spa break was lovely, girlie.
DD eventually organised herself into a routine, it wasn't due to anything we did. I am going to have to try harder with two of them though!

Better day. I spoke again to coworker. She came up with excuses as to why she couldn't or wouldn't do the work. I kept sending it with specific instructions.

Nsd.

Catface tried to eat my dinner.

£35 petrol and £1.55 bread. Dry January has now turned into wet January for me, but 17 dry days are better than nothing!!

Jan 18th
£10 Co-op, lazy dinner for the Caglets and fresh noodles/stir fry which I'll do for myself after piano lesson, a few other bits including a juice as massive sugar craving this evening
£30 Brownies subs + donation for 'new' hoodie - had just said earlier that DD's is getting too small, and they were selling them at the end of the meeting. Will wash DD's current ones and give them in next week. And Brown Owl gave her some trousers as well, this is the second time she's done that, do we have a reputation as the poor ones or something :o

OMG I love Catface! So cute

I made a 'tart' today for dinner, bought pastry, cheese, tomatoes, pesto, mozzarella, it was yum. Cheaper than buying it.

Our breadmarker has broken, very upset, will have to buy a new tin.