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

[Cagliostro]

Hello everyone! :)

EM I agree actually. I think, thinking back about it that that is what my listening lady is starting to introduce, or was last time I saw her.

Creme Me too about Trump. I couldn't watch. Glad they write down his speeched verbatim in the papers so I can read them instead.

Peonies there was an article recently about a bad cough in the Daily Mail. Apparently GPs are seeing a lot of it and it resembles bronchitis but doesn't respond to antibiotics. Is that the one you have? If it's any help, I had a cough like that last year and my pelvic floor was in amazing shape afterwards. Hope you feel better soon.

We went to an orchestra concert with ds and it was loud as hell but he lasted 40 minutes out of an hour so that was pretty exciting. I enjoyed the music and the grown-up-ness of it all. £36 for three.

Also a tesco trip, so we have food again.

Spendy day. £100 food shop, £5 smiggle, £4 metro, £10 Chinese, £25 lush, £5 skatepark, £1.23 waitrose, £50 airport parking, £16.50 good food show.

Will catch up now

I've read back about four pages:-

Christmas thanks for the website recommendation. I'll look it up. Very impressed with you birthday cake too.

em your colleague sounds lazy, inefficient and obstructive which is a really bad combination. I'd be looking to get rid of her a.s.a.p. but I know you have to follow all the required procedures. Must be very frustrating for you.

Cag your DH was being very unreasonable by not answering his phone and depriving you of twiglets. You should ltb immediately .

Confused I was picturing a giant onion on your foot but I think you meant bunion

Wreck what a cute photo.

Sorry to hear you're feeling so ill MissA. Get well soon

Brighter sending you a virtual hug. Enjoy your work night tonight.

NSD today but that's because I stayed home all day. Now, if only I could stay home all week! I've managed to avoid all news footage of the inauguration. If I didn't see it then it's not real and Obama is still president, right?

NSD -hooray!

Enjoy yourself tonight, Brighter.

What did you get from Lush life?

Creme Nut roast sounds lovely.

Brighter I remember when I first moved into my own house when I was 21. Constant struggle financially and having to make all the decisions. It can be very hard.

Cath We once took the DC to see the Black Dyke Band, which are about the best brass band around. They absolutely loved it, but it was bloody noisy. YOU sound so much more positive. You might not be noticing yourself, but your posts are totally different from 18 months ago, in a very good way.

Loving the sound of those shoes Fluffy, they sound fab. Very glam, in keeping with your good self.

DD had a brilliant lesson. We are finishing with the pony at the end of the season in order that she concentrate on A Levels. He's such a saint when he's not naughty. These are memories we will treasure. She knows from the slightest touch of the rein if he's feeling a bit a touch stiff and on which side. He adores her, it will be hard.

Trying a Jamie Oliver recipe tonight. Scruffy winter lasagne. Chicken based dish, with leeks, celery, fennel. Smells divine.

4 bath bomb/ melt thingies need.
Ah hope you get a good new home for dpony. I take it that's what you meant?

Out all day today at meetings. Boring but NSD as lunch is provided. Left home at 7am and it was -4 degrees
Brighter, sorry to hear about your big bills. They are nasty. I live on my own (DP lives in another part of the country) and it is very hard, especially when things aren't going well. But you can do it, I'm sure.
Everyone on here is very supportive and you can moan on here as much as you like.
But enjoy tonight.

Love those Life, folk bought me some for Christmas.

Yeah, he's going (tries not to cry) It takes up so much time and energy, she can't realistically do it and make the most of her A Levels. She will have a wonderful summer with him (finishes school early after GCSE's), then we will find him the best home. I don't honestly care if I give him away, if it's the right home.

Frugally it will be a godsend, as he costs around £300/£400 a month. We already have a buyer for our horsebox, so that will be at least £7k in the bank from that sale.

Nsd. Parents bought me a Chinese mmmm and my step dad fitted our new door

Love the door. We took off our door between hall and living room as have a tiny house, but heat escapes so should put it back on. Although we are dreaming now about going all open plan and making the kitchen part of living room. All dreams.

On an excellent note...we got £1100 back from a claim to do with banks charging for an 'additions' acct when the services weren't needed nor explained. Happy days. But sadly it will go to pay off our credit card debt.
I did treat dh to new slippers though £15

You all seem to have had good days! Bloody bills brighter am dreading the mot on the big stupid car this year, was £900 last year as all the tyres were bald.

£29 in aldi, including half leg of lamb for lunch tomorrow, £2 parking in town, got ds's watch fixed (new battery), thanks debenhams - was free.

Then, I spent about £50 on clothes from charity shops (all thick cotton), as I am planning another project, hooked rug stair risers, so need lots of fabric strips. Have ordered the proper hook (amazon £9), as a crochet hook didn't work quite properly. Have set dd1 to design one, and putting a lot of our pets on others. I wonder if I'll ever finish them...

need

Bloody well done All, it's £1100 you don't have to earn to pay the cc.

Gosh need thats a massive, brave decision to make. Its going to leave a big horse shaped hole in your lives. Bloody expensive horses. Dp's mum has 2, and at 72 still works full time just to keep them, one is just a teenager as well

Ah that is sad need but I can see why you would make it.

Sorry about the big bills. This had to be the worst week of the year, week before January payday.

Oh need sad!! But it'll be the right decision.

I've been talking about maybe in the future gettintg a pony. Dh says it's a great idea. But I'd like to be able to spend a lot of time with it riding mucking out etc. Realistically to afford a pony both of us would have to work full time. And to have the time to care for it etc I'd have to either go part time or no time. So while affordable it's unrealistic. For now.

It's a decision that was made last year Knitting, I just didn't post it on here. We both know it will be the right time. I've given her a year to enjoy. She wasn't ready to give up last year (wants another season of travelling the country and standing in fields all weekend in the rain!!!) but there are lots of things that she can't do at present, because we always have to consider dpony. Concerts, nights out with her friends, shopping etc. It's always a 'no' as he needs sorting. And that's never ever a chore, its always a pleasure. And when I see how good a rider she is, that hurts a touch. But we are at peace with our decision.

She will have no idea what to do with all her time. He takes up at least 2 hours a day minimum

Aw Need. I'll miss the cheeky pony stories. He's a real character! I understand where you're coming from though. The nut roast is a frozen Sainsburys concoction for £3. We had it during the Christmas holidays and it was very tasty.

Very nice doors, Wreck. Hope the Chinese was good too. I have to say, I'm not a fan of open-plan living. Give me small, cosy rooms any day! Oh and I forgot to say good news about the bathrooms and en-suites being finalised, Trying.

Finished*.

Em It's not just the time, it's all the associated costs too. Rugs. Farrier every 6 weeks. Dentist. Vet. Feed, Oil. Hay. Transport, Insurance, clipping, lessons. Competition fees. Such an enhancement to our life, but such a commitment too. 6am starts. Every day. No let up. No day off. Ever. DD comes home from school, quick snack, back down to the farm in the evening too. You are so right to be realistic. Some days I am scraping ice from the car at 5.45am to get to the farm and back before school. Taught her loads though too.

Wow need such a big decision but I hadn't considered all the time it would take up. I do know really, my aunts always had horses and we see the people in the field at the end of our garden every day out with the horses. Such a commitment though.

I love the idea of open plan living but I also love cosy. Our house is tiny. You open the front door to the sitting room and the stirs are right in front of you then the sitting room opens to the kitchen so there's no hallway or porch or anything.

The Chinese was so good, I had chicken chow mein and crispy shredded beef. My favourite.

Spinning tomorrow for the first time in ages, must get back into it. Dh paid. Price has gone up from £4 to £6.50 wtf?

£12 in butchers
£3.20 greengrocer
£5.50 bakers
£2.20 coffee.

Shame about DPony need, hope you find a good home for him.

Teddy managed a 2 mile walk this evening 😁

He's doing amazingly well Adora.

Wow Need that will leave a big horse shaped hole in your life but can completely understand why you have come to that decision.

We have been out to see La La Land, really loved it! Em reckon you would love it Ryan Gosling the fashion and music are amazing.

Dd has a cold and my throat is a bit scratchy

Thanks Fluffy he really is.

Here he is relaxing after his exertion, next to Houdini. Close up of what's left of the injuries.

Glad you enjoyed the take away Wreck and door looks fab, well done Stepdad.

Aw, well done, lovely Teddy!