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

[Cagliostro]

Hello everyone! :)

We pay for our gas and water every quarter and we pay 250£. We have a 3 bed house in one plan without neighbor houses attached

mammy so glad your cat face is back!

itslian beautiful catface!!

My catface is sitting on the radiator in the spare room looking out the window. She hopped up on the bed last night and kneaded my knees. I'm sure she thought she was being friendly but it was weird. So weird.

Should be lsd today. Need to post an eBay item and then pick up a form from social sec dept for a client.

Poor cat being dumped, people think cats know how to hunt but domestic ones quite often don't have a clue.

She's a beautiful calico girl. U.K. Cats are getting to late teens now, some get to 20.

What a lovely cat, Italian! She sounds like our old boy. He is 15 and generally prefers to stay near the radiator in winter. He sometimes goes out to sunbathe in summer but only in the garden, he's not at all adventurous. He loves people and tests out the lap of everyone who visits.

Supermarket this morning and smart meter this afternoon but that's free. I need to get a few more baby bits, maternity pads and suchlike mainly. Have reached a point where most of my maternity tops are now too small but it seems like a waste of money to buy more that will only get worn for a few weeks. If it stays cold I can keep wearing DH's jumpers!

em They only do that to those they consider "mum". Ours won't knead Dh.

It's milk paddling behaviour.

One time he was under the duvet and kneaded my nipple. Ouch.

Drat wreck forgot about the worcester sauce next time. I love eggs, they're part of my staple diet. I could easily survive on chicken, cheese, eggs, wholemeal pitta, porridge, flaxseed, pasta and water
italian she's a gorgeous cat, speaking of retirement, when they're looked after well what's their life expectancy?

em how's the head this morning? there's no way I could do 4 glasses of wine on a work night, I just wouldn't be able to function

Morning all! I have been reading but a bit busy to post (and I lost my weekend post, grr, and was too cross to type it out again with one thumb).

Weekend was a bit spendy - went to friend's house for lunch on Saturday and took wine and nice flowers. Sunday - 2nd birthday party of friends' child, I made the cake. Was happy with the decoration but think I should have cooked the sponge for an extra 5 mins, it had sunk back a bit . Massive Ocado shop on Saturday and I still seem to spend a fortune on top ups, especially fruit. I really need to start working on reducing that. The one frugal win is my mumsnet chicken - had it roasted with roast veg on Monday, chicken fried rice last night and jambalaya (with chorizo) tonight. Also making stock for soup in slow cooker. I think 3.5 meals might be a chicken record for me (although only two of us eating it).

Since the weekend I have been trying to get on top of the housework and doing a bit of knitting in the evenings. I am feeling fairly knackered as I am having a lot of numbness then pain in my hands during the night which is keeping me awake - google tells me it is pregnancy-related carpal tunnel syndrome. I had CTS as a teenager / undergrad when going through exams and doing a lot of writing, but not since. It's actually getting in the way of getting things done as I haven't got a strong grip at the mo, I can hardly even lift the kettle this morning. And I bet knitting is making it worse Well, hopefully it will pass once the baby is born and for the next year 5 months standards may just need to slide a bit.

I can't keep up with all the other posts I'm afraid. Twiglets are grim (I am not in team marmite). Glad teddy and cats are all doing well. I too think having a vivarium is cool.

Lemon (have I got the right poster?) on the question of thermoses for hot lunch, I used to do it and found that it did keep things hot enough. I would warm the food in the morning at about 7am, making sure it was piping hot. I would also prewarm the thermos with boiling water. I would find it was still pretty warm by 2pm. I had a thermos branded one (the chunky food one with a wide neck) and only used to take quite wet food (soup, stews) not things like pasta. I am not sure less wet food would stay as hot as water itself has a high heat capacity so that helps.

Thanks Wreck fingers crossed. Good idea to have that hearing test for your ds. My ds has a bit of glue ear and it's helped a lot by massaging his ears just in the bit in between the ear and the cheek. We managed to avoid surgery but doing that every day.

That great that strengthening is helping need.

Yes the Mums and Dads are always lovely at our school gate. I'm quite lucky to be in a very international school where everyone is basically nice and reasonable. I had just got out of the habit of going to chat. It was good to have a chat, and an eye opener to hear everyone else's tales of disaster.

I have the shivers and a mild temperature now, which seems a bit soon really, but there it is. I'll try and boil it out with jumpers when ds has gone to school.

Hope everybody else is well.

Nearly the end of January now, and the epic budgetary consequences of roofing will be quietly tidied away.

Loving the cat pics. We 'acquired' a kitten this Autumn, DH was very anti but is now besotted with her. In fact it only took a couple of days until I came down to the kitchen to find him rocking her in his arms like a baby!

I'm going to make soup for my lunch today, can take to work tomorrow too. Also liver and bacon and mash and peas for supper. Not everyone's cup of tea but loved in this house!

Had the gas/electric discussion last night. All quite shocked and vowing to do better. I need to curb my tumble dryer addiction. Have put a load on this am and will hang on the line when it's done- lovely crisp, sunny day here today.

Have approx £45 cash in the tin to last until Monday. I'm determined to do it with some to spare!

Neenook

I always advise spin dryers, they get an extra pint out of a load & come up on eBay regularly. It's a bit noisy but I don't have a dryer and it means I can dry most things overnight/while I'm at work in an unheated room with the trickle vents open.

I'm saving for a dryer in the Black Friday sales in November but I'll carry on with the spinner to save electric.

neenook fluffy advised me to get a spin dryer when I was on the thread first time round. £20 on ebay, and I love it! It reminds me to try to be frugal each time I use it (but I can't run it with either machine on as it shorts out the conservatory dodgy electrics)

We have 4 snakes, 2 ball pythons (they don't do much), a rat snake, and dd1 has a, um, fiesty corn snake in her room called Derek! Plus one old collared lizard, the survivor of 4. He is on his last legs, but still full of life. We got dd3 a praying mantis for Christmas, which is a bit unnerving.

My old Clive cat is 16. He is my oldest bestist thing. I got him 3 days after my first bfp, when I knew I couldn't go gack to sea. Still hunts like a demon, brings rats and rabbits mostly, and eats most of them. He is loving his new cat food.

Morning all, I had a crap night so am off work and dd still has a sore throat so she is off school - what a pair!! Feeling bit bad as work is dire atm but they need to sort the staffing out so sometimes a crisis is not a bad thing iykwim. Have got dd a Drs app for dd later this morning as get a bit twitchy when she has a sore throat these days!!

Nee can you hang clothes on a drier inside to dry off and then finish them off in the drier? I haven't got a tumble drier and dry all the clothes by hanging them on hangers on door frames or on the drier by a radiator. Roll on the summer when can hang outside again.

Lovely cat italian so pretty, cats can live up to 20 like fluffy said but most cats i have known make it to around 14-16yo. Glad yours came back mammy

We have to go to the post office soon as it closed in an hour but it's like an ice rink outside! Black ice everywhere and super foggy again.

Italian your cat is gorgeous, mine is 8 too, he's lazy but still catches mice/voles/birds.

I might have soup for lunch too. Have just done the shred. Ds has a Drs appt next weds and she told me to take antihistamine which isn't helpful as I've done that

at your epic reptile collection! And praying mantises are so cooool

Completely agree fluffy I get so angry and upset that anybody would dump any animals and yes our cat defn can't hunt or fend for herself. She is probably staying on our ground because she's scared. It's a shame, she's a wonderful cat, very patient and cuddling. Only downside is she miaves loads.
Hope she gets old, she's part of the family now and we all love her
Should be nsd, staying home waiting for the tablet to arrive
snuggly she's in to laying on couches and the bathroom floor or on us, but stays away from unknown ppl.

Fat face are sending us another hate, despite it being last season they found one for us. I'm really impressed with them dd will be pleased.

£2.85 post office.

Take it easy there Girlie. Good idea to rest, and I totally agree about letting them sort out the staff problem at work. I'm sure it would only get worse if infectious people showed up for work anyway.

I'm having a day off, after a busy week, which is nice. It's a bit warmer here today. NSD so far.

Wreck your weather sounds really interesting, though slippy.

Thanks Cath I hope you're not coming down with something as well, there seems to be lots about at the moment. Dd said half her class were off on Monday so not surprising she has caught something and passed it on to me really. She saw a nurse practitioner who was very nice and said although her throat was a bit 'pink' it wasn't infected so thats good.

Spent £10 in the chemist got some sudofed, some throat lozenges and some calprofen, being ill is expensive it would seem!

Quiet day now, dd has perked up and is playing and I am feeling like a snot monster on the sofa.

mammy I'm ok. Ish. I couldn't face breakfast and it hurt to wash my hair. but since being I've had about 2 litres of water and have seriously rehydrated. I've had a full fat Coke. A cheese and ham croissant. And have been to the shop for lunch. Chicken and bacon Mayo with cheese white bread toastie and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps. #thisgirlishanging

Eugh. I'm feelingg much better after all the junk food.

Pizza for dinner tonight before the theatre. I will have to have some sort of veggies. And maybe another glass of rose !!

Still feeling ill with horrible chest infection, I'm off sick at the moment and have moved my annual leave to next week so hopefully now have 2 weeks to recuperate. I've spent £30 this morning on Amazon, but that's 3 birthday presents for various relatives. Have just ordered next weeks food shop at tescos, used £8 off voucher and it came to £38! Including packed lunches and all meals.i will need to buy fruit though, thought I might see if I can find a fruit/veg box offer. All dcs are back at school/ nursery though so lovely and peaceful here.

That's good that it's not looking serious Girlie and that you're both relaxing there.

I've frustratingly got a low-grade temperature, and I was really hoping to be on form for the end of the week as I'm meant to go to the dentist for a filling. It's a pacing error though. I did too much at the beginning of the week. Ooops.

My NSD ended when I realised I'd forgotten something on my tesco order. Hey ho.

£70 in supermarket including 2 pairs leggings and a top for DD which only cost £6 in total.
My new changing bag arrived, it's a rucksack style one as I figured I'll need both hands free. It was packed in loads of brown paper which DD is enjoying at the moment, makes me wonder why we bother with toys!

em you sound like me with a hangover, it's all about the food and grease Theatre wouldn't be something I'd be able for the following night I'd only be fit for my bed but that's the joys of dc I think.

Builder is in and has broken through wall to try and make this second ensuite bigger. Total mess. £2 on cup of tea with friends

I bought DP his thermos late last night. Amazon being super quick as always, it's already here. Smaller than I expected but should be great size for a bowl of soup or stew, and has a spoon with it! I'll make sure to warm it up and put the food in really hot. Thanks for the tips. I also got some more cinnamon (apparently the proper stuff) and DP thought a fold up pedal bike thingy would be great so ordered that. Mini bike should be here tomorrow.

Our electric bill is always expensive (was £330+ for 2 months). I've no idea what we do. DP insists on having his PC(s) running, that they don't cost much to run etc but if the tiny red light on the microwave and TV costs then surely the PC being on won't help. Heating is gas, but we have an electric shower. Then have 2 freezer (chest freezer for pet food), fridge, washing machine, dryer etc (no dishwasher though), fish tank and we too have a vivarium, but just the one grumpy rat snake. The kitchen light is one of those horrible strip lights so I bet that burns though plenty though. Will talk to DP about cutting it back and having a trial month of making sure all electronics are off on a night (except Alexa who now sings me to sleep, or reads me a story). No wonder we are skint! haha