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

[Cagliostro]

Hello everyone! :)

Well done on the gym north. That sounds great.

I just discovered that my new GP surgery does talks on useful things like how to prevent falls in the elderly. I wrote in with an idea for another talk. That seems like a wonderful thing, and free to attend too.

Mammy TBH he spends his pocket money even less than me :o and he gets the guilt too!

UPDATE on the housing form. DH phoned up and they said they're sending a letter to ask for written evidence. So DH told me this and I said well, we don't really have much anymore - because it's been a long time since anyone saw me. He neglected to mention this to them! So I phoned back :o and had a much more useful conversation. They've suggested that I put what I said in writing - that the reason I don't have any recent evidence is that I can't get help for any of my conditions - and then go to the GP to get a (probably expensive, but worth it) letter to confirm my diagnoses and symptoms.

Busy weekend so haven't been on.
Took DSis out for a bit on Saturday so spent a bit there. A lot of things going on with her, poor kid. A few drinks, a bit of food to pick at, a coffee and petrol to get there and back. Was worth it though, for her sanity if nothing else.

Sunday stayed in, doing a bit of spring cleaning. Did online shop (£50) to get the staples for the next 2 weeks, with a meal plan, including all meals and snacks. Just need to nip to the local (small) supermarket for fresh fruit, veg, salad stuff. It's never great quality when I have it delivered.

Sent DH with soup and bread for lunch. I thought there was more soup leftover so was disappointed when I looked this morning. Still some spinach and kale in the fridge so will try find something to make spinach and kale salad sound (taste) better.

I'm going to make 1 'new' thing each week to try broaden DH tastes. Otherwise he can have jam and bread. This week is stir fry, he will eat the noodles and meat but wouldn't touch the veg last time, which is daft because most of it was stuff he eats... He's got issues with stuff like this, very set in his ways.

All done now sure how it went they've got loads of people to interview

Well done Wreck glad it's over with, hope they don't keep you waiting long!

GP letter is £30 she reckons. Not too bad really considering she's happy to include both the Caglets' issues on there too, so no need to pay 3x! I was a bit miffed that she didn't really listen when I wanted to say exactly what needs to be on there, she just said she'll look through the notes and write down diagnoses etc. But she also said when it's done (Friday apparently although I'm not taking that as gospel!) I can go down there and write notes on it if there's things that need to be added etc. I am expecting to get my red pen out. :o

Wreck I hope they don't keep you waiting. Easier said than done to not worry about it, nothing you can do now.

Cag I hate all these bloody forms, and crappy GPs doing what they like when requested for information. Always a farce. I'm seeing my GP late this week to get them to write something about my condition too, to show I'm not able to work. Glad you can get all 3 together though, £90 would be quite a bit for a bit of paper really.

I'm hoping some of you may have some suggestions for me. DH needs some new jeans. Where's the best place to go. We used to got to Next, but his last 2 pairs haven't lasted long and were about £40 each. Any suggestions? Neither of us are into fashion, brands mean nothing to us (except heinz ketchup!), just want good quality that will last and not too expensive.

DH usually got his nice jeans from TK Maxx - a brand called Crosshatch last really well IME. :) And they're not bad to look at either

PIP form is sent off BTW!!! I know I'm not going to be accepted straight away so I'm in a way not quite so nervous. I'm fully expecting to need an assessment in person and to have to appeal. But at least this first stage is done - and if I eventually get it, no matter what it'll be backdated to December 12th.

Well done Cag and Wreck!

I've just been to soft play with DS, about £15 with lunch. It's bin day here too so first thing this morning I had a quick rifle through our chockablock freezer to see whether there were any dregs to chuck and make space. I found loads of stuff like chicken dated 2014 as well as some stuff with no year on but looking pretty ropey and freezer burned. I chucked loads - not very frugal in the past but not having space to use now is even less frugal. Most of the stuff dates back to my frantic work phase, I have a better handle on what's going in now. I do think I need to keep a contents list though, so I remember to use stuff up. Do any of you keep an inventory or just rummage for inspiration?

65£ in ikea and 100£ in Lidl but then we are sorted until next week with food and got loads of stuff in ikea.

I'm quite tempted by the freezer inventory TBH :) not least because I struggle to bend down and rummage in there so when DH is at work and can't do it for me a list would be good. Maybe a whiteboard stuck to the door or something so we can just wipe off once we take something out.

I want to keep a better eye on cupboard stuff too. We have no storage space really - kitchen is small and we used to use an old spare non-plugged-in fridge for our cupboard stuff but we had to get rid. I saw an over-the-door organiser thing in wilkos which might be great for cans (although not sure how much weight it can take), pasta etc. It was something like £8 so I'm really tempted to get one for the living room too - there's a lot of home ed stuff that would fit better on that than in the drawers. Wouldn't look great but meh. Accessibility is the priority at the moment!

£65 in ikea is pretty good going I'd say! Unless you spent it all on spatulas and tea lights that you didn't know you needed. :o

Christmas fridge and freezer inventory is one area where I've massively changed since starting frugaleering. I used to buy bags of apples and carrots and things, which all went off as they were behind each other and couldn't be seen in the fridge. Now I buy two apples and one carrot a week and they get used because I can see them.

I think that you will need to work to your own requirements, but getting control of food inventory is a huge help, partly in controlling cost, but also in just simplifying life. Good luck!

I keep memos on my tablet of food staples for cupboard, fridge and freezer and non-food household items too. I put an asterisk next to what we have on the list and remove it when we've run out. So simple but effective.

Thanks for all the good wishes guys, I had a significant episode of depression in 2002 and I feel a bit like that again now, the waking during the night and unable to get up in the mornings, last week really made it significant as I was upset over dh's overreaction too. I'm going to get out every second day at least for a walk and see if that improves how I'm feeling and if I'm not feeling right after another few weeks I will see my GP about a low dose of cipramil maybe, that's what I was on all those years ago, there's probably different meds now, feel I need a lift somehow.

The dc got some money for Christmas on Sat and it was burning a hole in their pockets so they spent some when they were shopping yesterday. Ds got a lovely hardback marvel book, with stickers, colouring pages and stories €8 and dd a princess colouring set with markers, stampers, stickers, stencils and colouring pad €8. They had received €31 each so I'm very impressed with them. They were so chuffed with their purchases and chose wisely.

north well done on going back to the gym, how are you doing now?

lemon what about a frittata with the spinach & kale, might make it more appetising or wholemeal scones?

Tonight I'm making Puy lentil salad & 'all the ones' brown bread from my cookery class. This should see me through to lunch friday. Determined every day to have soup/salad for lunch and include a portion of steamfresh veg with my dinner, and get a 20-30 min walk in also.

wreck we'll all be on the edge of our seats waiting to hear how you got on, well done on putting in the prep, it will be rewarded at some point regardless of outcome of today's interview.

cag well done on the progress you've made with getting your paperwork sorted. It can't have been easy emotionally and mentally for you & you're being so very practical about things now.

cathode such a difference in consumption of apples in our house to yours. Last week they were on super 6 in aldi and I bought 5 packs of 8, that was on thurs and 10 days later yesterday when I did the shopping there was one lonely apple left. I don't really eat them myself but ds loves them as does dh, au pair and to a lesser extent dd.

I really like the idea though, my cupboards are groaning & yet I still need a big shop every week. I'm going to get back into proper meal planning and put my foot down to a certain extent about it being adhered to.

£59 lidl
£15 sainsburys (was £20 but used some nectar points)

Meal plan:

Pizza
Sausages and mash
Roast chicken wraps
Chicken casserole
Chicken nuggets with chips and beans
Home made burgers
Bacon and leek risotto

Ds having his first one on one swimming lesson later so that's £22.

Sorry for the essay

wreck risotto sounds yum - must put that on my list.

mammy I always do it in the oven (ever since ds was a baby as I found it impossible to cook because he was so clingy) so it's really easy and quick. Love risotto mmm

I haven't made it in months. I like the oven baked ones also with chorizo and cherry tomatoes. Will prep one tonight and it can be baked then in time for dc's dinner tomorrow and reheated by us tomorrow night.

I love that one too! Chorizo gives everything so much flavour. Mmm I'm hungry now.

I had a fab salad at lunch and I'm still satisfied. A small amount of feta cheese, a ready cooked salmon fillet from aldi, beetroot, grated carrot, cherry tomatoes, salad leaves and some pieces of artichoke hearts with a toasted slimbo. le yum

Well done Cag and Wreck!

Sorry didn't see all the other posts when I posted. Our waking dd to sleep in the snow...
I bought boxes for storage for toys for dd, batteries that is rechargeable, some new towels and bath cloth, knife block and other bits cag actually stuck to the list.

wreck how do you make the risotto in the oven?

I have a list over stuff in freezer and staples that's in our bryggers. It's hand written and really simple. I have put all the stuff we tend to have in a long list and use colored pin needles for how much we have. When I take one item I remove a pin. Simple but works.
We also have a paint board in the kitchen when the food plan is listed as well as other things happening in the week.

Any idea when you'll find out, Wreck? I know the NHS ones can take a while. My friend is an NHS administrator and they interviewed 10 or 11 candidates in the same day, for their recent vacancy.

You sound more determined and focussed today, Mammy.

I'm feeling a bit meh and can't be arsed today. I don't want to go to Pilates later, but I will, because I know I'll feel much better for it. NSD so far, but I'll have to pay bus fare back.