Frugaleers Frolick Frugally through February

[Ipsomatic]

Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from an old thread

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.

I'd be gutted having to use a stick at your age too Cag, it's bloody unfair. Prepare for the worst with the form, if they knock you back it's easier to deal with then.

em It's hard not to get invested right away with houses. Are the estate agents men? I'm not usually one to advocate low cut tops but the end justifies the means.

You were proper well off years ago if you had coloured suites, I hear they go well on eBay. Ours is white. I want a black/dark grey bathroom.

NSD yesterday. Might get a beer later. Might not.

Sorry about the house . Em the bathroom cannot possibly be as bad as the ones I am currently replacing. Disgusting. Didn't work
Good luck Cag hope it goes well

FYI the jarred carbonara sauce (I know, I know) is disgusting.

Should have added from lidl

Haha! fluffy ah the old short skirt low cut top push up bra trick. I know it well. id be furious if someone suggested I do it but if it's my choice...game on. Use what you have. And always smile while doing it. Have persuaded many a person to do things for me that way.

Reminds me of the scene in legally blonde with the "bend and snap" I love legally blonde it may or may not have inspired me to study law

There will be other houses. And we are in no rush. We have room in our place. We don't have to move. It's a want more than a need.

Toy prison looks great!

It's 10 degrees here and the fog is back.

wreck eugh carbonara in a jar (which one was it?) I love carbonara but having it properly takes its toll on my tummy. I use creme cheese bacon onion and peas for fake carbonara. Just as easy and probably tastier.

I am convinced my neighbour got her driving license that way, Dh still hasn't recovered from her Halloween Harley Quinn outfit. She was nearly wearing it.

She leaves her car parked diagonally across the pavement with just one wheel precariously balanced on the kerb.

Have asked for a beer. I had £5 off valued opinions for a failed survey so I can justify it.

Em it was just a lidl one. I usually do creme fraise with Parmesan bacon and peas. Sometimes mint but I was being lazy

Fluffy that's so funny!

Oooh yum wreck there's a Jamie oliver pasta in ministry of food that's bacon pasta shells creme fraiche and mint. It's le freaking yum. Only tastes good with pasta shells though. Weird.

Gnocchi pesto cheese for dinner. I. Lost love gnocchi.

fluffy I once dressed up as "Madame bee" for Halloween. It was a make your own super hero party.

Madame bee wore a black and gold sequinned strapless dress which was just bum skimming to be decent. Long black gloves fishnets black heels bee wings deeley bopper antenna and a veiled tophat. She also carried a whip. Super power was the ability to get free drinks.

I miss those days.

Doctors letter is safely in my possession! Took over an hour as they couldn't find it, tried giving me the original at first. Then had to wait for the doc to sign it etc. But I HAVE IT.

Thanks all for the kind words re the stick btw. It was ok, felt weird though. Mainly because I don't really know how to use it comfortably yet - and that makes me paranoid about people looking at me etc - but I'm sure it will improve in time. :)

Wreck so sorry about the reference nightmare, I remember the trouble I had with my previous employer, they refused to admit I'd even worked for them! It was a sole trader type thing who had let me go during pregnancy and it turns out they hadn't done the legal/tax stuff required when employing me or something... so they just denied my existence! Bastards. Thank goodness my new employers (the library I worked in till last year) accepted a reference from one of my part time things as a teen but it was such a massive massive stress. I really hope they stop messing you about soon 😡

Glad you stood your ground and got the letter, Cag.

Thanks Cag glad you got the letter I hope it's a good one after all that hassle! I'm with you on the stick. I don't have one/need one but there's plenty of things I can't do. I miss having a pushchair to hold onto though.

Pleased you got the letter, Cag.

It was so nearly an NSD but our washbasin isn't draining. We've tried all the frugal home remedies so DH has just gone out to buy the heavy duty stuff!
Today's exciting new symptom is swollen feet. I wouldn't mind but I have sat on my arse nearly all day. Getting a bit fed up now...

Thanks all. I just need to write a covering note (explaining why I've had to get a doctors note rather than specialists letters) and then that should be all good to go. :)

Spends today £7 on some fresh Indian desserts from the Asian grocers. It's geography club this week, normally my friend who runs it sorts all the food tasting stuff but when I found out the theme was India I offered to buy these (my mum often buys them for my grandma who lived in India as a missionary).

Frugal day otherwise though as we've done tidying, project work, board games and DH took the Caglets on an epic muddy walk while I was at the doctors. Frogspawn, fungus, newts and leeches.

snuggly how long have you got left??

Phew 2 hours there then the same back but lovely day at friends new house. Nsd too. (Trying to forget half tank of diesel used as not driving frugally). Make a sponge and crispy cakes in leiu of a house warming pressie. All scoffed.

The right house will be there em.
Cag, pleased you got the letter.
Good luck with the reference wreck.

Just spent 40 fricking minutes on the phone trying to get dh phone unlocked. First advisor put me back in the queue. Big mistake. Ripped them a new one in a nice voice obvs.

In bed now 4 hours driving today & 4 hours fri night I don't know how dh drives for a living, the concentration exhausts me.

€29.50 on school shoes for dd in sale, only runners that suited had laces she's a size 13.5/1 but only 6 & can't tie laces yet. Went to another shop got better runners with Velcro €73 still only buy them shoes twice per year really so it's €4 per week for proper fitted shoes.

€5.60 on a mixing bowl with spout, bought it in sostrene grene, lovely shop.

€16.55 on midterm treat in Burger King, figured at least they'd have full bellies for travelling for hours in the car. I'd have preferred a cafe but they mightn't have eaten & it'd have cost more.

Life amazed they didn't tell you they'd only speak to account holder.

My dad is buying me a brand new Panasonic all singing breadmaker. So excited.
Nsd

NSD apart from travel costs

Even ate food stashed in my desk at work today so saved £3, not very nutritious though

We lived with a pink toilet/sink for almost three years. Although the big plumber bill which wiped out our bank account is related to it's replacement

I need some motivation to get writing some job applications. Got my eye on a good one but will be stretching some of my work skills back about 7 years so might not be relevant anymore. Do you think they will just laugh at my application?

cag I think a stick could be very cool, but that's probably because I secretly dream of whacking people that annoy me with it and using it to trip arseholes up... I work with someone with a stick and always think she looks v elegant.
Off to London tomorrow for work. Managed to see DH for a couple of hours today which was nice, both working in boarding we don't get much time together.
Frugal win, moved my hair appt and ended up with a much more junior stylist, £35 instead of £65, have changed my next appointment to her too, feel a bit bad as I really like the other lady but it's such a lot of money.

Ah I see em has already pointed this advantage out

catface opened the bedroom door.

We pushed it shut. She threw her weight against it. And opened it enough that she could get in and tap my face at 545.

She's going on a diet.

Only a couple more weeks, Em then I'll be getting even less sleep I expect!
Need to go to supermarket today.