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Original poster

Frugaleers Marching on!

971 replies

Cagliostro · 16/03/2017 22:02

Hi everyone, new thread as previous one full.

All welcome to chat all things frugal (and a whole lot more besides) - do jump in, we are a friendly bunch!

OP posts:
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Original poster
Cagliostro · 22/03/2017 20:05

Ooh love a bit of goats cheese I do. I like the discs of chèvre best, DD likes the rind most and I like the middle so we share it :o love feta with baked sweet potato and chopped spring onion

In what way is the chicken baked with pesto? Caglets love pesto (it's the besto)

OP posts:
Girliefriendlikesflowers · 22/03/2017 20:09

Oh my Goodness have we been trolled?! Shock Grin Need you should be bloody pleased with yourself, you're my hero!!

Crap day at work again I'm really not competing for the worst day though Hmm think I might go and look on the NHS jobs website which is shit as I do love my job but can't go on with this level of stress.

Think have managed a NSD though Star

WreckTangled · 22/03/2017 20:14

Ooo girlie one of our PN's is leaving if you fancy a change?! In an outstanding practice Wink

Beeneatingburnttoast · 22/03/2017 20:20

Didn't manage NSD
Stamps
£3.80 subway

Subway was a bit of an emotional reaction/ comfort food spend. Colleague got a temporary promotion (which I was pleased for her about) but guess who is expected to pick up the slack?! Angry Anyway, subway was yum and I just keep plodding along. Eventually some important task just won't be done as I can only do so much Hmm

Job application finished and ready for posting. Missing an "essential" qualification for this one, so haven't let myself get too invested into it

blueteapot · 22/03/2017 20:25

I thought I posted a message earlier about pelvic floors and uterine prolapse - it mustnt have stuck! Long story short was that if there is a female GP available to book in with then you should be able to, ipsos, even if you named GP is male. I'd try again with that one.

Haven't left the house today as poor DD(2) has been sick - sore throat, off form, temps at times and vomited a few times. She bounced back in the early evening - literally - was out on the trampoline apparently fully recovered lol. Viral I think.

Made sausage and mash for tea, yum. Having a glass of wine now and a little browse on the net. I'm on the actual computer for a change.

Can't believe this, the most benign and friendly of all threads, got trolled lol.

WreckTangled · 22/03/2017 20:27

I never consider that people who aren't on here read the thread, which I know is naive. I guess I feel like we're in our own little bubble (which of course all you lurkers are welcome to be part of!)

lifelongfrugaleer · 22/03/2017 20:35

I miss all the action

phoenixtherabbit · 22/03/2017 20:46

What on earth has happened while ive been gone Confused at least whatever it was has been deleted!

Today has been a nsd for me, unfortunately I've been ill for the past week but the benefit of that is that I cannot go out and spend anything!

I really really REALLY want a holiday next year, there's not chance of us saving enough for one this year but I'm hoping I can save for one next year. I'm usually ok at saving but when there's not much to save I never know whether to bother, does that make sense?

Should I set myself an amount to aim for each week or just out away what I think we can spare? Since having a baby we have completely and utterly pooled finances, where as before we both out equal amounts into the bills account (we had similar wages but now I'm part time so it doesn't really work anymore!) so not sure how to go about it.

Oh is not and has never been any good at saving and is happy for me to take the reigns.

WreckTangled · 22/03/2017 20:53

Phoenix do you have a budget? Now is s good time to do one as its soon beginning of the next tax year so a few things obviously go up. I would work out your monthly expenditure (all direct debits including no mortgage etc) then fuel and food. You can then see what's left and say you can save X amount then put it into savings on pay day. I hope that makes sense Blush

ememem84 · 22/03/2017 20:54

cag tonight's dinner was this:

Faf about thinking what to have for dinner. Remember chicken thighs and fresh pesto (from Waitrose so naice pesto). Oil a dish. Poke holes in chicken thighs with knife (carefully). Throw pesto on top with salt and pepper. Bung in oven. Bake under foil. Then once cooked remove foil and let pesto go crusty.

ememem84 · 22/03/2017 20:56

Cannot stand goats cheese. Makes me want to hurl. Memories of ddad buying it off markets in France and putting stinky stinky cheese in the back of the car with me and dsis and a bucket of olives. The smell. Oh jeez the smell. Can still smell it.

Can't stand olives either.

phoenixtherabbit · 22/03/2017 21:04

I do have a sort of budget, in that I know what all my bills cost pretty much. But I get paid monthly, and oh gets paid weekly and that varies by as much as £100 depending on what overtime he's got in s I don't always know what to expect if that makes sense?

I tend to work on a weekly basis, so I will look at the week, check what money oh has been paid, minus the bills off for that week and see what we've left. But I couldn't tell you what would be left over in say, three weeks time, If that makes sense?

phoenixtherabbit · 22/03/2017 21:05

Whereas before I used to do what you said because I just payed half the bills into the joint account and saved however much out of what was left. But I can't do that now!

CremeEggThief · 22/03/2017 21:06

Two of my all-time favourites, Em.Smile

"Billy Elliott" has just started on BBC 4 if anyone's interested. I loved that film when I saw it years ago. It's 17 years old now!Shock

Original poster
Cagliostro · 22/03/2017 21:07

Sounds le yum em

OP posts:
Needastrongone · 22/03/2017 21:46

All That's a massive increase in contribution, you've doubled it. The beauty of having a relatively new home is that nothing needs doing with our savings (ie dividend money). DH is 55 and still working silly hours. We decided to use this years payment to save to the pension and also we will knock another chunk of the mortgage.

Okay, we have a high income but my aim is to live off the standard wage we draw and not use the dividend. This is why I stay on the thread, I can't stand the lot of you to be honest. Grin

Anyway, I hope that's frugal and sensible choices with extra monies?

What the hell did the deleted posts say? A general synopsis is fine!

Run 10 miles tonight with the club. It pissed it down.

Fluffycloudland77 · 22/03/2017 21:46

Oh I see All, in that case totally worth it. Impulse spends are easier if you have a treat planned like a lunch out etc.

Needastrongone · 22/03/2017 21:51

phoenix I can see how budgeting is tricky.

Been I actually think that budget is really excellent. I'm sure we can all tweak here and there, even the fluffster.

I was/am on the 10 a day thread. It takes a fair bit of planning of meals and conscious effort to chose F&V over other snacks/food. But it's doable. I always get to 8 and often 10 with effort. I think I rely too heavily on fruit over veg which I would like to change. First few days I felt very bloated but that has passed, I rode that out. Does that help at all Meadow? x

Needastrongone · 22/03/2017 21:52

Was the trolling referring to me? I can take it you know!

SnugglySnerd · 22/03/2017 21:56

I love feta with avocado on toast or with roasted beetroot.

I missed the troll too, been snoozing in front of the tv.

Needastrongone · 22/03/2017 22:01

Girlie I've just picked up on your post. That's not like you. My thought is that you love your job but hate the pressure and stress and overwork, lack of time at the minute. Would a move to a different area help? Be based in surgery? Is this long term pressure do you feel or short term? Have you been doing extra hours adding to stress? x

Fluffycloudland77 · 22/03/2017 22:07

It's particularly bad at the moment in the NHS, some gp's refuse to visit now.

At least with nursing you've got options, podiatrists do podiatry.

MeadowHay · 22/03/2017 22:36

Need the troll was jealous of your athletic prowess Smile. Does it not work out more expensive to buy so much fruit and veg though? I snack a lot, partly because I need to eat little and often or I get awful acid reflux. DH has said about trying to swap more of the crap snacks I eat (like biscuits, cake bars, that kind of thing Blush how I'm not overweight I have no idea!) to fruit & veg but I feel like it would be more expensive? Or do you not find that? I would like us to get a veg box but aren't they expensive?

Yes I feel for NHS workers it is such a tough time. DH has some crazy busy days and he's not even clinical staff (A&E porter).

MeadowHay · 22/03/2017 22:37

I'm embarrassed to admit this but today I've only had TWO portions of fruit & veg Blush. Although not all days are as bad as today thankfully...but there is clearly a lot of work to be done!!

Needastrongone · 22/03/2017 22:46

meadow Thanks for that. x

It's more expensive but I try to keep it as cheap as I can, especially as we are essentially 4 adults. I'm thinking apples, a bunch of bananas, tins or packet of any kinds of beans, tinned tomatoes, onions, bag of carrots, bag of sweet potatoes, using the Aldi special offers and 'in season' produce. Dried fruit such as raisins (bags of, not the snack packs) But yes, other stuff does cost more, I can't lie. So staple stuff doable, add in a few more expensive items if you can possibly manage for variety.

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