Frugaleers Marching on!

[Cagliostro]

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!

Ha xpost re the schools! TBF I am not the one to listen to, we didn't even consider schools when we moved here and we already HAD a 1yo 😳😳😳

Are there lots of schools there? I can never quite envisage how big it is 😳

On way home and really glad I got out for a bit, also super pleased we have bus passes now as it's so much easier to just think yep let's pop out as I'm not having to calculate if it's worth the bus fare. They do need renewing mid April though 😱

There are about 16 primaries 4 secondaries and a grammar school. Then 6 private schools. 4 single sex 2 coed. But the coeds are super spendy (£10k a term) and only go to the age of 14 as they're boarding preps.

None of the schools are bad. We have a very high standard here but some are obviously better than others.

We still don't know whether em-let will be educated privately or not. Dh is all for it as he was. I'm not fussed as I wasn't. The house might sway our decision.

Also Em, a well balanced, supported and loved child will be fine pretty much anywhere. They are at home far more than at school anyway x

Strawberry Good luck with the interview, I couldn't remember earlier who said they had an interview hence why this is late .

Em Good luck on the house viewing. It sounds lovely! At this moment in time the idea of a backyard sounds lush to me haha never mind the garden you are describing!

Spends:
£19 Superdrug on various toiletries and cosmetics
£55 Iceland...much more than I expected here but it will last us ages, mostly snacks for packed lunches and I find the snacks at Iceland are a lot cheaper than elsewhere. It will be coming tomorrow.

Good point.

Anyhoo. It's something we'll need to consider waaaaay into the future. After considering us we need to consider catface. Will she like he garden? Yes. She probably will.

£1.99 MC Donald's. Won an apple pie.

Result 👊

Good luck Strawbs

Jealous fluffy I didn't win anything!

Three loads of washing done, hung on the line, dried and folded. It's so warm here. The house is all tidy but still waiting for new Hoover part and the floor is disgusting 😭

Kievs and mash for dinner. Hopefully Dh won't be home too late.

I can remember what those apple pies tasted like Fluffy from having one as a teenager. They were amazing. Good win.

fluffy excellent win. Bloody love those apple pies.

Have arranged second viewing and have emailed the agent a few around twenty questions about the place.

Dh has emailed the bank for an appointment to see how much we can borrow and we've packed some
Stuff up and taken it to pop in my parents loft.

Nsd yay!

Tomorrow must buy more of those vaccuum storage bags for our winter coats.

I nearly achieved a NSD, but was hungry so bought some sushi for £2.
I went to TKMaxx with my sister and didn't even take my purse, super please with myself, no impulse spending was done.

House sounds good Em - potential to extend is worth a lot and the house itself sounds like you can make it work. The schools question is a thorny one though - things could change in 4 -5 years but if they don't would you be able to settle for that? Or would you get into a more distant school of your choice (and manage the drop off)? If you don't think you could live with either of those scenarios (or the third being private school) I wouldn't go for it because the cost of moving is pretty high and it will come around quickly. But if you could find a satisfactory school solution without there being a spontaneous improvement locally then it sounds good.

We've spent the afternoon in our small garden - but given the weeding required I am glad it isn't any bigger! DH cut the lawn and it is in terrible condition - lots of bald patches etc even though it was new turf last spring, we watered it assiduously all through last summer and it was in great condition in the autumn! I am a bit gutted, might need to get a lawn specialist to have a look.

This post got interrupted by a call from my parents so I will probably have cross posted with a lot of people!

Oo I do love a McD's apple pie 

Em I'm v jealous of your potential new garden, I'd love a massive garden but we live in a tiny little house with a little garden out the back and front. It's probably a good thing though because I'm a terrible gardener! Hope another visit helps you decide, especially if it has so much potential!

Another spendy day here as DH wanted to take me and DS for lunch at our favourite restaurant (£40 later!) for Mother's Day but we did at least park a bit further out in a free car park and walk into the city centre so saved a few pennies there.
Fingers crossed for a few NSDs this week...

seacow some of ours goes like that in the winter but comes back in the summer.

I think its too dark and wet in the winter so it dies back.

My wall is done! I have mostly levelled the first bit of ground at the top, and AM planting my willow tomorrow, at least the hedge. This is epic progress, and I'm very pleased the wall is wonky

Took the dogs out as a family. Plonked ds on his balance bike (still fits, phew) and basically told him to get on with it. For a cycle refuser, he went 1.5 miles!

Tea was a slow cooked chuck, but had no veg bar spuds! Some very sad mange tout from the bottom of the fridge, and a bit of frozen brocolli... put half a tub of philly in the gravy, twas yummy and unsurprisingly no one complained about the lack of veg.

Grass is being banished from my garden. It never recovered a summer of the chickens being out (they decimate everything). It is being slowly turned over to raised beds and paths. Too much ground elder and nettles, so lots of concrete will be involved.

Again, this is not a stealth boast. One of the reasons we bought this house was the size of the garden. It's huge and lovely. However, it's also tons and tons of work, and not just in summer. Because there a number of established trees, the autumn is spent sweeping/blowing leaves and mulching. At the minute there are catkins everywhere. DH cuts the grass and it takes over an hour twice a week in summer (although he's a bit anal about it tbh). We have raised beds/veg plot although these are optional of course. So factor in a gardener or the work load. I'm definitely not complaining, it's still a major positive for us, but when we move we will go for something with a much smaller plot next time!

However, we would still buy this again, winding back time.

Evening everyone hope you've had a nice weekend. I am absolutely stuffed . I've had a lovely breakfast out and ds made chilli for tea. I've also got a big piece of cake which I'm attempting to eat but it will take 2 sittings!!
Nsd for me.
Out tomorrow night for tapas and rick astley!
I'm sharing a pic of my delicious cake

Lonely X=post. I SO hear you about the chickens. DH spent a week fencing off a special area of the garden. They are lovely, but it's soul destroying when they wreck everything.

Well done on your wall!

Sorry, post about the garden was to Em, obvs.

Oh it's too far from schools em. I thought it had a school nearby, that changes things.

Cat face will love having a garden. They love patio furniture.

Need you really don't need to justify what you post! Ever! 💐

Well done on the wall Lonely and also to balance biking DS! Great stuff! 🌟

Will have to send DH head to the shop tomorrow morning as I'll need supplies to take to my friend's in the evening. The Caglets and I are sleeping over because on Tuesday she has to leave super early to take her mum to hospital for an operation, poor thing, and I'm watching the kids. We've been told to help ourselves to whatever but I'm going to keep some nausea friendly things in my bag, I hate taking other people's food even when they've invited me to! Apparently we are having a chippy supper when the dad gets in (he wasn't allowed to take leave due to his line of work) as a thank you, so that'll be nice as I haven't had one for aaaages!!!

Realistically schools aren't bad. And the school dh went to is literally a 15 minute walk away. So....

Dh has just showed catface the sales brochure. She sat on it and purred. So that's good. 🐈😹

Well if Catface likes it... 😻

I hope everyone has had a nice Mothering Sunday?

Spends today: £35 Sunday lunch in a pub on my card and £3.50 cash tip. That was for main and dessert each, a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a pint of lemonade and a cappuccino.

Spends yesterday: £25 weekly bus pass; about £30 on main and starter in Fat Buddha (not great food, tbh), 4 cocktails and a large Prosecco; £1 milk and £2.50 cheesy chips, which were divine and soaked up all the booze. No hangover today, which I was very surprised at!

The house and garden sound amazing to me Em catface and babyem would love it i'm sure!

I have had a nice day, been quite productive really as sorted out my garden then went over to my mums and sorted out hers as well she lit a little bonfire to get rid of some of the garden waste which was lovely.

Love a chippy tea Cag

Spent £45 on petrol and just done a Morrisons online shop for £42 as well, pay day tomos