Frugaleers saving and chatting through April

[SunnyLikeThursday]

Newbies welcome to join us for a bit of chat about budgeting, saving, paying off debt, and everything else that comes along.

DGD persuaded me to go to bookshop on the way home from station£23! My fault entirely. I just cannot resist book shops.
Stupidly then had lunch out. She was starving. Strangely she only ate half of it despite the onset of starvation. £13.30 wasted,
Need, how is pony?
Cag...what weight? Blimey.

Oh em that's lovely, it's just mind blowing hearing that. You made that little person! And your DH helped I suppose. ❤️

Honestly cag it was crazy! Although we saw "it" a while ago I think this drummed it home that it was real. It's a shame dh wasn't there really.

❤️❤️

Awww Em, that's just lovely and one of the very best bits of all the midwife appointments etc. Good for you.

Hope DD has had a super pony day in her smart new jodphurs Girlie

Exciting times re the house All.

Thanks for all your healing vibes re the pony, he's shuffling around a bit today, which is better than yesterday but not great. The plan with the vet (who was DS's rugby coach for 7 years) is to check again in the morning and X-ray if no improvement. I have decided not to think about further than that so I can cope emotionally.

In other exciting news DM was taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack. Been at the hospital most of the day. If I am honest, really honest, I don't feel much emotion, but she's my mother after all and I never wouldn't be with her if she needed someone to be with her whatever the circumstances. I've done the right thing, even if she never has. Long story for new folk, but my DM will never win Mum of the Year prize, I just refuse to allow her to screw me up emotionally!!

So, spends.
£6.50 hospital parking
£40 M&S.

Copper There is something about book shops, I agree.

Well that's not awful news re dpony. Your a better person than me, I'd have left her there.

seacow You know what, yes DD's birth was long, but it was absolutely lovely. I knew what to expect, had my breathing just perfect and it was really enjoyable. Weird, totally weird but true. She just came out, fed, and went to sleep. DS (first born) cried for 10 months

Fluffy I am actually more gutted and emotional about the pony than DM. I can't believe that's true, but it is. I'll do the right thing though, I don't really know why but it's what I feel I ought to do. Perhaps best not to analyse why

I agree with need second birth was much easier but I didn't have manual removal of placenta second time around & didn't take pethidine either so wasn't puking

Need it feels good to take the moral high ground even though the alternative might be easier. Hope there's good news for pony tomo

I'm just back from a board meeting, it's a committee that I'm the newest member on, it's nice to be treated as an equal even though I feel like I shouldn't even be included sometimes, they obviously thought enough of me to vote me in.

My bootcamp has finished but I met with another attendee this morning & worked out & then ran 6.5k with another member this evening. I'm really loving exercising more frequently. Me time!

Em those moments are so precious & well deserving of a little cry too

Copper you & my mother would get on brilliantly she's a bookshop lover too! Lonely she could also open a wool shop & yet buys more. She's not an online shopper at all though

£65 per £15 mins sunny I hope he doesn't have to count them often

Dc are at their sisters, I utilised my child free time by going for a run after work & having a blissful shower & eating my dinner without interruption. It's time for bed now though & back to usual chaos tomorrow evening

Hope the NT day was good Life.

I utilised the M&S Sparks card for the first time today. It's easier to download the app and activate the offers from there. It's a really convoluted system of a rewards card and the offers don't seem outstanding really but better than nothing.

I need to sort Sky tomorrow as my package has increased in price and I need to cull the stuff we don't use.

Cross post - brill activity Mammy, you are really motivated and enthusiastic about the exercise, it really shows in your posts.

Need I completely agree about your priorities about DPony and DM. After all DPony is dependent on you and has given you so much pleasure and fun for DD. hope he/she is better soon.
Em, I missed the post about that little heart beat. So exciting. It's such a lovely warm feeling and it's a "first ever" event. So emotional. A little boy or girl that you made.
Mammy I am so admiring of you (and Need and All (did I get that right All? ) doing your exercising. So envious. When I am less busy I will get back into it. I love the endorphin high.
Warwick Castle tomorrow with DGD. Hope it's not too crowded.

This is really new to me need before I just did exercise because I had to or to help lose weight now I'm doing it because I enjoy it

Good work thinking about reducing sky bill. Dss visited at the weekend & downloaded some apps for dh & showed him how to work them on android box & dh listened & observed in a way he never does for me so hopefully I will hear less moaning about nothing works on this & we may as well not have a tv anymore now

❤ for Need and for Mammy.

Spendy day, as I had a day out with DS AND went out for pizza with my friend tonight. I had TWO desserts today! Spends: £12.80 travel for both; about £21.75 for lunch and 2 amazing fudge sundaes; and £17 dinner and tip.

Em I still remember the excitement of hearing the heartbeat for the first time, wonderful.
Need fingers crossed for the pony. You know I completely understand where you're coming from regarding your mum, you'll do whatever's right for you.
No spends today a we were both at work & the dc were home alone. We're both working again tomorrow, so ds is home alone & dd is spending the day with my mum.

Glad to hear 2nd Labour wasn't bad Need! I actually rather enjoyed my first Labour - it hurt of course but as the pain built up over time it was more tolerable than I expected. Mind you, I have been a bit over some practice contractions in the last week - I am sure they weren't as strong last time but they catch me unawares occasionally and make me gasp!

Sorry to hear about your mum Need. I think you are doing the right thing by doing the right thing... for your own sake. It's good not to have regrets and not to feel that you sank to someone else's level.

I have never cried or got emotional at hearing my baby's heartbeat. Every time I just feel relief, sheer relief!

Cag I am interested in the music thing - might ask you more offline if you don't mind? I can see how music therapy might help DS but I can't quite see how he will learn music, unless we can find a teacher who really gets ASD. He is easily distracted, doesn't understand instructions too well etc... anyway he is still very young. I thought we'd start with music therapy and then take it from there. We're on the waiting list.

2 puddings Creme, sounds like an excellent day!

Lonely I too aspire to that perfect garden experience... in theory we should be there because we had all the hard landscaping done last year, but somehow we never achieve the ideal family moment!

Had a whooping cough jab today. Nurse said I would probably feel rough but I don't, apart from a sore arm, so that's a bonus. I've spent the evening making DS an easter bonnet for his nursery parade tomorrow. This involves Thomas the tank engine, in the vain hope he will actually wear it. DH kept a safe distance away but he bought me mini eggs so is in my good books.

Tried another new recipe tonight - roasted chicken thighs in jerk marinade, served with an orzo, spinach, roasted pepper and pea side dish (hot but would also be good cold). Sauced up with sundries tomato purée and coriander. It was delicious and we have loads of the pasta thing left. My sister is staying tonight so I made her a packed lunch of leftovers. She was very handy with the glue and tissue paper flowers tonight

christmas that dinner sounds amazing!! Le yum!
I'm booked in for my whooping cough jab at 20 weeks.

I was asked a question yesterday at my apt too (have also posted this on one of the preg boards) about whether we're going to vaccinate our baby. Have you been asked this?

We are because I personally don't see the point of not. Too risky in my view. But apparently there is a huge anti-vax community here. Midwife wanted to know so if needs be they could put me in touch with them.

need I really hope dpony is ok x x and for what it's worth I think you're doing the right thing re your mum

Work today - almost done for the week. Just today and tomorrow. Phew!

Have to buy fresh flowers at lunchtime and also Easter eggses.

Currently enjoying blue raspberry pop tarts for breakfast. I'm slightly concerned they'll dye my mouth blue....

Thanks need. We did the national trust trio. Hill top, wray castle then the pub. Which was excellent. £50 all day spends.
Raining today so the indoor bits of Carlisle castle then friends for the afternoon. Will get tea from tesco prob.

Do what it takes to get you through. Keep your defense up but that doesn't mean you can't show as being the dutiful daughter to stop more viterol coming your way. Self preservation is the name of the game. Hope dpony carries on improving.

Em it's so allowed to cry. You will get loads of my labour was a nightmare because..... Stories. Ignore. Fwiw my first was an induction and while not what i wanted was fine, second was very fast but fine too.

Two pudding creme. Let yum.

Check you out mammy, well done

mammy can you explain how your android box works. We have sky tv plus sky sports as dh watches formula one. We like to down load programme as then watch them. We don't really watch live tv. We were thinking of Now Tv but nit sure if it would work as need sky sports. Plus we need the internet.
Any ideas welcome.
Its a 5 week month and we are struggling what with holidays too. I have been good and not bought anything extra so far(no clothes, toys, home items etc).
But out for lunch today to someone that is super yum, so to save I'm going to just have a starter and tap water. (starters are still bloody expensive). But if I'm out DH has dd so he has strict instructions of not to have a spendy day 🙈

mammy you don't need sky sports for sky f1 channel. I think we might pay for just that channel now, but it was free if you simply had sky. So do check if he only watches the f1 channel, as I definitely don't pay for the sports package (and watch f1).

We were a bit late up, so have dispatched dp to work, and I'll stay home with the 3 little dc (marooned without a car). Got flapjack and biccys to make for tonights tt, my carrot cake last night was a bit light on carrots, only had 1/3 what I needed - chucked a couple of apples in. So it's sort of spiced date and walnut cake. Still tasty. Its only times like this when I'm cross we haven't a local shop.

Have something from suttons coming, and hoping my new yarn comes today.

Sorry mammy the f1 channel blurb was to all

lonely so do have sky but watch f1 🏁 without the sky sports package? Coffee on its way ☕

I'm looking into matched betting. It's very complicated at first glance so that's my goal for the day. Learn matched betting principles. Plus make a cottage pie.

75% of the business's I work with don't pay on time. I'm sick of chasing people and I want to jump ship into beauty as you pay on the day.

I need about £1000 to train in waxing and more nail courses so that's my goal.

Then I'll need another £1000 or so for stock, equipment plus extra every week to rent a room & build up a clientele.

Then hopefully Dh can leave his job and handle my social media because his current job is literally killing him.

Sorry, I just needed to write it down and get it out.

That's a plan Fluffy. I suspect there's a lot more flesh on the bones than what you have written there. Planning and organisation is key starting a business. You have a market in what you do, more and more so and particularly if you can capture any male grooming aspect. Good luck. I suspect you won't need luck and you have the skill and application.

I did want to ask which NT you went to Life but didn't want you to post if you were not comfortable. Sounds like a lovely day.

Creme It's the holidays, have 2 deserts, you are entitled.

Oh wow seacow that meal sounds fucking amazing, I agree with Em. Hope DS will wear the hat. I've bought the DC Thomas Easter eggs as a joke as the both loved him in their younger days.

Thanks for the good wishes re the pony. He's hobbling today, so weight baring a little. This is positive so we are pleased. I might take a bit of time though.

Yep, you are all right. I can only treat her as I would wish to be treated. She's my mum and you go to your mum when she needs you right? I've already had a bit of stick about what I packed for her in her overnight bag but held my tongue. She's had a comfortable night and waiting to see the consultant.

I'll post spends later as I'm not sure how today will pan out.

Thanks guys. xx

all so wierd, I just logged into my sky account, I pay £44 a month for the variety package. Just this no extras. We watched the Chinese grand prix on sunday for def have the channel, but it's not listed in the bundle. I'd give them a call to see if there's a way round sky sports, as I don't have sky sports, but have f1??? We pay for bt sport with our broadband, for moto gp - it used to be free too, but dp pays for this!