Money-managing Masterfully into May - Frugaleers unite!

[needastrongone]

Thread continued for old faithfuls, new posters and anyone else that would like to contribute.

Financial talk, tips and discussion, with quite a lot of other stuff too.

We are a friendly bunch and there's lots of support for new and old.

I've just had a pilau rice, a main (veg dhansak) and a side (saag paneer) all to myself, so no curry left for tomorrow. I think this is the 1st time I've ever eaten that much Indian takeaway all by myself. Spends: £10.70.

Yum creme I love a takeaway curry

Me and catface are in bed. Dh made us (me and him) a plate of veggies, cheese and crackers followed by a fruit salad for dinner. I've seriously upped my fruit and veg intake today. Ooof. 🚶🏽‍♀️💨

Tomorrow we're going to the races. Yay!! 🐎🐎

Thanks for the new thread Need love the title!

Sea I haven't seen that thread but can imagine some families spend £££££. This year we are going away for the May half term which will be free as staying at a family friends caravan and I have booked this camping holiday for August which cost £180!! I never know with holidays if its better to book really early or wait till quite late for cheap deals

Em

Dd is still coughing loads was talking to a friend today whose son has had a similar sounding virus and she said it hung about for 10 days I am hoping she sleeps better tonight.

Ate wayyyy too much today. Poor Dad's stomach is still upset and to make matters worse, he's come down with a migraine so he's now sitting in a dark room by himself . It's not really the nice Easter weekend I was planning for him. Obviously we'll stay put tomorrow if he's still like this. DH downloaded 'Moana' and we watched it with DD. Apart from Dad's digestive issues, it's been nice spending quiet days as a family and catching up on some movies. SIL popped in with her BF earlier en route to MIL's.

Thanks for new thread Need and happy Easter everyone.
NSD today but busy. DD and SiL came with DGS ( brother of DGD who has been staying with me). Brought enough food for an army. We cooked most of it and ate it.
Tired now and in bed.

Yes Girlie some people spend incredible amounts. I don't blame them (if they have the money - travel has always been an massive interest of mine and DH's though we are not really too bothered to have high end luxury - luckily!). But I was just struck by how much the cost is inflated in school holidays - a factor of 2 or 3 for a typical European holiday in August compared to June, say . I am sure most of you know that already it's just the first time I have really looked at it and it is a bigger difference than I expected. Oh well, only 18 years to go!

I will see what MSE says about booking in advance, good point Fluffy

I think I need to join Em on the fruit and veg bench tomorrow. Today has not been a day of eating to be proud of, oops.

Spendy day planned today as probably soft play/ climbing centre as forecast rain.

Em I really suffered 'digestively'! with my first pregnancy and with sinuses in my last pregnancy - both were awful and I can't imagine how horrible it must be to have both!

We drove back from family visit late last night - great to have clear roads! Almost a NSD but had to stop at services for DD to have a wee and DH ended up making it into a food stop. Annoyingly we were only 20mins from home but tbf we have no food in the house!

I've done a click and collect shop for this morning - approx £100. Pretty standard these days. Pre-twins I spent £30-£40 weekly for the three of us but now I rarely shop at Aldi (no twin baby trollies!), use lots more convenience foods and spend at least £30pw on formula, nappies, wipes and baby food (don't panic though snuggly! I keep reminding myself that this is also just a phase!)

I've joined in on that thread girlie some of the costs are insane.

The most we've spent on a holiday ever was our Christmas trip to nz a couple of years ago.

Luckily we balance it out with relatively cheap/free trips to France. Only paying for ferry (either as foot passengers so only £30pp and someone picks us up or around £120 for the car and us both too accommodation is free as parents have a house in France).

Some people I work with though have to have 4 foreign trips a year and will only fly business. Which is pure insanity.

Agree about school holiday travel. Taking DGCs away even in the UK is sooo expensive. I think it is simply supply and demand but can quite believe it is the travel companies being exploitative.
My DD is trying to eat 10 veg a day....we had 5 with our meal last night. Parsnips, carrots, green cabbage, red cabbage and cauliflower. Vegged out.

Oh and broccoli

We've always managed to avoid school holiday travel as no dc. And we'll be able to for a few more years. But I do dread the day when we're subject to the insane prices.

We've been looking at Mexico and it would cost us £5400 as needs to be school holidays. Dream on!!

Thanks for the new thread need.
Sorry you've had such miserable weather wreck, it's so disappointing.
Holiday threads on MN are always fascinating, such a wide range of budgets, destinations and types of holiday. We've done holidays in Brittany for a few years now and it costs around £1500 in August for 4 of us for the ferry crossings (including an overnight one with a cabin) and 10/11 nights in a big static caravan by the beach. Last year we had to cancel France and spent that and more on one week in a posh lodge type place in Cornwall. It probably cost more as it was last minute but in the circumstances was worth every penny. In normal circumstances I would not consider that good value though.

Had a really scrummy breakfast out yesterday (£20), then lunch which fil paid for. Had drinks out with sil & bil (£20). It has been a lovely time away so, although spendy, worth it. Today is just football really which is already paid for. Dd will be spending time with her little cousin. We'll drive back tonight & then back to work & school in the morning . Dh is off tomorrow so I will leave him a list of jobs to do!

We've always had UK holidays since DC as reckon they are just as happy with a bucket and spade here as anywhere else and don't seem to mind the weather. Now that they are teens though we are trying to up our game a little as probably not many family holidays left 🙁
Need to go to Lidl today.

Dh has raided the freezer and is cooking things for our picnic today. Mostly Christmas leftovers.

So far an alarm has gone off on his phone for a quiche, sausage rolls and pigs in blankets. Love a sausage roll alarm!

Also fairly frugal picnic. We only need to get drinks. And maybe some crispies.

£25 on climbing but my cc is £41 in credit from a refund. Tried to pay some holiday money but didn't work so i need to ring jet2 when they reopen
Probably need to get some tomatoes and cucumbers today.

Need, how do you find lidl. It's been a few weeks now hasn't it?

£1400 paid off holiday

Wow copper lots of veg!
Term time holiday £££ We're lucky not to be penalised here for taking dc out of school. But next year we may go to Canada in August. This year is camping holidays to save money for said holiday to Canada, not started saving yet though. Since putting money towards my pension weekly I've less to save but this is important too.
Waitress could one of you nip out to Aldi while other minds dc?

Not sure if I posted or not but groceries were €137.47 in Aldi plus €20 at butchers. We've had guests all weekend so will need a small topup, they did buy me a bottle of Pinot Grigio though

Slinking back in, my spending has got out of control again and I am not using YNAB or tracking or doing anything I should be.

I have taken on a contract so I am earning £600 a month as of now and no childcare costs so it is perfect. I just need to find a way of not spending all of it before I have earned it!

Today and tomorrow should be NSD and then Wednesday and Thursday should just be creche for Gabriel while I am at the gym (I need it).

We are having our first foreign holiday since having children, we are going the week after half term, much cheaper than in the holidays but it won't be as hot as I'd like. We are also doing a Sun holiday the last week of August before Wilf starts school (I find out where today!) but the long range weather has that week being wet and cold in SW France!! Only costing £300 including getting there for a week so I shan't complain too much.

Hope all are well :)

Hi mummy great news about contract that works in with no childcare. You deffo need that gym for me time.

Hi mammy definitely need that hour twice a week, working in nap times and evenings (I am doing 18-24 hours a week) saves money but doesn't get me any child free time. Having an hour where I think of nothing but the exercise really helps me mentally. My membership is £25 a month and then the creche is £3.75 so £30 a month for two sessions a week, definitely seems reasonable for the cost.

My biggest issue at the moment is that I keep excusing our overspending with saying it isn't a normal month. I need to realise that no month is normal and I need to live accordingly.

And yes, I am so pleased with the work, it is a dream come true for us financially :) I was so happy to tick self-employed on a form instead of unemployed / home maker. Mentally I was feeling quite sad about that box.

Welcome back, Mummy. Congrats on the new job too.

Thank you :) It feels odd as I hadn't thought I would be able to go back to work and it doesn't really feel like I'm working as it is all round the kids. Hopefully get paid tomorrow, that will be very odd. Nice odd. Weekly pay is going to be lovely.