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.

Mmm love a tuna melt.

£106 h&m but I got two tops, a pair of shoes and four pairs of trousers.

£40 petrol
£1.50 parking
£1.48 card factory on two cards for my sister
£8 something lidl on things I forgot or we've run out of already (raspberries!) and ginger beer

The sun has finally made an appearance and it's gorgeous out. Really hot! DD has rooted out all the summer play stuff (scooter, tennis rackets etc.) and is outside with her pal. If only we had weather like this all the time, we'd save a fortune. Although we'd probably buy a lot more ice creams . I may have to re-think dinner tomorrow if it's nice again. I was planning to do Irish stew!

Weather is crappy here tayto

It's still raining. We are holed up indoors on the couch (me and catface- dh sadly has been relegated to the floor) watching Star Wars Rogue one.

It's still windy as hell so catface needs comforting. She doesn't like the wind. It scares her poor floofy baby

I think he's getting bigger

Ooh lasagne, I love lasagne!

Heavy showers here all day, it's sunny now but more black clouds looming.

It would have been an NSD but we ran out of cat food.

Chessie thanks for clearing that up about salary sacrifice and pensions.

We went out this morning to use our passes (already paid for) to a local attraction type place but got poured on in the queue to get in. Only stayed for about 1.5 hours but we got out of the house. Lots of screaming children.

Wasn't feeling good either. Feel like I have a hangover but promise I didn't drink yesterday. Logged onto work emails as I needed timings for a trip later in the week which gave a couple of moments- blimey!!

DP spent £3.50 Tesco
I just spent £3.25 on a my little pony first reader book for DD. She has suddenly clicked with reading so trying to encourage her with books she wants to read (not just biff, chip and kipper!)

Going to be a spendy week. Hygienist tomorrow, already paid upfront but no doubt I'll have to pay for the next session. Haircut later in the week. About £85 in total I reckon . Once these are paid for, the rest of the money in my account apart from £20 will go into savings

My ginger beer cans are still sitting forlornly on top of the fridge! :o

There's a small chance I watched a grand total of 5 minutes of Rogue One then fell asleep.

No regrets. Feel refreshed after my nap. 😀

Lasagne smells awesome. He's made it with both beef and pork mince. Mmm but no pasta (just courgette and carrot strips instead and leek sheets).

Still raining.

Have to go out again at some point we left dhs jacket with his keys at my parents yesterday. Sigh.

I'm making a chilli for dinner haven't had it for ages. Would love to have all the trimmings with it but am being sensible(!) with money and waistline and just having it on its own with a bit of garlic bread. Will get at least two meals out of it maybe three.

Just back from a fundraising cake sale for DD's dance class. I bought raffle tickets (€5) and gave DD €5 to buy tokens for the games and a few buns. I also paid €1 for a coffee. They're going to buy costumes with the funds raised. I avoided the cakes myself because I've had so much chocolate over the past fortnight and then DH brought back a slab of chocolate biscuit cake from something yesterday . I reckon I've pure sugar running through my veins at this stage.

£3.50 skate park. Ride out for an hour this afternoon even though I need a day at home to do some jobs. Dh had a face on.

Em, hotel chocolate Jersey are getting a cafe apparently...le yum

girlie great news about the sofa.
tayto sounds like a really positive chat with your dh. It makes such a difference if you're on the same page.
Need and Holly times I could only dream of for your runs! I plod at a very slow pace but I'm consistent and I get there in the end. Good luck with the training Mammy

The weekend weather has been lovely here (but a cool wind at times). The beer festival was a huge success but took up such a lot of our time that nothing much has been done at home. As ever with these things it is always the same core group of people doing the volunteering but I have to say it was rewarding as we've raised so much money and got great feedback. Also spent quite a bit of money on sampling ales and ciders!
Having a quiet day at home today. Ds has end of year science exams this week (Y10) and is starting to realise that he hasn't worked hard enough. I'm keeping calm as it's better that he realises now than in a years time when it is much more important.
On the plus side, he has been shortlisted for Head Boy! He applied to be a prefect but didn't apply for Head Boy. He was approached in school on Friday & I think has the interview this coming Friday. Initially he said he wasn't going to go for the interview but we've talked him round & he seems quite happy about it now. They weren't short of applicants either as some who applied haven't been shortlisted. Feel very proud of him, wish he'd work harder but he is a lovely lad and has a quiet, unassuming confidence about him I think.

£25 spent in Booths on a top up shop.
Chicken thighs stuffed & wrapped in bacon for tea with roast potatoes & veg. Need to meal plan for the rest of the week & get some ebay listing done (I've been saying that for too long now, it must happen tonight!)

Aw wow that's so fab well done to your DS north! 🌟

What have you stuffed the chicken with? Regular stuffing? I am living vicariously reading about other people's nice food :o

Oh that's good news about your DS, North. Glad you had a good if busy weekend too.

NSD.

We've done something massive today and split the sheds. I had a shed (12x6') already here when I moved in, and dp built a much bigger shed onto it about 7 years ago. Well, we want the old shed moved to the top of the garden as a bike store. What a polava! It is now canting at an angle about 2 foot away from the new shed (which has no side!). However, I did reclaim enough wood to build a new chicken coop with. It wasn't exactly what we meant to do today.

Had a 3pm meal instead of lunch and tea. Turkey/leek/bacon pie a la Jamie Oliver. Chips and veg. All eaten- yay! Will do waffles or pancakes after baths as supper.

A nsd, but I have a feeling there will be a lot of these to come. Had a good chat with dp about 'the money' situation, and we have a going forward plan.

wreck I love your cat, so very massive! I hope my mog lives forever (he's 16.5 and very healthy), but we will get a maine coon when the time comes (hopefully another 10 years!).

cag yes it's Quixo stuffing from aldi. The dc love it and it's nice and easy.

Well done your ds North

Sounds like a lovely sofa day Em we had one of those ystd!

We made it into town today, spends were,

£1.20 parking
£8 on two pairs of cheap crocs in Shoe Zone which will do dd and I for the garden
£2.95 on a small sign which reads 'behind every successful woman is herself' I couldn't resist
£4.50 in Wilkos on some bulbs for my kitchen lights, they are the wrong though so will be going back.
£6 in Card WareHouse, they have their offer of 10 birthday cards for £1 again atm so made the most of that, also stocked up on wrapping paper and a few other cards.

£2.50 in Greggs on lunch.

Been to see my friend and her tiny baby this afternoon, adorable.

Well done, North's DS!

I'm feeling properly fed up. I think it's bank holiday, back to work blues. Obviously I'm not going back to work but DH will be and it's just so much easier when he's here. Plus we have no holiday to look forward to this year and I can just see a lot of weeks of sameness ahead of me, mainly involving dealing with crying and nappies. I need to plan something nice to look forward to I think.

Lonely that pie sounds delicious. I've googled the recipe. I can't make puff pastry though. Is it possible to buy it ready made?

Oh snuggly you sound like you're doing so well too. I would absolutely feel the way you do at times in your situation. But it's all transient and I think you are probably best just setting very short term survival goals. And of course, coming on here to vent! Are you able to have family days out or even a weekend away at some point? Days out needn't cost much and it might help to be able to look forward to some things like that.

tayto imo life is too short to make pastry. Waitrose and jusroll both do frozen puff. Just as good as homemade.

lonely that pie sounds yummmmmmmm.

Oh Snuggly, I can imagine that you are feeling that way, You are definitely doing brilliantly, I promise. I agree with North totally. I also used to chant 'this is a stage, this is a stage' during tough periods when the DC were little!

North That is fabulous news about your DS. Our two DS's sound very similar, quiet but by not under-confident, and a tad unappreciative of work loads required.

Bloody good work there Lonely.

Great time for a 10k that Holly, especially given that you are not running that much at the minute.

Great news on the sofa Girlie.

OMG spendy day!! Prom shopping.

£180 at Karen Millen on a stunning dress.
£40 Waterstones
£14 lunch
£7 parking.
£30 Benefit eyebrow palette for DD (treat)
£35 Nakd basics palette for me (Em, that might have slipped into my hand...)
£8 Boots
£3 Sansbo's

No shoes or underwear yet for DD's prom......

If I go quiet for a few days, don't worry. The pony is really not good and the vet is coming tomorrow hopefully. I just might need a bit of time to process things this end emotionally... DD is totally in bits, hence the make up for her today.

Oh need have a great big ((((hug)))) and DD too. Sending healing vibes to d pony.

Snuggly you are doing great. Yy to plan small things to achieve even if it's the play park for an hour while twins sleep.

I'm getting lost off sorry as if I don't mention everyone

Oh no, poor pony. I am so sorry Need really I am.

NSD.

I'm starting matched betting tomorrow on Profit Accumulator. Who's with me?.