Saving into summer!

[SnugglySnerd]

New frugal thread.

What was that?!! Flexible working policy (I am on the edge of a pastry coma...)

Adorable hedgehog, Cag!

Cute hedgehog cag

Spends..... £103 in coop but I bought everything on my list. Lots of store cupboard things - big bags of rice, pasta, lentils etc (from international section) tins of "stuff" (beans tomatoes and new found fave tinned potatoes) and a ton of cheese (so much cheese... I did ask the lady at the deli to grate it for me too....Ordinarily wouldn't buy cheese at deli but at coop I worked out it's cheaper to buy cheese there instead of off the shelf...

Cheese and pickle tart is being made today!!

Mmmm pastry! What did you have seacow? And thank you for the advice. Yes his employer who shall remain nameless the company mentioned in Em's post makes a big deal about being ethical but so far that doesn't seem to apply to employees - will be great to know exactly what rights there are before approaching them. Do you mean carer as in parent generally or in the disability sense, he's not eligible for carers allowance as he works too many hours.

I am somewhat freaking out about how the evenings are going to play out once Cagletini arrives 😱😱😱 definitely going to buy a comfier sling this time.

Almond croissant - v pricey but to be fair, the best I have ever had. It's 5 mins from my house, max, so it is a great shame I have discovered this.

I don't mean carer as defined by carer's allowance... (the legislation is designed to cover people who are working and thus not claiming carer's allowance). I don't know exactly how it is defined but I believe it is anyone with primary carer responsibility for a disabled relative or friend. I don't think the disabled person necessarily needs to qualify for PIP although as you do that is covered... it's meant to protect people who may need protection from discrimination because they may, for instance, be the primary carer for an elderly relative. And therefore (unfairly) deemed unsuitable for a job, promotion etc. It effectively gives carers protected characteristic status by association.

Bedtime: it's DD's witching (4) hours so a bit tough here because DS isn't self-caring so I need to bath, brush teeth and dress him etc. With no free hands if DH isn't here. But not all babies need holding constantly and you may be lucky. I'd try not to worry till you know you have a problem but If you do I am sure a sling will help a lot. I tried DD in one yesterday as I desperately need my hands back but she screamed blue murder. I should have got her used to it from the beginning - big error!

I'm deeply suspicious of companies who bang on about how ethical & right on they are. It's like their trying to offset sins with good deeds.

Give it a few years & they'll be exposed as a cover for a massive drug ring or the people behind dark web white slave traders.

£9 paint samples.

I got ds in a sling from birth - he just screamed and screamed. Ditto carry cot (luckily cheap on ebay). So I almost developed scoliosis by sitting him on my left hip permanently. It gave me one hand. Will dd rock (back and forth on buggy wheels) in the carseat seacow ? I know they're not supposed to be in them for more than 2 minutes at a time, but all of mine would either sleep on me, or in the carseat. The hours I have spent sleeping sitting in a quiet car with a sleeping baby.

So far nsd. We shall see...

Lunch £34 - fish finger sandwich, crab sandwich, chips, lobster salad, a pint of Stella, glass of rosé, ginger beer and two cokes. And I got pub loyalty points. Yay!! So now have £45 to spend in local pub chain. Woohoo!!

Picked two celebrations tubs worth of blackberries today (thanks mum and dad for helping but I had to bribe them with lunch!)

Pub loyalty points! Now that's an idea :o
Thank you so much for that info seacow and yes fluffy it does make you wonder really. Obviously I can't speak for the company as a whole, but certainly in our town staff morale is shit for very good reason. I guess all it takes is one bad regional/area manager even if the company as a whole is good. DH may look elsewhere once paternity leave is done but don't really want to jump out the frying pan. Also depends where we end up moving to - if we are nearer the side of town he works in, life could improve a whole lot simply by him being home quicker etc

It's great - it's a local chain of pubs run by local brewery. 0.05p points per pound spent. Or something like that. You can then redeem the points in the pub.

Fluffy pleased you're feeling better my throat is 90% better thanks.

North no I didn't get to go out

£18(!!) in the service station. Dc shared a sandwich and sausage rolls plus drinks in gregs, I had chicken katsu noodles mmmm and I got a KFC for dh.

NSD here but not at all well so don't even feel like eating.
Decorator coming tomorrow to paint kitchen.....just all white undercoat, as there is no point doing anything else as I still need windows.
Enjoy your holiday Girlie. I hope the weather stays fine for you both.
Em, that blackberry sounds sounds amazing, worth the bribe.
Cag, you are disabled, DH is your carer and also for DD (and DS?) because she also has a disability. The employer should take his caring responsibilities into account. The situation with new parents is different. New parents can request flexible working. It's usually new Mums but the law does not and cannot discriminate against new fathers. The employer has to consider the request but does not have to grant it, but if they don't they can be asked to give reasons. Not wanting to is not a good enough reason.

Hope you feel better soon, Copper.

@ Fluffy.

Definitely worth looking into, Cag. Read up online.

£5 towards my block of 5 Pilates lessons (had already paid £30) and £4.30 bus fares back.

What's the matter Copper? I'm sorry to hear that you're under the weather. It seems as though a lot of people are getting things at the moment. I wonder if it's to do with these autumnal grey skies?

Fluffy I'm still at home but on school holidays. It's my birthday tomorrow. I'll be 42. :-) Really glad you're better, and Wreck too.

Thanks sunny are you doing anything nice tomorrow?

Any one here tried Kefir? I have given some grains today and have started off a batch.. Its supposed to be really good for you..

Oh Need You forgot to pack me in your suitcase ! That starter looks wonderful

Over the weekend I bought some Montezumas 100% Absolute Black ! .. Wow !! dark choc without any sugar at all! .. its really very good!

cag I second getting a copy of the flexible working policy before he starts asking/ gets in his application

If he's in a union take a rep/ workplace colleague to his meeting. And insist on a note taker if the policy allows.

If his employer doesn't follow their own policy e.g. Doesn't hold a meeting, then that will give him grounds to appeal so he gets two chances at it.

He will need to be given business reasons if the request is turned down.

There's normally a time limit to responding to these requests.

A bit of flexibility on both sides may make him more successful.

I had a flexible working request granted on appeal (no meeting was held). And I've recently as a manager helped my member of staff get a flexible working request through. She originally had no hope as the pattern was unworkable, but coming up with a more realistic working pattern helped immensely.

Sorry had a long day so can't remember much on the thread. Feel better soon copper

Oh goodness the witching hour (s). I'd forgotten about that already! Christmas remember it does get better. That must be tough with DS to sort out too.

NSD. Yay! Made DD walk to the park this arvo. It's a bit of a trek but it's not far enough for me to go to all the trouble of getting 2 babies in and out of their car seats twice on each leg of the journey. It was worth it she met a friend and they had a great time.

Weather forecast for tomorrow is directly. Don't know what we're going to do all day.

Dire not directly!

Same here snuggly not sure what we will do either

Wow thanks everyone. I'd kind of envisaged him just asking but a proper procedure would be better! I guess I'd be a bit worried it would make life difficult for him if they resented him for asking but if he has a legal right to ask then they can't really complain can they?

Yep I am officially disabled due to my condition (and get PIP) and both Caglets are diagnosed autistic so that is a disability too (I just mentioned DD specifically because it is her needs that are hard to handle in the evenings).

Didn't even think of unions, yes he is with Usdaw :)

Would definitely be flexible but it's good to remember he should be forthcoming with it! There are various shift times available - earlies, days, lates mainly - and he'd be happy with anything other than constant lates really. It's just that 5 days of 2-10PM is really taking its toll. He'd still be happy to do some lates if they wanted him to but maybe 2 a week or something.

Hi all, haven't read further back than this page I'm afraid.

I fucked up my good week last week, my dad started a big argument with me yesterday and was really mean and unreasonable and I got very upset, hadn't cried that much in ages and got all unwell and horrid from late afternoon onwards. I was still feeling really grim this morning so called in sick to work. I am feeling much better now - met a friend for ice cream after she finished work which was nice. But feel sorta deflated that I can't even manage to weeks of 10-4 days without a sick day and worried how I will cope when I'm meant to be working FT D: anxiety is bad about work tomorrow as well in case people are funny with me but eh I literally leave on Friday so what can they do/say really.

Today spent about a fiver in the coffee shop on sorbet and tea, and then about another fiver in little Tesco on my walk home on a few bits of my dinner.

Copper and whoever else is unwell, I hope you all feel better soon . I have an annoying little cold atm too.

I just read back an extra page and I just wanted to say to Cag, if you have a British Heart Foundation shop near you they often do great furniture for really cheap, new stuff too. Our bed is from there and was brand new and I can't remember how much it was but much cheaper than if we bought it somewhere else. And we got our mattress from John Lewis it is a Silent Night one especially for John Lewis and was ok-priced.

Hope you are OK Meadow