Saving into summer!

[SnugglySnerd]

New frugal thread.

Lovely to hear from you seacow, sorry you are having to fight so hard with the LEA. So much time, energy and finances so needlessly. Ah, the witching hour, always fun with an additional small child to consider.....

We've been lucky with education, both of our DC have had a overwhelmingly positive experience. I'm glad. High school in particular has been fantastic. I'll thank all my lucky stars and continue to do so.

Been a very busy few days, catered for a about 20 last night, was out Friday night and up at 6am for a 16 mile run. Done a few chores but I am actually chilling now. Looking forward to a slightly less busy few days now.

NSD

Well done on the ride lonely, I've got the munchies too now, the long so runs empty the tanks for me. I got to the supermarket all the time in my sweaty running gear

I always got to a shop on my way home from a gym class. I think the regular staff are used to me now.

£35 ish spent today. Not bad. Could have spent more but it wouldn't have been with it.

Good ride lonely.
It's pouring down here but was dry in Skipton except for 1 shower. Love cloud watching.

Waiting for the DC to come home. Need to meal plan and check the bank tonight.

My knees are killing me from spinning. Having oven food for dinner and we're all in our pjs already. Proper winter weather!

Sea If it's between coast and country & bluechip holidays choose coast & country.

lonely Well done you! That looks a huge distance to me.

£3 tea and cake in JL for us.
£1.30 gravy and potatoes for tonight.

Skiptons lovely life, hope you enjoyed.

Glad you had a good time in Skipton, Life, and the weather was better there than it is here. Result on the Converse too!

Seacow, sorry you're having to fight so hard for your DS's entitlements. Easier said than done, but stay calm and strong and don't let the school or LEA push you into anything you don't want. Your DS has the same right as every other child to a full-time education. As a teacher, I have been shocked at how SEN children have been treated in some of the schools I've worked in, and I admire the parents who have stood their ground when the schools haven't been exactly welcoming.

Spends: £4.50 bus; £3.75 Morrisons café and £3.17 in Morrisons (a tape measure, bread, milk and juice); £16 on my card in Wilkonsons. I've done a Sainsburys order online for the first time since we moved to come tomorrow, for £48.79.

I would definitely wear my mud and sweat with pride in the supermarket. If I ever actually broke a sweat . Weirdly, for the first time in my adult life I am actually really fancying doing some exercise. Not running - I don't have the boobs and knees for that. But something

The holiday website I am looking at is called homeaway.com. It is mostly privately owned holiday lets, I used it a few years ago for a big trip to Florida (booked 3x 1 week lets) and it was a good experience. You basically book with the owner, but like air bnb.

Am having a lovely snuggle with DD. DH stole her sleepy cuddles off me this afternoon . I suppose I do have to share. I still can't really believe we have a daughter - we wanted another child for so long and didn't think it would happen so I feel really lucky. Even at 3am.

DS is being quite naughty, with lots of attention seeking behaviour. I am sure it is to do with the baby arriving. I am trying to give him lots of positive attention but really do need to find sanctions for when he is properly disobedient. Oddly we've never needed that before - I think it's a good sign for his development that he's being naughty, TBH! It's hard for me to assert my authority though when I am trying unsuccessfully not to laugh (e.g. at him wedging himself in the baby's Moses basket).

Hello all. I tried to write on the previous thread but my connection failed and I didn't have time to re-write it. So I feel way behind! Busy weekend away at a weddding, not frugal but loved every minute 😊

Mammy so pleased to hear you recovered your running mojo. If I really don't feel like running I do a similar thing - just tell myself I'll run for 20 minutes and that's all I have to do. I always feel better for getting hit and I think it helps the next run feel less onerous.

Cag I agree with the suggestions to freecycle what you can (even scrap wood might go) but if you have anxiety about people coming to the house I wonder if it would be better to put it on eBay with a tiny price. That way you won't get people coming round speculatively.

need I remember when I started learning about imaginary numbers in maths. It really caught my imagination (pun very much intended). Hope your son is similarly inspired!

em happy anniversary. Lunch sounds lovely.

seacow sorry you are having a hard time with the LEA. Your son is very lucky at how hard you are prepared to fight for him.

Off for a run in a bit. so knackered from weekend but I need to go.

Seacow it all sounds very stressful for, you're right to worry about the people who don't know the law and what their rights are

Who needs a cat bed?!

Hi all, just catching up

Ystd got petrol which was £40 ish but otherwise a LSD 60p on parking!
Dd managed her last show although unfortunately her solo went a bit wrong, all credit to her though she kept going even though you could tell she wanted to cry bless her.

Have had a super lazy day today and hardly moved from the sofa let dd watch Dirty Dancing for the first time which we both enjoyed and are watching Titanic now!! Weirdly have just realised the storylines aren't massively different (poor boy/rich girl falling in love yada yada.)

Have made some delicious scones though and a cake from a cake mix bag that I picked up for 11p ages ago, it looks a bit small but am sure will taste fine!!

Seacow sorry to hear that about the struggles with the school system but well done on challenging it. I have had mixed experiences with schools really, love the idea of home schooling but in reality think it would be a disaster for dd and I. That said what Gove has done to the education system in this country is borderline criminal the crap they are forced to learn is ridiculous.

TBH holly eBay is even scarier to me now as money, even a small amount, is involved. I don't even sell anything by post on there anymore, as the anxiety it caused is just too much. I know it's really pathetic but I am enough of a nervous wreck at the moment (panic attacks at 4am becoming more frequent) that sadly it's just not worth it. :(

Evening all

Nsd, yay!!

Bathroom painted

NSD. Finally!

You've all been busy over the weekend. We haven't done much really.

Cag and Em I have a newborn boy outfit M&S unworn. A pack of 3 Sainsbury's boy sleepsuits 3-6 months unopened and the same size of girls' but not overly girlie sleepsuits from M&S also unopened. They were all gifts we haven't used. Let me know if either of you would like any of them.

seacow I don't have the boobs for running either.

Still full from lunch.

I do have the boobs for running. And that's where it ends.

Both of us have colds. I never get colds so it must be bad.

Thanks for the link Sea.

I have the boobs for running too, but it's never gonna happen...

Thank you snuggly that's lovely of you would you be able to get a credit note in those shops though perhaps, as they are still unopened? Or direct exchange for bigger clothes for the twins? Worth a try as they don't always want receipts.

I do not have the boobs for running. 38H here and rising - have suggested a girlie trip to Brighton with some friends so I can go to Bravissimo. Hate bra shopping though. Getting a fair bit of boob pain this time as well which never happened in previous pregnancies.

Takeaway this evening much enjoyed by all while watching Vicar of Dibley. Poor DSD is full of cold. Run out of lots of staple foods, but we have a midweek only delivery saver so can't get Tesco until Tuesday.

I realised on wandering around Boots the other day that I need to write a list of what else needs buying for baby! I have only bought clothes so far, and one sleeping bag (I prefer them to blankets for overnight). I've looked at prams but as for everything else I'm totally unprepared!

cag 38H???? Holy moly!!! Mine have gone up to an E and I thought that was big. It annoys me that the bigger you get the more expensive bras are. Saying that I do like big boobs.

34JJ here . Expensive and totally impractical. I like having big boobs as I have big hips and it balances me out. But they could be a lot smaller and still be big!

Regarding DS, the school is being very welcoming thankfully - the only bone of contention there is toileting (they say I have to go in to change him if he soils himself - not legal!). The LA is just hopeless at sorting the assessments DS is supposed to have had for his support plan. Legal timelines say the EHCP must be finalised within 20 weeks. We are on Week 29 and they still haven't got all the input reports they need that they should have had by Week 6 .

Yesterday went on a hen do, spent £30 and was pleased with that.

Today I spent £10 in poundland, board games (ludo, snakes and ladders, connect 4, draughts) to teach W over the summer (he's 4), chocolate and birthday cards for nephew and some biscoff biscuits and a wooden puzzle for G.

Went for afternoon tea, we thought we'd have to pay for an extra guest we took or the non-tea I had but we didn't :) But I did buy £7 of bits in the deli (sausage rolls for dinner, reduced jelly beans for W and two lots of smoked paprika in lovely tins.

Quietish weekend, I still have sciatica on and off , but i am now convinced its more about stress ( ive had back spasms before when I have been stressed). Why am I stressed at a weekend?? I am trying to take the 'putting in my resignation letter in the next few days' - tomorrow even - decision ..

Feel like I am on an edge of a cliff .. Its a good well paid job i'd be leaving, I dont need to , i could stay until my proper reirement age of 66, , but it is one I have totally had enough of. I can retire and get my pension now , but i am a bit scared! ( but then I also really want to !)

.. I know I have just got to do it or stop going on about it ) . I really do want to , I am still scared though. (DH says just do it!). I know we wont starve, we would have enough money - though it would be a big change, and he'd support my decision wholeheartedly . Its just one of those big life change things .. a real re-think of what and who you are thing. Ive always earnt my money, I've always paid my way equally. Ive alwayd beem 'proud' that I have achieved this. retiring means that this is going to be a whole new me..

But I dont care about the job anymore , I really dont, even though Ive spent years training for it , Ive completely had it.. Govt cuts have decimated it and last week when faced with a so-called 'exciting' opportunity I realised I dont give a flying F about it at all. At.All ..

It is time to go then , but heck its a biggie.

 Ho hum.. I know I have to do this myself, (so do ignore the mad woman!).. Its good to have somewhere to write this stuff though and know  you'll at least  understand ..

The weather has been super rubbish here and i have hardly been out of the house all weekend so no spends! (not even on line, althoug I do still have a couple of things coming from the Seasalt sale that i ordered last week)

Have made courgette pickle this afternoon ( sans red peppers , no point in extra buying to use up glut) but with dill.. is V yummy - have made this before..
We have lots of runner beans also but we are keeping up with eating those at the moment

36E here that feels big enough.. I'd love to have pancakes!

Ive just re-read my post .. Its so useful to write things down just as they come without editing (which I what I did) ,

Now Ive read what i have written I can see Its screaming 'I am completely burnt out' ..

Ooh courgette pickle sounds good. I made the HFW courgette filo pie today as I kept thinking about it after recommending it on here last week. It was delicious are there's plenty for a few lunches.

Credit note or exchange is a good idea, Cag. Sainsbury's I can get to. M&S is more difficult as that involves traipsing into town with all the dcs.