The Friendly Frugaleers, watching the pennies as we wait for sunshine!

[Cagliostro]

Hello, all welcome!

Rollerblades haggled for and got! I offered £30 under buy it now, counter offer £5 under, so I offered £20 under and got them. Very pleased. All my birthday money, casino winnings this week, and £30.

Asda today, food for home, and stuff for race. All cash £60. Am making chicken curry puffs tonight. Have curry on: lots of veg, sweet potato and chicken. Will stir coconut cream in when ready. I don't make curry much, so hoping this is mild enough for dc. I'm thinking wrapping it in puff pastry will sway them!

Stacking cooling racks are brilliant! And £5 cheaper for the tala ones on Amazon than Dunelm.

Also got a zip to mend a pre dc very old skirt with, £2.

Ordered my spiralizer from lakeland, plus piping bags and 2 bags of licorice, £40.83. I had £40 vouchers.

Your eyes are a lovely colour though wrecked, and that was lovely of you re the dog.

Brill news about the skates Lonely, it was meant to be

Good news re DD, tutor phoned and she's able to do A Level History without having done it at GCSE. Plus, as she want to change her choices radically, just go and see her and she will sort it. All depending on results, but she worked hard and is predicted good grades. So, we've English Lit, History, Biology and either Politics/Psychology. Anyone any thoughts on the latter choice?

We've had another wander in Sorrento today, DH offered to buy me a back but I've resisted, and even resisted Christmas baubles!

Funny that isn't it Girlie, DD had one particular friend that was more sensitive than her others, it happens I guess.

Not a sausage about Ancient Greek I know

Thanks need yes the dog was a terrier so not necessarily my type of dog but he was so sweet and sat on my lap .

Hmm does dd still not know what she wants to do? I think unless she wants to go into something medical the politics would be better. But I'm not very well educated so my opinion probably isn't worth much!

What a day.

Home from work after a bit of a long day. Stupid busy as people off on holiday sick etc. Bah. But next two days off. Yippee.

Am having a piece of chocolate cake before dinner (dh is working late so am having dessert before dinner).

Am trying to train catface to be ok with me shutting the living room door. We only do this when we need to catch her for vets or flea treatment.

She's on the couch with me now. I've shut the door. She's expecting something to happen to her I think....all that's going to happen is she gets fed.

Girlie Waterford is a county on the South coast of Ireland. If you look at this map, it's the red county on the South coast. There's also a city called Waterford - I'm not sure if the wedding is taking place in Waterford city or somewhere else in the county? I don't know Waterford very well as I don't have reason to visit very often. If you want to PM me the hotel, I'll let you know if I've heard of it and where it is.

Girlie I forgot to say that you've probably heard of Waterford Crystal. They used to produce it in Waterford.

I love my stacking cooling racks

Im still here! this is to catch up ....with me,me, me... as I havent read back ( sorry) I went to see the nurse practitioner. She gave me Amitriptyline lowest dose 10mg and has referred me to physio..

When I went in she said: 'Well I am feeling very honoured' which sort of threw me.. but it seems that the last time I went to docs was 2011 !

I also asked her about a mole on my back and she has referred me to dermatologist .. (although did point out im supposed to go separately for separate things.). - but then, I may not need to go back for another 6 years so it seemed like a good time to getmy 'moneys worth'

A Frugal use of NHS I think

The sciatica hasnt been so bad today.. Now those drugs cant work so fast so I think it confirms my theory that its all in my head actually.

I have also lost some stress since yesterday as have finally had someactual proper finacial options for retirement from our pensions people . ( who have taken ages to respond!)..

Am working at home tomorrow , so ill catch up then .. but Friday I have a meeting for the 'sh*t on a stick job' they want me to do ..and i really dont .. but then it is only 4 months to go ..

V£££ week, this one, £365 on car insurance and £356 in the garage as to onbody work r after i scratched it badly the day i had my scooter accident a while ago (ireally shouldnt have driven home but did ).. we didnt claim on insurance..

I also had my hair cut but thats only ever £20..inc tip!

oh.. and the actual proper finacial options are definately looking doable!

need I see there is a new Hush collection out .. Step away!! (i did see you wanted to have coaching instead! but I also saw you on the Hush thread!

need I did politics A level. It was my best mark (B). You can study either subjects at uni without having done an a level in it though. I didn't enjoy the psychology I did as part of my degree but I'm doubtful that I'm 'normal' in that regard. I wish I'd done my degree in politics, instead of sociology.

That isn't helpful in the slightest I know and my career hasn't reached lofty heights so... and I did a levels 16 years ago

I slipped up on the hush front. Bought the ruched skirt in burgandy. But. Dgrandma sent me £20. And I used the 10% off thing and got cashback.

I figure said Skirt will be nice for when I'm on leave and also nice for more casual days when back at work.

love I'm much older than you! 23 years ago for my a-levels!

Curry was a hit! Even by coconut hating dd1. Curry puffs on the menu for sunday too. I've eaten my own weight in puff pastry, rice and clotted cream ice cream (found in freezer, yum).

Have prepped a screen to screenprint our logo... god knows how this will go, photo emulsion next. Am baffled as have no instructions, just a few you tube vids.

We ordered the buggy!!! No going back now! £338 including car seat and all the trimmings like change bag, rain cover etc

DH is grilling some mackerel for dinner. It's em's fault for mentioning it the other day :o but I'm excited and it can't hurt to be eating oily fish, I don't do that nearly enough.

Thankfully my Ancient Greek thread got some replies after a while so I can make a start teaching DD the alphabet!

Also I am thinking of signing up to an online BSL course. It's £19 and the Caglets can learn alongside me

cag what buggy did you go for?

Cosatto Giggle 2 :) lightweight easy to fold etc. And crucially well within budget! Hope it's the right decision, who knows

Money no object pram would've been the mothercare orb (more expensive and without car seat included so much more ££) but we haven't been able to find one in person to try out anyway. Tried the cosatto a couple of times and were happy so, fingers crossed!

Love the buggy, and those roller blades.

Fab news re DD A level need

Hope Dr helps fluffy

girlie I've had to call a parent to collect once, multiple friends so I couldn't leave. It's a pain, but if they are upset there's no choice.

wreck well done on 🐶 rescue and yes, beautiful eye colour. DD2 used to have that dilated pupil effect from drops to allow the ofthalsmolagist (sp) to exam her eyes.

We're on "holiday" with the PIL. Not sharing accommodation though despite their efforts it's been Spendy lots of days out etc.

Ooh, very fancy, Cag.

DS is only going into Year 10, but already planning to do Politics and History A-levels, Need. We'll see...

Curry puffs sound delicious, Lonely.

£47.55 out for my online shopping, but no spends apart from that.

Long and busy day. Went blackberrying with DD and we made a crumble. Spent £50 in Sainsbury's mostly on clothes for DD. I'd hoped not to have to buy much but she's really grown. Got some fruit while I was there too.

Very tired. Will try and catch up with you all now...

Ooh good choice cag we debated a cossato but the order time was twice that of mamas and papas and cossato was only £50 cheaper than m&p

We've had a frugal fail. Dh had to go out to buy dinner. The stuff we had was not cool from frozen but defrost first. We didn't realise this until I took it out of the freezer. Sigh. Ham and pineapple pizza instead though. Mmm. A very small wine and a cry (noisy upstairs neighbours are thoroughly getting on my enormous tits. Have emailed environmental health and have called in a favour from a lawyer friend. He's coming for dinner on Friday night to witness he noise for himself and will advise us - can't really advise myself on this as am super conflicted).

Sent angry email to agent of upstairs flat. Suggested we'd go to a hotel this weekend and her agency would foot our bill.....

Also unfrugal note. Have any of you had Invisalign? I'm thinking about it while I'm off on leave. It will set me back over £1000. But I've got savings to cover it and really really want my teeth straightened. It should take 6 months.

Nice pram Cag

Thank you Tayto thats helpful, will wait to see the invite and then should know a bit more. Would love to visit South Ireland though, will depend a bit on dates as well as how expensive it would be....

Adora yes thats what I think, this girls parents don't drive so had to take her home. Been knackered today though.

LSD £1.80 on a drink.

em I was looking at the bumpf for invisalign while waiting for my root canal last month. It looks the best option for a grown up I think. Absolutely go for it. Its one of my "mum" stipulations: I am not sending my dc out into the world with squint teeth. Dd1 is waiting for private orthadontics, will be £1200 for fixed braces. The retainers these days are like invisalign though (one of our young riders wears them). Its one thing I am totally happy to spend money on, like music lessons.

My teeth were gappy, and I wept at the orthadontist appointment when they approved me for treatment on the nhs (at 17). Its only now I realise how self concious I was.