Frugaleers Still Saving into September

[Laska5772]

New Thread!!

That's a confusing double use of the word "Duck". Must not waste hours thinking about it.

If you were me what would you do? Drop your days down to four a week so you could have a Friday off but have to pay £40 a week after school club or keep working until 3 mon-thurs and until 1 on a Friday with no childcare fees?

Meh.

Cag that's so exciting!!

Nsd.

Wreck I think it depends whether you enjoy the company of your children.

I'd keep working, you'll still have to the school run anyway on that Friday.

What's £40 X academic weeks?.

£1560. £40x39. Assuming your kids have 13 weeks holiday like ours do here.

That's a hard one - on some level it's like that for me and I have gone for the working more days shorter days option, so I do majority of pickups with occasional breakfast club/ grandmother pickups when I need to work late. I do have some flexibility to work at home occasionally though which gives me a bit of space at least. I did wfh today but ended up pretty much actually working the whole time which was a bummer!

Not really sunny they're horrible after school.

Yes I would have to do school run but all that entails is crossing the road at 8:15 to wait for the bus and then again at 3:20.

One bonus is that dd wants to do two (free) after school clubs saving me £10 a week.

Can you afford £160 pcm Wrecked? Your quality of life would be better I suspect with one full extra day off, it certainly seemed that way to me when I changed hours after DC became old enough to be alone at home and I didn't work school hours.

Cag - Bloody hell! Least you can plan better. How did the tests go my lovely?

Lonely Bless you, we are your friends. Always here to listen. I personally know nothing about wool but a bit about exercise and can appreciate that part of your life at least. And dogs, and chickens

Interesting about DP's being around to help. I guess it depends on your norm. For me, DH has always worked away an awful lot, including weekends. So being on my own and doing everything with 2 small DC was just my reality so I simply got on with it. Bit like say Girlie, being a SP is 'norm', least DH was there to discuss stuff with on the end of a phone. I guess if he had been home at 5pm then that would have been my norm and I would have got used to him being around to help more. Weirdly, whenever it was tough I thought of forces parents, god knows why, but it seemed to put my situation into perspective. Funny, never thought of it for a while as the DC are older and it makes no odds now. Good luck to your DH Sunny and I am sure things would work out well in the long term. He does seem eminently employable, which must be reassuring and a big confidence boost. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome as you have a lot on.

Talking of older DC, DS is 18 tomorrow!!!! He's not even here as he's doing his D of E Gold expedition. How did I get to have an adult DC?!

DH is hatching further plans to expand and is looking for new buildings. He's 56 in November and still got the drive. This is all in the overall plan though for the next 10 years, when he thinks he might drop one day by then. He's away all week this week and next. Went Tuesday. I'm a bit nervous of it all but he is such a good and sensible businessman that I trust his knowledge.

Spends
£40 on some nice bottles of wine. I've told myself its for Christmas but that's bollox
£5 Boot Camp.

I'm making roasted sweet potato, squash and chorizo soup for tea, frugal and tasty.

ps - I'm definitely the more cautious of the 2 of us in terms of attitude to risk. I'm glad actually DH is slightly different in this regard. What's everyone else's partners like?

Yes I factored in childcare costs when I was doing the car.

I was stood on the station platform reading this thread, and it appears my train stopped and left without me noticing/ getting on it! Going to be home an hour later now

I'd be tempted tbh. I seem to get so much done on my full day off. My friend recently dropped from 5 days to 4 and she says the difference in her quality of life is amazing. I got nowt done working school hours, especially factoring clubs etc.

Just my opinion though.

I'm going to message Creme and see she's okay btw.

Oh love 🤦🏽‍♀️ how annoying!

Bugger Love

Em How has today been at work?

wreck if you stay with the five days per week, will DC go to the free clubs? Eg. You'd then get some time without them ?

Shouldn't have gone into Lakelands...

£4.65 for the jar opener I needed and £5 on a new measuring jug and a couple of ramekins I could have managed without.

Going to try out the new recipe book and make butternut squash risotto tonight.

Wreck would you be able to claim some childcare allowance via tax credits? I like the company of my child (ouch!) but when you are working a few hours 'off' each week is invaluable for my sanity!! That is literally my only child free time, the only time I get to meet a friend for coffee and catch up on jobs etc. I personally would probably go for having a day off each week and paying the childcare.

Thanks for the concerns re dd, yes a def baptism of fire!! She seems fairly unfazed by it and i will def be following it up with her tutor when I see her next week.

LSD £1.50 on paracetamol and biscuits.

I have also written various cheques for things at dds school and given her money for various things as well, secondary is seemingly quite expensive!!

Oh no love!
Welcome back rafa :)

Gosh wreck that's a tough decision, I have no experience in that regard but would probably make a trusty pros and cons list in your shoes :o

So Dr confirmed what wreck said about low carb being the way to go! I am a bit blindsided as the MW had said that my sugars were a bit high but not enough for a diagnosis of GD. But the consultant said today that I DO have GD :( anyway I am going to the clinic tomorrow to get a testing kit and then will review results (after each meal) on Monday and they'll decide whether or not to medicate. It's not absolutely definite I'll be induced but I am just going to assume it I think, and then if I'm not it is like getting a bonus two weeks right?

Oh no cag . One positive with an induction is you can plan baby's "birth"day so you can plan care for the caglets

I'm now on the slow train home. Making sure I pay attention so I don't end up in Weymouth by mistake 🙊

I just realised MN must have eaten my post earlier.

Em it isn't the induction itself really as both my other labours were induced (albeit at 3 days before due date, and 11 days after, so not as early and I was probably more 'ready'). And induction is easier with subsequent births. Plus it will be nice to sort of know when she might arrive! I've never gone into labour naturally which is a bit sad in a way but less scary in another (I'm not great with unpredictability) :o

It's more that it is soooo soon! I know that sounds ridiculous when you have markedly less than 49 sleeps and it's not even my first so it shouldn't seem so scary! I am worried about the birth though TBH as I have so little stamina and strength these days due to the fibro etc.

And we have SO much to do before she arrives. I am going to have to write another list. And then panic about it.

Blood tests went fine thankfully, have told the Caglets we are very proud! The magic cream flared up DS' eczema though. Basically sunny it's not an NHS thing exactly, it's for research - we could've said no but I thought it'd be useful (also because it means they'll have had the experience so hopefully less scary if they need blood tests/vaccines in future). And interesting too, as if they pick up anything they will then test me and DH too! And all sorts could be picked up. Bit weird really but it's an opportunity not many get, so may as well take it. :)

Love ds isn't allowed to any clubs plus they only have two free ones a week. Trying to persuade dd to do them but they're sports and she isn't sporty!

Girlie I hope so re tax credits but I'm basing it on worst case scenario.

Cag I know you're super clever but if you need any advice I'm happy to give it. We're you tested for GD in your previous pregnancy? Just wondering if it was undiagnosed and that's why ds(?) was so big?

£148 on this years Christmas trip.

Hi Rafal welcome back, well done on repaying so much cc debt

Lonely your debt got you & your children out of a bad situation. I have very few rl friends but here, and the half marathon thread & team RH are really good supports love that coat you're planning on knitting. My dm knits but she puts too many projects on the go at one time & they rarely get finished. She started one thing for me 7 years ago still waiting I expect she's misplaced it.

I'm considering using one cc for Christmas purchases must see whether Tesco points vs cash rewards are best value, we've got the money saved so either way is good.
Yours sounds good bacon

I haven't caught up much today

That sounds really interesting Cag, love things like that. Plus, practical too of you - get the DC used to needles so they don't become a massive issue, especially if they were nervous before.

Agree Lonely, your debt had a reason, a very good reason.

Creme is okay, taking a break for a bit, 'tis all.

Soup looks fab, really pleased with it.

Right - enough faffing around now, crack on Need.

That's the most likely answer wreck - I had the GTT at 28 weeks and it was clear so nothing more was said. I also had no scans past 20 weeks so it was a huge shock when he was so big! But due to his size and his low blood sugar the doctors did say afterwards that maybe I had developed it after the test. The plan due to this was that they'd keep repeating the test if I 'passed' but looks like that's not necessary anyway!
Any yummy low carb food ideas would be most appreciated :)