The Friendly Frugaleers Keep on Chatting (and having babies!)

[WreckTangled]

New thread, everyone welcome!

Hi friendly frugaleers, can I join? Just started mat leave and need to start budgeting. I can be a bit of a spendthrift but I also enjoy being frugal and saving money too. One of my main overspending areas is on the food shop so I've been reading the credit crunch threads with interest and realise I need to start meal planning. Some great money saving ideas on here too. Looking forward to becoming a frugaleer

Hi @Dontwaketheneighbours you're very welcome here congrats on your baby

Great news meadow that you're feeling better, and your mum is coming to look after you

Hi @hamburgers welcome congrats on your pregnancy and sorry to hear about your dh's business

Fluffy my dsd's mil is a genius with a needle & thread & I think I already have a zip much check length, will try complaining

Need brilliant update you've been a busy bee 🐝

Thanks mammy

Welcome newbies. Glad to have you. :-)

Is anybody else finding that the halloween costumes are a bit horrid this year? We're getting a lot of fake blood and surgeons clothes at the door. Yuk.

Welcome don't

We've had about half a dozen. Mines the only house I can see with pumpkins.

I think the halloween costumes are fab! We've had 7 visits already (although the house may be decorated somewhat outside...). I've bought Celebrations, 'cos I've run out of stuff in the past. Village life!

No trick or treaters here we live in the country. Living here since 2007 and once we had trick or treaters in that time

Don't and Hamburgers. You are most welcome. We are chatty, so don't worry about keeping up. Tons of support and advice here!

ps - we have our own business, I've got some insight into the particular stresses that brings. It's very tough. The first few months definitely, as you've experienced.

Mammy Thanks. I've been on the frugal trail today for sure ha!

I'm on my 10th now, the dogs are in 'being fussed' heaven!

One's just been to the door and said 'trick or treat or smell my feet', so I told him he had to smell my feet too and that foxed him, he must have been 5 this kid ha!

Dd managed to get herself dressed up and has been round a few houses, Halloween is quite a big thing on the estate and there are loads of kids (and parents) about. We bought loads of mini bags of haribo plus loose sweets but are already down to just a few!! Once they are gone i'm locking up and pulling the blinds down

Welcome newbies this is a lovely thread, we are all supportive and from all walks of life

Thanks Fluffy I am def going to look into signing up to a few, a bit of extra cash for pocket money etc.

I'm on 15 now! The age range has gone from about 2/3 at about 5pm to year 6/7 now . One was using his mobile, so he got told to put it down or no treats

Glad DD is feeling a bit better Girlie.

Thanks Need its been a funny one, bad headache, low level temp, generally feeling teary and tired. Fingers crossed she is well enough for school tomorrow as i'm back to work!!

Newbies newbies! Hello. You're most welcome here. We're very supportive!

Been busy all day, and just had a cup of coffee and read back 3 pages. em very clever. My dad does the same thing with me, other way round. He'll be struggling with his drill when I go round, and be huffing loudly, and I just take over whatever job he was pretending to do.

I can tell you all now, as dp has 'announced' it, but we're closing the shop at the end of November. We've had enough of slogging our guts out, to pay the rent and get no wages. Lots of great stuff but no money. I've been paying off the outstanding bills recently onto my 0% card, so all stock will be signed over to me when we close, which I'll have to ebay (yuck) to recoup my borrowed money. It's the best decision for us, and dp will carry on as a mobile repair man. We have a big customer base, but don't sell enough stock to justify the outgoings of a shop.

I think it will actually be a huge relief as we've been hanging on for years now. The club, race team and events will continue, they were taking over anyway.

Dd2 had her first filling tonight, she's a total toughie. Didn't flinch. Spent about £15 in sainsburys on a quick tea for the dc's. Had just one trick or treat - I only had christmas chocolate coins to give them! We will do our haloween movie night at the weekend (I cba tonight).

Hi there Don't and Hamburgers good to see you.. theres no judging here!

We have all been or are still 'in' it.. lots of different ideas and incomes but we all have frugalling at heart ( although some people may slightly disagree when it comes to me and my Hush habit !!!).

So ..payday ! I need to go and tot up but i think its been ok this month..
Lawd i am suffering this evening with the sciatica.. so watch out for old 'grumpy mc grumpface.. ave done the exercises but arrrrggghhh. is the answer..

No Halloween lanterns out here i'm afraid.. i wouldn't get any venturing down my drive anyway i think.. tall hedges, spooky ( in the dark) house... and a real old grumpy witch! (me!!) We have a black cat also!!

Will update properly later.

meadow hooray for just feeling nauseous!! Fingers crossed it stays that way. Even if that is still rubbish. Every cloud and all that. If you haven’t already got them grab some travel sickness bands.

Wow took me ages to catch up.

Welcome to the new people.

Lonely sounds like a good decision.

We’ve been trick or treating in the village over. It was hell I hate it. Left my bag at my friends and she locked the door (who does that?! ) so I’ll have to get it tomorrow.

Meadow until recently I worked at a drs surgery and the GP’s refused to do fit for work certificates just to warn you. I’m sure some will do but some might charge or completely refuse.

LSD 50p donation towards ds having pumpkin soup in class

No trick or treaters here either. One of the benefits of being in an apartment.

Veggie spag Bil for dinner. Dh is to the shops. I’ve made bottles for the evening just in case (when I say made - ive measures the powder and right before I go to bed I’ll make one up and put it in magic warming pouch) and the changing bag is ready for the evening. Hoorah.

Going riding tomorrow. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!! Excitement.

We've been swamped with trick or treaters here. We've had to bring our pumpkins in now though so I can start DS1's bedtime. I love seeing all the kids dressed up though. Thanks for all the welcomes

Lonely sounds like the right decision for you guys

I had to pop into the co op on way home for milk and picked up a co op 'Irresistible roasted mushroom and sliced celeriac rarebit' out of the reduced cold counter for 1.25p. it .looked a bit random but I thought i'd give it a go for my dinner with a few extra steamed greens.

..It was really, really LE YUM!! a real Recommend if you find one reduced ..( i wouldn't buy it at £3.50 though which is its full price..)

Meadow a definite result I think today.. hopefully you are over the worst..

Lonely I thought you might be going that way.. Its so hard running a small business. Many moons ago I was a partner in a bookshop in Durham.. great job but we could never make it pay..

Good luck in the next venture

em I am thinking of taking up riding once I retire.. I used to be able to sort of ride, (hang on in a canter) and some friends and I used to go out from a stable in the New Forest in a group most weekends (this was 40+ years ago!!) but I never had 'proper' lessons.. But there is a good (or it looks to be ) school near us , and they ride over the Downs..

Oh dear we had a trick or treating disaster here, dd opened the door and only had about 5 sweets left but unfortunately there was a massive group of kids. She panicked and handed over some of her own sweets and then had a complete meltdown once they had gone.

I should have probably been supervising a bit more closely and didn't realise her own stash was out there. Oh well she has just about calmed down now and we have battened down the hatches. Some of the kids were so greedy, just grabbing handfuls instead of taking one or two

Welcome dont and ham! :)

We've had a few trick or treaters and DH had to step in and make my traditional Halloween snack (red smoothie with body part shaped sweets) as I was napping :o

I'd forgotten how much newborns sleep! She's not taking so long to feed now though. I'm a bit concerned my supply is wonky but she seems happy on either side.

Lonely that's a tough decision but it must be a relief to have made it. Glad you have lots of business stuff without the actual shop anyway.

Totally nailed my own injection today

Really glad you've not been sick today meadow