Frugaleers hurtling through November... is it too early to mention the C word? All welcome for money saving chat!

[Cagliostro]

Hi all, please settle in for chatting about all things frugal, and all things everything else :o

Woah em what a weirdo.

Sunny that's great! How exciting for you!

Should be a nsd today. Hopefully. Bet the school ask me for more money for something

wreck on Friday I was raging. On Saturday I was raging. Now I just think it’s funny. Let him try. The first thing he shouted at me (after “I’m gonna get you for this bitch!!”) was that he’d claim on insurance for all the damage. He also told the police he was going to claim for “all the damage to his car” (of which there was plenty - but none caused by me). I’ve directed the insurers to the police. As they hadn’t been told by him that police had been called and had taken statements etc.

Things I’ve learned in life.
Don’t lie.
Be forceful where necessary but remain calm and nice.
Stand up for yourself.
It’s nice to be important. But it’s more inportant to be nice.

And my most fave inspirational quote is attached.

Also must do shopping list and food plan.

He sounds like a charmer Em. I should put your legal qualifications on any correspondence that he might see!

em sound like he's chancing his arm big time! I don't think people realise that's it's fraud to over exaggerate an insurance claim. There's a programme on in the mornings about exactly this type of thing.

Have just spent the most frustrating 30 mins of my life trying to speak to an actual person at PayPal as a refund hasn't been paid into my account, even though the company I purchased from say it has. Almost cost me a new phone too, as felt like launching it out the window by the end of it 😬

Blimey what a loon!

Anyone insured an apple product directly with the istore? I got an email about it but it looks a bit... I dunno. I bought icare but I haven't got round to activating it yet.

What an idiot your neighbour is em

Spendy few days
At least £150 on amazon but lots of gifts ordered
£15 WHSmith
£30 deposit on Christmas food
£60 on clothes for me at Dorothy Perkins but some will be returned
£5 on Christmas cards

Have avoided the supermarket today so not to spend anymore.

I need to make a list of what has been bought and what else needs to be bought

born if I remember you said you had a very full freezer? Can I suggest you go through it and list it all and then meal plan. That always saves me £s and then you just may need to buy the additional bits to make up a full meal?

Hope everyone else is ok.

How is hamburgers doing?

Good news DH has started a new job meadow

em did you take loads of pics before he moved his car? Only it might come back very much more damaged than it went away. An old boy did an emergency stop infront of me at a junction, my car is an auto, so I'd taken my foot off the brake, and was rolling at sub 2mph waiting to go. It popped a tiny hole in his bumper where the towing hook is. His son tried to get 6k out of my insurers, for the write off of the back of the car. Right up until I sent the photos of his bumper all date and time stamped.

The wee guys a twat. I'm guessing he's very entitled, and has no idea the ditsy new mum is actually a super clever lawyer.

sunny thats so brilliant!

Done some jobs at the 'old' shop, and now home about to climb back on the laundry wagon.

Re pictures: yes. Not great ones but because we’ve been in a parking nightmare with him I’d been taking pictures and sending them to his landlord. The police officer also took pictures and has everything we said on camera/film as they wear body cams here.

£8 post office sending gifts to nz. I’ve graciously sent a spare calendar of ds to mil. Addressed to “grandma”

Thanks :-) I'm having a lot of fun doing my grant stuff now. :-)

It's strange having dh not at home any more.

Not 'dear momon' or whatever it was em? You evil DIL you :o

Yay sunny you are fabulous! What's the situation with DH then is he working away?

You could always list here what you've got in the freezer born and we can be hungry and jealous suggest ideas?

I need to have a proper look through the cupboards/shelves can't do it on my own as I can't reach the top - we've got a fair bit. Freezer is small and fairly empty now, I decided to do a hot lunch today in the hope that we can take sandwiches for after tap class. Mozzarella sticks and satay skewers (from DH's work but as it turns out not worth it!) with the last micro veg and chips, added some baked beans for DS. Got one pizza and a few chicken goujons which we can share another day. Apart from that I think it's just salmon and sea bass in the freezer, le yum! Bloody love sea bass so thought I'd try it frozen as it's cheaper.

I have once again lost the connection in my head between the amount I use my card in shops/online and the decreasing bank balance. Not surprising really considering I go a bit mad at Christmas, plus the recent big purchases . I am definitely being better about it now though - I will NOT go all ostrich again, I WILL keep checking my bank app daily, and I will not keep shopping regardless

cag yep

£34 online at boots to collect on Friday. Annoyingly after I placed order I noticed we’ll be out of formula before Friday. It was included in my order but ds can’t go hungry. Dms on her way round for a coffee so I’ve asked her to pick some up.

Giving the veggie thing a bash yeah Girlie. It's pretty easy now the DC are older wand will eat anything. My diet is on point for the volume of training that I do, so it's something I've researched and thought about. I'm going to ask the GP for full bloods though, as I'm just about to ramp up training for the marathon, am I allowed to do that do you know? I'm feeling about as physically fit and healthy as I ever have (just shows the difference diet makes, can't believe it) but marathon training at the level I do really takes it's toll. Does anyone know if I can just ask for bloods when I'm not ill?

I'm actually hugely impressed with how much veggie and vegan choice there is out there these days. Must have been tough years ago. Only concern with omitting stuff from my diet is having issues reintroducing it again as I've got quite a tough constitution and don't want to mess with that.

Great news on the grant Sunny.

Spends today
£5 exercise class.
£60 Boots, Christmas presents.
£90 Sainsbury's again, Christmas things like brandy cream, biscuits, some pyjamas, new Christmas place mats (mine were bought when we first got married, so nearly 20 years old!). JD.

Had a super walk with the dogs in the woods earlier, needed the peace after the shops. Here's ddog1, who is looking fit and fabulous even if I am biased!

Need they're technically not allowed, it depends on your gp though. I would be surprised if they said yes tbh. I know of one I used to work with who would have done it but most wouldn't. That said if you haven't had any bloods for years and years they might do it for you. You can only ask. Alternatively you can go to the Mary Howe trust and get it all done for a 'donation'

Thanks, I haven't been to the doctors for years and years tbh!

Might not harm to ask but I don't want to waste nhs money being middle class worried well

Em what a nightmare neighbour.
I second what Love says about meal planning from the freezer. We've got a chest freezer and there's always more in there than I remember.
Sunny great news on your funding.

Have sent dh a list for aldi to get on his way home from work. I've had a bit of a cupboard sort out today so that I know exactly what we've got. I've started my Christmas preparation lists too so feeling quite organised.
I'm out tonight with my book group for a Christmas meal, working tomorrow & Friday & then off for a few days. By the time I'm back in work on the 14th, pretty much everything Christmas related needs to be done.

Need Is anyone else seeing their dr?. If you get a private GP they'd do it your dog looks super fit. My cat is at his winter weight & resembles an overstuffed teddy bear.

Free selection boxes on quidco clicksnap, only little Cadbury ones but I was thinking of getting them for the food bank along with the checkoutsmart free mince pies.

£45 hair & tip.

£1.60 soya beans. I'm going to try & make my own soya milk.
£1 soya milk in case the above doesn't work out.
£1.20 vitalite so I can make vegan shortbread.

Made vegan choc sponge & more chicken liver pate.

Unfortunately there's nothing exciting in my freezer, but it's always jam packed to the point that it's an ordeal just to go into it. I dream of a big American style one but need a new kitchen first...

I have 2 packs of chicken breasts some mince, a gammon joint, brisket, fish and stuff like chips, wedges and mash. I need to be more organised and take it out the freezer in time to make dinner. Like my user name suggests I am lazy.

Nsd! Got my stuff from Asos. Will this be ok for my Christmas works do?

Thinking of freezers, apparently Iceland are giving NHS and emergency service workers a 10% discount until the 17th December as a thank you. Think you just need to show your ID card.

Oh need I've just realised that Mary Howe is a local charity, sorry. There must be some thing similar nearby though.

Wreck that looks lovely!

Wrecked That looks stunning, you will look lovely. It's very apt too for a Christmas dooo!

Oh Fluffy... you are making soya milk, I'd be interested to know how that turns out. I'm on a few FB pages at they are all at it. Great idea about the choccies, I'll do the same. I chucked some extra tins into the food bank box today.

I'll end up not going to the GP. I'm fit and well and rarely ill even with cold. I'm not paying someone privately to tell me what I probably already know. Daft idea, probably curiosity more than anything.

The dogs always get comments about being skinny. No, they are fit and lithe, unlike 99% of all the other spaniels out there.

Thanks everyone will be wearing lovely dresses and heels but because I can't wear heels I look shit in dresses.