February Frugaleers United in Saving Money, Swapping Recipes & Supporting each other in finance, friendship & family life : )

[mammymammyIRL]

And so we continue ....

My food spreadsheet is already telling...its only the 6th and I've spent £146.67 in supermarkets (of which 25.75 is on Cat food !). No booze though .. and a big shop today which stocked freezer as wells as household cleaning things /and sundries ..

Biggest expense after cat food so far is a bag of salmon fillets at £13.5 and 4 bags of raw prawns for £15. I've also spent 6.95 on plain yoghurt! Obviously, we haven't eaten those things yet!

I shall now do a list to see what we eat from the freezer this month..

I'm with you on the Heinz tomato soup, Em. DP is the one for sauces etc, ironically the only one he has ever disliked is the posh mustard from the farm shop! I am also brand loyal to Clarins, but for scent. I love it and working on a busy surgical unit you need all the nice smells. Are the Clarins facial things nice? I neglect my skin and shouldn't.

Girlie Sorry to hear your dd isn't well. I hope she gets better soon. You're doing really well keeping calm about it. I know what it's like to have seen that kind of difficult stuff in hospital.

My FIL gets that throat infection + steroids thing a lot in winter. He tends to alternate between the steroids and the antibiotics until the nice weather comes along and then everything gets better. I will cross my fingers for a blazing hot half term holiday to make everything nice for you again.

I'm bashing away making sciencey videos here. It's fun and I don't have to spend money to do it, so all is good.

theduchess
AIBU To stick with my budget moisturiser?http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/3158739-To-stick-with-my-budget-moisturiser

Omg. Just when we were making sleep progress... bloody teething!! Last night up 2-5am and then from 6.30am. Tonight, haven’t even been to bed yet. I am delirious. DD is a sorry sad thing. She’s knackered but every time I think she’s snoring and sneak out of her room... waaaaaahhhhhhh!!

What I have learnt from this thread recently is that kids are a huge worry /expense /PITA. Across all ages . Wouldn’t be without them though.

Am defo making the quilts. It’ll remind me of these ‘good times’ 🥂🍸. Snuggly you can outsource it if you want/need, there are people who offer the service, though a local enthusiast would no doubt be cheaper. Jersey is a bit of a bugger to work with because it stretches.

Hope all you poorly lot Need Mamny Sunny GirlieDD NorthDS are better soon. Have I missed anyone?

* 🚨 Enabler alert 🚨 *
JEANS20** for 20% off m&s jeans/jeggings
Only valid until Feb 10th, Pity I don't know how much Birthday money I'll get!
I may just get one pair as my regular work jeans have worn at the crotch(I'm think I'll patch them on inside as it's only a small hole) so I need to move a pair from good wear to work wear & I have €17.23 on a prepaid cc work bonus leftover after paying my car insurance

Seacow I'm going back to work in two hours, I've been awake since two am, just can't sleep it's going to be a long day.

Got an hours sleep after my last post so that's a help.

Lots of direct debits out of joint account this morning including mortgage, balance lower than mine

Oh no seacow. At least you know why I guess, rather than it being that the sleep training isn’t working

Hope your DD is feeling better today girlie

Sorry to hear about your issues with your mum em

I’m a very in cheery soul sat on the train today . I keep reminding myself of my pension, generous leave allowance and death in service. unescorted I do need to work out how to get a car though- I obviously don’t have that good a benefits. Maybe i’ll make my boss a today and ask 🤣

I do need to keep job hunting though. But now I know better what is make or break for taking a new job for me I guess

Hope you survive work today mammy if you go

Mammy and seacow sorry for your lack of sleep.

The dc have to be at school for 8 this morning for books for breakfast (read stories and eat pancakes). They're not even dressed yet.

Aiming for a nsd but might need cat food.

duchess I swear by clarins face things. My staples are Day moisturiser (£18 I think) night moisturiser (£35) cleanser (£15) make up remover (£22).

I have a stash of other bits flash balm which I am not keen on the smell of; exfoliating face cleanser - nice but not an every day product so lasts ages; hand creams; body scrubs; body oils; masks etc. These have all either been given to me/ are travel sizes which come as gifts when you buy two full sizes (I buy the full size of what I use all the time then grab travel sizes of the expensive things) or were on sale - I’m using up the double serum at present. It’s lovely but costs something silly like £70. I got a small version in a gift pack for around £20 last summer in the sale. Pack had two other things I use often in it so was a bargain.

It also lasts a long time as you don’t need much. I’ve tried loads of other brands but this works for me. Also the packaging looks naice.

I don’t rate the make up though.

Going to the dr today. £45. But can claim this back on medical insurance via work.

Have to stock up on paracetamol and ibuprofen today. DC are working their way through my stash with these germs

Urg lack of sleep sucks. Hope today is kind to you.
Have you decided to stay then love our aree you still pondering?

Sorry to hear about the teething Seacow. It's horrible for them isn't it?

Also sorry to hear about poorly DD Girlie. Hope she is better soon.

I may well outsource the quilt-making as it's for something so special. I want it to be beautiful and last forever which it wouldn't with my shoddy sewing!

Should be NSD today unless I cave and go to the shop for chocolate.

Snuggly I’ve seen companies online who make lovely bears from children’s clothes. Very traditional style with each panel in a different fabric.

On my way over to a major NW city for a course. The trains are being decidedly crappy.

Spends yesterday on breakfast at the station, lunch in the office and dinner at the station and parking. I should be able to reclaim dinner, parking and the coffee I had with breakfast.

Seacow poor dd and poor you, it’s so hard when they are uncomfortable and can’t sleep. Hope you manage to get some quiet time today.

I have found a set of travel sizes on Amazon, Em. The day and night creams and an exfoliating thing. I shall give them a go, thanks for telling me about your routine. I love the scent, and buy that for myself. I had to fall back on 4711 cologne in the run up to Christmas and though it was nice, it wasn't the same.

Mammy, thanks for the link, an interesting thread.

Apparently you can get ‘birthweight bears’ where they make the bear using your fabric but add beanbag filling to make them into their weight at birth. Thought that sounded nice.

Cag That sounds so cute!

Sorry for those of you who can't sleep either due to insomnia or babies!

I am off today. Bloody knackered. However I am going to try a full five day week next week and OMG I don't know how on earth I will manage, I'm so exhausted just doing 4 days atm .

We can feel baby kicking now. I think I've been able to feel it for a couple of weeks but just didn't realise it was baby. I told DH the other day to put his hand on my tummy when I was feeling them and was like is that the baby or just wind? And he felt a big-ish movement and was like that is definitely not just wind!!! I was like oh . He is made up now and sits with a super concentrating face when he's trying to feel it . We have a another scan next week as baby was in a silly position last time so they couldn't check its heart properly. I don't think DH will be able to come though as think he will be busy at uni but he doesn't have his timetable for next week yet.

Today probably be an NSD. I really need/want to get my hair cut but my anxiety won't let me go to get it done anywhere I don't think . I can't book a mobile hairdresser here either as there's no parking anywhere very close and we live up three flights of stairs without a lift so I can't imagine any mobile hairdresser being willing/able.

Birthweight bears sound cute. I quite like the idea of remembering how they felt as newborns.

That's exciting Meadow. I'm pleased you are finally getting to some nicer parts of pregnancy.

Ah, thanks for the sympathy but it’s pat for the course really! I always fel better in the daytime.

Although I have just got quite far down my street before realising I was still wearing my slippers.

Meeting a friend for lunch, frugal as she’s buying . Back later.

You sound much more chipper Meadow. Kicking is lovely.

OH my goodness meadow that’s so exciting. It’s the best weirdest feeling in the world isn’t it? until you get to almost ready to pop and baby tenderises your ribs from the inside

I’ve been to the dr. £61.50! She thinks my hands could be an inflammatory arthritis type thing she did blood work and sent me for X-rays. She said it could be caused by a viral infection. And also possibly because I had glandular fever ages ago and it flares up when I’m under pressure/stress.

Been prescribed exercise limited caffeine no alcohol healthy eating to help with my anxiety and stress.

Oh em poor you! I get problems with my wrists it's not nice. Can I recommend you go for a facial and massage mmmm

Ouch! That sounds painful Em. Hope things improve soon.