Frugaleers chatting and saving in the April sunshine.

[SunnyLikeThursday]

Welcome to the new thread. This is a support thread for chatting and discussion of family budgeting.

Can I give you all a big hug. We are all quite amazing keeping things going when frankly a toddler tantrum would be more appropriate.

Amen to that unescorted we are all awesome. We are all doing the best we can. We are all important. Hooray to us!

although maybe a small tantrum would be appropriate sometimes

Now home. Ds conked out on the floor at dparents. One minute he was flipping over the next snoring his head off. Home Now. Off to bed.

Well said Unescorted. It really helps to have this group to come back to every day.

Thanks for the reassurance Love. I do hope you feel better soon though. It sounds really not-fun. How on earth do medics manage not to catch all these things? I never can work it out. The only time they've refused to see us was with scarlet fever.

Sorry to hear the difficult situations with fading/ill relatives Christmas and Laska. My DM has been in and out of hospital these last years and I know how hard that is and the suspense of wondering what will happen. I hope it's gets easier there for you, in any way that it can be easier.

Some people just don't get ill sunny. In three years of working at a drs surgery I was only off sick once when I got a sick bug from dd and I haven't had any time off sick in the last year at my new job. My tonsillitis saved itself for the summer holidays My office is still in a drs surgery though and I'm in and out of germy schools. I do have a stupid immune system though which attacks my own body so maybe it scares all the bugs away

That's a good point Wreck. Maybe you have such a strong immune system that that bugs are afraid to come near. Well done you! Good to hear that people in Doctor's surgeries don't catch everything. I think I would not be good working in a place like that.

Thanks Laska, I did know what you meant, and thanks for understanding. My granny is the same age as your mum but I’m not particularly young (43), Just that my mum had me when she wasnt quite 22! In fact she married my dad when she was just 18. Rather against her father’s wishes as he wasn’t impressed with her marrying someone she barely knew... but 47 years later they are devoted to each other. My mum has been married to him all her adult life, I just can’t imagine how she will face this. In practical terms she’s more than capable of looking after herself but she will miss him terribly.

My dad remains very positive though. I asked him how mum was doing and he said ‘she’s okay, she’s looking at P&O brochures already’ . He’s going to refuse treatment though so I don’t think it will be too long.

I am so glad to have dd. Although I have lots of lovely moments with DS (who can tell when I’m upset and has been very affectionate) he is at school all day, so she is the one keeping me company. And she is very lovely and funny right now so she’s doing a grand job ❤️. And DH is a brick.

Very late sign in! Not caught up...

Thanks for new thread sunny

It's been a beautiful spring day here 🐰🐣🐑🌸🌼🌻🌞

Nsd.

Sea and Laska thinking of you both

Up 4 tines with ds last night. Twice he was just crying in his sleep. No idea why. We haven’t done night time wake ups for a while so it’s a bit odd but he’s ok. I gave him a cuddle the first time and he went back to sleep pretty much immediately. Second time he just held my hand for a bit then drifted back off. Tired now though!

Determined today to make his room more user friendly and get rid of the boxes.

Load of washing on and almost done and plumbers just turned up. Ffs. He needs to shut water off. Have worked out I can stop my washing machine mid cycle. Who knew?!

Have also had breakfast (croissant with butter and jam) and have hoovered living room floor. Have picked up enough cat hair to knit a new cat. Dm was right. House was gross!

Will steam clean living room carpet later on once plumber has gone.

Could he be starting to teethe again em? Or maybe just dreaming. Babies crying in thier sleep is heartbreaking.

seacow take time to breathe. I think we're getting to the pointy end of life where things get really tough.

laska my gran is 94 and in decline too. Just wants to sit on her chair with a hot water bottle. Her youngest dd cares for her (she just moved in finally; and I have huge guilt as she is a 7hr drive away, cannot really cope with visitors for more than about half an hour, and my lot completely overwhelmed her the last time we visited, even though they were so very good (even after sitting in the car all that time).

The laundry is on the line, my wall is built, need to back fill it today, and float concrete to make the path. Lots of rocks and rubble getting chucked in. Spent £30 yesterday on fuel, for the car and jerry can for the cement mixer.

lonely possibly he has two teefs are present but I’m sure I can see an “upstairs” toof coming through.

£14.99 amazon on a new kettle. I have had it with ours. It drips. You have to fill up via the spout as dh broke the lid. “We’ll chuck it when we move and replace once we get a new house” said dh. “Fuck this shit” said Mummy. Because she’s just made ds a bottle and dripped hot water on her bare feet. Ffs.

Fuck this shit is an excellent mummy catchphrase

Just having a little lunch break from work busy day today and had to start earlier than I would have liked to meet a deadline. Have a video conference this afternoon so I need to hide all the washing that is currently on the radiator in view of my computer
Another load has finished but will have to wait until I finish work to get hung up

Thanks for the new thread Sunny.

Seacow I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. And the double blow of your Granny's diagnosis. Your poor Mum has a very difficult time ahead of her. Very poignant to think that Easter might be your last time together (it might not, but it might). And possibly the last time your Granny will see your DC. I think crying and emotional spending are allowed, given the circumstances .

Laska sorry to hear about your mum too.

Bandit I hear you on the demands being placed on you but the lack of support you received when you needed it yourself.

You're right Unescorted - we are pretty amazing. A lot of posters are shouldering very heavy burdens.

Wolf and Love get well soon

em sorry to hear about your broken night's sleep - I was also wondering if DS is teething?

Moan I'm not excessively worried about Facebook as I had a fair idea of the issues re: data privacy already. In the early days of Facebook I signed up for a few 80s quizzes (can you guess my age ) and I always got a warning that I would be giving the quiz page access to my data including my list of friends. I don't post on Facebook anything like as much as I used to and I have blocked a few friends because I've reservations about their use of FB. It's very difficult (if not impossible) to use the internet without leaving digital footprints. Iirc, there were issues with mumsnet a few years ago - wasn't it hacked by someone? Even though we use made up names, the hacker probably got access to our e-mail addresses.

I spent €14.24 on a top up shop today. €5 of that was on Easter eggs. Also €1.50 on peppers in the fruit and veg shop. And a few € on shaving cream for DD. It's interesting to see how my spending on DD is changing as she's moved into her teens. I'm spending a lot more on things like deodorant, sanitary towels, razors, shaving cream etc.

DD is heading to a friend's house for a sleepover tonight. She hasn't seen this particular friend for a while so she's very excited.

I'll be off for over a week from Thursday so I'm hoping to keep up with you better during my time off. We've booked a few days away in Galway next week. We booked into a youth hostel near Kylemore Abbey for one night and then a cheap hotel near Galway city for the second night. I've never been to Kylemore Abbey so I'm looking forward to a visit. Although DH tells me that it's being renovated atm so I'll get some lovely photos of scaffolding! Anyway, I'm really looking forward to a few days away and some nice scenery.

I'm also hoping to have my Dad up for a few days over Easter. He doesn't like being away from home for too long. I think he likes his own routine and coming and going as he pleases. Also, we don't have Sky TV so we don't have his favourite TV channel Alibi .

Hello, checking in after a while away.
I feel for the previous posters who have poorly/elderly family, had to drop everything and go up North as my Dad had a fall on the stairs. He is 93 and had been prescribed some strong painkillers by his doctor which he isn’t used to and they made him dizzy.They have had a stairlift fitted. Sympathy to the frugaleers upthread, it really isn’t easy.
Having a day in the house today, clearing up and tidying. Went to Costco yesterday and bought enormous roast of beef among other things, not sure what I was thinking really as there’s just two of us. Leftovers ahoy! It’s cooking now.
Planning a nice if low key Easter weekend. We are to help a family member with some diy and then National trusting/ depending on the weather. And an Easter egg or two of course.

There's a mouse in the house and it's eaten one of dds vests dh has been trying to catch it all afternoon

Sea I’m so sorry your families going to have to go through this. I have to say our relatives who chose not to treat have had a better time than those that went for treatment.

£8 top up shop.

Aldi are doing loads of veg for 19p from Wednesday. Potatoes, leeks, carrots, cabbage, parsnips. A lot of it can be blanched and frozen if you have space.

wreck Broom and a cereal box on its side.

Wreck garibaldi biscuits or mars bar are good mouse attractors in my experience

wreck is wreckcat not interested in mousie?!

Email from lawyer - bank will accept a report on the whole building re fire certificate (which I can’t arrange without asking all other owners to let someone in) not just our apartment. Then they’ll consider the mortgage for our buyers. “Fuck this shit” said Mummy and replied with “that’s a shame they can’t get a mortgage. How do they want to proceed?” We do not want to be the ones to say nope sorry it’s not for sale. If it was he case that the bank definetly would lend we’d do it. But there’s no certainty. Also we know our buyers are expecting a baby and she will be on maternity leave. Friends of mine who work in mortgage teams for various banks have said it’s an unwritten rule that they won’t lend to preggos. Especially if they’re borrowing on two salaries. Because lady may not go back to work after mat leave. No one actually says that though...

I’ve uboacked all boxes here today. And have put the place a bit more back together. dh is probably going to flip have also hoovered. So much hoovering. I’ve emptied our hoover 6 times. Eugh. Yuk.

Ds is currently pretending to nap and I need to pay his first lot of nursery fees. And make a shopping list so I can shop after dinner.

Tomorrow’s jobs - clean oven (oven pride went in today).

Oh dear, Em. IMO, you have been more than accommodating. Still, it's annoying, after all your plans and preparations.

I came down with sudden diarrhoea last night, which is very unusual for me. Symptoms were strong period type cramps, diarrhoea and feeling really cold. Luckily no sickness though. All I've had to eat today is a slice of toast with spread, a banana and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps. We have leftover Quorn roast dinner (with roast potatoes and parsnips and boiled carrots, all plated up) and Sainsburys chilled lemon tart and creme fraiche in the 'fridge, but I'm not sure if it's something in the food that's caused it or a viral thing. It came on within an hour of eating though. I feel really bad about wasting what may well be perfectly good food, but I feel too scared to chance it, when I'm up to proper eating.

Creme sounds like something you ate.
Enjoying the sun, esp as it means I can dry sheets on line & not use dryer. Have only used it maybe a dozen times this winter.
Spendy day tho. Went to hairdressers, have cut visits in half, but expenditure when I do go is still. Visit to cheap local food shop £21.Partner put kitchen & bathroom cleaner spray on the list, so I bought, only to discover we had plenty. Why cannot men look, first?
Also had to buy face cream at £53, but it lasts months. I have no idea if any D.C. will be home for Easter, but I am putting a moratorium on Easter eggs. They are adults!

What a nightmare em.

Nope WreckCat brings them in and leaves them to run riot. It had been in the house since last night. Dh has got it now, finally!

Oh no creme, hope you feel better soon. I would probably bin the food just incase. No point being frugal just to make yourself ill again

When I called in sick this morning, I basically got told not to go back in until I am better. No one else wants this flu. I don’t get paid though so if I can go in later in the week I will try.

DP went to the supermarket 3 times in three days over the weekend . We’ll still need bread/fruit/milk but fortunately most of the things i’d bought previously like beef is long dated. He did lots of washing too and the tumble dryer usage went through the roof but i’m just glad he washed my sheets and nightwear.

I sat at the table for dinner. But have now gone back to bed. I’ve learnt to time taking painkillers about an hour before mealtimes so I can eat something, but no where near a full meal.

em this house move is just so frustrating for you

I think if this house sale was going to go through, it would have gone through by now so maybe staying put & overpaying is the way to go.

Kitchen and bathroom cleaner? Surely that’s just all purpose cleaner re-packaged & sold at a higher price

em that makes sense about the buyers expecting a baby and the bank not granting a mortgage in case the mother doesn't go back to work after maternity leave. And of course they won't actually say that.