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.

😂

is DS happy though?

Sea
I loooove coming home from holiday !
To the point it annoys DH

Yay to new doors and microwave timers :o

Interesting views indeed from emDH I hope he listens to reason. Babies really need milk to be the main part of their diet until they turn one. If he won’t, then get him to tell the health visitor of his plans. They will laugh. :o

Well my crazy DH is a little deflated, he’s had hip trouble and as a result actually got fewer miles than last year. However I think he did really well as this year only 11 out of 41 finished! Highest drop out rate in the event’s history. So the fact he was one of the few to actually stick it out is really amazing. He swears he won’t do it ever again. I mean he did that last year too, but this time he pinkie swore. So that’s ok then. :o

In other news, the bath (well, underneath it) leaked again. 😡 So that’s been a fun afternoon with the hairdryer and such.

Evening all

No spends since last post so actual money still available is £141.52.

Days to Pay day (including today): 5

Quick check in, glad you got home safe n sound seacow

Did your dh really think ds could stop milk already em?! How strange, fairly common knowledge that babies need milk at least for the first year.

Work was weirdly quiet today, meant the day dragged a bit though.
Have caught up on some housework which is good, used a washing machine cleaner and put it on a 90 degree wash and it seems okay, am not convinced it's a 100% though 😕

The dts were still having 4 bottles a day until very recently. They are over 1 now and not very good at using sippy cups. They can drink from them but prefer to bang them on the table or empty them onto the floor. So they still have bottles. We are working on it.

Dh did. I’ve told him no we won’t stop milk And from earlier conversations “no means no” he can potty train away though on his 2 weeks off with mil. Ha!

I am very much In control of ds’ routine. And dh (for the most part) is following my lead.

Nsd today.

Yes "clean and dry" by a year was a thing. In the 70's. Same as putting your baby in the pram at the bottom of the garden for "crying time". About the time I was on my knees with 2 in nappies I grilled my mum. Seems they did a feed then sat baby on a special little potty on their laps to catch the poo while burping. It meant less terry towelling nappy soiling apparently, not tiny babies in pants asking to go to the toilet. Dd1 was my earliest, dry just before 2. The others were nearer 3 (ds still wears a pull up at night, but only has a lazy morning wee sometimes now).

A nsd, two in a row.

We have moved the beds! Dd1 now has a midi sleeper (we cut 2 foot off it) and am ikea malm draw set will fit under it perfectly only if I measured it correctly

The girls are back in bunk beds for now. It means I can decorate the room round them. Lovely to see them, and I gave mum loads of dusty clothes and toys to wash.

Frugal win: dd1's matress is perfectly ok. It's just been wrong way up. It's lovely memory foam topper pushing on the slats for years. Doh! She's very happy. And one less matress to buy!

Thinking about it though em where else would dh get such silly parenting ideas? Not from anyone who's had a child in the last 20 years or so anyway. Is your mil stirring her pot of shit and dripping super helpful parenting tips to dh, just to thoroughly piss you off, or to make dh question your parenting??

I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her. And watch what she feeds ds while she's there.

fwiw, we ran out of trousers today as ds is still a bit unreliable. aged nearly 8. My MIL is unphased by this. #RelaxedParenting.

Snuggly Are your dts really over 1? I had no idea. Well done there.

I'm knackered. We should have brought three laptops. This business of me and ds sharing one is very tricky. We have to choose between MN and GO Jetters, and there is no bath in the house for me to to retire to. I don't think a couple of hours sitting in the shower would have anything like the same effect.

Life I'm a bit worried by your mention of things sticking in your throat. I went to see a gastroenterologist once and he said that things sticking on the way down could be a sign of something growing in there and should warrant a look with a camera. Is that the sort of sticking that you mean? Might be worth asking a GP about it.

Christmas Yes you're right, I could come here again. I was thinking that. I don't like music from loud speakers, but I'm loving live classical music suddenly. Fortunately there is a lot of it about here.

Anyone want to recommend me a washing machine 😭 washing still smells, it's better than it was but it's still there. Will see how much a repair man will charge but given its 9 years old and had constant use I'm thinking it may be time to invest in a new one.... budget £300 or thereabouts.

Ooo I want a new washing machine! Ours is still ok though, similar age to yours girlie. I think a new one would be more economical though. I always look on ao.com as they have a good selection and I like the comparison etc, then I would decide where to buy it.

Girlie Smelly washing machines are such a bind. I have had that several times. Twice I've had the machine stink of turps, and once it just stank constantly of flowers. Eventually I realised there was a massive build-up of old soap in the pipes, and after about 30 washes with no soap at all, the problem went away. Rotten eggs is a different grade of problem. Not sure what to do about that.

I check out "Which?" online whenever I purchase costly white goods, Girlie. You might have to pay a small subscription fee of a few quid to access all the reviews.

Glad you are home again, Seacow. Happy that you seem to be enjoying your time away more, Sunny.

Cag, very well done to your DH.

No comment on your DH's child rearing ideas, Em! Just as well you're in charge. I hope Nursery settling in goes well.

Lonely and other DIY folk, how come I was able to use my new electric screwdriver from Ikea to unscrew a door hanger from a door, but I had to resort to a manual screwdriver to screw it back into another door? I doubt that the doors are proper wood. I was quite pleased with myself for managing it in the end. DIY is not my strong point!

Oh today was an NSD.

Power creme - it's much easier to unscrew as the hole is already made. Going in is much harder unless you have a pre drilled hole. Since all ikea stuff has pre drilled holes I imagine they make their tools just strong enough to build their own furniture.

Is it stupid that I'm looking forward to a trip to ikea to get the draws for dd1's room? Also a shoe cabinet. I will get a grip on this house. I will.

Just downloaded A Town called Alice onto audio. As I subscribe, I get a book a month. Nevil Shute is an all time favourite of mine. Such a clever man. Will listen while I work this week.

Ah, that makes sense, Lonely. I was quite pleased with myself as I read up about pilot holes actually, but as I don't have a drill, I made my own with a metal skewer!

I love Ikea too! I go for a browse every few months!

I read that Nevil Shute novel many years ago. Enjoy!

Ooh Lonely I love Neville Chute too! I went through a phase about 20 years ago and must have about a dozen of his novels. I should reread them, I really enjoyed them. And it’s not daft to be excited by a trip to Ikea. I always am.

Sunny you do indeed live in a good place for classical music, if it’s anything like Oxford. Lucky you.

Girlie I also recommend ao.com. And for a reasonable charge they take the old one away (though not worth paying to have the new one plumbed in as it’s dead easy to do yourself)

DS was ecstatic to get home although I was a little disappointed that he didn’t actually greet the microwave at all, after all his fussing. Where are his manners? Instead he went straight to his magnetic letters and started to furiously spell various vegetables . Anyway, he went to bed fine but dd fussed a lot and then cried when I left her. I went back in after a few minutes, picked her up and she then projectile vomited across the (very small) room. And somehow onto me and her sleeping bag too. That was exciting . I thought 4 sleeping bags was an excessive stash but with 3 in the wash tonight it seems not.

We’ve only been away for 4 days but I have soooo much washing to do! And a carpet and book case to scrub properly in the cold light of day.

Through fb I’ve managed to find a good home for dd’s old crib, and also to sell my sleepyhead. So that’s two things out of the house tomorrow and £50 in, if they turn up to collect. Hurrah! though if the crib goes I’ll have to start actually putting my clothes away properly

ao.com/product/wan28050gb-bosch-serie-4-washing-machine-white-41234-1.aspx £329. You’d get cashback too Girlie.

I always rate Bosch appliances.

Yes I meant food getting stuck. I will make a go appointment.
I like IKEA too. I need to go back soon and get dd bed. There are doing half price delivery at the minute though.

YY to ao.com.

Oh sea, it's one thing after another at the minute. Chin up.

YY to Bosch

I don’t mind a bit of vomit.

We had a brilliant evening, watching tv and with lights on and everything. And then slept soundly in a room without our restless children. It was amazing.

It’s made me think of all those families that do live in one room, in B&B accommodation or similar. What a strain that must be (even without an ASD child).

And yy to Bosch here too.

And getting that throat checked out, Life