Aspiring to Affording April Amusements

[mammymammyIRL]

Any other suggestions?

Here's where the frugaleers meet to discuss tips, finances, life, family & recipes
All welcome, we're a nice bunch

Signing in, thanks mammy of course you can all come 😁

wreck they are moving towards carers leave being entirely annual leave based or unpaid.

Signing in, fab name :o

Girlie our trust still give careers leave up to 3 days in any 12 month period. It is designed to be taken a day at a time, so when one of my team had a poorly daughter, she had the first day as careers leave but any other had to be unpaid or annual leave.
mammy thanks for the new thread
wolf and seacow for both of you, tough times, but this thread can be so good for support.

My cough is improving every day & I've got through my first 2 days back. Now I have a day off, but instead of resting, I'm off to uni to do some assessing of MSc module projects. I've done it for the past few years helping out my cousin who runs the module & likes to have clinicians involved in the assessing.

My frugal dilemma at the moment is regarding our electricity meter readings & I'd love your opinions on what to do next. Basically, I take regular meter readings and have done for years & over that time, our consumption has been very predictable and consistent. Around 3 weeks ago, over a 12 day period, our consumption was more than double what it usually would be. There was nothing unusual about our use of electricity at that time. I don't suppose there's anything I can do about it as I can't prove anything but I'm mystified as to why it happened, annoyed that our bill is going to be considerably higher, albeit only for a couple of weeks and paranoid that something similar will happen again. At the moment I'm reading the meter like a demon, every day or two and I've got a spreadsheet to do all the calculations for me!

Cheers, Mammy.
I love the alliterative title too.

Thanks for the new thread Mammy. Happy frugalleering Thursday to all

Thank you Mammy

North No one put the immersion on or turned the fridge up?.

Thanks mammy

North do you have any chargers plugged in that shouldn’t be or have any power tools been used?

Girlie If you get ill are you allowed time off to recover? It seems like the NHS, of all people, should know that sometimes people get ill.

Dammit, namechange error. That was me above.

wolf no power tool use that I know about! fluffy no immersion heater, but will have a look at the fridge.
Since posting last night I've looked back at all the figures a bit more & it is more than just a 2 week blip (although there definitely was a 2 week blip). From the start of this year, our daily average has increased by at least 25% which at the moment is a real mystery. I'm going to check the conservatory heater just in case that has been left on timer and then as wolf suggested, look at use of chargers/devices etc.

Title is great Mammy, thanks

Morning all, not doing so well with the checking in.

Sunday I took the DC bowling with a friend, DS didn't want to bowl, but stated at the line with the kids while friend and I talked. £11.10 bowling, £5.50 fifth 2 slushies for DC, £5 ish for coffee for friend and I. We didn't stay for lunch as DH was off (I expected him to be working when we arranged to meet up). Git hone to discover DH had gone to work as chef didn't come in . DD1 suggested meeting back for lunch with friend, but I had bought chickens to roast, so, I cooked, lunch was a bit later than normal.

Monday, £85.50 for girls at holiday club, 3 half says for two. Could have got away without, but they love going, and happy to distract them after mum's death.

Tuesday sent DS to get mash for dinner (lazy) and done fruit and bits, about £6. Wednesday, course in London, parking and travel card will be reclaimed from work. Mini food shop £34

Thursday kids off to holiday club, DS back to school, working from home this morning, London again this afternoon.

Thanks mammy

Elect and gas meter readings sent.
Cellar checked as the main road is flooded - all fine
Single person ctax discount applied for

Thanks Mammy.

Wolf I just read the end of the last thread. Your poor ds. Will he still be able to see his dad? Of course he's upset but the two of you can absolutely go it alone and he will cope and have a normal life. It will just be a different normal from what he's used to.

More rain today.

Just checking in. Thanks for the new thread mammy

Brilliant Wolf. If his names on any bills ask him to transfer to you now so you can swap deals etc.

Thanks for the thread Mammy.

Just checking in, quickly skimmed through last bit of thread and this one.

wolf I can't imagine what your going through you are doing brilliantly and sounds like Ds is coping well too. Maybe make a bonfire in the garden with some of his clothes might alleviate your anger with h.

seacow you are like superwoman holding everything together. It's good now you are able to visit your dad. Is your nan near your mum and dad so your mum could visit while you are down there?

em sounds like ds is settling brilliantly at nursery. Dd1 was straight in without looking back but dd2 had to be prised off screaming for over a year until we changed preschools then she went in smiling.

fluffy thanks for the light bulbs will have to see how to get to my nearest wickes... But there is 573 available so no need to rush there 😂

Did a frugal £28 Lidl and £23 Tesco shop going to be using up cupboard and freezer bits. Does include 12 cans cat food, big box cat biscuits and cat litter.

Went to Portsmouth harbour Tuesday £13 for train. We already have an annual pass to the dockyard so didnt cost anything. Then at closing visited gunwarf quays... £4.99 in Cadbury shop for my mum who's been having a hard time. £10.50 in vans shop on school shoes for dd1. £20 in doc martens shop for dd2 on some beautiful sandals. £11 in gap on a lovely long black t-shirt dress - exactly what I was looking for to go with my printed leggings. And £6.90 on saveloy and chips for girls and a tea for me.

Yesterday went to London was out all day didn't get home till 1130pm .. .. £20 on train fare. £16.60 on various tea and food stops. Went to the national history museum, saw Buckingham palace and went to a park. Then went to Primark in Oxford street. Spent ££££ but going through today to make sure it's all necessary.

Today I'm out for dinner with friends but going to a local vegan Indian place which is all you can eat for £6.50. So with a couple of drinks will be under £20 including bus fare.

I did have paragraphs when I was typing out But have disappeared on my previous post...

Nocuts we went to London yesterday too! Wonder if we were on the same train 😂

Maybe!!! We were on the 9.58 from Brighton to Victoria. Then 9.47 to littlehampton on way home 😂 what had you gone to London for?

Oh no we went from haslemere! We went to the transport museum, HP primark shop, Buckingham palace, st james' Park and southbank! Also went to an awesome ice cream shop. So funny we were more or less doing the same things!