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Marching into May, packed lunches all the way ! Join the frugaleers for frugal tips and friendly chat .

999 replies

QuiteCleanBandit · 28/04/2018 09:15

New thread

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lifelongfrugaleer · 02/05/2018 06:59

Hope you got home and got some sleep wolf. And that the meeting goes well.

SunnyLikeThursday · 02/05/2018 07:39

Thanks Christmas. It's weirdly difficult after 8 years with a demanding child, to manage half an hour without him. I suppose I will get used to it. Smile

My GP keeps telling my that I have an anxiety problem and it's not until I get into that kind of situation where I am exposed among strangers with nothing to do, that I realise that he's right. I end up making mindless small talk through a sort of sepia haze and think, "Wow, this must be what tired feels like." I imagine that gets easier after a while.

SunnyLikeThursday · 02/05/2018 07:46

Laska I think need will be back. We probably have to just wait a bit. I remember she disappeared before once and when she came back it turned out she'd been having loads of fun and had just forgotten about us for a bit. I wouldn't worry. I think it's fine to ask MNHQ if you want to though. There was one poster that she was in personal contact with but she's not here now and I've forgotten her username.

mammynowanauntyIRL · 02/05/2018 09:02

Generally I don't make many frivolous spends.

I have two permanent tsb bank cards, one for joint account one for personal and it's only by the number I can tell them apart. I've lost my one for joint account and a replacement one costs €5. I've been using my personal account and transferring it regularly but I'm conscious of upcoming separation and this not looking right. So i've ordered a new card, personalised for €10 with a picture of the dc on it, which will distinguish them for me and in the future I would imagine we might continue to use joint account for spends associated with dc eg clothes/activities etc

LonelyOversharer · 02/05/2018 11:34

I don't think ordering a bank card can be considered frivolous mammy! An extra €5 for a picture is like grabbing a take out coffee, and much nicer for you too.

Housework and working for me today. Managed to get the 3 loads of laundry off the line last night as the rain hit. So just tumbling it for 30 mins in batches now. I consider this frugal, as I usually just shrug and leave the laundry to get wet, and have to spin and dry fully or leave on the line for days to dry

My sweet potato 'slips' have just arrived. The creepy postie just opened my door and put then inside without knocking. They have good instructions. But need to be grown in a poly tunnel this far north. I'd better pull my finger out then...

ChristmasSeacow · 02/05/2018 12:00

Mammy hows DH being with you at the moment? Is the atmosphere at home okay? It must be really strange being in this middle period...

mammynowanauntyIRL · 02/05/2018 12:16

Thanks lonely I've looked for it but not turned the house upside down so I guess it just feels like a spend that could possibly be avoided. Definitely think it was a worthwhile spend on getting photo on as it will make me smile every time I look at it Smile

Definitely frugal to only be finishing off the clothes in dryer, this makes me smile when this happens as it could so easily have been a couple of hours in dryer if we hadn't made the effort to put them on the clothesline in the first place.

I've just ordered this Boohoo one shoulder dress as have three events coming up, two of which I'll happily wear something I've already in my wardrobe but other I will possibly buy something. It's free delivery and returns so worth a shot. €27.65 on asos

Christmas he was being very calm and reasonable up to last Sunday, unnaturally so, even mentioned that I continue to live in house and he move out Hmm and then his true temperament came out in full force. He actually roared at me about separation in front of dc. Neither of them have asked about what he said since, but I'm waiting for it to come. We're back to not communicating unless it concerns dc, although he's attempting to engage me in his own life dramas I'm not rising to the bait at all, grey rock technique almost.

mammynowanauntyIRL · 02/05/2018 12:17

Appointment at dd's school for progress report pushed back until next week, so I'll actually earn a full weeks wages this week, what with being ill and having appointments I've not had many of these this year Smile

Wolfcub · 02/05/2018 12:42

Thanks all for listening to me whinge last night

I have cancelled my milk delivery as they are now charging me significantly more for less milk which I was furious about. They offered a manager discount but basically I’d be paying a few pennies less to get 1 whole pint less of milk so I told them to stick it!

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 02/05/2018 13:20

I have received stuff from need before but didn't keep the details unfortunately, my guess is she is fine and has just decided to do a break from mn for a bit but she should have let us know!! 😉

It's good that you recognise it is anxiety sunny being able to let go of our children is terrifying but essential if they are ever to be independent, healthy adults. Dd is off to London on a school trip in a couple of weeks which scares a lot but I know she will have a good time and hopefully benefit from it.

I'm at work taking an actual lunch break for once!!

SunnyLikeThursday · 02/05/2018 13:25

Thanks Girlie I hadn't thought of it as a plus that I can at least spot that. I'm doing better on anxiety control now. I had my tooth root canalled this morning and managed through it. My face is just thawing out now. Hurrah for counting ceiling tiles.

LonelyOversharer · 02/05/2018 13:52

I agree. I was a wibbly wreck at the weekend with dd1 away (for one whole night, on a very supervised trip), but it's for me to deal with. I recognise my anxiety for what it is now. And my dd had a great time.

Well done at the dentist sunny a root canal is pretty hard core. But, ime they settle down really quickly once fixed.

SunnyLikeThursday · 02/05/2018 15:04

Lonely That's interesting that you get it too. I sometimes feel like it's baby-withdrawal symptoms I get, like all the oxytocin is draining away and not being replaced or something. It's the oddest thing.

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/05/2018 15:16

£15 aldi shop. £1.55 cat litter.

WreckTangled · 02/05/2018 15:18

Wolf I hope the CIN meeting is positive for you and not too upsetting

LonelyOversharer · 02/05/2018 16:43

I have had a nsd, but only because I forgot to post the mice. Oops. I have marked them as dispatched too. I cannot get to the post office before it closes now, so first thing tomorrow will have to do.

Tea tonight is chicken stuffed with cheese (motzarella and emmental) wrapped in parma ham. All the dodgy chicken trimmings (I struggle with the sinewy bits too) are going out to the ferrets. With roasted in their skins charlotte potatoes and veg. I feel so much more settled having a meal plan again.

My tax credits renewal form came today. I must not leave this to the last minute, again.

SunnyLikeThursday · 02/05/2018 16:53

Apropos of nothing - Does anybody else eat sprouted potatoes? I know we're not meant to eat green ones but I'm never sure about sprouted ones.

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 02/05/2018 17:40

Spent £40 on some school uniform for dd, secondary uniform is so expensive 😕 she only had a couple of polo t. Shirts so needed some more as well as a new skirt.

CremeEggThief · 02/05/2018 17:53

I do, Sunny. Just peel or chop the sprouted bits off. I do this with potatoes that only have a small bit of green too. I hope you're feeling ok now, after your root canal.

I think Need will be back in her own time. Speaking as someone who took a break for several months!Grin

Glad your first day back at work went well, Em.

Sorry about your nightmare train journey, Wolf. I felt stressed and frustrated for you, just reading about it. I hope you've put in for your delay repay compensation. I've had to do it quite a few times and they are usually quick to pay out.

I've been AWOL for a couple of days, as I've had lots going on. The most annoying thing was I had my annual gas safety check on Monday afternoon (standard for all rented houses) and they discovered there was a small leak in the hose of my gas cooker. So I had to find £18 to replace the hose (luckily, the man told me where to buy it from) and another £40 to get a gas safety engineer to fit it (luckily, someone I'd used before and still had his number on my phone). Oh and the best part of a tenner on 4 ready meals from the Co-op, as all of our food in was based on cooking. I have to say the ready meals were really quite nice and it was great not having much washing up, but goodness me, what an expensive way to live, if you can't or won't cook from scratch! Anyway, I should be grateful it was detected and sorted within 30 hours. I'm refusing to think about potential consequences of a gas leak!

Today has been an NSD at least!

QuiteCleanBandit · 02/05/2018 18:14

Phew ! very busy days at work.
Interesting as I have anxiety (great atm) but my DC going off and doing stuff has never bothered me in the slightest and mums crying as their DC go on a school trip or leave for Uni has always made a bit Hmm
Thats what they are meant to do !
They didnt go to nursery or childcare so maybe I had my fill of them Grin
They are all sensible happy people and I love it when they are here but equally happy when they disappear back to uni with all their mess
Managed to dodge the rain today luckily.
NSD !

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Unescorted · 02/05/2018 18:39

I got home today to find the post man had left me a big packet of seeds. Thanks *lonely" 😀😀 And the weather is looking good this weekend. I will send a picture of the lucky dip beans when they come up. I am going to have the best tomato collection ever. And pumpkins and caugettes climbing up trellis - so exciting.

Wolf glad you made it home... eventually. I hope your meeting went ok.

Sprouting spuds are ok and I have yet to die from green ones - they are just a bit bitter. Having said that I eat them raw too. I love the starchy texture.

lifelongfrugaleer · 02/05/2018 19:18

The house I wanted is under offer so the canceled our viewing. Looked at another which is lovely but the garden is not right.

74p on choissant today.

lifelongfrugaleer · 02/05/2018 19:19

YY to cutting the sprouts off spuds. I don't eat the green bits though

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/05/2018 19:39

Sprouting foods quite trendy now.

Creme Where we used to live you’d see whole trollies full of ready meals. I was half horrified and half full of admiration.

life it could still fall out of bed.

QuiteCleanBandit · 02/05/2018 19:58

Am a bit off sprouting stuff after the salmonella epidemic in Germany but I think your potato will be ok Sunny

Sorry about your ex Dh being an arse mammy
I hope you are keeping a record times/dates and tell him you will call the police if he shouts again Hmm

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