May Making Money Go Frugally Further

[Wolfcub]

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Avoided make up counters by not going to boots. Ha!

I’d forgotten it was Election Day here so exercised my democratic and womanly right to vote. So Dh and I hopped in the car drove to polling station (right by our house- but it opened at 9...) and voted. Woohoo.

Now sat at desk eating lunch. Leftover spring rolls and salad. Mmm

Thanks for the idea em spring rolls for tea it is. I have some in the freezer. Just dp and I as the dc are having chicken dinner-tea at Grandmas. Time trial tonight.

I have a veg patch! Potatoes planted. One of those dur moments. I was so fixated on a polytunnel I'd have never planted up the ground.

Make up counters always scared me senseless. All those beautifully made up ladies, very intimidating. Can manage perfume though. I just squeak "no thanks, I'm fine" and leg it (after having a squirt of something, usually a varient of Daisy).

Thanks for the back advice everyone, especially North. I’m not managing to keep moving much today because I’m feeling quite sick and I fainted when I sat up this morning (in spite of moving veeeeeerrry slowly). And have had a couple of other near-faints. I don’t know whether it’s the cocodamol disagreeing with me or just a response to the pain but I wasn’t as bad yesterday

We are stressing about my inability to look after the children. My sisters can’t help much as they work ft, my mum has said she can’t really for the next two weeks (so unlike her not to help but I am glad she felt able to say no in the circumstances). So I think we have 3 choices:

1. I put dd in ft nursery, if I can find a place. This will break my heart as she’s the only thing asking me feel better at this sad time ££
2. I see if I can find someone to come in and help me look after her for a few weeks. £££
3. DH takes unpaid leave £££

It’s awful, I’ve no idea how people cope with situations like this. I will contact Home/start but I don’t think a few hours a week will be much help when I literally can’t be left alone with DD at the moment, even for 10 mins.

I am feeling really down right now, sorry for the misery

It's completely understandable you're feeling like this atm @seacow. Just manage the best you can atm. It's a very complicated situation and you will find a way through

Christmas I'm really so sorry that things are like this at the moment. It was exactly like this for me just before ds started reception at age 4 and it was ghastly, and I really feel for you. I'm not quite out of the woods myself four years later, but still digging enthusiastically upwards.

All the options you suggest sound good. It probably depends entirely on which option you can get hold of most easily, rather than which you prefer. Good luck there and take care. It will get better, but it might take a bit of time.

I think a mothers help will be your best bet out of those seacow. It'll be cheaper than dh taking unpaid leave and will enable dd to stay with you. I would advertise for an immediate start of contact an agency as they'll be able to help.

sea I’d go for the most inmediate option if I were you.

lonely don’t be intimidated by make up counter ladies. If you get close up you’ll see they’re all orange and super heavily made up! Haha!

Sea sorry you have this extra stress and pain at such a difficult time. It doesn't rain but it pours. If you lived near me I'd help you out.

NSD.

Thank you for the warm welcome guys, really appreciated. And big hugs to those who are struggling.
I'm having a good day where I haven't spent anything (is that NSD?! Apologies - struggling with new Mumsnet acronyms!). And because I took my own (cheap and small) food into the office today it means I've made a small step towards losing a little podge too. Even went for a run at lunchtime and have done some yoga to stretch out. Hurrah.
Thanks again for the tips already - I haven't really done a spending diary or used a planner before. I've been looking at matched betting but am struggling to get my head around it tbh.
Of course, one good first day is a tiny step and I know there is about to be some more spending... but hey, one step in the right direction is still one step, right?

Sea does dh’s employer have any sort of benevolent fund or employee assistance service that might be able to assist either with contacts for childcare or with financial help?

Sea does dh employer have a special leave/ carers leave policy/ family friendly policy?

Yes it's a nsd if you spend nothing out a LSD is a low spend day ie a few pounds. Budgeted for spends and direct debits I don't count, some do

£6.50 printer toner.
£2 Superdrug. Didn’t like the lipstick but it was only £1. Meh.
£11 morrisons. 15% cashback from Halifax.
£2.50 Iceland 10% cashback
£7 aldi.
£2.30 lidl

Money in;
£10 Jl voucher.
Premier inn refunded entire stay & breakfast. £100.
Will be sending sandals back. £23.

Absolutely hodge. One step at a time till

Seacow So sorry to hear about your back, you poor thing, you are having such a rough time recently, it's so unfair . I don't know what to suggest really. I don't know what your DH does, is it possible he could temporarily work from home reduced hours or something to be at home but still keep some income coming in?

I had today off which was good, using up my last few days of annual leave. I had planned to be super productive and do household chores so DH and I don't have to do them on the weekend so we can focus on enjoying ourselves and resting. But that hasn't really happened as my feet and calves are having a bad day with swelling and soreness so I am sitting with my feet up instead of cleaning -.-. I managed to do the bare minimum of ironing that we need for the next few days and that was difficult enough, ouch. I think I am finally in that final stretch of pregnancy where everything is 10X harder than normal but my brain hasn't adjusted so I start to do something and then realise I can't really do it anymore! Annoying! I can't wait to start maternity leave.

Spent like £5 on pizza for dinner and chocolate. And then £22 getting threaded at this new little salon. The lady was lovely and it was way less painful than anywhere else I've ever been, and I've been to many different salons. Will deffo be going back there again in future.

Lonely I haven't read all of the thread back but I've seen Step Change be really rated for help with debt so it might be worth contacting them. Job-seeking is really stressful and demoralising, DH has been unemployed twice and found it really tough both times emotionally as well as financially for us so I really feel for you. Are you getting all the benefits you are entitled to? You can check on entitledto online.

It might be the cocodamol sea lots of people can’t take it as it makes them dizzy/ sick. What I sometimes do is rather than take 2 cocodamol 30/500 I take 1 with a normal paracetamol so I’m only getting 30mgs of codeine but the full dose of paracetamol. Did you manage to get the other tablets that they prescribed?

I have not the foggiest idea what this thread is all about!

Hi meadow lovely to hear from you xx I remember that final stage well. Just eat loads sleep while you can and make other people do stuff for you! Also use it as an excuse to do more with just the two of you. Dh and I made sure we did loads just us before Ds arrived. It was so nice.

Hey hodge yes nsd no soend day or because it’s so rare in my life mfansd (mother fucking awesome no spend day)

Ha!

Oh and £3 cat litter in Wilkos.

Hahaha thanks @ememem84 I know what you mean! And if I have a NSD it's probably because I've put it all off to tomorrow which will then be a SSD (spend shitloads day)!

The thing to do is make lists. I have a A5 note pad I take everywhere and do shopping lists, meal plans, diy lists. Everything’s thought out properly.

It saves me loads.

I tick off meals so I know what I’ve got left. The day the shopping arrives my freezers empty and my cupboards are literally bare.

Waitrose sent me some £20 off a £100 spend vouchers.

Waitrose haven't sent me vouchers for ages. Anyway to get them, do you think, fluffy?

I think I got mine because I’d did all the opening offers, I think I got 5 shops with money off and then they started sending me these vouchers.

I only order every 3 weeks though so they probably think I shop elsewhere too.

Dh has an account but I’ve only used it once and he hasn’t had any vouchers but I used an online code. You could alternate orders with an account in your dhs name to make it look like you shop around.

sea I second wreck i think a mothers help/carer for a few weeks, this is absolute the last thing you needed so you're def entitled to feel sorry for yourself 🌸🌹🌻🌼

Dd went off okay, I was more anxious than her this morning! She has text to say they arrived and is off to watch Mathilda tonight. Won't stop worrying till she is home though 😉

Nsd. I think 4th in a row 😇

Matilda is so amazing she will love it! Girlie I don't know what I'll do when dd goes away for a school trip they have the first one in year five...

Ha! Hodge I like SSD! I've had a few too many of those lately.

Mumofboys I can see why to be fair. We are supporting each other to save money and/or reduce debt but we do go off-topic quite a lot! It's a lovely chatty thread if you want to join us.