The Friendly Frugaleers- Autumn is on its way !

[QuiteCleanBanditlovesdresses]

Hi Frugaleers
Sorry lame thread title

I think you just need proof of ID and proof of address Cag. Do you have any utility bills with your new address on them? Mobile phone bills don't count if I remember correctly.

We're making Welsh rarebit

I'm furtively drinking a can of sprite.

Hi all wondering if I can join you all. Our lifestyle is about to take a big hit - I’m going back to uni starting September to retrain and so my income has significantly dropped. Luckily you do get a tax free bursary, but it is going to take some getting used to living within a much smaller budget! I’m going to have increased travel costs too, so need to make savings in other areas.

So far have cancelled any unnessecary monthly costs eg sky, amazon prime etc. My phone is due for renewal soon so hoping to swap to a SIM only contract. We’ve been overpaying on the mortgage for a few years but think that’s going to have to stop for the next three years. Our energy bills are high - we are in the energy club but think it comes down to using too much. We have two fridges so think one of those needs switching off and just being more aware with lights etc. I also need to apply for a rail card to try and help with the commuting costs.

My plan is to take out £100 a week and use that for our food bill and any extras such as my yoga class, a birthday present or the window cleaner! Then anything left over save it. This should be absolutely plenty but I’m just spending money on rubbish at the minute, top up shops etc. So I feel if I post here I will hopefully stay motivated and get some tips. We are also getting married in May so all in all it’s going to be a tough few months!

Welcome Skeleton. That sounds really exciting going to University. I really enjoyed my time as a student. I hope you do to. Will you be commuting from home then? I did that and it saved such a lot of money.

skeleton How exciting! a wedding and a degree. I have a sim only deal with iD mobile. £4 a month. Excellent signal, I've even managed to get 4g in the middle of fields while dh's Vodafone was out of signal.

£4 a month is great Fluffy. I think I'm on £8 with Tesco or thereabouts. My signal is good too. I have the world's oldest and least sophisticated phone too, which really simplifies things.

Welcome skeleton

What bread did you make girlie? I've told ds we'll make bread in breadmaker before he starts school, that gives me 10 days

scandi hope you had a good nights sleep. Stuff like that bothers me for days #grudgeholder.

skeleton Hi. Sounds like you have a lot on your plate but all exciting stuff.

I've been on pinterest this morning too for inspiration for DS2 bedroom. I want to update it from nursery look to little boy, but nothing too elaborate that we can't change it again in a few years. He has white furniture and blue curtains and I plan on buying a grey teddy bear duvet cover (when it gets cooler). I will then pick up some lighting or bunting or pictures to bring the white, blue and grey together. I have a pile of old summer clothes...can't decide whether to give them to charity or hold onto them to sell next year. I think I missed the boat this year. Oops.

Hoping for NSD or at least a low one. Work later so that helps...

Went to Tesco for washing powder and spent £12.50.

Milk
Bread
Reduced raspberries
Chocolate for me
Washing powder (Persil 45 washed reduced to £4 and I always use less than recommended)
Fabric softener (lenor 72 wash reduced to £1.50)

Have decided to start giving the dc pocket money. £2 a week. I think it's needed in order for them to start learning about money.

Em our sitting is grey and mustard I'm thinking of adding some navy too.

Scandi I told my son about your friend and he absolutely roared with laughter. I had to tell the story several times before he was completely satisfied.

It's still not finished but I do like it. Also going to get some of these frames

Welcome Skeleton. It sounds like you have a busy and exciting year ahead!

I'm still really tired. DH is currently rushing around doing housework while I watch TV with dd1.

Wreck we've also just started pocket money €2.50 per week
Chores to include
*taking out lunch boxes & put in dishwasher
*dirty uniform into wash basket & inform M or D
*toys to be tidied away when finished
*piles of clean clothes to be taken up and put away
*keep room tidy
*so far this is it

Option to spend weekly or save & spend once a month in smyths or primark etc

Mammy mine are essentially things they do already but I want them to do it without me promoting. So make beds in the morning, ensure all dirty clothes are in the wash (dd I'm looking at you ds is great) and clearing plates and cups away after eating not leaving them on the table

Thank you all for your kind comments and reassuring that I hadn't been unreasonable to ask him to help out. I'd like us still to be friends. I have known her since we were 6 years old and always regarded her as a close friend. I knew we had different ideas regarding parenting but no idea aboit this. Was really sad yesterday. I didnt see it at all as a big favour, she (and my other close friends) knows that if I don't have plans their dcs are always welcome to stay. And he's a sweet boy and dd1 likes playing with him. I'm going to keep my distance for some days and then try calling to see what this was about. And perhaps suggest in future we stick to dates without children or only playdate where we both are present...

wreck I Looooove your cat... its gorgeous...
Abd again to you all thank you for the all tje comments.... They have really helped...

Regarding pocket money, dd1 gets 1£ per week. Dd2 is still to little. Dd1 is 4 and has to put her dirty laundry in the basket, clear her plates ect away after eating, tidy toys up, give the cat clean water and food and "hover" her room. Hovering is only because she likes it and dh always do an.extra on his days off in her room so we are sure its done.
Dd1 is tight already so saves all money for christmas where her granddad will top it up to help her buy an outdoor kit to keep small animals in...

Mammy I googled 'easy small white loaf' and used the first receipe that came up! No bread maker here but it was very easy to make, essentially bread flour, yeast, tiny bit of salt and sugar mixed with warm water and then kneaded for 10 mins (so satisfying! !) It really fills you up as well.

Have sorted out a load of stuff to take to the charity shop, lots of clothes I don't wear (or even like!!) Lots of dds clothes that she has outgrown etc, lots of books as well. I don't see the point of hanging onto books if you've read them...

Dd is going swimming with her cousin this afternoon.

Life one of the stalls at the bottom of the market (bus stop end) does very good ensaimadas as big as your head. The churro van in the main square is fab also!

Frugail win, my friend just dropped 5 huge bags of clothes at my house she works at a designer at a children clothes brand but don't have kids so we inherits masses of unused clothes from her. Only condition is we can't sell it after use (which makes sense) ..... so now its organisation's time....

That's very handy Scandi.

Similar to that here too wreck except that they've become lax at some stuff more incentive to do it now.

Girlie dh bought breadmaker he's never used it. I made honey & seed loaf but like it too much so stopped making it!

We use our bread maker for pizza dought. Le yum and very easy

I had a bread maker that was utterly fantastic. It was our addiction to bread from that machine that finally drew our attention to the gluten intolerance problem. (Ooops!)