Friendly Frugaleers Ambling into Autumn, watching our wallets and the weather!

[Cagliostro]

Hello! All welcome as we continue trying to use our money wisely!

em I love floor to ceiling doors. It gives a really clean finish especially in more open plan houses. I am also a fan of concealed storage. Dh is a fan of leaving everything on display.

Wolf it is pissing down here too. I am not sure I will be getting out of head in a hurry. It is a shame I have left my phone downstairs.... I will have to shout down that I want a tea top up.

The class bear was not my thing. Like..."Rupert had a lovely weekend, he's been so busy recently with all the performance parenting he slept late and had beans on toast for tea." Accompanied with a drawing by a 4 year old. I'm a lazy bad mummy! So glad we are older now. High school rocks!

Up late this morning, well I went back to sleep at 0730. Feel a bit groggy now. Up soon to take dd1 shopping. Her p.e. leggings that were a-ok last year are "inappropriate" seven weeks later . She needs black trackies, in a sports material, without branding! So far she has winged the knee length black boots (they do look very smart under trousers) - I was expecting these to be called out instead. If the teachers and/or boys can't avoid looking at her legs in leggings (her hoodie covers her bum) I kind of feel thats their problem.

Oh my god. My yarn just arrived photo pending...

unescorted so glad you have bounced back to you.

Don't forget to shout if you need any more old chain etc, there are and always will be tonnes lying around in the shed. Any bits you need you don't already have!

Unescorted I’m so glad you are feeling more positive and things are looking up. I will be after you for pressure cooker recipes when mine arrives - it will be a few weeks

£12 Lidl on breakfast, some snacky bits for later so we can have a movie afternoon and some bits for steak dinner later. Never cooked a steak despite being a decent cook. it was always h’s job so that’ll be interesting

That is a very kind offer lonely but I think we will just about manage with the chains we have got. I am also encouraging the use of tubes that have been kept in case there is ever a world shortage of inner tubes with punctures in.

wolf I am still in the learning stage. I have a book from the library. Good for techniques but the recipes are a bit bland. The general rule of thumb is cook things for the exact amount of time because they overcome easily and err on the dry side. Food contains so much water.... Especially meat from the supermarket. Iam going to try a steamed suet pudding with the left over beef tonight. The filling is a doddle but the steaming is going to be a learning process. I will report back.

Overcome =overcook. I don't know why I went gospel there.

wolf I’ll do a calendar today and see if that helps. I’m also going to do a tots with jobs for the big one. She can be helpful but I have to nag her all the time so that might help take a bit of pressure of too. I don’t do online shopping anymore because I am trying to do an Aldi shop to make it cheaper but I think maybe the time saving of online shopping will offset the money in my case. Thanks.

Thanks, mammy. Biggest one is off to her dads in a moment. I’ve managed to get someone to take littlest one for the day so I’m going to try and catch up with everything and organise the week ahead a bit better.

em 30 days of self care sounds like a plan. I might join you in that!

Morning, having a nice lazy start to the day here, only me and DS2 up and about at the moment.

Exciting day today, DH and I are away for the night! We are going to Shiiine On in Birmingham. Loads of bands and djs from the 90s, reliving our youth. There’s some really good names playing. Cast, Happy Monday’s, Shed 7, Neds atomic dustbin, Orbital. Can’t wait!

I hope you didn't give him brownie points for doing steak wolf it's easy. I do the finger-thumb thing...if you touch your index finger and thumb together, the big pad of your palm under your thumb will like feel rare steak, your middle finger and thumb is medium, and your ring finger is well done. It works! Not that we've had steak for about 3 years...

The many balls photo are for nativity figures. They are all acrylic! The grey one bottom right is James C Brett Fairground, looks and feels just like merino! Very pleased. The four ball pic are balls for scarves etc for the dc. I have a unicorn vomit and a rainbow, quick pretty crochet jobs.

I like to knit little kiddie toys and things like nativites in acrylic as they wash if needed (I never glue and always put plastic in bases), and store well as moths leave them alone. One set sold will pay for all this yarn, but this yarn will do about 12 sets.

mischief my self care plan looks like this:

• more water
• vitamins
• healthy eating
• exercise at least twice a week
• fresh air
• moisturise
• wear make up
• not so much phone/screens
• more sleep
• if more sleep isn't possible then rest
• appreciate things more
• less caffeine (I’m averaging about 7 cups of tea/coffee a day...)

Today I’m going riding, which covers exercise and outside. I’m grateful that I can afford to ride and be outside. I’ve had two teas already. I’m limiting it to 4 today. No wine. Nice healthy dinner (pea risotto) have moisturised body and face.

Will try and get a rest/nap later.

i am so jealous of that wool! i have banned myself from buying more til I finish some of current projects

Quite - I hadnt even considered losing the damn bear!!

DC and I are off out we need to keep out for most of the day so I have packed a snack bag. will likely get lunch in town to pass some time. I can feel the day getting rather spendy lol

lonely they are fab. I am drawn to the wonderlust self striping.

Mischief I am a confimed Aldi shopper, but had to go to a "normal" supermarket the other day and it took about 5 times as long because of the choice of packaging. Who knew that you can get so many types of washing powder. If had to do a full shop I would have been in there all day.

That wanderlust wool is fabulous lonely and if it gives you profit of eleven times the cost that's brilliant. My mother knits stuff for sale & probably loses money on it but she enjoys it.

My self care list is similar to ems and I have introduced reading back into my life. My friend at work has changed her hours so sometimes I'm in canteen alone so that gives me 20 mins of reading time.
I'm also watching emmerdale daily and reading at weekends.
Reading might be replaced by cross stitch soon though if I start a new project.

Mischief could you do a monthly Aldi shop- If storage/funds allow and then the fridge/fruit topup would be less time consuming?
This is my ideal scenario maybe some day

Enjoy curls sounds great, love Brum

We just went for ds's piano lesson and his teacher has moved next door to a cake shop. I can see this is going to be an arduous year for music learning not. Dh decided to come with us. LOL!

Music £20
Cakes £12

Mischief it's such a slog isn't it 😩 we've had a morning filled with grizzles. I managed to make it out to the gym and dh was tearing his hair out by the time I got back (and reaching for the electronic devices might I add )

But in other news I feel like I'm winning at being frugal today as we are going swimming this afternoon and I foresaw earlier in the week that this might mean lunch or dinner out tacked in either side but instead I planned falafels for lunch and am making lasagne for dinner. Prepare to fail and all that! I've also packed snacks and drinks for after swimming so if we can get home later on with no spends it will be a NSD! (Possibly parking - we're going to a new pool so not sure what's around)

I was going to use the wonderlust for nativity kings, but it is sooo gorgeous I'm going to crochet dd2 a scarf instead. I adore all pure rainbow self striping yarn, this is silky, singly ply and feels divine. I really rate Sheepjes yarn. Unbelievably I have lots.

We have done a 6 shop trip. Quite exhausted now, but the dc i had with me were so very well behaved. Got the trackies (yoga pants I think) in Matalan. Not been in there for years. Got dd3 a navy blue light showerproof jacket with tubby unicorns on! I think this might be the last cute coat I get to buy. I only pointed it out as a joke, but she loves it!

Will tot up later, but spent lots and lots. I didn't feel guilty, we bought very little off list, and less than I earnt this week.

Riding done.

Dm and ddad took me (like old times!) and sat with ds to watch as dh went to yoga at his gym.

Lunch at home (chicken sandwiches) and a cup of tea. Yum

I’m now on bed with the remainders of my tea. I’ve packed up one parcel I bought from asos to send back. The trousers aren’t quite right and the flats I bought are horrible. So £56 back on my card in a week or two.

The other stuff I ordered (denim shirt and white shirt) are fine so am keeping those.

Ds is down for a nap now.

We’re going to head out later on blackberry picking. Yay.

Dd had a good riding lesson, stopped at a discount garden centre on the way back and went a bit mad on bulbs as they were £1 a pack! Bought about 10 packs and now have enough bulbs to sink a ship. Also got some acrylic paints as they are doing a local thing where you collect rocks/pebbles, paint them and then hide them for other kids to find. Dd wants to paint a few....

Total spend was £20.

Dd managed to get a splinter in her thumb and you would think she had a stake through her hand the amount of fuss she is making 😞 am trying to be patient as she struggles with pain (spd) but flipping heck!!

I don't want to talk too soon but am feeling a bit better today, less pain and generally brighter. Fingers crossed am on the mend 👌

Fell into the garden centre after having my nails done. Bought three ready planted containers (yes I know this is not frugal but I could not lift a bag of compost at the moment to do my own) a travel towel for ds for showers after pe, pork pies, posh tonic and Bavarian slices. Got a free bird bath/feeder thingy. Have popped them all in the garden and they’ve brought a nice splash of colour and life back to it. I need to do some dead heading too but I’d like it to stop peeing it down first!
Stuffed after lunch of French stick, soup, pork pie, cheese and Bavarian slices. I think the steak will be eaten tomorrow now rather than today!
Ds is being very challenging today. I need a gin or six!

curls that's a brilliant line up - have fun!!

em I like your list, mine is;

Exercise (once my neck is better) running, swimming and pilates.
Moisturise
Try and do mindfulness a few times a week.
See a friend at least once a week for coffee/catch up
Read more
Book a massage monthly
Use affirmations to remind myself that I am a worthy person!

NSD.

I got the soup maker
I got the slightly larger 6 portion one as it was £48.95 in Sainsburys (same price as Amazon) as I went to pay I looked through my Sainsburys vouchers and found one for £12 off
Having debated this long and hard -I have soup for lunch everyday from Autumn to Spring .
I hate frozen soup,I like it fresh and for logistical reasons it has to be in a soup cup for work.
They are a bit to big for the freezer drawer so I was freezing in one container,defrosting and putting in a soup cup.
Plus it was soup bingo as I couldnt always remember what it was!
DH agreed-I will come home,bung it on and jump in the bath-my lunches will be ready by the time I get out and I can just take it out of the fridge with no defrosting and juggling .
I sometimes fall asleep in the bath so darent leave a pan on the hob.
Off to try it now !
to all those struggling with DC,its a tough time of year with lots of new experiences and its always an up hill struggle to Christmas.
Went to the farm shop-Porchetta (already made)a big bit for £11 plus hassleback potatos and lots of veg.
Will make apple sauce with the free apples.

I bought Christmas cards in Tesco today. It seems way too early, but I know that when the time comes everything will be very busy and the weather will be worse so I decided to just do it now.

Wrapping paper is the other thing that always messes me around. I can never find nice stuff and I never want to go to loads of shops when it's very busy.

I've got all my wrapping paper and cards already. Hate having to go actual shopping in the run up to Christmas. I've also got advent calendars, crackers and a decent selection of stocking fillers.