Scrimping through the remains of September, Austere Autumn approaching, frugal friendly 'Fred

[Justanothermile]

Thought I'd make a new thread, I'll post on the old one and alert to its presence.

All are welcome, we are friendly folk.

I'm glad that helped Curvy. It's very much on my mind at the moment as we go back to school. I'm trying to hard to do things right, and to make sure that the professionals I see are glad that I was the person they met today, iykwim.

I was definitely never cool, but I'm trying hard to become cool, which is odd. I have bought new trousers that definitely fit and look quite nice, and am wondering what the first wash will do to them. (£34)

Girlie I watched diy sos, I need to stop doing that to myself it makes me cry every time. I thought the relationship between the dad and mum and step dad was amazing and the girls obviously loved him to bits.
Hammy is at least 18 months. We lost his sibling in June I think. He seemed a bit perkier last night so perhaps just basking in the central heating

thats I’ve been using cheeky wipes (originally bought for ds’ nappy changes but I never used them for it). They’re really nice on my face. I used to use the boots green £1 for a pack wipes. Used these for years. Probably three wipes a day. So much waste! Both ££ and actual waste. The cloth ones are much better for my skin purse and environment.

Nsd planned today. Yay. Work then gym then home.

Waaahhhhh still in bed with ☕️ - still need a shower and to get ready. Cutting it very fine today!

Good luck with the wfh sea. Sounds like you may be able to work remotely quite often so perhaps the study can be your space? Saying that, I've ended up with a desk as my bedside table as dh was so adamant he'd work from home more often. I think it's been used twice 🙄.

Thanks for the motivation tips curvy. Going to the library is a great idea and something we can do together without the little ones so hopefully it will become even more of a treat.

Wreck the queen 👑!!!

It's my Friday today 🙌🏼🙌🏼 ds has forest school, almost forgot

I've got lots of driving to do today need to deliver paperwork to 14 different places... I love driving round in the autumn though it's so pretty.

I am disorganised this morning. Ds needed a packed lunch for a school trip so even though I got up ten minutes earlier I’m at least 20 minutes behind. I should be working by now!

Morning !
I think a few of us are checking in less when things get silly and generally having a break from social media .
Good call em
Im reading my book at lunch and really enjoying it
Cant stand DIY SOS Im afraid .
I have washable face pads just like the round ones-from ebay plus flannels for hot cloth.
Saves so much money and waste .
Use Cheeky wipes as handwipes when out -just dampen them at home .
Ive upped my excercise this week and feel so much better.
I need to watch my mood at this time of year .

Blummin hell - I need to make a PL for dd too 😱

Lonely is good btw

I used a carnation recipe last night to make a strawberry cheesecake for a breast cancer charity night, did any of you know the trick of adding lemon juice to make the mixture thicken? It's blew my mind!

wolf I missed the first 10 mins, was the chap with a spinal injury the girls step dad? And how did he get his injury? I gathered it was something to do with a swimming pool on holiday.

Checked dds clarinet book today and there was a note to say if I want to book dd in for her grade 1 exam the teacher needs £45 by next week! ! Why on earth do music exams cost so much?? I told dd to ask her teacher if she thinks she will def pass the exam as am only paying that if so.

Got a colleague from work popping round this morning so have been tidying like mad! Just need to hoover and I'm done.

Dd is having a school dinner today as has so much to carry on a thus there is no room for a pack lunch as well.

Last day of sick leave today, back to work tomos 😕

That's not massively inclusive is it re the clarinet exam cost?!

Hoping for a NSD. Dogs at groomers which will be £60 but that's budgeted for already.

Laska is posting on the Hush thread, so I think fine and well.

I was going to message you quite but you've popped up.

Good to hear lonely is fine.

Right, cracking on with paperwork.

@em I might try cheeky wipes the next time I need to stock up; that probably won't be for a while though, as I know some of the cleansers I have in my stash have muslins with them.

Girlie I just looked up my exam costs as I'm signed up for clarinet grade 1 as well. I'm paying £40 for the test but will also be paying a fee to my teacher who will be coming along as accompanist (to play the piano alongside me), so it sounds as though your daughter's teacher is only taking a fiver for that, which is very good of her. I have no idea why the exam is £40 when it's only 12 minutes long. Possibly because musicians have no other practical way to make money and have to last the whole year on exam fees?

Girlie he was stepdad to the older girl. The couple had been sweethearts as teens then split and got back together I think. She had a child in the interim. They won (I think) their first family holiday and within a day or so of being there he slipped either by or in the pool and became paralysed. After some time in a hospital abroad he was transferred back to the uk but had some sort of collapse and died on the runway and had to have heroic measures to bring him back. She was with him mentally planning his funeral. The kids dad helped with the build

Mammy I make key lime pie using that method

Although to be fair, not many extra curricular activities of many varieties are accessible to all.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

girlie I had similar with exam fees for dd and ballet. I just couldn't justify the cost of exam fees and full ballet costume (which you have to have to do exam) on top of class fees for ballet and hip hop. This year I sat dd down and explained this to her - she said she thought you had to do the exams and was happy to skip them as although she thought at 4 she wanted to be a ballerina, now at 12 she realises she just likes to dance. Does your dd have to do the exams?

Took your advice mammy and got dd involved in dinner prep - ended up having 'indoor picnic' using up bits and pieces. Even put blanket down on floor in living room and sat for ages after chatting. She loved it - must do things like this more often. Her Dad died suddenly when she was 16 months and I know if I think she's sad I tend to spend money to try to cheer her up. I knew she had bad day at school yest and was going to suggest going to the cinema but I stopped myself and talked out her day with her instead. 12 year old girls can be very mean,

Roast chicken for dinner tonight and planning curry with leftovers Friday night and maybe salad/wraps Sat for lunch. Going to Mums to watch strictly on sat night so she'll feed us. Hoping not to have to do big shop until Mon.

Spends
€10 yoga
€74.22 diesel - was burning fumes so that's full tank - will hopefully get few weeks out of that

I've booked a christmas photo session for dc €75 payable next month
a hoody for breast cancer research €25 payable next week
Debenhams have an extra 10% off this weekend with code CG76 so I'm going to get their outfits for Christmas photo session/visiting santa/christmas

Our recycling picks up old clothes and recycles them into cleaning cloths. You just put them out in a carrier bag on green bin day. Saves a trip to the tip or clothes bank. the neighbours use those charity bags they put through your door but I read they are sometimes a scam so I don't use them.

I checked my electric costs on money saving expert and I'm still on the cheapest tariff.

Theres a few bank account swap incentive fees come up, Barclays and NatWest.

Topcashback are doing £2.50 bonus on spends for the next 24hrs, you need to click on the offer to get it.

Random 500 Nectar points just pinged into my account .Cant remember why ?
Cant you lock into a rate Fluffy?
I need to check mine -think its locked for a year ???
Pms always welcome Just

That's a good thought about skipping the exams. My ds is skipping the piano exam because it just is a huge turnoff for him. He's really into the music and not all interested in getting certificates.

It's £20 a month extra to fix Quite, even with the rate change. I don't have any exit fees so I can go if a better rate comes up.

Mid morning check in here.

Maple bacon donut (left over from yesterday) shared with assistant. Le yum.

Meeting friend at lunch for a walk #exercise

Dropped a bag of stuff to the charity shop this morning.

Ds has also managed to get rid of ds’ steraliser and smallest bottles to a colleague of his. We haven’t taken them in yet but once we move and get stuff out of storage I’ll clean it all up and send it to her. She’s offered £40. Which is nice.

I just added my clarinet to my house insurance so I can take it out of the house to rehearsals and it was an extra £40. This music lark definitely costs money.

Dds clarinet is on the house insurance as well summer I included it when I took the policy out. Dd mentioned she leaves it in the music room after her lesson which made me a bit twitchy! Am sure it's fine but would be a nightmare if it got nicked. Yy to it being expensive to do the exams, dd is quite motivated by certificates so does want to do it. Might email the teacher and see how confident she is dd will pass it!!

Friend has been over this morning which was nice and my house is all clean and tidy so am enjoying that as it won't last long 😂

Got some money back I was owed for buying a colleagues leaving gift.