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.

Ah that does make sense about doing it on the phone! I guess it’s part of the drive to get more done online but surely some people won’t have internet access 🤔 ah well will have to do it online myself anyway (for DD, and DH will have to as well, I don’t have any regular meds ATM)

My ovaries are fucking killing me. Literally couldn’t bend down to pick something off the floor earlier. Being a woman is a bit shit isn’t it.

I've got two life insurance policies! One is a 15 year one and if I haven't died after 15 years I get all my money back which will be lovely, the other one I got when I got the house. I really need to do a will though, thats been on the to do list for ages

I think I've got gastritis again, have this horrible heart burny feeling honestly is this what being in my 40s is going to be like? One ache and pain replacing another??

Yes you are Cag

Frugal win. Got a discount offer for the opening night of a musical which is the day after ds’s birthday. Should have been 2-4-1 so thought I’d take ds and his friend. Booking link and code wouldn’t work on the website on any device so rang up and they applied the offer to all three tickets so they were 16 each instead of 33. Wooo.

Kit right now I literally only have £20 a month spare. All it takes is an email from school requesting money for something (three so far this week) and it's gone. If I died dh would be ok but obviously a lump sum would help and would mean the dc would have something. Dh doesn't think about these things and literally doesn't care. He has no pension and only has life insurance because I set it all up. The broker guy just annoys me with his trying to be friendly and pushy at the same time. Have already had to wait for the GP report that's back now and now I have a new offer from L&G which is more than double what I was originally quoted 🙄😭

I just booked Center Parcs!! £750. Transferred money from paypal, paid it onto my credit card this morning, and just did the booking. Am silly excited. The kids will burst. I'm not going to tell them! Thats for a 3 bed detatched lodge, two nights (3 days) for 6, so an ok price really. A lot better than a big pile of bike stuff anyway!

Woo Lonely that’s great. I’d love to go to CP again

Lonely that's amazing!! Well done, selling stuff on eBay etc is such hard work you really deserve this holiday. When are you going?

Great news lonely. Well deserved.

So excited for you all lonely!

Our evening was yum.

A class of 8. It was more cooking demo with everyone mucking in that strict class.

We made:

Bombetti (pork loin cut into medallions flattened then stuffed and rolled). Yum.

Fried mackerel with orange and rocket salad and balsamic lemon fennel dressing (to die for)

Courgette pasta with crispy spinach balls. Mmmmmm.

I learned about burretta mozzeralla (leftover mozzarella bits smushed together with double cream in the middle...) delicious. And smoked mozzarella. (Sooooo gooooood).

Nutella hazelnut espresso mousse. Mmmmm

She’s doing a Christmas one so I’m absolutely going to that!

Have also recieved my money for dh’s phone. £27. Not the £32 they said. Annoying but meh.

lonely all that from eBay sales?! Well done you!! Have an amazing time!!

That’s amazing lonely!

Brilliant news Lonely! When do you go? Will you manage not to burst in the meantime?

I am in the office tomorrow for the first time - eek! I’ve packed my bag, made my lunch (a chicken and rice salad)... but not yet unearthed my Oyster card . Also need to pack some Compeed blister patches (new shoes, ow) and the mouse for my laptop. It’s annoying weather here, freezing in the morning but then like a hot summer’s day by lunchtime. Then raining on the way home 🙄.

I need to go to the dentist for a root canal. I also need to review my life insurance... I think DH and I should both take more out if we can. With DS’s care needs we’d each be screwed without the other. I should get on with a bit more adulting myself!

I just recalculated our annual bills and I'm a bit shocked at how much it's gone up. I only did it to add in music lessons, but there definitely much be something else new in there because the music lessons don't account for such a big jump. Hum.

Yesterday's spends
€12 on using outdoor washing machines, mine isn't draining & I need to figure out where second filter is, determined not to get H involved this got me 26kg of washing done so my entire laundry basket & ds's single duvet - will dry at home
€4 on two fulfil protein bars
€50.55 in Iceland - that shop has gotten expensive €5 of this was on 4 cans of monster ultra my guilty pleasure, so I paid back joint acc for it. 100 wash box of washing powder & 52 fairy non bio capsules plus a few odds & ends really

Best of luck today seacow

Good luck today Sea. I hope the office is full of lovely people.
Lonely I hope your bitches are being less bitchy this week
Need to buy milk on way into office today

Booked Christmas shopping slot which involved filling the basket with booze to quickly reach the total. Must edit

When I got back last night I contacted the electric people and the water people and got us set up for bills.

In our apartment we were paying £120 a month for electric. For the house well immediately go down to £50 pcm and then they leave it there for 6 months before adjusting. Dh is working on a plan to make house super energy efficient. So insulating the loft properly is job one. Then blackout and thermal lined curtains in the living room (two sets of sliders one front one back so big windows!), replacing upstairs rads for more energy efficient ones (£££ but worth it in the long run) and aourcing super energy efficient washer and dryer. We had thought about a meile. But £1500 is a lot. But then 20 year warranty/guarantee and energy efficiency and 9kg capacity. So..... that’s to be thought about. I’m sure we can find cheaper with the same capacity and energy rating.

I’ve mentioned a spin dryer too fluffy so will look for a second hand one and will give it a whirl if I can find one.

Never paid water bills before as this was included in our service charge. So no idea how much they will cost. I did ask Dm and she said theirs was around £19 pcm. So hopefully something similar.

Today:

Seminar at 745. Then work. Then home to sort stuff out.

Oh and good luck sea xxx

Good luck sea!

Em our water is £30 a month and apparently we're using the same amount as a single person in a one bedroom flat

Today will be a good day because I got my deodorant working

Good luck sea.

Em I would go with the miele. Yes it's horrifically expensive now but you have a child who will get older and probably be joined by siblings who will kill cheaper machines. Machines always die at the most inconvenient times too. Like halfway through a noro outbreak.

The spin dryer is a must, clothes come out nearly dry and it will save you a lot of money long run. Get the ones with a spout at the front not a hose, it's less to go wrong.

I aggree with your dh on insulating windows, so much is lost through double glazing if you don't have insulated curtains. Trickle vents are my bug bear. I wish dh would fill them in. Even when they are shut they leak a bit.

Good luck Sea. I hope it goes well today.

Our pay “award” is being implemented this month a stonking 1.8% going by Martin Lewis this should give me another £28-30 per month

Check wolf as payroll got mine wrong and I've had to lodge a complaint

Good luck seacow!

Are Christmas slots out already then? I must check Tesco. I swear it gets earlier every year. We forgot to order today’s delivery last night too. Oops.