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.

Morning wolf my pay hits my account thurs at 12.01am, I did my transfers and my budgeting at 2am this morning because I couldn't sleep!

Morning em I rang a customer at 6.45am yesterday, he answered and we sorted some deliveries out, he rang back at 9.30am and asked my work colleague does mammy sleep at all!

Walking to work.
I have so much to do I can't think. Going to take 1/2 day tomorrow if I can to get stuff done.

I know that feeling life, you almost can't concentrate on any of it for thinking about ALL of it. Used to happen a lot when we were away every weekend competing. It will all get done, promise.

north, how's DS's eyes today? DD's offer was from Liverpool. We liked the city and campus when we visited and the department is very strong for her subject. She'd be happy to go there but has other ones she likes as much too.

seacow, ah I knew exactly what you meant no worries there. DD is going to have a go for a place at your old university, if my memory serves me right? She absolutely loved her summer school there. We are realistic though!

Very warm here.

Hoping for a NSD, but just doing the online shopping for tomorrow. I'm working extra this week but DS can take the delivery.

Got paid and have moved money for Christmas into savings. This is the first year I have managed to do this so that’s an improvement. I am starting to get fed up with the never ending ness of it all. Yesterday I was jubilant that I’d got to pay day with money left but today I’m thinking I’ve got to do it all over again... it’s difficult not to let it slide. I have a new found admiration for all the frugaleers (and lurkers) who have been doing this for years with a much tighter budget than I’ve got.

life know that feeling. Sometimes you need to step back from life for a minute and make a plan.

Got our mortgage offers through and emailed across about a million documents, statements etc yesterday. Should be fairly straightforward, done in 4-6 weeks so I’ve been told.

Still having a nightmare re the missing items from JD. No weight on the parcel so I couldn’t use that as evidence. They emailed me a form to complete and sign. Sent it. Email back saying I’d been sent the wrong form, please fill this new form in. Which is the exact same form. Rang and spoke to someone who said don’t worry I’ll escalate it. Another email saying I’ve filled in the wrong form. Rang again, guy I spoke to said you’ve been sent the wrong form I’ll email you the right one. Checked my email while still on the phone, it’s the same ruddy form! He put me on hold, came back and assured me it would be resolved by the end of the day. 10.30pm another email. Yep, you’ve been sent the wrong form, blah blah blah. Rang AGAIN and asked if anyone is actually reading my emails as I’ve sent the same form in twice been told it’s the wrong form several times, yet you keep sending me the same form again! Guy on the phone said he’d escalate it, I said that what you’re colleague said and look where it got me. I can guarantee if you send my form to the lost parcel dept they will email back again that I’ve filled in the wrong form. SO. He actually spoke to the dept who agreed my form was fine and it would be sorted in the next 2 days. No emails back so far, I’m taking that as no news is good news and it’s actually being dealt with.

That was a really long post, sorry!

Hi ibuit

Just put £400 for flights on dh's credit card but that's only outbound as can't find any cheap inbound ones except at midnight need to discuss with mil what we should do (they're coming too). We will pay off the flights with our two months off council tax.

I will probably buy lunch today as we haven't got much food and my flask is broken.

Morning all

Pay day here as well although as predicted it's pretty rubbish! There's lots to pay out for this month but am going to try and not stress too much...

Spends this month
Over night trip to Bath for friends 40th, hotel paid for but still to pay for train, food and spa, will budget £100.
My bday, need to get a dress, shoes for myself and dd. My dad has given me some money to help with this budget £150.
Stuff for the party (paper plates, soft drinks etc) £50
Christmas need to crack on and do some shopping. ..
Brothers and friends bdays in Oct, total for four gifts £50
New school skirt for dd £25
New winter coats for dd and I £80

My eyes are watering!!

Will food shop very carefully this month and no unnecessary spends.

Wish me luck 😉

Oh and should add there will be alcohol at the party its just I'm in charge of soft drinks 😉 my dad mentioned something about buying a barrel...... 😮

Still no reply from that eBay seller. I’ll have to go on live chat or something later. So annoying.

Wreck I've got one of those soup flasks sitting in the cupboard unused if you would like it.

I bought it for ds starting reception because his diet was really complicated and I thought it might help with packed lunches, but in the end I never could work out what to put in it that he would be able to manage to eat without help.

The upshot is that it's been sitting in the cupboard for four years and never been used at all. You'd be most welcome to it if you'd like it.

It's a black stanley one like this: www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-Litre-Classic-Food-Black/dp/B002Z2Q406?tag=mumsnetforum-21

If you'd like it, then maybe you could pm an address and I could send it on? Xx

life
I try to break things down so they arent one big lump of horrible overwhelming stuff .

Have to do asap
To do by xyz
To do if there is time
Am also Queen of lists.
Sorry its all so crap-a half day sounds like a very good idea .
Hope you can get some time for yourself .
Girlie£50 on DB and DF presents is rather a lot if you are struggling.
I dont do bday presents for friends or their DC anymore it gets too much .
Can you look on ebay for coats?
Its a saturated market so bargains to be had.
Free ground coffee this morning as colleague doesnt like it it was fine

Seminar done. I had a bacon roll. Yum.

Have also emailed survey report to lawyer.

£7.70 in juice bar on two fresh squeezed orange juices. My colleague is feeling under the weather and has too much to do. I’ve offered to help her out.

I’m saving all £2 £1 50p and 20ps in a jar. When jar is full will take to the bank.

Am also saving (ish) for Christmas. £50 a month. So should have a nice chunk.

quite yeah I was thinking that re gifts, one friend it's her 40th and we've been best mates for 25 years so will spend £20 on her (we don't usually buy each other anything for bdays so it's a one off.) I think for my brothers might have to make do with some socks and maybe a pack of bulbs (they both like gardening, it's in the blood 😉) other gift is for my god mother, she is also a keen gardener so will see what I can find. Wilkos do reasonable packs of bulbs and sports direct/primark for socks.

Not sure re coats as sort of think you need to try them on?

Curls is that JD sports? Friends of ours had a nightmare with their customer service too. Hope you get it sorted
Jam I studied in Liverpool & loved it. Is it archaeology or have I got that wrong? Ds' eye is much the same today, but he is thoroughly miserable & still feeling under the weather.
Welcome back Ibuilt
Did a couple of hours in work this morning to try to keep on top of admin/management stuff while I'm studying. Found a room where I could be on my own with a computer & it was so much more productive than being in the office with other people around.
Then went to GP about my joint pains/swelling & she has sent me for bloods which is what I was hoping for so we'll wait and see. No spends yet today.
Beautiful weather here, may have a sit out in the garden & read. Need to do other stuff too though....

Will catch up later, just spent £6 on coffee shop breakfast 🤦‍♀️ post Pilates.

em re Dave Ramsay, the £/$1000 is just to cover small emergencies. More a comfort blanket really. Then you build it up to 3/6 months expenses once you’ve got a handle on the debts. And re credit cards, I received my new one a couple of months ago, threw it the back of a cupboard and now that existing card has expired I don’t have a credit card. So I cannot buy something unless I can pay up front 👍

Teddy. He’s not allowed on the furniture 🧐

That sounds like a lot of expenses @girlie, but it also sounds like you have a good budgeting system in place; I'm quite impressed by how organised you sound!

Spends yesterday:
£23 in bakery, including birthday cake
£11 supermarket
£9 lunch

Spends today:
£2 work canteen

I need to order groceries online today too.

adora well he clearly is allowed....! Haha.

Ah. So that’s how it works. Currently (house sale proceeds aside) I have enough to cover one months mortgage and that’s it.

But. Better than nothing.

My new assistant has been for lunch. And has come back in with a tuna melt wrap and a chocolate brownie. It. Smells. Divine.

I’m meeting my friend for lunch in 24 minutes. Can’t wait. So hungry

Yeah, I obviously missed the small print 🤦‍♀️

Hope you enjoy lunch with your friend 😁

I will. Have just checked the menu and they do smoked salmon and prawn bagels. With chips. Mmm. Guess what I’m having?!?!

Wreck someone's probably said this since morning but have you emailed a complaint about flask?

Went to Lidl for €20 stick blender spent €61.68 weighing scales for work & spoon digital scales, double ended felt tip pens for stockings, set of cartoon vest & underwear for stockings, stickers for Halloween, choc & cookies for today & jar of green tea for gift for my friend & my au pair who've been amazing with my home life problems.

€2 parking & €2 gluing a pair of boots at cobblers, he said my dubarry boots for work for winter aren't worth repairing & just wear them until they fall apart

Nothing yet from booking.com either so solicitors fee today is going on credit card, needs must.

I'm thinking of adjusting my savings/pension at work too just to see how I can manage. ATM €50 to pension €30 to savings for a shopping trip with my cousin in November, I think once separation is rolling I will reverse these for a while to see how I can manage my finances.

North so sorry to hear about ds's ongoing eye troubles and your own joint pain

Girlie hope Oct goes ok for you money & health wise

Adora teddy didn't get that memo

Teddy looks very at home on that settee - he's even managed to stack the cushions up neatly to give himself more room

£80 in Morrisons and £30 in Aldi today The ironic thing is I never take a big trolley but still manage to spend a fortune...

I only had my two hands today born

Teddy is the cutest 💙😊!

Ooh have they got Halloween stuff in Aldi? It's always really good. I'm ploughing in with stocking fillers and trying to think of main present ideas for the girls. I always find it useful to plan ahead for what others can buy as they always ask 'what do the girls want for Christmas this year'? I have to keep a list of what I've told who as one year both grandmas bought toy prams (and are still in passive aggressive competition about which gets played with the most 🙄)