Festive frugaleers saving through to the new year!

[SnugglySnerd]

New thread! Tried to post on the old one and it was full. Newcomers welcome!

Thanks Snuggly. I wondered why the thread had been so quiet today

Em as others have said, I'd definitely keep ds1 in nursery. We did it when dd was born & it was welcome respite! PT work has worked for me. Dh and I were on similar FT equivalent salaries at the time ds was born, but my job was easier to manage PT. Since then I've done anything from 20-25 hours. Only in October with the dc 17 & 14 have I gone to 4 days (30 hours).
Again, it's true what others have said, that they need you as much in some ways as they get older, just differently.
Fluffy yes, definitely cook it for longer. I do slow cooker brisket and so long as it's cooked long enough it's delish.
Snuggly sorry to hear you're still not sleeping well, it's so tough. Thanks for the new thread.

Study day here, submitted another section of work. Essay and portfolio to do and a viva on Jan 9th. Lots still to do, need to be organised, eek!
Out for tea with one of my 2 book groups tonight & then out with the other tomorrow night, followed by the AGM at the cricket club, can't take much more excitement . Won't post tomorrow night but will catch up on Thursday.

I hear ya love. Are we about to invent scheduled relations?

I'm going to have trouble keeping my face straight if any of my relations come to visit over Christmas.

I usually schedule them

Went to the market today and got some peach and raspberry jam, £1.80

Im through to the "other side " of child rearing and I want to scream "Do not give up your job"

My colleagues in this situation are very bitter about the sacrifices they made compared to those of us who have kept all our benefits/leave and most importantly pension (will retire 10 years earlier at least)
There is a thread about womens pensions on here and its very hard to read.
Luckily I had great ML plus leave and a flexible boss .
DD went to preschool as DS1 arrived and it was lovely for her plus DS1 and I had our time as did DH .
I loved being on ML but alao enjoyed going back to work-PT and flexible.
I felt like me again .
Also instead of scrabbling around to find a job/ get back in the workplace once they got older I had a senior role and so could cash in goodwill and be around for GCSEs etc
NSD

Ouch. Can this not turn into a fight about there only being one perfect way that works for everybody? People have different circumstances, needs and wants.

I don't think it's turning into a row at all, everyone is supportive of others individual choices and circumstances

Right I’ll cook the beef longer tomorrow.

£6 Aldi & £5 Tesco.

I just meant from Quite's comments. I didn't feel very encouraged after reading them, and I wondered if she could encourage me too.

I’m sorry Autumn but I think you’re reading something into Quite’s post that isn’t there, I don’t believe there’s any fight on this thread.

I agree with all the comments everyone has made about them still needing you when they get older, sometimes they need you more and I know that I’ve actively planned not to go for very senior positions until ds is older because I need to be around for GCSEs given what I’ve seen others experience during exam time. I’ve also benefitted from being relatively senior recently as ds has faced the problems he has this year my reputation and seniority at work have helped me in that regard.

Autumn you were asking about part time working hours earlier. There’s a lot of flexibility to be had in the right roles. Have you considered looking at government science positions where you might get the benefit of some fairly good flexible working practices?

It wasn't personal to you autumn I think you are in a fortunate position of not needing to work (financially I mean) so it's a very different scenario to most of the rest of us.

Anyway we had a very good appointment with the pediatrician who was so lovely, lots to think about and various new things to try so that feels positive.

Spent £4 there on some food as dd was hungry and parking was £4.10.

£10.14 in Aldi. Has anyone else tried their rhubarb and custard sweets? Yum 😋

Dh just shattered my “2019 is going to be an ace year” by pointing out to me when I was listing all the things I’m looking forward to that apparently I’m not going to see the spice girls after all. As I won’t be able to fly. 😭😭😭😭😭😭

autumn I think you’re reading way too much into things and taking things way too personally. You’re in a lucky position that financially you’re able to stop work and that has suited you. It won’t suit me (although finanancially we could do it).

I’d lose my independence. I’d lose “me”. If I didn’t work now I’d just be “ds’ mummy” as I was as the baby groups. Don’t get me wrong I love being Mummy. And adore that he now sees me and says “mummymummymummy” and shouts daddydaddydaddy at nighttime

But I’m not just “Mummy”

I’ve fucked up my match bettings today. Might lose £2 or break even 🙄 and made a hash of dinner.

Supermarkets sell lavazza Oro beans now.

Em can you ferry if you can’t fly?

£11 posting presents to nieces and card to Ireland
£15 Tesco on Christmas jumper for ds for school and scout events

Much swearing at car whilst trying to change taillight on car in the dark only to discover it’s an unusual build I don’t have in my stash

50p pumping up car tyres at gRage.

Life are you steel wheeling on Thursday per chance?

In all honesty the thought of being a sahp is my worst nightmare. I love my DC more than anything but I wanted to work.
People do what suits them and hopefully their family. There is always going to be times when things don't work out well for everyone due to various reasons
No fight about it.

£45 Aldi,£126 childminder, £3 cubs

Ah no wolf, they are coming to us this week. No travel until mid January now.

I'm genuinely not seeing anything untoward in quite's post, just a general comment.

There's nothing like losing £2 on matched betting to put you in a bad mood😂

This is what I chopped and chucked into the IP, and it's made a vat of soup - half a parsnip, a carrot or two, onion, part of a butternut squash, small sweet potato, small potato, some 'soup mix' I found in the cupboard (pearl barley, lentils etc), stock, seasoning, bit of white wine. Oh and celery. There's loads.

Frugal and healthy and enough for tomorrow.

I agree with Quite and Girlie. I don’t think the point is that no one should give up work (far from it!), but that everyone should be properly aware of all of the potential impacts if they do. Unless forced to do so by DS’s needs I’d only give up work long term if I was assured that:

1. We could save enough pension in each of our names on just one salary
2. We could afford to take out enough critical illness /life insurance that if anything happened to the sole earner we wouldn’t be up shit creek

I’d say those considerations are pretty important for anyone, though I realise it’s not always attainable and circumstances sometimes force a choice. The other considerations (personal feelings about work and status, career ambition, mental health) are completely personal. One thing I have come to understand better after having my time out of the workplace is the benefit of being at home for the children. I don’t think that working is damaging to children but I do think that having a parent around more is beneficial . I didn’t really feel like that before this break but it does exert a bit of a pull to try and stay part time if I can. Not easy at the level /industry I was working in so we’ll see.

Snuggly would you consider doing anything drastic eg sleep training? You really are having a hard time with the DCs’ sleep. Really hard when they can tag team with their bad spells too.

Took dd to the library today but she was grumpy and screechy (teething and constipated I think) so I gave up after 30 mins. £4 on milk and ham.

Big day at work tomorrow (the BIG presentation) and I need to be in at 8pm. But I am currently trekking across London on a 3hr+ round trip to see a friend who lives in Sydney and is passing through London. Regretting saying I’d go now though it’ll be good to see her. Might get there by 9pm if I’m lucky 🙄

I might break even 😊 I have learnt my lesson & that’s the important thing. If it had worked out I would have got £93 but it didn’t and I will read things properly in future.

100 e reward points short of a £27.50 voucher “Thank you for your interest we have no new surveys” of course you don’t.

I’m going to read my Jack the Ripper book instead. Love the ripper killings. Not in a copy cat, huge fan of your work way.

😂 Fluffy. But maybe in a ‘if you were alive and in prison I’d be your penpal and marry you ‘ sort of way?

Meant to say that I made a very delicious broth today. I bought a rotisserie chicken yesterday (I normally steer clear but... no oven!) and made stock in the sc with the bones. Used that today to make soup with a bit of onion /carrot /celery, 3 chopped leeks, good couple of handfuls of pearl barley and some of the chopped up chicken. It tastes like Health. It’s the good strong stock that makes the difference. Loads for the next few days, DM is here and needs feeding too.

£93 ain't to be sniffed at if that was the potential winnings.

christmas you're points are so important, pension and life insurance. Loss of earnings if self employed too - huge,

I hope all the poorly children are getting better, mine is pretty much back to her normal self but her cold is working it’s way through everyone else now.

em completely understand where you are coming from re work. I use a mix of nursery and childminder and that works for me, like someone else said it depends on the individual and family choices, you sound like you’re sensible and you’ll do what your family needs.

I’ve spent a fortune today.

£38.50 in M&S - small potted tree, star topper and Christmas cards.
£5 in supermarket as meeting a friend who I knew would bring a small xmas present for toddler DD, so had to grab her something (chocs) en route.
£8.80 for me & DD in coffee shop, plus £2.45 for friend’s coffee (she offered me the money back but I waved it away - as you do - even when you can’t afford to...)
£5.50 on bits of shopping DH couldn’t find in Aldi.

I’ve overspent. I have about £5 left till payday after everything (direct debits) has left my account. Payday is Christmas Eve. So major challenge.

BUT. I have enough food for this week, maybe next if I do some raiding of cupboards/freezer.
Christmas presents are all done.
I have almost a full tank of fuel.

I’m at the theatre this weekend but that’s already paid for, just train fare to get there which will be my last fiver gone. I’m annoyed with myself as obv gone over planned budgets - but at least I’ve not resorted to spending on credit cards - I’m actually trying to just go with it and live within my means!

(Just tried to post this on the old thread and haven’t caught up on this one yet, sorry!)

Not sure even the ferry would take me...depending on dates I’d be pushing 8 months or full term... zig-a-zig-waaaaaa 😭😪

Will deal with that later. Once we’ve had the scan and can legit tell everyone.

Friend sent a save the date for her wedding at the beginning of August in Malta. Probably can’t go to that either as may still be preggo (dates dependant) or will be wrestling a toddler and bf a newborn...

We’re watching the variety performance. Have just watched the extract from Tina and also Hamilton. Both look insanely good. So am adding them to my list of shows to see.