Frugaleers dripping their way through a wet January...

[SneakyGremlins]

Hang on, that makes us sound like alcoholics

Had to dash out unwashed first thing - electric cut off overnight!

Is that because you’re on a meter that ran out of credit? I’m not sure that should happen for you. We are classed as vulnerable due to me receiving PIP, which means our fuel can’t be cut off overnight or something. I can’t remember if you have health issues? But in any case if being a care leaver means you don’t pay council tax yet, maybe there is something similar to look into?

Rowan is practicing her tae kwon do moves with DH :o she keeps picking up the focus pads and handing them to us to hold while she strikes them :o

It dips into emergency credit if it runs out - until the next 9AM when it shuts off.

It had 60p on last night and I forgot and put on the electric blanket so my fault.

I think going down the "all in one go" route sounds like a jolly good option cag the more answers you can get, the more helpful it can be. I think you said dd1 was contemplating high school?

Well we got a whole inch of snow. And dd1's school bus clapped out van decided to skip us. Ffs. Luckily I had a spare seat in the car today. I think I might be able to buy her a seat on the Cumbria bus (that drives right past out house, but we are not allowed onto) for 6th form. It will be £400 odd. They do not like us dirty out-out-county-ers on it though.

I had forgotten how good my flapjack is! I gave dp a ration this morning and hid the rest! He is an annoying mindless eater and I buy all the food

It's the weekend! Nsd.

Still reading just not posting as much. I’ve sent an email for maternity leave and reduced hours on my return. It’s a take it or I go elsewhere situation. We can not afford nursery for two kids 5 days a week. My parents can’t take them both for 2 days. Nannies and childminders are just as expensive as nurseries. And I don’t want to be a sahm. So it’s 4 days at work. 3 days at nursery. One day with dparents. And one day with me. Or I leave my lovely job. And find another one which will give me the hours I want. Fingers crossed they agree. I really don’t want to leave.

Training tonight. Yaylovely friend is getting married in Mexico next year and has asked ds to be a pageboy. I just checked the hotel price. £3000 for a week for 4 of us. All inclusive. Kids free. But still....ouch. Flights probably the same. It’s in April. Easter holidays. And we do have to go. Friends Are like family to us. Must get saving.

Nsd here too.

The snow had all gone now it's snowing again. Loads up the road in Surrey.

Ds stood up and read in sharing assembly today. So proud of him. A year ago he wouldn't even speak to him teacher 😍

Lentil dahl for dinner

Happy Friday! Just checking in. I need to catch up a bit.

Happy birthday curvy

£25 gym pass.

Snowing loads here, big fat flakes.

Awww well done miniWreck! 🤩

Frugal win, a friend had some spare tickets to see Dragons 3 so DH is going with the big two and they get to see some friends (DH is nervous bless him as he doesn’t know the dad who is taking their two). And I have Netflix and some deliveroo credit to myself. :o

Indeed lonely DD had some wobbles about whether or not to start secondary, it caused a lot of angst at the time, the kid is queen of FOMO! But she is very happy for now especially as from September we started a more structured approach and started doing more learning activities with friends (as opposed to keeping learning and socialising separate). So I’m not actually sure if it’ll be an issue for a while, but she is very aware how much she struggles with certain things.

Proper snow here, quite deep in places! Schools all shut predictably, luckily my mum was able to have dd and I (with some help from the neighbours) was able to get my car out.

Work was fine and dd has had a brilliant time making snowmen and going sledging.

Spent £9 ish on lunch and food supplies.

It's all melting now 😕

I have my thermostat set to 22 😮 I feel quite stressed in a cold house though.

Well done mini-Wreck

Em fingers crossed work say yes

£8 ish lunch
8.80 farm shop
71 Sainsbury’s

Hi my thermo is set for 17 at most. Big old house. We pay bulb 220 a month, which is a scary amount ( gas& electricity) its on in the am for a couple if hours and when the kids get back from school. Also have an open fire.
em fingers crossed for your reduced hours. I still feel really cross I didn't get mine as I loved my job and still miss it. But manager wouldn't allow it. I wanted reduced hours to help son. Don't know if manager thought I'd stay or wanted shot of me!
Hi battenburg great cake name! If I was a cake I'd be a custard doughnut. I love cold custard.
lonely are you anywhere near Windermere, dd going up there tomorrow. I'll try and get her to wrap up.
cag you are amazing.

I'm jealous of everyone with proper snow

Good luck with the hours request em.
Dh is stuck on snarled up roads. Kids are out side building a snow man.

Well done mini wreck and cag.

Heating usually 18 but pump up to 20. I need to turn it up more since I got a more efficient boiler. The thermostat seems more sensitive

ggreen sadly not! We are right up on the north end of Cumbria, just 20 miles or so from Scotland. For us a trip down to the lakes is a proper treat. Just as well or I'd spend all my wages in Lakeland. Your dd will certainly get cold tomorrow.

My dd1 is voulenteering tomorrow, so no lie in for me but I'm already in bed! Will do a scant fresh food shop, aldi, lidl, pet shop.

Evening.

It is proper brrrrrrr in the Lakes I am told by my builders up there - the plaster / render is struggling to go off on one of my sites. ggreen make sure she is well wrapped.

Lonely I hate it when the buses do that - what happens to the kids who have no alternative transport. By the time ds goes to school everyone else has left for work. He ends up cycling on really icy roads / canals.

Good skills minwreck getting up in front of an audience is a big challenge for most people.

Em hope you get the result you want.

Cag I was thinking of you the other day when dd & I went to Bletchley and the computer museum next door. It was the only time I have felt really stupid when visiting a museum. But really educationally rich..... history, social changes, maths, computing and map reading to get there

Me too. I really don’t want to play the “I’m leaving because you didn’t give me what I want” card but if I have to I will.

Been training. Yay!!

Dh is playing up Nando’s chicken pittas and he’s made home made humous. Oh god it’s delicous.

Humous. Israeli style.

Ooh we did love it there. I think the caglets would get a lot more out of it now. I got really emotional when I read the official pardon of Turing though 😰

I’m watching the Sinner on Netflix, fuck it’s disturbing 😱

Everyone is too nice to me 😳 I feel anything but amazing ATM! Starting to wonder if the meds actually have worn off and I’m now just in a fibro/ME flare.

Series one or 2 cag?

Where is bletchly and the computer museum?

In Milton Keynes - although the residents of Bletchley would argue that they are south of MK.

Someone recommended to me somewhere I could buy a belt that will fit me (size 8-10) - was it Em? I can't remember where you/they said?

I have a horrid cold but feeling better today than the last two so glad it seems to be a short-lived one. Only problem now is DD is now coming down with it. Last night was grim, we put her to bed around 8.30pm as usual and she woke up at about 10.15pm and was utterly inconsolable for ages so we had to bring her back downstairs and give her Nurofen. She kept sleeping for a 10 mins on me then waking then sleeping again etc, at 11.30pm I was feeling so tired and poorly so went to bed, DH didn't manage to get her down for the night until 1am and then she was up for the day with him again at 5.30am . So he has gone to bed with her tonight at 8.30pm. Poor thing (s??)!

NSD as stuck at home and my parents' feeling sorry for myself .

Em I hope they approve your flexible working request! And the wedding sounds fab! A cousin got married in Mexico last year, the photos looked great (not a first cousin, we didn't get an invite but then we didn't invite them to ours anyway).

Our thermostat is usually on 20 or 21, depending on how active I am at home really. I feel the cold easily and also feel like I want it to stay warm for DD for nappy/clothes changes.

Thanks again for the birthday wishes.

We went to see Dragons 3 tonight cag, it was a really good film! Hope DCs enjoy it.