Friendly Frugaleers Furtively Ferreting Away to Find Fabulous Savings

[Wolfcub]

New fred

It's quiet here. Seems like everyone else is busy enjoying their Valentine's Day evening I'm in bed

Oh and dh got me the urban decay ultimate basics palette so he's in my good books

I've received a very tempting Valentine's Day offer but I've been feeling nauseous all day!

No exciting Valentine day plans here, finished off dds birthday chocolates (with her!) and wrote my letter of resignation to hand in tomorrow (gulp)

Very tired so also going up to bed in a minute.

It is weirdly quite on here.

Just checked my account and have about £150 to last 11 days which should be doable, will only need petrol and food, will try and keep half term quiet and cheap.

Meadow my brother has asked if we would consider fostering their guinea pigs, they are struggling with them since having their 4th (!) baby and don't feel like they give them enough attention. I am not sure as concerned about how much work would be involved and also whether the garden would be suitable as there isn't really a sheltered area. What are your thoughts? I know you love your piggies!

Hope you feel better soon Sneaky.

Wreck I love Urban Decay. I got one of the mini palettes - Naked Heat - for Xmas but I hardly have time for makeup anymore and I'm bad at it anyway, unsure how to use the colours properly. My valentine's day present was a Milk Tray and a trashy magazine. And a nice card. DH also got a nice card, with salted caramel KitKat Sensations that they were selling off in the local supermarket, and a fancy notebook for when he's on placement. We are both so romantic . We had vegan 'shwarma' (I've forgotten how to spell it?!) for tea, it was so nice, it's the first time I've had a fake kebab of any sort, I was racking my brains to try and remember what I used to have with a kebab before I was veggie and could barely remember! It was yummy.

Went to local supermarket and Superdrug to buy groceries and baby foods. Cannot recall at all how much I spent...I seem to just block it out these days as I'm perpetualy stressed and trying to get out the shop as quickly as possible!

Girlie She is just on Cow and Gate First Infant Formula atm. I booked the paed appt - the first appt available is not until she is almost 1, in June ! She will self-feed herself most things, but I feed puree with most meals now as well because she's been downing 3 9oz bottles + a 7oz bottle before bed so I'm worried she's hungry and given how huge her bottles already are and that she should be reducing milk feeds over the next few months I figure I need to increase her solids intake if she's still hungry. None of the other babies of her age that I know are drinking anywhere near as much formula as her atm , even the ones who are doing BLW and so having very little solids intake. But she was was always drinking far more formula than the box guidelines suggested she should be right from when I moved to exclusively formula-feeding. Yet has also always hovered around 50th centile for weight, but 75th for height, so it's not like I have been over-feeding.

Girlie I will PM you as I've just wrote a post and it was very long so don't want to derail the thread .

Aren’t you all jealous of my Valentine’s Day roses? :o

I’m still here! Typing on my decidedly unfrugal new phone... I finally cracked and did it. My old one was knackered and I realised I could either get a new battery (and put up with all the other ways it was a bit broken - like the screen not ‘turning’ when the phone turns, and the camera crashing frequently) or get a new one now while I am still self-employed and can offset some of the cost as a business expense. As I am likely to be employed on an NHS contract shortly that window will soon close and it seemed too good a chance to waste.

I now have a bigger screen, which is very useful with my eyesight going downhill rapidly .

It is very quiet on here, come back people!

Meadow we took ds on holiday to Florida for 3 weeks when he was 7m old. They didn’t sell the same formula there so we took an entire 3-week supply of powdered formula as I didn’t dare risking him rejecting an alternative. I didn’t use anything pre-made, we just boiled and cooled the plain water in bottles in advance and then added powder when ready to feed him. It doesn’t sterilise the powder, which you are meant to do, but past 6m old I felt it wasn’t such a risk and frankly, we didn’t have any other options! We still sterilised the bottles (stayed in self catering with a microwave). It worked pretty well.

I’ve had my busy office days this week, one more day to work before 2 weeks off. It’s also been a traumatic couple of days with DS. His behaviour has been deteriorating recently and I feel as though we are sliding into an adversarial relationship as he refuses to do even the simplest thing without screeching and getting anxious. And he seems to be getting angrier. It’s been really tricky and very wearing... and then yesterday we had parents’ Evening. He’s generally very well behaved and happy at school but it’s clear from his work books and the objective assessments that he’s miles behind and really not understanding even basic concepts. I don’t think mainstream school is going to work for him beyond the next year or two but there are no suitable special schools here either - they are pretty much for kids who are non-verbal etc. Ds doesn’t fit in either setting really. I feel as though I am failing him . There have been many tears

To top it all off, I was at work today when mum messaged to say DS was crying because his tooth was hurting. She messaged a bit later to say he’d lost his first baby tooth and was panicking because he ‘needed a new tooth’. Cue 90-min meltdown followed by another 2 hours of crying and anxiety... I am shattered! And feel awful that mum bore the brunt of the meltdown. We’ve tried to prepare him for his teeth falling out with story books etc but it’s not done the job, obviously. Sigh. I expect he’ll still be upset tomorrow. And he doesn’t understand the concept of money so I don’t think the £2 coin will make up for it at all. The tooth fairy has also left him a new book from his current favourite series, I hope that helps.

Anyway, not much frugal happening here. As well as the phone (a business expense but it will reduce my dividend) I bought two new bras today as mine are now much too big. One was free (loyalty scheme points) but I did buy matching pants - look out DH! - so about £55. I have to buy expensive bras as I’m a 32J so seriously few options. Also bought a clutch bag from M&S online for £25 for the wedding, will collect tomorrow. And wedge sandals for the wedding, Hobbs sale, £50. I bought a faded gold colour bag and sandals to go with the unknown wedding outfit, which I will buy when I get to India. Not-too-yellowy-gold goes with anything, right? Oh, and £105 on travel vaccines. I was very brave and only flinched when it came to paying.

I am going to be so broke after this trip.

I haven’t actually finished spending as I need to send some flowers to my mum. It’s her birthday tomorrow and it’s her first one without dad. I’ve ordered her a silver charm made from dd’s fingerprint but it’s not arrived yet and I want her to have something on the day. Especially after a hard couple of days with DS.

Bloody hell. That all looks awful written down.

Serious frugaleering when I get back. Holiday itself shouldn’t be too expensive as hotels are paid for so we only need taxis and food, which I expect will be cheap. Oh, and wedding outfits.

Classy Cag. DH got me some valentine’s cherries as I’m on a diet. Good choice

I'm just off to bed - combination of nausea and insomnia has kept me up all night....

At least I have clean bedding to fall into!

I'm still here in having a rough week. Got cold and feel lousy. Had a work decision to make which was quite hard and rebounding due to not feeling well.

Sea, Indian clothing is not that expensive and the bag and wedges sound lovely.
Big hugs my love, you are having such a time of it.
What did school suggest for DS?

Hope a sleep helps sneaky.

We don't bother with valentine's. Nice roses though. The best kind there.

Being frugal though. £63 Sainsbury's order to come tonight then just Aldi tomorrow.

One more day to work until half term!

Been v spendy. Got a windfall 're a charges refund have spent 250 on saucepans raised beds and plants. Girlie i cracked and bought 2 hellebores sp? Some primroses and a few other bits. Put the other 1250 in savings. How times change. Years ago would have blown it on clothes and going out.
Hope you get to sleep sneaky and feel better later

Sea that's so tough. We have a very good (ofsted outstanding) special school here we are very lucky, if you can get in. My ds got bitten on the arm by the child with asd in his class (mainstream) the other day! Ds didn't mind. Have you looked into private special schools? I know there's a couple round here.

seacow 💗💗 Sending you much love. Forget the spends the nhs will pay you eventually but your poor wee boy xx Realistically what are your options for school? Will you need to move area a bit to be nearer a suitable school, or go private?

I have 2 off for half term (dp won't get much bother, they're both likely to sleep all day), and two finish tonight. We are heading over East tomorrow to look at an old black car (with 5 seat belts) and to make a decision on the sofas. May/may not be a very spendy day.

I might need another skip too

Sea big love from the north too that’s a hell of a tough week.

Life I think you and I are having the same sort of week. Hope you feel better soon and the work situation evens out.

Rightway well done on saving some and congratulations on the windfall

Seacow ❤️ I’m sorry it is a horrible feeling seeing your child behind. It does sound like a specialist school would be better but he is in that horrible and vast middle ground of not being ok in mainstream but not qualifying for more help 😰

£147 Sainsbury’s including £30 of birthday cards/gifts and £40 of jumpers and jeans for me, should have been 53. I am annoyed that the jumper I bought last week is now in the sale
£37 diesel

Will also be spending £30 on nails and £15 on ds’s haircut. Need to see if I can get the boy some sports kit that he needs but not sure I have the energy to go today

Ughhh DD has been awful this week. Just crying alllll the time. I am crying loads too as a result.

Cag I bought DH yellow-stickered KitKat Senses for Valentine's day . I love them cake bars.

Seacow Maybe I should just take the formula so I don't need to worry. It's just I already have to take 7 days worth of clothes for us both + loads of spares for DD + all her other paraphernalia so packing it all will be a nightmare . I'm also worried that made-up bottles/ large pre-made bottles of formula won't fit in the mini-fridge. I normally make the bottles the night before and keep them in the fridge then warm them a bit (or just give cold if out and about) when she has them. But you're right that the sterilising seems less important now they're bigger. But then the idea of her getting sick on holiday is worse than if we were at home too. Hope you can get something sorted with DS for school, sounds really stressful. DH's cousin is autistic and has always been in a special school and very happy there but I guess quality of the schools varies? He's not non-verbal, obviously I don't know your DS so I can't say how similar they are in terms of how their autism affects them. He was a bit speech-delayed compared to his peers but could always communicate pretty competently, has quite poor motor skills but can throw and catch a ball etc mainly fine motor skills affected, we haven't seen him for years (long story, not our choice), last time I saw him when he was about 9 he could just about write his name but with very big handwriting, I think if I remember correctly he could read letters too but not any words. Or maybe just a few small words, I can't remember exactly. Not sure about number skills. But he was very happy and confident and could communicate orally very well.

meadow where are you flying from? Does “your” airport have a boots airside? If so order online to the store and collect once Past security and take the formula on as hand luggage. Saves space in luggage then...

We’re flying for the weekend I. March with ds. His first trip. I’ve booked hold bags as I think we’re going to need them! Dh was adamant we won’t but he has no idea of all the shopping I’m going to do in primark

Small update on DH, blood tests also show he has spondylitis. A rare non treatable kind. Signed off till mid April and told categorically not to return to his main job (silver linings...).

And the worst bit (for him)... he’s not allowed to run at all for the foreseeable future.

Meadow I did sterilise bottles up to a year old (I think that’s longer than most!) but past 6m I didn’t get too fussy about making up bottles with scalding water to sterilise the powder. That seemed a small risk that I could live with. I just put the boiling water in a sterile bottle ready for later (did batches a couple of times a day) and then when I needed it I added the milk powder. I had little compartmentalised containers that I could measure the powder into for when we were out and about and just tip the right amount in when I needed it. No need for expensive pre-made formula, bottles always at room temp (because the sterile water on its own is fine at room temp) and available in 30 seconds. The only downside was that I was adding unsterilised powder to a sterile bottle /water but then I was using it right away. That seemed lower risk (to me) than making up the milk in bottles and fridging them.

In your shoes I’d take enough powdered formula for a week - would 2 cartons do? - and a huge Tupperware (in suitcase with clothes/stuff inside so not really a problem) and Milton sterilising tablets. Sterilise bottles in the Miltons in your nice big container - I think the solution needs changing every 24 hours, easy enough- and boil the kettle and fill batches of sterile bottles with water a couple of times a day, then add powder right when you need them.

You can do as Em suggests and order the formula for airside but it depends how much carry on luggage you already have, including DD herself!

Thanks for the understanding about DS. I don’t mean to derail the thread, it’s just the central focus of my life, especially when things go wrong.

Private school is an option in theory but we’d need to look at moving to another area as I am not aware of any private primary schools near us that are specialist, and that’s what he’s need. We don’t really want to move though because, quite apart from the cost, we’re within commuting distance of a good ASD special secondary - oversubscribed but aimed at kids like ds so defo worth keeping the option open for a shot at it. And if we move out of borough it would trigger a review of his EHCP and though our borough isn’t exactly known for throwing money at SEN, there is a risk he could get even less support if another LA assessed him. Especially if he’s at a private school. It’s a minefield...

DS was still upset about his tooth this morning but school rang later to tell me he was fine there today. It’s quite annoying that he saves his worst behaviour for me - I am not sure they believe me! Or maybe they just think I don’t handle him well. I have my less-than-impressive moments but generally I think I do pretty well at managing him. It’s just that he lets his guard down at home . Like all kids.

Anyway, I feel a bit less ‘beaten’ today. Though still knackered. Thanks people.

Hope you are feeling better Sneaky

Oh dear Cag . How’s he taken it?

I caved and bought the yellow trousers. £35 in next.

Cag I’m sorry that’s really shit for dh

Sea you are not derailing this thread. We’ve said it before we’re all friends here and if you can’t talk to your friends who can you talk to

£35 on £70 worth of sports kit for ds
£29 in another Sainsbury’s on two pairs of jeans for ds (our local only had one in his size and I bought those last week) and another jumper for me that wasn’t in our local store.

£6 kfc