Spending sparingly in early Spring - frugal friendly folk gather round.

[Justanothermile]

New 'fred

wreck 😭 oh no!!!

snuggly ruby it’s going to cost us around £1800 a month to send both littlies to nursery 3 days all week. Thankfully this will be short term as it’ll be from January next year and ds will (hopefully) get his free hours 18 months from then. But still. Eeeek.

We are fortunate in that we are both good earners and I can choose to go back to work. It’ll be an adjustment initially but it’ll work out.

OMFG wreck that’s awful :( I hope they’ll be decent about it being paid back slowly though, will they just take it gradually over the next year maybe? Are you absolutely sure they are correct?

Ah em it is scary and it’s been thrust upon you to have another so soon but you’ll get there. It will be lovely having them close in age too, my big two are so so close and it’s really only been as DD1 approaches puberty that there has been any difference/snapping at each other, of course siblings can fight too but they really do adore each other as well. And the nappy stage will be over with quicker too.

I know what you mean about no more after. My period was late this month and the relief when it showed up (despite having no reason to think I’d be pregnant as we had been very careful) was massive!

I did a grown up thing today and BOUGHT SOME CLOTHES. For MYSELF not the Caglets! Yay me! Only in peacocks, found some jeans that are comfy and some very basic tops in three colours. £26. I’m going to go back for the same jeans in other colours at some point, I got a voucher for next time. Really CBA to shop around for other jeans. Mum is dragging me shopping on Friday so I can focus on tops. Need trainers too, the backs are fucked on mine.

Got pancake stuff, the others have gone home after DH’s meeting and I’m sitting in the pub with a Pepsi for some peace and quiet!

Yes cag no mistake. When I changed my hours in September they did it wrong. I thought it was good my wage drop wasn't as much as I thought it would be but didn't think much more of it. I can negotiate paying it back. Still shit though

Absolutely :(

Just spent €195, balance payment on dd's communion dress

Hello may I join please? I need to spend less generally (massive fritterer) but want to do no non essential spending at all for Lent. I will confess now to having bought some perfume and houseplants today before it starts.

Is the idea to check in and list spends daily? Thanks.

Welcome Lament. You can post as much or as little as you like. I like to post my sounds and post for advice on money issues plus rant about dh

Well I told dh about my pay when he got in and he said 'I don't want to talk about it right now because I'll just get annoyed'. So supportive.

Belated thanks for the new thread Jam
wreck that's crap about the money. Is it your NHS job & if it is can you pay back in installments? They should have a policy covering that.
Spendy weekend here as friend came to stay, but we had a great time.
Frugal win: I had a couple of clubcard vouchers which had expired but I emailed Tesco & they are revalidating them. It's not much, but every little helps!

Wreck that’s really shit. I second negotiating to pay it back in the smallest amounts possible. Sorry dh is less than supportive

Em halfway omg! I think boy but generally I always do it someone is pregnant

Welcome Lament

Received exam results; passed :)

Ffs wreck what about you having to deal with the news of it all alone? 😡

Welcome lament use the thread however you want/need!

I went through the DLA form with a friend who is also applying for her DS. Ugh scary and depressing seeing in writing just how much the boys struggle with everyday stuff. But worth it I guess.

We bought pancake stuff today but other than that we are using everything up in risotto (plain rice with cheese and veg for DS 🙄)

And need to order Tesco for tomorrow with some very cheap meals planned.

Yay wolf!!! ❤️💐

The trouble is it means that my wages are going to reduce (to the correct amount) and at the same time I've got to be paying back what I owe so I'm going to at least £160 a month worse off for the next year when we already struggle with day to day things. The only way we ever afford to do nice things is with me working extra in the shop (which I can't rely on because it's as hoc) and with dh doing overtime which he only sees the money for twice a year or so. So basically we're screwed.

Oh also frugal win, I looked in Boots again for some baby clothes in the sale. Found some jammies that from the price were clearly part of a two pack, they went to investigate (other pair presumed stolen 🙄) and sold me them for less than half. So that’s all her age 2-3 sleepwear sorted now as my mum kindly bought a couple of other sets in the sale in her local one. I’ve got some sleepsuits coming for 18-24 which she just moved into, thanks to love’s M&S code, also got a pair of cloud leggings and the cutest sleeping bag ever. Hoping she will sleep better if warm.

Sorry wolf missed that. Well done on your exam you really deserve some good news

Oh wreck I’m sorry :(

You’re in a HA or council house aren’t you? Or is it ex council that you’ve bought?

Are you sure you’re up to date with entitlement to some help, do you get housing benefit and stuff

HA house. We don't get anything apart from child benefit and aren't eligible for anything either.

Wreck

Could you work the additional hours rather than pay it back wreck? That sucks!

Will catch up properly later

I'm not sure what I can cut back on really, possibilities include:

Cancel swimming lessons (only thing the dc do) (£62/month)
Cancel amazon prime (£7.99/month)
Cancel movies on now tv (£9.99/month)
Cancel life insurance and hope we don't die (£50/month)

Try and cut back on food, but already struggle keeping it at £80/week
No more spinning £6.90/week)

Love no because then I would have to pay childcare

Feel free to ignore me Wreck, but I'd happily PM you my Amazon account so you can use my delivery/TV? Only if you're happy to.

Will the DC be okay without swimming lessons, will they learn at school?

Thanks sneaky that's really kind. I will let you know if it comes to it!

Of course! I'd be happy to get some use out of it, I don't use the TV section so you're more than welcome to it.

I’m really sorry Wreck, I think you really work hard for your family to give them a good quality of life on a tight budget. I’ve always admired how creative you are about your bucket lists etc. I hope you can keep a bit of the stuff that adds to your own quality of life too (eg spinning /telly). But like you say, even in instalments it’s going to hurt. Arse.

Went for coffee with a friend and her dd today (our dds are a year apart in age but have really taken a shine to each other, v cute). When I got there I realised I’d forgotten my purse as it was still in my knitting bag from last night. I keep a tenner folded up in a little tube thing on my key ring for emergencies (like the school run, where I often leave my bag at home and then find there’s a bake sale /book sale). So that bailed me out. Managed to buy coffee and then bananas and a few other bits. No other spends today.

I am going to Slimming World tonight for the first time in 3 weeks and it’s going to be a pretty terrible result 🐷. But I’m going. Back on it from tomorrow. Also in the office for the next 2 days, which will be a shock to the system!