Austere April continues with the Friendly Frugaleers! Join us as we discuss our direct debits, prattle about penny pinching and possibly babble about Brexit...

[Cagliostro]

All welcome!

Ds chases poor catface. She hides under the table. He crawls under there too. Inevitably gets himself stuck in amongst chair legs. She then saunters out and sits on the other side of the room and smirks at him.

The three of us were all snuggled together this morning though when I woke up. Me on one side, ds on the other and catface in the middle purring away.

Dds first word was 'puss' she loved my mums cat but sadly the feeling was def not mutual!

Got 3 loaves of yellow label bread for 81p 😁

Woken up just now by being bonked on the head By ds and some comedy gigantic sunglasses.

He’d woken up super early and dh had him in our bed. I was sound asleep so completely oblivious to this. He started getting restless and jumped off the bed then came to wake me up.

I’ve told dh he can take the car and do the nursery run this morning. I’m staying in bed. I need to get to town later this afternoon so I can go to the gym. But I’ll get the bus.

Well I managed to forget my ads on holiday. Rang to get an emergency script and they rang me back at 04.24 then it failed. Tired now.
Wish i could risk not taking them for 4 days

£17 M&S. I went for fruit. And ended up with fruit (apples blueberries raspberries and grapes), orange and mango juice, three packets of biscuits and two packs of hot cross buns and some jam.

Currently sitting writing my assignment.

1000 words down.

Also plumber had been and has fixed my shower. Woooooooooo!!

2500 words. Of 5000. And I’m now waiting first the bus so I can go to the gym.

Dungarees, 50+ and well endowed - definite no.

I don’t necessarily disagree with your logic Drspouse but what brought that on? 😂

Two days of not working but with the kids. Very much looking forward to work tomorrow

So nearly a NSD. I ate my yummy packed lunch & my team bought afternoon snacks (I’ve been unwell with a migraine so they have enjoyed rallying around me). But last week I bought a ridiculously expensive new face cream which needs to be decantered into a smaller pot so I can take to work in my makeup bag so I need to pop to Boots. Annoying but shouldn’t be too expensive

ememem84 what are you studying for? I did law school party time while working & it’s a killer

£9 prescription, £6 ice cream, £8 gift shop, £lots in Tesco

£2.20 parking. Worked at the shop today

£47 Sainsbury's on more school uniform 😭

happy I’m studying for STEP (society of trust estate practitioners for those of you who don’t know). I thought about the exams but I’m doing it via an essay route. 3 5000 word essays over 3 years. Bish bash bosh done

Nsd seriously admire people who study with dc, I found it hard enough with only myself to look after

Yesterday I went to Iceland €30 and Dunnes Stores €120.01 used 3 x €10 off vouchers. Theory is no more groceries until dc go back to school. I'm home alone next week so it's achievable.

Exchanged my wireless headphones in Argos cos last ones wouldn't stay in my ears- disaster

Urgh so much for a NSD. DH & DS took the train to London to meet me from work & we ended up going to Nando’s. Lovely gesture but not good for my budget especially when DS ignored his dinner & only ate the ice cream

ememem I’ve not heard of that before but I’d totally chose the essay route too. I was a beast at dissertations at uni

It’s been ok. For now. I’ve done a load of the research whilst on lunch at work. And have taken annual leave so I can get the thing written.

I am severely lacking in MN time during the Easter hols so apologies for not catching up with everyone's posts!!

It hasn't been too spendy a time for us thankfully as I've kept the DC entertained at home/ in the garden/ at the park a lot of it, or done cheap activities; we've been to an art class and seen a kids' play. There are three stage shows (of books) on near us which I'd love to take them to see but it would be around £30 for each and that's for one adult and two three year olds! Ridiculous money considering they won't even remember it.

We're visiting a relative in hospital tomorrow, car parking will be £££ but no other option really, and we aren't sure that he'll be coming out so any cost will definitely be worth it.

Good luck with the studying em, I would love to do something as I feel that my brain has turned to mush since having the DC and finishing work, but currently have no time to devote to it! Hopefully when they're a bit older

unescorted I'm really proud of ds. He's had such a rubbish couple of years with his health which he finally seems to be recovering from. Cricket is what has kept him going. So he has been made Sunday team captain, his first senior captaincy & I'm watching him at 17 so assured, dealing with parents of the kids who are going to get their first taste of senior cricket with him & I'm in awe. Cricket parenting isn't frugal though, having to get kit, pay subs, etc.

Dd had a great time in Germany on her exchange. So much so that she has decided she wants to do both French and German at GCSE. That's great, but the only way she can do that is to drop to double science or drop history or drama. She has chosen to drop to double science which I think is a good decision. She can still do biology a level if she gets minimum 6s in the sciences. So many decisions to be made.

Work is busy and tough at the moment, but doing 4 days rather than 3 is definitely making a difference to our finances. I just need to be more organised with shopping, cooking & meal planning. Pil left today & overall it was a good time, but with some slightly sticky moments as always. It is always like living with human versions of the Daily Express! Still, managed for it to be fairly frugal. Tea tonight was wraps with leftover roast pork warmed through with peppers, onions & Cajun seasoning. Tomorrow night is cottage pie (already made) & then we're going to see Fishermans Friends at the local indie cinema.

Em well done on the essay writing, sounds like a good way to do it.
Girlie it always feels odd finishing a job that you've been in for a long time, but you'll soon settle into the new one and in the meantime, enjoy the break.

Happier I've always thought the wireless in ear headphones look a bit precarious!

ruby there's plenty of time for study when they're older, it's so much easier than when they're young. Well done on not spending too much on holiday activities, it's so easy to spend a fortune on things that as you say, they won't remember.

ruby if it’s not for work find something you really want to study. I’ve toyed with learning a new language but cba at present.

Work are paying for this qualification, and I did sign up for it before I found out about dc2...

But it is a much more efficient way of doing it. I can put it down and come back to it instead of cramming for a 3 hour exam with littlies running about and then all my hopes are on those 3 hours.

Ds slept until 630!!!!! Wahoooooo. I woke up at 430. Because that’s been his wake up time for a week. But dozed and had a catface snuggle.

Getting up now as have to drop dh to work ds to nursery then get myself across town for a dr appointment. 26 week appointment and whooping cough jab. Wooo. Have told dh my appointment is earlier than it actually is. Just to speed him up a bit.

On way back will pop in to see dparents for a coffee then will maybe head to dunelm (I’m hankering after some yellow throw cushions for our bed and maybe some new bedding ) but maybe not.

Pay day tomorrow. I think. Usually paid on 21st but with the bank hols etc possibly tomorrow. Woooooll

Morning all. Glad you got your prescription Life and that your essay is going well Em. North ds sounds amazing and it’s great that dd has found another subject she loves.

Spendy few days away with work, a lot of which was either alcoholic or in the work canteen so cannot be reclaimed.

I was hoping for a really good lie in this morning as I’m knackered and ds is away for a night but no joy, my body clock is too well programmed.

Repair man coming today so need to stay in. Will do jobs and try to chill.

I have a hospital appointment today. Will park at my friends house and walk. Have got a free cake and drink voucher for John Lewis so might take the dc there after. I have a spare £10 note in my purse so can use that.

north great that dd had a good time away and amazing re the languages. I did French (compulsory here - not sure if it is mainland or not) Spanish.

Languages are, in my opinion, so important. I’d say I’m almost fluent in conversational French, helps that I have French friends so I have had to step it up as they sometimes forget and speak in French, can get by in Spanish, know the basics of Portuguese (although it’s not dissimilar to Spanish), and can say hello, goodbye, thank you, please can I have..., can I have the bill please, and I’m sorry my [language] isn’t great do you speak English/French/Spanish in Italian, German, And Hebrew.

I toyed with learning Hebrew as have Israeli clients but it’s hard!!!! Different alphabet and is quite “throaty”. But I can do the bits I need to (and everyone I deal with or have met in Israel speaks perfect English).

At dr now. What a palaver getting here.

Ds wanted to wrestle when I was getting him dressed, dh moaned about being early, there was traffic to nursery, dh hopped out of the car so I had to do nursery drop off (not an issue but it’s be nice if I’d had some warning!), maternity leave nursery worker was back and we had a chat...then traffic on way to dr. But I’m 9 minutes early. Phew.

Heading for coffee with Dm after.

£3.60 yesterday for lunch at work again. But I walked home with ds instead of £1.90 on the bus. Long may the dry early evening weather continue!

I've also stepped up my savings a bit, to round off the 'change' every night to a £10 number in my current account. Seems like having enough for a down payment is still years away though. I must try again to get back the deposit money from our last place. It may be time for legal action against our old estate agent.

Wfh today in the hopes I can have a nsd and get some laundry done.