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!

em I know a little Hebrew as I spend my holidays in Israel! Can’t read a thing though 😁

Going for a Chinese with my mum & sisters tonight & I owe mum £10 from her Grand National winnings which got paid into my betting account so it’ll be an expensive evening. On the positive side, I’ve cancelled my Grazia subscription. I was reading it regularly when I was a SAHM but now I’m back at work part time I only seem to read every other issue if that. So that’s £15 every 3 mo the saved. Back at work tomorrow & I really hope I have the energy to make packed lunch for tomorrow as that’ll be more savings.

I love languages, always enjoyed it at school. Was so happy when DD agreed to learn French. I was good at it but have forgotten so much, it’s all coming back very quickly though and I have got some textbooks just for me as well as simpler/more engaging ones for her.

I am really enjoying doing Japanese but OMG sooo hard! Even though in some ways the grammar is easier. It’s just different. The Caglets are picking up the kana quite quickly but I’ve not got onto much vocab with them yet.

I am tempted to try Latin just for fun once I’ve got a bit more of the others under my belt.

I am really worn out today - amazing how I am managing gym sessions with no real bother afterwards but a day walking round London has me exhausted and sore! Aquafit and swimming (and steam room) later though.

Spends yesterday:
£42 Lidl, lots of fruit and veg.

£89 in dunelm. Oops. On: lampshade for our bedroom (necessary as we just have a bare bulb), new bedding, and a yellow brow pillow.

Been to dr £40 but that can be reclaimed. Will do that next week. Whooping cough jab done.

Home now and have Sorted laundry. New bedding is on a quick wash and will go on the line shortly.

Then I’m putting lampshade up.

Then hoovering upstairs.

Then napping.

Then picking up ds and dh.

Hi all.
Hello to newbies.
Sorry I haven't been posting much.
Have been visiting friends and family and have my nephew here till tomorrow.
Some changes are happening, so lots of things needed sorting.

Hope you are all doing ok.
Will start posting regularly again when everything is sorted x

£3.50 posting nieces Easter treats. £64 garden centre £35 of which was leaving gifts for a colleague. Also bought a planted up pot for some nice spring colour, not frugal but easy and three bags of half price bulbs which I’ve just planted, I enjoyed my bargain spring bulbs so much (planted last October) that I thought I’d give some summer bulbs a go. We will see what happens

Repair man has been and needs to come back next week. My six week old oven does not work properly and needs a new control board and thermostat. My level of pissed offness at this is quite high

Washing on line. Lampshade up.

Wow, all these people with language skills are putting me to shame! I used to be quite good at German - never had an ear for French/ Italian or similar, despite friends who spoke those languages - but as I don't know any German people any more, I haven't spoken it for years. I had a Polish friend who was fluent in five languages, I was in awe of her

Cag my mum did Latin A Level many years ago, she loved it, she is (well, was at the time) also fluent in French and found it easy to transfer from one to the other. It might depend on the method of teaching though, I guess?

Bit of a spendy day for me too, a few bits in town then £41.50 on the Cath Kidston website however, I've bought a backpack, a mug and two tea towels, which I didn't think was too bad. I'm desperate for a new, sturdy, waterproof backpack and those kept coming up as being recommended, the other bits are for my mum's birthday. I also bought these Wolf: www.thompson-morgan.com/p/summer-plant-lucky-dip/t45224TM

Currently waiting for DP and his mum to collect me for our hospital visit, it's about half an hour away and they were aiming to get there for 1 DP has definitely inherited his faffing abilities from her.....

Thanks Ruby, I’ve ordered some. I can’t argue with less than £9 for 72 plants delivered.

@north not the airpod type, they are wired to each other but connect by bluetooth to my phone

20w scan today so spent £3 on sugary snacks trying to get DS2 to change positions for the sonographer & another £5 for the photos. Was going to grab a lunch but conned DM into making me lunch when I went to pick up DS1 which was handy. DH said he has some spare cash to help with my dinner out tonight which will be a massive help (Monzo app keeps saying “it looks like you are going to run out of money” I don’t need a bloody iPhone app to tell me that thank you )

Loads spent at a NT place.

Curvy have you enacted your plan with P?
Very productive em.
I'm shit at languages. Failed French. Scrape by holiday Spanish.
Can't you send the oven back for a new one? Sale of goods, not fit for purpose, hasn't lasted a reasonable time. I forget the exact wording but Google will be your friend, or mse.

Dinner at the yha about £30 tonight.

Lawn mowed. Having a restorative cider in what’s left of the sun and enjoying my handy work

I think I may have cider tonight. Just trying to decide on dinner

Hey Curvy, I was also wondering whether you’ve ‘pressed the detonator’ yet? Hope things are alright there.

Not great here - DM arrived last night to do her usual 2 days’ childcare this week but clearly wasn’t up to it this morning so dh and I had to take a half day off each. I’m worried about how run down she is and how long it’s taking her to bounce back from a chest infection. I think she’s finding the imminent anniversary of dad’s death really tough so it’s not just physical. I don’t know if /when she will bounce back.

In practical terms this is the third week of no childcare and because of DS’s needs we don’t have any contingency at all - no one can take him for a day here and there. It’s a complete nightmare. We are both taking unpaid leave. Money isn't actually the main problem, we’re just not keeping up at work and it’s been really disruptive. It’s all incredibly stressful. I think next week might not be a goer either. The tricky thing is that the only thing I can really do is fix the problem on a long term basis (ie get a nanny) but I don’t want to ‘push’ mum out for the sake of a (hopefully) short term problem. But it might drag on if she doesn’t get her strength back and we have to make a decision about when to do something else. Without upsetting her even more. It’s a Minefield.

Sorry to moan and run, I still have 135 job applications to read and shortlist tonight. It’s going be a very very late one...

North - I know what you mean about 17. DD is just finishing up her submission for an exhibition. No help from anyone - just quietly getting on with it.

Wolf and ruby…. you made me do it. The code was the clincher. I will post pictures later in the year.

sea 135!!!!! that is bonkers!

A code? I didn’t see a code for plants

That’s for 3 different roles Unescorted. I’m doing a lot of recruitment at the minute.

Seriously wondering whether I can actually work though, in practical terms. Argh!

Sea here you are www.thompson-morgan.com/p/summer-plant-lucky-dip/t45224TM. 72 plug plants for £3 plus postage with this code TM_TN703W

happy I forgot you were also pregnant. There’s an unwritten rule here that two frugal people have to be pregnant on the thread at any one time.... so we’re covered for now

Picked Ds up from nursery. Been told to watch him as apparently he’s had a few loose nappies today. Sigh. He seems fine though. Full of beans no temperature etc.

Lamb curry for tea. Mmm.

Would a short term agency nanny work sea?

Just did aqua fit again. Different teacher this time and OMG it was sooo much better - harder work but more variation and a lot of laughs!

Thanks so much for that link wolf is any of it stuff that can go straight outside? We have no greenhouse and I am totes clueless. Like seriously I could kill a plastic cactus 😂

Sea I’m so sorry things are this tough :( wish I knew what to suggest, childcare is hard enough without SN in the mix. Hope your mum bounces back soon x

Cag I am hoping they can. If they are really small I might pot them on. I make these www.thedigissue.co.uk/2009/04/newspaper-pots-tutorial.html to save on post costs (The Metro has to have some use!). They can also be planted straight in the soil so fab for getting things going that hate having their feet disturbed (Peas, sweetcorn, pumpkins). You can make a temporary cloche by nailing a sheet of clear plastic to the wall with a length of wood stapled to the other end. Think lean to architecture.

sea you need to do what is good for you - it is all very well making sure everyone else is OK but in 15 years when they are all off on their own you need a place too. You are just as important. I love the way you are always there for you family, friends and colleagues & I am aware your DS has additional needs, but still you need space to be you. Take care of yourself - I worry you are burning out because you are all things to all people - it is OK to be a bit shit sometimes .

post = pots.

Spends today:
£4 lunch, frugal fail as due to poor planning on my part.

Last day of work tomorrow before a week off and lots to get done.

Congratulations on DS's scan @happytobemrsg, exciting times!