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

999 replies

Cagliostro · 06/04/2019 10:19

All welcome!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
25
Happierwithouthim · 25/04/2019 22:43

We had hailstones today unescorted
Girlie hope ibs settles as you get used to new job

maddenlightfoot · 26/04/2019 06:38

Wreck you've completely hit the nail on the head about 'free' activities. There are always extra costs involved, even with the most meticulous planning of drinks and snacks.

And I completely agree about not always wanting to do the free stuff - with 6 school holidays a year there are only so many times you can visit the same park or free museum a year. Inevitably I look further afield for free attractions (there are lots in Wales!) but end up spending ££ on petrol and parking and more snacks for the car!

I topped up shopping yesterday - £24 but included a bottle of wine and dessert as I'm going to a friends house tonight (and staying over so no taxi cost and no 6am wake up tomorrow!). Hoping for a NSD today.

Happierwithouthim · 26/04/2019 06:39

Going to just start again with posting spends here
Monday - €17.29 groceries (Home alone this week so this was plenty)
Tues/Wed/Thurs NSD
Fri - €10.99 Pink Album, promised myself this out of my birthday money 2 months ago

ememem84 · 26/04/2019 06:50

Morning all. Just woken up and ds is in bed with me. Not sure when that happened. Dh is (I assume) in the spare room and am assuming he brought ds in at some point and then moved himself to spare room.

So just me and the two littlies in here (catface and ds).

Spends yesterday £28 in next on a new bikini. Or more correctly two halves. Tiger stripe print top and hot neon pink bottoms. To be mixed and matched with my existing stuff. The lady at the till pointed out they weren’t to be sold separately and it’s so annoying when there are different sized tops and bottoms left. But I did say that if that was the case surely they shouldn’t be priced individually and displayed separately. Also there was nowhere telling me they had to be bought as two full bikinis. I didn’t just switch sizes or anything.

I like next and M&S bikinis for this reason. You can buy different sizes tops to bottoms.

Anyway.

Dh and ds are spending the day together today. Wonder what sort of mischief they’ll be getting up to?!

I’ve purposely not cleaned kitchen or emptied the washing machine. Going to see what happens.

I’m at work all day and am going to have to have a word with my assistant. For not meeting deadlines. I asked him to do something a month ago. And it hasn’t been done. I really don’t want to have the chat with him and was going to wait until after his week off for exam (next week) but I’m being hounded now by someone else. It is “only” something for compliance so an internal thing and client work does and should take priority but this has now become urgent. Le sigh.

I hate managing people sometimes.

WreckTangled · 26/04/2019 07:05

I've got to go food shopping today and get fuel. Luckily I haven't used much this week so only need half of what I usually get. Frugal win!

Dd has lost her 14th tooth! Will need £1 for that later...

Wolfcubisthefemalenominal · 26/04/2019 07:20

Just caught up on yesterday’s chat. North your quilt squares look beautiful.

Unescorted we had mad rain too. The person I was on the phone with could hear it hammering on the house.

Happier great that you’ve got the pictures done and I agree it’s lovely having a spotless house until someone comes home and messes it up

Girlie hope the IBS settles. First few weeks in a new job are always a little bit tough, hopefully it will settle as you get more comfortable

Planned spends £40 haircut today for me £15 haircut for ds, £7 Pilates £8.50 flowers for friend. Going to try and get a cake too if I can. Park should be free I hope. Just having a lemsip in bed before I get up. Ugh!

WreckTangled · 26/04/2019 07:37

£40 on tickets to Oklahoma in August. That's for four of us so my friend will give me £20 back for her and her dh.

ememem84 · 26/04/2019 08:01

Dh woke up and announced he doesn’t feel well. I’m worried about him. But also a bit annoyed (which is awful I know) because he asked me to stay home to help him with dh.

I’ve suggested he call Fil. And have said I absolutely have to go into work today because I have stuff to do.

He’s suddenly feeling a bit better.

I’m not calling Fil. It’s not for me to sort.

It’s a shame dparents are still in France (otherwise they would have ds today as normal). It’s one of those situations where we could need help from Fil and dh won’t ask for it.

Happierwithouthim · 26/04/2019 09:39

Em Hmm at your dh

wolf even my own cooking this morning annoyed me because there was stuff around the place after it, so I shoved everything into dishwasher and tidied away the cooked food straight away too, unheard of for me Blush
We need to keep it some bit tidy though for viewings so I'm hoping that'll help too

WreckTangled · 26/04/2019 11:00

£58 Aldi
£14.99 Argos on heavier dumbbells
£5 Sainsbury's on a birthday card, rinse aid (why doesn't aldi do this?) Oreos and an Easter egg for dh.
£20 fuel.

Meal plan:

Pasta and sauce
Hot dogs
Spag bol
Chilli
Jackets and beans
Sweet potato soup
Lamb curry

ememem84 · 26/04/2019 11:18

happier to be fair to him he did say he felt super nauseous and pukey. If it was a cold he wouldn’t have asked.

Wolfcubisthefemalenominal · 26/04/2019 16:03

Malteaser bunnies are 15p in Sainsbury’s. I know I’m not the only frugaleer who likes them

Cagliostro · 26/04/2019 16:27

I may have got some £1.50 Easter eggs in WHSmith.

I’ve finally found a social club I want to go to. It is a board game club that meets weekly! So I can go along and play the games I don’t really get the chance to at home (it’s just difficult with the baby). I’m too nervous to go tonight (new people! Aaargh!) but hopefully in a week or two. I don’t think I’d go weekly as it’s more important that I fit in the gym/swim stuff. But having it as an option would be amazing.

Wolf having caught up with LOD I now understand your name change :o

DH saw the osteo and has been told to start running again. Just 10 mins though. He’s also been given meds that are so harsh on the oesophagus that he’s not allowed to lie down for half an hour after taking them Shock

OP posts:
Happierwithouthim · 26/04/2019 17:18

em I'm turning very cynical! Hope he's feeling better.

Status Red Warning here for next few hours and I did hope to meet my bf tonight, we'll see what happens.

€11 on wiper blades for aupair's car
€12.75 on a crusty roll with sausage/egg/black pudding for breakfast, protein yogurt & protein bar for snacks and a lovely chicken & supergrains salad(Centra inspired range) for my lunch

I got up usual fri morning time but no dc/lunches/breakfasts to make so I made chicken curry and paprika & garlic tenders while I was having a shower. Going home to a nice curry in the storm soon Smile

lifelongfrugaleer · 26/04/2019 17:34

There was none left in my Sainsbury's wolf.

£28 Holland and Barrett, 3.29 on boots using points, £1.58 savers, £9 prescription, £2.10 Gregg's,

ememem84 · 26/04/2019 18:02

Home. Dsis gave me a lift. And bought us pizza and crisps.

Ds is full of beans. Dh not so much. He looks absolutely wrecked poor fella.

He’s gone to lie down (in the spare room).

WreckTangled · 26/04/2019 18:06

I bought dh an Easter egg in Sainsbury's for 90p. It was one of the medium sized ones.

Girliefriendlikescake · 26/04/2019 18:22

I've survived my first week 😁 am glad to have made it to the weekend! Today's been a good day although a bit weird as saw lots of my old colleagues and I was in my new uniform 😬 mostly everyone is being lovely and supportive.

Today is pay day and my pay is looking so much better than usual that I'm concerned they've made a mistake!! Will double check my payslip and have moved a lump sum over to savings.

I have an £80 holiday payment going out in a couple of weeks plus Chelsea flower show and a few bdays this month so quite good to have the extra money!

Weather pretty dismal but am trying to avoid putting the heating on.

WreckTangled · 26/04/2019 18:28

Girlie if today's pay was still based on you being top of band 5 then you would have received a one off lump sum to do with the pay rises that are being implemented. Lots of people in my office were a bit surprised by it. Not sure how it works with your new role though.

Thatsnotmybaby · 26/04/2019 19:23

NSD for me today, quiet day at home with DC, actually got some housework done while they played together too, which was a pleasant surprise.
Tempted to browse H&M though as I need a few summer things for DS. I'm realising a big reason for the holidays spends is having time to buy things that I need but haven't gotten around to buying until I'm off work.

Great to have a week in with the new job @Girliefriendlikescake, I'm sure you'll be tired this weekend.

Ggreengrass1 · 26/04/2019 19:32

Sorry haven't read back much. Need to get spending back under control! happier hope you're OK in all the winds.

Unescorted · 26/04/2019 20:24

Girlie well done on making it to the end of the week. I always find the short weeks the hardest. And in a new job too … doubly hard.

Wolf The weather has been bonkers - I have spent most of my week wet. I think I am going to plan cake making this weekend - too wet for weeding. Lemon tart, feta and chive scones, biscuits and a riis taarrte. The boys are racing so need calories.

That's I think you are right about the time to spend if I keep going through the week I get into a routine. Making lunch, doing dinners and not buying furniture, plants and clothes seems normal.

Wreck they do - but only as an aisle of doom. When they have a "cleaning" special.

A spendy day today - a fab pasty from the pie stall at Victoria(man not lon). Worth every penny, overpriced bad card and rubbish flowers for my mum's birthday and a take away for tea because I cannot be bothered cooking tonight. Much less shopping.

lifelongfrugaleer · 26/04/2019 20:47

Well done on the first week girlie.

ememem84 · 26/04/2019 22:28

Feeling very sorry for dh.

He is not feeling good at all. He hasn’t eaten anything all day. He still has a funny tummy. I’ve left him with a massive bottle of water, and his sports bottle. A thermos of mint tea. Dioralite. Some rice cakes. And some paracetamol as he’s now got the body aches.

It has apparently been a very long day.

I was meant to get my hair done (the lovely rose gold) tomorrow. But have cancelled. It’s take me out the house for a few hours and if he’s done all day today with ds it’s notfair on him to have to do it again. I’ve rescheduled appointment though.

Will get up and take ds somewhere.

happytobemrsg · 27/04/2019 08:20

Arghhh I’m so far behind! 2 super busy days at work I'm 50 messages back!

Hope your mum is doing ok Love Flowers

Sorry about your friend Ruby

I love moonpig cards Girlier ! Always my go-to when I’ve forgotten to post a card earlier or if it’s a special birthday.

Spent 2x £2.50 Thursday/Friday on a chai latte on the way to work. Too yummy to resist. Planning on taking the maxi dress back - I like it a lot but don’t think I love it. Was going to do that today but was up with DS at 5:30 & I have a wedding reception I need to be awake for tonight. Maybe if DH offers to drive.