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!

Bloody hell wolf. Scary stuff.

£60 diving lessons.

Dd having a meltdown because I've said we can't afford to give her a birthday party. Ffs. What can we do though? We don't have a spare £150. I told her if we don't go to London in half term then she could probably have one but obviously that's not fair on ds. If the weather is really hot we might be able to pull something together in the garden or at my dads as he has a pool but there's no guarantees it'll be up and running by then or that the weather will be even slightly warm enough.

Wreck what about two friends to the cinema on a meerkat code day and tea at home after? I’m sure between us we can hook you up with a code

£20 lunch
£12 sundaes
£5 golf

Years of my life £zillions

Peace has just about broken out I think

Wheely he was not scared he did it on purpose.

How old will she be and how many friends wreck. In sure we can frugaleer a party for dd of some kind

It's difficult because there's only four girls in the class (plus DD's best friend who's at another school) so leaving one or two out is really hard. It doesn't help that looking after other people's children/sleepovers gives me anxiety and I'll do anything I can do avoid it

5 girls. Aged?

Do you have China in? Cups saucers kind of stuff? Or can borrow. Bake/make a high tea for afternoon tea.
Movie day - popcorn, choc ice?
Gamers day - they all bring gadgets and interface? Get pizza and cake?

How about those for starters. Give me an age group and I will have more

Pic nic in a park including parents so you don't have to look after the children. Play rounders, cricket, swing park

Dd will be 9. If we can do something like that that doesn't cost loads then there'll be five 9 year olds an almost 8yo and a 10yo. No nice cups and saucers. They're good ideas though I find it overwhelming organising things like this. Also we have two rooms in the downstairs of our house - not even a hallway - so I can't really have them here.

wolf your ds reminds me of my school friend whose 2 ds joined in on a half marathon theyd gone to cheer on. They disappeared in the myriad. She was beside herself, the little buggers toerags were far too happy that they got near to the end before the race helpers found them 😮

wreck could you do a movie night. Get some boxes roughly the same size and put in movie goodies. Pinterest have ideas of what to put in....marshmallows etc

Make a movie tent in the frontroom with pillows and duvets. Some twinkle lights (very cheap off ebay but does require batteries)

Then after the movie parents come and pick the little darlings up😁

Ok, let me think.
Any national trusts nearby that you could take the kids to. Similar to pic nic in the park.
Day at a local museum?
Then just her bestie back at yours for tea.

Ikwym about things being very expensive for parties though.

Could she pick an event in London as hers for her birthday instead and just have bestie for tea on the day?

We only have 2 rooms downstairs and have done all of these btw. I do understand the anxiety of having a house full though

Good ideas thank you. That's the thing. Her birthday present is tickets to see the cursed child plus we have a hotel so that set me back a fair bit... that's enough really isn't it? It's a surprise though so she doesn't know...

In that case wreck, yes it really is enough. I take it the tickets are for after her birthday?
Does she know about London? Just not the theatre? Once she is over her melt down she will understand that you can't afford both but there will be a special treat in London. Then just have her bestie for cake on her actual birthday. A HP cake obvs

She doesn't know about the tickets or the hotel! It's a couple of weeks after her birthday I'm so excited she is convinced she will never go because we can't afford it you're right I just feel bad that we can't give them all the things their friends have

Could you not tell her she has a surprise in London arranged, so that then maybe bestie round for tea is an extra wreck? I’m wondering if by not telling her anything about her surprise so she thinks she’s getting nothing is just causing upset unnecessarily

I’m probably wrong though!

I don’t think most DC would have a trip like that plus a party wreck. Your DD is a lucky girl!

I think she is very lucky too Wreck, don't feel bad x
Shopping today in few different shops to get the most for my money, £34.11 which included cat food and a few cleaning bits, so happy with that.
Money is going to be a bit tight but we will be ok.
I did treat myself to a coffee and cookie in Costa though, £4.95, a bit naughty but will be my only treat till pay day.

Whoa. Cursed child tickets are not cheap. You are giving her what others get. Don't ever feel bad.
Convo about special surprise which means no party but a friend for tea. 9yo can totally understand not everything can be done

Wreck in past years, probably starting at 8, I’ve offered ds party or special event and explained he can’t have both. It hasn’t always been an easy conversation but he does get it now. I know you can’t give dd a choice but I think saying we have a special surprise/treat planned would be good

Need to get up and pack up and have a quick clean round the flat before we go home.

Morning everyone

Wreck def don't feel bad, kids know how to make us feel guilty. Dd has a strop this year as she wanted a disco party 😒 she had loads spent on her present (an iPhone) plus went out for dinner and trampoline park with a friend and a family tea party. Kids don't get the cost of things.

We're just getting up here, dd slept for over 12 hours! She must have needed it, think she was late to bed last night at her grandads.

I spent £58 at aldi Ystd, not sure how I managed that tbh, think I was walking about in a daze and just kept putting bits in the trolly. It will have to last us a while!!

Going into town today, need some bits in boots and need to get dd some more school trousers.

Wolf I hope you & DS are ok now. You must have been so scared.

Last day at Centreparcs today. Had a great time. DS played up at all of the classes DH took him too though. They put a pepper pig car at the entrance so of course the whole time he was just screaming for that. I think DH might be a bit scarred by the experience. Managed to get to the spa every day which was lovely.

Lots of spends but I’m on holiday & it couldn’t be helped. Let’s hope I behave the rest of the month.

Have you all come across the Christmas twitch? Where you just can't help buying another present when you think you're all done? Well wreck I get that with activities for dds birthday 😂 - every year I say just one thing (after the year we ended up doing a whole class party, a tea-party for 7 friends and a trip with her friends to a safari park all in one weekend - knackering and £££), But I always get the twitch. This year we managed a party plus one friend came out with us for a birthday tea. Next year I'm already trying to encourage just an activity. We'll see how that goes!!

Slightly spendier weekend than planned - about £40 in all mostly on top up shops as we had unexpected guests. Nice though...

Today is a lazy day. Dh took the girls out to forest school this morning and now we're all watching Despicable Me and getting cosy - it's really cold here!

That sounds great mrsg

Also you're all right about DD's birthday she can't have it all.

Spendy day. £75 on new clothes for the dc. They're so tall and slim it's hard to find things that fit them.
£20 McDonald's
£11 haircut for ds.

Dh has taken ds off to the garden centre (again) to buy netting and a bbq.

The one we he because I don’t give a toss about bbqs except to eat the food want is £499. I think. At the other garden centre it was £699. Exactly the same model. Same 10 year warranty etc. So they’ve gone to get one.

Expense I know but it will get used. We’re going for a Weber gas one. The other option was a landmann but we’ve had a bad experience with the brand before which puts us off.

If he gets the bbq today ds is going to buy him the pizza oven accessory for father’s day.

Sage pork and apple burgers for dinner. Dh has made the bread rolls already.

Your dinner sounds yum em

Still trying to finish my assignment. Desperately trying to get it into a reasonable state so I can send it to my tutor and then he can say which bits need improving it better not be all of it

DP and DC have been out all day using our passes to a local place. Think he bought them lunch as I think he’d only planned to go out for the morning. I had a frugal cheese toastie at home