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!

Super frugal North, well done

North I am not convinced. I suspect that I may have frozen it and sent it in to the next cake sale in the circumstances.

Wolf I am going to have to weed the patch mine are going into if yours have arrived.

Ruby if you are stopping over to break a journey all you need is a cheepy hotel with a good takeaway that will deliver to the hotel, comfy bed and wine drinking supplies packed.

Madden OUCH - with the car.

Wreck some days are just like that.

Highlight of my day - working out that the sumproduct function exists in Excel. I live an exciting glamour filled life.

No sign of my cheapy plants yet Wolf. Thompson & Morgan apparently are very busy and not replying to phone calls either

Great frugal cooking north, I must make a veg curry too and use up all the sad looking leftover veg in the freezer.

Sorry to hear about the car Madden, and yes, it would be great if the City Jogger fitted through the front door! On the bright side it will just about squeeze on the bus.

Unescorted I'm not great with Excel but DP is useless with things like that. I showed him how to freeze panes and he looked at me like it was modern day witchcraft

I completely agree that we only need a cheap hotel when travelling with the DC, in fact anything nicer than a Travelodge only makes me worry that they'll manage to break something! I think I'm going to go for a cheaper holiday park than usual too - the one we went to last time is lovely but £££ (£550 for 4 nights and that's the cheapest deal I can find!) whereas another nearby is £200, and the saving will cover our stops on the way there and back too.

DP's stag weekend plans continue - after the £300 flights there will be £220 for accommodation for 3 nights - the stags are sharing 1 bedroom apartments, 3 per apartment (double/ twin bed plus sofa). No idea why they can't get a cheap hotel deal but I'm keeping out of it!

Morning all. Day off here as it’s a public holiday in the islands to celebrate us being liberated from the German forces 74 (?) years ago.

Ds slept for almost 12 hours. Woke up at 7. He’s not too happy though bit of a cough which I suspect is part of a cold bug that’s doing the rounds.

It sounds windy today.

Plans are: go and pick up double pram (£50) do some house jobs, maybe dais will come round and then to dparents for roast chicken.

Then annoyingly back to work tomorrow. So many people have taken the day off so it’ll either be manic busy or super quiet.

Rainy and rather gloomy day here. But a wash went on this morning, to be hung on the drying rack later. Much needed nsd yesterday and today. Will need groceries Saturday though.

We had a lovely time in Edinburgh visiting DH's family this weekend but spent a bit more than anticipated on the car hire. Also DH owes me £450 or so for utilities etc. this month but keeps forgetting to transfer it. Must remind him tonight because I need to transfer funds to pay the credit card for our trip to the US in June with my family.

Meal plan for what's left of this week (we did have takeaway on Tuesday, but otherwise have been quite good and brought lots of food from home on our trip):
Freezer chilli (leftovers from a while ago) with rice
Tofu satay style stir fry with rice
Butternut squash and chickpea mac and 'cheese'
Homemade Indian curry thanks to DH

Happy frugal Thursday all and gws to those not feeling well.

Quick sign on as I'm on a placement day and it's boring quiet, I think they've forgotten I'm here tbh.

Anyway Ystd was a nsd apart from parking which I'll claim back, today will be a lsd as I need bread but that's it. Will head to the coop at yellow label time.

Pram collected. Turns out the lady I collected it from is also pregnant (first baby but she’s a nanny hence the pram...) and is due a week after me.

I made a leap and suggested we keep in touch and meet up after babies are born.

We shall see.

Been for a walk with dh and ds. 3.5km around the lanes here. Am knackered now. Cheese roasties for lunch. Ds hasn’t had lunch yet as we put him straight down for a nap. He fought it a bit but has been up since 6 and finally went to sleep at 115. He can have lunch later.

Have done some laundry and have started refilling the airing cupboard. But am now having a lie down. Catface is also resting. She’s settled right on my bump. Which is nice but annoying.

ANd also ds fell down the first flight of stairs this morning. Right before I was due to leave to get the pram. 😭😭😱 he’s ok. Little carpet graze on his head. But ok.

The most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen though. He looked so small.

It was only about 7 steps (our stairs dog leg around on themselves) but still. My fault for not getting in front of him quickly enough. Also his fault for going full speed to get to the stairs. But so scary.

He is fine though. I think he was more shocked that I screamed if I’m honest.

Oh Moi DH & I went to Edinburgh last year & loved it! Would love to go back one day.

Em I’m glad your DS is ok!! Must have been terrifying. Those sorts of things always seem to be in slow motion. So scary.

Busy day today. Took DS to a church club this morning with my parents, DSis & nephew (£1.50 entrance fee for 1.5 hours). Then went out for lunch with them to celebrate my other DSis new job. Was lovely & DS ate really well but cost £25 I hadn’t budgeted for so feeling guilty even though I haven’t seen them all together in ages. I’ve washed my hair, got a wash on (still got tons from the weekend), & now lying on the sofa with DS watching Pepper Pig. If DS let’s me I won’t be moving til 5ish when I need to make him a small dinner. Feel knackered! Still haven’t managed to eat to Matalan yet 😡 Saturday maybe?

I’d love to go to Edinburgh. Heard it’s the most amazing city.

We can fly direct too.

One day....

It is a beautiful place - I'm still sad we don't live there or even elsewhere in Scotland but that's the goal behind this frugality now, to try and save money for a down payment and move there (jobs permitting...) sometime soon, ideally before ds starts school in a few years. We'll see what the future holds though.

I want to go to Edinburgh for Christmas. Have found a lovely air bnb place. Just dreaming though

So scary @ememem84, DD didn't fall but she did get up the stairs alone recently when I left the stair gate open while rushing DS to the toilet (he had an upset stomach and I panicked), i felt so awful when I found her

Your poor little DS em! Toddlers can move like greased lightning when they want to and have no sense of danger. It's not a happy combination.....

I've been to Edinburgh a few times but not for years moi. I'd love to go back and actually visit more of Scotland as well, even up to the Shetland Islands and Outer Hebrides - can't imagine what it's like to live somewhere that isolated.

Booked the cheaper holiday park for our trip up north, was really pleased with the savings and decided to treat ourselves to a farm stay on the way back, we'll be in the Peak District for a couple of nights. The place I'd seen was £260 for two nights, a bit pricey but the DC would love it, lots of animals to feed etc. However when I went to book they added on an extra one hundred pounds in various fees! The hunt continues for somewhere reasonably priced and toddler robust!!

Ah scary stuff em. Thankfully toddlers bounce.
£100 in extra fees, cheeky.
I love Edinburgh. Might book a deal given it's a direct train from here.

£15 on DS communion but will get it back from mil.
£5 Holland and Barrett
£6 pound land
£28 Sainsbury's - bloody fruit.
Something else but I've forgotten

Ah yes £8.50 millets after scout discount

NSD.

moi my eldest is studying in Edinburgh, so I've been to see her a few times, I wish I lived there too. Also it is great for vegan food!
em glad ds is ok.
ruby that is very cheeky of them!

I’m so glad he was ok. Not sure he would have been if he’d been on a “straight” staircase. But he’s a bouncy toddler. After about 5 mins he was tearing about again.

It’s the no fear thing. That’s what gets me. No fear and moves at the speed of light.

I’m usually so so careful. I always go in front of him to make sure he doesn’t fall. And always hold his hand when he starts off down the stairs. And always close the stair gate. Today however despite stairgate being closed (and me opening it to get downstairs with him) he shot infront stood on the top step leaned down to grab the bannister and that was it. But he’s fine. I’m more shaken up than him.

Had to go a quick bath at dparents this evening (we went for dinner). Someone (Dm) made egg mayo as a side to go with the chicken wrapped in bacon. Someone (dh) gave ds egg mayo. Someone (ds) smeared it in his hair... so eggyboy has to have a hair wash. Ffs.

Now in bed. Dh has the day off tomorrow. I’m back in work. One more day...

Glad ds is okay Em, I remember dropping ds on our gravel path when he was very small, maybe that explains a lot!!
Ruby glad you've got your accommodation sorted and at the spiralling stag do costs.
unescorted I'm wounded by your lack of faith in my cheesecake salvaging skills!!
My only spend today was 80p for a drink at committee meeting tonight
Need to investigate why my virgin mobile monthly payment (sim only) has gone up by £4

Hello everyone, signing in after a few weeks absence. I see there’s lots of new posters which is nice.

Have been trying to stay frugal and managing most of the time although the takeaways are creeping up again so need to stop that. Other than that I’ve just been busy trying to get Ds1 through his exams 🙈

Glad ds is ok em you must have got such a fright. I can’t remember what mine were like on the stairs at that age. I think they used to bum down them so they didn’t tip forwards.

North my virgin mobile has gone up £4 a month as well but I had a message a few months ago notifying me of the increase. I have unlimited everything with my sim only deal so for now I will stick with it even though it’s real hike.

Morning all

Yesterday spend 8.00 on lunch. I ended up in the middke of nowhere yesterday and very hungry with a colleague whod not brought their purse.
TGIF

I get a tax rebate today after being taxed all of an extra shift i worked. Happy days

Ive signed up to a couple of survey sites and a couple of online moderator freelance sites...least thats whst i think they are. Will keep you posted if theyre any good.

Better get out of bed and mad dash get ready for work.
Tea and coffee all round **☕☕☕☕☕☕☕

North my Vodafone SIM only deal went up as well.... I did renegotiate it but still not as good as last time. Annoying as my iPhone is now 3 years old and slowing down, but I'm hoping to save a few ££ and justify a new one next renewal time!

It won't be a NSD day today as I have a few Facebook purchases to collect including a bike for DS1. It's only £5 so hopefully it will last him till he's ready for a bigger one! DS2 already has one - DP bought it brand new when they were passing Halfords which really irritated me - and poor little DS1 has been waiting ages for his own.

Visiting the DTs new school later today too, they are already sad about leaving preschool; I'm trying to sell the new one too them as 'big boy school'..... we shall see.

I really need a new raincoat, Regatta have a few at the £30 - £40 mark which would do, or I've found one I've liked for a while at £45, down from £80. But £45 is quite a lot more than I wanted to pay - I was looking at £30 - decisions, decisions!

£13 gift shop and £58 Sainsbury’s lots of which on present for friends bday and a couple of jumpers for me

£90 in M&S on two pairs of work trousers and a pair of gym pants.

£12 M&S on chocolate treats for the team. It’s one of those days.

Should add the £90 as on a gift card. So technically free.