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!

Wheely if you are switching there should be a code deal on moneysavingexpert or one of us who is a bulb member can give you a referral code £50 account credit for you and the referer

Plants were a deal from Thompson and Morgan

Life if you need a meercat meals thing you’re welcome to mine rather than paying for one

We saw the Only Fools musical madden. I didn’t expect much but was blown away. Ridiculously funny.

Horrible weather here & I'm knackered from getting in at past midnight last night so not doing much. DS is sleeping over at my SILs tonight so planning on catching up on tv with DH & generally lazing about. Will sort out washing tomorrow, I’m too sleepy lazy.

life you can use your Oyster card out to Watford Met/ Junction?

If you don't have a Tastecard that might be worth getting too - it's £1 for a 60 day trial at the moment and you can use it at lots of restaurants to get 2 for 1 meals.

The best place for cheap bedding plants is Morrisons!! I picked up some from Wickes last week which were really cheap as well.

We borrowed a dog this afternoon and took her for a walk along the canal, the dog and dd loved it. A toying with the idea of getting a dog again, it would be so good for dd. Will see how it goes with the new job I think....

Might get tea out somewhere tonight, not frugal but I am feeling tired and we haven't got much food in.

I love puffin mugs

No worries curvy. Thanks.
I don't know I could use oyster to Watford but I've got the tickets now using my Railcard.
I've got taste card through work for free so will definitely use that.
Got tower of London free too.

I think I need free travel card for DS
Visitors child oyster card for dd and oyster or contactless for dh and I.

The mug is lovely.

Kids getting takeaway tonight and in cooking for dh and I as don't fancy Chinese chemical food. Not cheaper as we usually share one between us.

Ok, I'm back to looking at instapots. What size do you think for a family of 4 those who have them. 6 or 8 quartz. The reviews just say for a large family but don't define large?

Life mine is 6 quart. That is plenty big enough

I used to live in Watford life and actually am back there tomorrow for a birthday lunch... quite excited to see the changes to the Harlequin/ intu centre and visit their big Primark, the one in my current town is tiny!

Are you going into the town (walkable from Watford Junction) or up to the Harry Potter studio?

Poor DS1 still says his ear hurts, the pharmacist couldn't recommend him anything as apparently he needs to go back to the GP. He's a rubbish eater at the best of times so I don't think I'll get to eat much of my (paid for by someone else) birthday lunch - frugal loss

The studio ruby

Thank wolf. I've just gone off my sc for stuff other than joints. I'm a bit stuck for a birthday present. So was pondering one again

Chickpea and spinach curry for dinner. So cheap highly recommend

Yum Wreck, I love spinach and chickpea curry We are having Mexican spiced chicken and roast veggies in tortillas.

Can anyone link to a chickpea and spinach curry recipe 😋? Thanks!

I just make it up really. Fry onion add some garlic and a few spoons of curry powder. Add tin of tomatoes and drained chickpeas then simmer for ten mins. Stir in spinach just before serving. Oh added a veg stock cube too, just crumbled in. If I didn't have curry powder I would use turmeric, ground/fresh coriander, cumin, ginger, garlic masala...whatever I had oh we added chilli flakes too.

For the dc dh added some extra water and blended it into a soup, they wouldn't eat it otherwise.

Oh and a mahoosive salad

I’m afraid I make my chickpea and spinach curry up too - always has chilli ginger garlic and cumin though

Thanks both 🙂!

😂 I was thinking of asking on here earlier for dinner ideas I could make from my store cupboard. I have hundreds of chickpeas, a bag of frozen spinach and various spices - thank you!!

You'll have a great time life! I assume you're getting the free bus from the Junction? That's worth a photo in itself!

You can take your own food up there if you want to have a picnic

Really looking forward to it. Yes we will get the free bus. Not sure about pic nic as it's part of a wider London stay. Might nip to kings cross food market on the way to Euston. I think my geography has that right

What other plans have you got life? We're off to London in half term. We're going to a place that does churros with ice cream and candy floss, the Waterstones in Piccadilly circus (thanks sea and cag who are AWOL), southbank (always), primark for the Harry Potter section and maybe hamleys. Love a London trip.

There are lots of food places at Euston too as well life. Maybe not massively exciting (Sainsburys/ M&S etc) but fine if you want drinks and snacks! Or there is a cafe at the studios, it was a Starbucks last time I went, not sure if it's changed now and is £££ but it was ok prices last time.

Have you and Wreck looked at the Time Out newsletter as well as Groupon etc? They have lots of London offers on there: www.timeout.com/london/newsletter

Oh and if you can, do go to the Sky Garden - amazing, and free, but you have to be quick to book it as they only have limited tickets! skygarden.london/plan-your-visit

I agree with the skygarden recommendation booking is three Mondays before you want to go I think

We're only going for the day I've looked at sky garden before. Might book it for when we go with friends in July if I remember...

£168.50 hairdressers. Colour x2 (blonde highlights and then a pink/rosegold toner on top) cut and blow dry. 3 hours. Ish.

I’m so happy with it. And maybe get my hair done twice a year so can justify the cost (ish).

Prawn risotto with pearl barley instead of rice. Yum.