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Join Money-saving May with the fantastic Frugaleers.

990 replies

northender · 19/05/2019 06:40

Lots of support and advice here for frugaleers old and new.

OP posts:
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ememem84 · 31/05/2019 11:58

Oh cag how annoying!!!

Had intended on taking Dm dd and ds out for breakfast today. However. They picked us up and took us to the naice beach cafe. And then once there Dm insisted on paying. Because I should be saving money for my leave. So so nice of her.

I had scrambled eggs and bacon on toast with a flat white. Dm a full breakfast. Ddad the cafe “hash” which looked insanely good - spinach, chorizo, fried potatoes, sundriedtomatoes, pancetta and a couple of poached eggs.

Ds had some of my eggs a bit of toast and some of DMs beans. Ate the lot. Despite the fact this was his second breakfast!

On the way home we stopped at the honesty box (my fave one where the old guy sits in his car all day to make sure you don’t steal anything) and I grabbed a bag of fresh new potatoes and some tomatoes. £2.50.

The guy looks about 120. Has been sitting in his car by the roadside every day apparently for as long as I can remember. He’s probably only about my age...!! But from all accounts he owns all the land around the honesty box. And the beautiful farmhouse. Probably worth millions on paper. And chooses to spend his days sat in a car trying to catch people nicking his spuds. 🤷‍♀️

Home now. Ds is with dparents. I’ve just emptied three baskets of clean laundry. Thrown a wash on and have hoovered upstairs, the stairs and the living room rug. Filled the dyson collecting bucket thing up. Ick. Must Hoover more often.

Ds helped me sweep downstairs after first breakfast this morning.

Dh in a mood this morning. No idea why. But he refused to help me lift ds up. Refused to watch him while I had a quick shower (so ds came in the bathroom with me) and refused to help get him ready. He then asked me to go into town on the bus today and pick up his phone. Nope. Sorry. Not a chance. Especially as he works in town. The shop is a 10 minute walk from his work. And his lunch plans were to go to the gym. I’m not taking a half hour bus each way then waddling from the bus station to the shop and back. Nope. Fuck the gym. Off you go and do your own errands.

If I was planning on being in town anyway I would have done it. But he knew I wasn’t. So no. (Again if it was urgent id have dimension it). But it’s not.

ememem84 · 31/05/2019 11:58

*dimension?! Wtf did that come from. Should read done

Cagliostro · 31/05/2019 13:27

Good grief em he does get a bit funny sometimes doesn’t he?! If he were a woman everyone would be wondering if it were PMT related 🤔

DH isn’t doing so well thank you thats just constant pain really. Biggest cocktail of meds he’s ever had and it doesn’t seem to be doing much. He’s got the surgeon appt on Monday, and then rheumatology on Friday, so maybe one of those will suggest something.

I’m excited about my jacket potato as I found the proper longley farm cottage cheese in Morrisons. It’s the only one worth eating, fact!

ememem84 · 31/05/2019 13:41

Yeah...it is like a pmt thing.

Our neighbours just popped over and has shown me plans for a new development behind our houses. 7x 4 bed three houses, gardens and parking for 3 cars each. The plans look smart. But NIMBY!

I have some research to do re previous applications and then send an objection.

One load of laundry done and hung outside. Another in the machine.

Dsis is at a spa. Her first spa. She wasn’t sure she’d like it. But has been converted. She sent me a pic of her drinking cucumber water. I then wanted cucumber water. But only have water. No cucumber 🥒

lifelongfrugaleer · 31/05/2019 16:42

£45 high ropes, £26 m&s as no cafe and no pubs serving food. £42 diesel.

Need to write a list and do a food shop tonight/ tomorrow

maddenlightfoot · 31/05/2019 20:34

Aargh to the toymageddon thatsnot -good idea to have a cull (or at least banish to the loft). I've lost my mojo a bit with housework this past week or so. I usually love a good sort out (actually, I did clear out and organise the shed yesterday so perhaps my mojo has just switched to the garden!)

Oh how I dream of spa days em! What's not to love?!! Although i do get annoyed if I can't find a lounger for a spot of reading between steam/swim/treatment/sauna/jacuzzi etc!

Life did you do the high ropes? I did one with dd on a horribly stormy day a while back. I was bricking it but had to feign nonchalance so as not to freak dd out!

How annoying about the hospital appointment cag. As well as the time and money it sounds like a wasted round trip would be hard going for your dh health wise as well. Does he now have a rearranged appointment or do you have to wait again?

I've already got s tinge of 'Sunday night blues' ahead of back to work on Monday. 7 weeks to get through until the summer holidays. I love my job, it's just (as I'm sure all of us experience day in day out), when you've also got a family it's like doing another full time job when you get home!! I'm trying to compile a mental list of life-hacks and lovely things to look forward to. So far I've got: 1) remember that meatballs are a super-quick weeknight dinner that everyone enjoys, meaning only having to cook once; 2) try to watch only one episode of GoT per night so that I can read and get to sleep at a reasonable time - knock on effect of potentially getting up earlier a la the miracle morning (although nowhere near as early as 5am!); 3) showering and blow-drying hair in the evening so that I'm not arriving at work with damp hair for the fourth day in a row.

maybe I'm just wishing for an extra few hours in a day...

happytobemrsg · 31/05/2019 20:34

Pay day today thank God - that was a long month! Treated myself to lunch at work so a £6.95 spend today. Will go back to making lunches next week. I put a good chunk into savings today which made me feel really good.

Wore my lovely new jumpsuit today. Was SO comfy & I got lots of compliments. A grey jumpsuit I found in the sale from Dorothy Perkins should be arriving today which looks nice. I think I could spend the rest of my days in all in ones 😂

lifelongfrugaleer · 01/06/2019 07:30

I didn't go on the ropes. The DC don't need me so my friend and I chatted.

That's rubbish about the appointment CAG. Sorry you are both struggling. XX

I may need to give jumpsuit more consideration. Is it easy to go to the loo in?

£100 on shopping last night but lots of non food.
Going to m &s for a party tea for DH tonight. And a Colin cake

lifelongfrugaleer · 01/06/2019 07:54

Why when you write in paragraph the app posts in a bunch

ememem84 · 01/06/2019 08:13

Up early with ds today.

Am off to the gym at 930. Then we’re going to a pool party at my friends. Paddling pools. Mexican food. Piñata. “Cocktails” for everyone kids included. She has a slush machine so I’m assuming different coloured slush in posh glasses with umbrellas.

Itsnotmesothere · 01/06/2019 09:08

Hello it's now June and I would like to join the June thread. I notice alliteration is liked. How about Jolly Japes in June? Jumping into June?

Girliefriendlikescake · 01/06/2019 09:12

We're home, got back about 8pm last night. Had a lovely last day, went to the donkey sanctuary in the morning and down to the village of Beer in the afternoon/evening. Managed to reign in the spends as well as the sanctuary was free (although I did put a small donation in) and only spends in Beer was a fish n chip supper.

Reckon spent in total around £150, the majority of which was on food and drink when out and about.

Catch up day today, have lots of washing to do and the fridge is pretty empty.

ememem84 · 01/06/2019 11:31

Gym done. Three more sessions left and thats me before baby arrives. Then we’re onto post natal training to get my fitness back so I can run around after 2 littlies!!!!

Ds is napping. So must wake him up in a bit so we can get going to the party!! Woooo.

Thatsnotmybaby · 01/06/2019 11:44

@maddenlightfoot I was actually a little sad when I realised that quite a bit of what I put in loft will only be taken down again to be given away to someone who will use them, we have outgrown all the baby toys.

Spends yesterday:
£4 fish
£34 hairdresser
£29 Asos, my foundation bottle was almost empty so I used their 20% off to order a replacement, I've really cut back on spending on cosmetics so happy to order my essentials.

Supermarket shop later so need to make a list.

lifelongfrugaleer · 01/06/2019 14:20

£40 podiatry voucher for DH birthday
£80 Matalan. Was changing the beds and our pillows are rank. DS needed a summer duvet too. Will donate the old ones to the dog shelter.

£££££ birthday tea for DH later as mil is in a cast

maddenlightfoot · 01/06/2019 14:32

Just been to Ikea to meet my dm - it's s good mid-way point for us and was so quiet as people must be out enjoying the ☀️! I treated us to lunch so that was £14 then spent another £14 on random crap (blue bags for charity shop, tea-lights and a couple of amazing rainbow bags 🌈).

Not really the best way to start off the new month when I was so down about money last week but hey-ho.

Back in the sunny garden now and can't find the paddling pool...🧐? x

Cagliostro · 01/06/2019 18:41

Too hot today! I wimped out of taking DD up to Wembley to meet the others so DH hasn’t gone. It was roasting when I went to town with DD earlier. Had to get a few supplies. In a case of spectacularly crap timing, she started her period! Noooo! She’s still my (eldest) baby 😭 she is ok physically, no pain etc but is pretty horrified by the whole thing TBH despite lots of talks beforehand. Not ideal especially as they don’t allow big bags in the stadium but it was a nice excuse to buy her a more grown up bag (still Harry Potter themed though, thank you primark Hmm) for essential supplies.

I suspect I am more anxious about the whole trip than she is!

Nice gym work em I’m currently trying to come up with a simple easy-on-joints HIIT workout I can do at home on some days I can’t get to the gym/pool.

lifelongfrugaleer · 01/06/2019 19:19

£37 m&s on dinner for 6. Not a great start to June frugal wise.
Oh we are waiting for that day CAG. Big hugs to DD .

WreckTangled · 01/06/2019 19:40

Cag have a look on YouTube for hasfit. They also do seated work outs.

I'm annoyed because I ordered dd some sandals on amazon (£28) and they're so small! They're a good 2cm shorter than her current ones which are a size smaller Angry and it's the biggest they had. So now I have to send them back and wait for a refund.

ememem84 · 01/06/2019 20:00

Nsd. Woooo.

Such a lovely day. Lovely afternoon at dfriends. Was so lovely to see ds playing with other kids - he does at nursery but we don’t see it. But he had such a lovely day. Are bbq food. Played on climbing frame. Splashed in pool. Had his first ice lolly (he’s had ice cream but not a lolly before - he cried when the last couple of mouthfuls fell off the stick).

Dfriends daughter spent ages picking daisies and making me a flower crown. Then threading daisies in my hair. Super cute.

I also had a nice cold white wine spritzer. 😀

We ended the day by stopping at the beach for a quick paddle. Ds was wary at first. But soon got the hang of running away from the waves. Until he fell over. 😂

Came home. Watered the garden (and ds). He likes helping. I watered the lawn and stood in the middle with the watering can and twirled. The can watered the lawn and sprayed him too.

Dh has gone out to watch the football. I’ve reminded him that he’s on early morning ds duty tomorrow as I did it today.

Cagliostro · 01/06/2019 20:59

Ooh thanks wreck I hadn’t seen them before, looks ideal! My plan is to take 10 things that I know I can do and write a workout that way. I found a free HIIT timer app.

Such a nice evening with DS, we lost a coop game for the third time 🙈 and then played a competitive one in which DS royally kicked my butt. Like, trounced me entirely. Oops.

WreckTangled · 01/06/2019 21:04

I do their intermediate and advanced levels on the strength videos but still need beginner/limited mobility for HIIT and they do loads of others too. I really enjoy them.

Cagliostro · 01/06/2019 21:13

Awesome. I shall be very much sticking to the beginner :o I love YouTube for accessible exercise stuff. I always found traditional ones far too intimidating (apart from Davina because I luff her :o)

I’d got a bit complacent on days I wasn’t going to the gym/pool and end up doing nothing but I’m already finding I really suffer for it! Both physically (stiff muscles/joints) and mentally - anxiety and grumpiness are far worse when I don’t go.

ememem84 · 01/06/2019 21:34

cag not sure on energy levels but I love the fitness Marshall on you tube

Even just watching them really. I’ve done a few workouts along with the video and they are super fun.

When we had sky I used to love the fitness channel. Cheerleader dance workout was always a fave.

lifelongfrugaleer · 02/06/2019 08:15

I admire you who can get into home workouts. I never have been able to. Maybe I need to reassess.

Whitby today for DH birthday. ££

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