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Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

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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WreckTangled · 24/06/2019 06:44

My mileage from work hasn't been paid. I'm really pissed off because I submitted it on the 23rd May when cut off was the 1st June and despite an email to my manager to say it hasn't been approved she still didn't do it in time. Now this months won't be paid until the end of August leaving us doubly poor for the summer holidays. Need to put some bits on eBay I think.

Wolfcubisthefemalenominal · 24/06/2019 06:47

Wreck given it’s the manager fault can you put in for an emergency payment or imprest

Happierwithouthim · 24/06/2019 16:13

Tayto so sorry that you've had such a shock and your life turned upside down. I hear you about the rings, I loved my engagement ring and wedding ring and despite not wearing them for 15 months now my fingers feel very bare some days. I actually spotted a costume jewellery ring that was similar to engagement ring but it wasn't in my size last week, thought I could wear it on my right hand.

I gather from sorting out weekend access that dd will live with you during the week, do you plan to stay in the family home? Hugs to you ps I'm visiting Tayto Park next month and if you'd like to meet for coffee pm me, I think you're in that general area.

maddenlightfoot · 24/06/2019 18:24

Sea the party sounds lovely! I also love really well thought out, non-tat party bags (well, what I mean is I live it when dcs receive these as I hate the plastic tat at home but I ashsmedly admit I go full on tat as I have no time or money or talent 😂) but agree with Girlie and always make up a few extra.

Wreck that's annoying in itself but crappy times with summer holiday pay is double 💩. Can you, as wolf suggests, try and get it rectified?

I've had a really weird thing happen today. You may recall I was toying with a new outfit for a wedding, ordered a new dress but in the end got dh to take back to store. I ordered online two weeks ago to collect from store and dh returned to store two days later. Today the same dress has been posted to me. Nothing is showing up on my bank statement to show it's been accidentally ordered again. I assume there's been a glitch with returning it and instead of being returned to a warehouse it's somehow ended up being returned to me. Anyone had anything similar?

maddenlightfoot · 24/06/2019 19:20

🥰 just worked out it was my lovely friends who sent me the dress. A bit outing if they're on here but if so... I'm never going to be not skint with three kids and even when I'm not on the bread line I still find it hard to spend money on myself so thank you from the bottom of my heart for sending me a little bit of loveliness xx

lifelongfrugaleer · 24/06/2019 19:50

Ah that's a lovely friend

ememem84 · 24/06/2019 20:36

£125 ds’ swimming lessons for next term. Had to pay now as there’s only space for 5 in the class and they get booked up.

£20 in next on pjs for ds as I forgot to pack his to take to dparents. They fed me this evening as dh is out.

lifelongfrugaleer · 25/06/2019 05:46

Of to the big smoke today. Will be able to expense some food and drink. Will take my own breakfast on the train.

northender · 25/06/2019 06:26

life I always take food for train journeys.
Quick check in. Work not great, but still doing well on the spending front.
Have had a recommendation for a consultant who might be good for ds to see. Have emailed her, but would need to be private as she has just left the nhs.

OP posts:
Cagliostro · 25/06/2019 12:15

Hi guys
Spendy day yesterday as DD1 turned 12! We went to the Upside Down House in Brighton and then saw Toy Story 4 which is SOOOO GOOD! I cried several times.

Other than that things are a bit pants here so not up to posting much but I miss you all.

Tayto just saw your news I’m so sorry, what a huge shock! Be kind to yourself xxx

Cagliostro · 25/06/2019 12:19

Forgot the photo 🤦‍♀️ (Had to cut it as also had DD’s bestie in it)

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ChristmasSeacow · 25/06/2019 13:08

Happy birthday Caglet! I have never heard of an upside down house, I think it would blow DS’s mind!

Madden what lovely friends!

Thanks for party bag feedback. I would have done spares but a few things came in packs of 8 so I just bought one pack... I thought with small numbers there wouldn’t be any ‘leakage’ but I’ll know for next time! DS is fairly oblivious, it’s only me that minds really.

Still knackered from the weekend. Cake has DD’s name on so I have to work out how to cover that up before I can post a picture. But the tiredness was worth it as she is still talking about her peppa pig rainbow cake Grin

Took DS on his first after-school play date last night. It was a bit rocky as he was way out of his comfort zone but he managed to see it through so it was a relative success. I was completely drained afterwards though!

Spends arent great - spending way too much on convenience food and buying lunch out but on the plus side, no time to clothes shop or do anything to the house so the credit card looks okay! I am not sure whether I’m getting paid this month though. I wasn’t paid last month and am still waiting for payroll to confirm I’ve been added in time for this month Confused

Happierwithouthim · 25/06/2019 14:29

Upside Down House looks cool!

I spent €9.20 on yesterday's lunch & €5.95 on today's lunch.

Dc getting their school holidays today & we're away for rest of week so reveling in not doing a grocery shop & being lazy about lunches for myself because of feeling under the weather, gave €30 to au pair for her to buy food for herself.

Have booked dc in for digital kids summer camp next Wednesday €20 each and dd in for a beauty one she fancies in August €50.

No school bus to pay for 8 more weeks but Au pair share is off for hols so they cancel each other out.

lifelongfrugaleer · 25/06/2019 17:11

£10 of claimable expenses £5 hotel chocolate.

ememem84 · 25/06/2019 18:12

£8 WHSmith on a concertina file.

Other than that nsd.

It is getting hot here. It’s meant to hit 32 degrees on Friday. Oooof.

Tired does not cut it today.

Dh and ds are sat outside eating an orange. I’m on the couch. Trying to cool down.

northender · 25/06/2019 21:16

No spends today.
Work. Home. Gym. Home.
wreck is it your NHS job? If so, and the mileage was signed off but just too late, they will have a "supplementary" pay run in a few days' time. Deal direct ith Payroll, shouldn't be any need for anyone else to be involved.

OP posts:
CurvyInAllTheWrongPlaces · 25/06/2019 22:17

Hi all
Over the last couple of days I've spent £15 on sandwich bits, more berries, milk, bread and some chocolate.
Very busy at work with transition visits, getting data in and beginning to write reports.
Hope you are are ok

ChristmasSeacow · 25/06/2019 22:35

I haven’t been paid at all Wreck, for the second month running. I am not impressed. Strong emails will be sent tomorrow. I am also going to check whether the trust has paid my last invoice yet from when I was a contractor, I haven’t had a remittance advice email i’d have done this before now if I could only remember my work online banking password I’m going to have to take money out of an ISA to get through this month, I think.

Not an nsd and a weight gain at Slimming World. Need to get a grip on everything

ChristmasSeacow · 25/06/2019 22:36

And it’s so bloody HUMID too!

Cagliostro · 25/06/2019 22:38

Forgot to say dance show was fine, they did brilliantly! Super proud! But that followed by Brighton yesterday has done me in.

Made the decision to reapply for DLA in September instead. Found out we fucked up a few things on the form and that plus lack of recent evidence (because nobody in the NHS will see him 🙄🤬) means it’s a lot of stress likely for nothing and my MH is to be frank fucking abysmal at the moment and I just can’t.

I’m hoping that once we’ve been to the assessment charity place in August and have their report, we can use that. Plus we may also have got a little further with CAMHS or various organisations by then, and I’m going to make sure I get an appointment with the local guy who helps with the forms (I’d heard he was retiring so I didn’t book one last time). I need to get a supporting statement from someone too but I’m not sure who. Problem with his various class teachers is they seem to forget all the times they have to get him back on track etc and are all falling over themselves to tell me how lovely and polite and kind he is. Which is true :o and generally it’s lovely to hear but he really struggles too.

Fantastic news about the play date seacow!

I have zero frugal news, totally being crap at it, we are managing less easily and that always triggers a “fuck it” attitude 🤦‍♀️😳 I am improving though, didn’t go nuts on birthday presents and clothes for the kids etc.

ChristmasSeacow · 25/06/2019 22:54

Nope, not paid my last invoice either. Grrr.

Sorry things are a bit tough Cag. It’s odd what counts for DLA. I seem to recall that when we filled it in, the form asked when he was last seen by a health care professional in relation to his ASD. As it happens we'd been to the GP in the previous week about his very persistent and (then) highly problematic constipation, which came from his very restricted diet. So I put that! Like you, we had no input from AHPs, not because he didn’t need therapy but because none was on offer, we were just on waiting lists! No idea whether that made a difference though but I thought I’d mention it as food for thought.

I’d like to take the kids to the beach on Saturday when it’s really warm but I’ve got both mine and DH’s family coming for lunch on Sunday so I’ll
Probably need to spend too much time
in the kitchen. I’m trying to think
of what I could Produce that’s impressive but actually almost no advanced effort 🤔

ememem84 · 26/06/2019 06:15

Raining here. Can hear it. But still feels super muggy. Eugh.

Have another busy day of setting wheels in motion for the next couple of weeks, hangovers with my maternity cover and a coffee out with one of the stock brokers we work with a lot.

Not yet out of bed.

I’m determined to do a little bit of tidy up/sorting out every day now. Last night I came up to bed at 9 and did some paperwork filing. Used my new file. And then shoved it into the storage under the bed. Looks much neater.

Oooh also today I need to sit down with my colleague who does our payroll and discuss my maternity pay from work and how I want it paid. They’re only paying me for 12 weeks this time I think (the laws changed here so this is the legal amount they have to pay). I think it works out at 2 weeks full pay, 10 weeks 90% pay, 10% retained until July next year (6m after me being back) then nothing for the remaining 14 weeks. I think. I’ll also get benefit from government at 280 a week. Until November I think. So My last couple of months are completely unpaid. Although I’m not taking any additional unpaid leave this time. And get 26 weeks off.

Law is changing here so that expectant parents can take a year off. But this is stil being debated. It will seriously affect small businesses like my employer. They can’t obviously discriminate against women but I suspect if that does come in they’ll be hiring less women of child bearing age. Or as other businesses have said will only hire anyone on short term contracts.

Anyhoo.

Should be nsd today. Have some coop stamps I need to pay into my dividend account. So will do that at lunchtime. About £45 worth.

Also have some coin I have to count up and pay in. But that’s tonights job.

lifelongfrugaleer · 26/06/2019 06:44

Urgh. Got the summer cold. Feel like shit. Nsd as won't be going out. Sorry your haven't been paidsea. Time to kick up a stink. Cag sorry you are having a tough time. Keep posting lovely. I'm sorry I know nothing about benefits claims.

WreckTangled · 26/06/2019 06:51

North should I phone payroll then? I didn't realise that I thought I would just have to wait. I submitted it on the 23rd May. Emailed manager on 2nd June to say she hadn't approved it and then she approved it on 5th. We have to submit by the end of the month and I'm pretty sure managers have until the 3rd to approve it.

Girliefriendlikescake · 26/06/2019 10:08

It's the 3rd in our Trust wreck but given you did everything right I'd be kicking up a stink! It's not fair, that's your money! Likewise seacow that's disgusting they've not paid you. What if you didn't have savings and needed that money to pay your mortgage, buy food etc!

I've just sat down and worked out my July budget, my direct debits including everything (mortgage, council tax, bills) come to £911, savings £200, food and petrol £220, summer holiday fund £230, that leaves not much!!

Going to be a tight couple of months and must try and reign it in over the summer holidays, dd will still need holiday club for some days as won't like being left on her own all day. I've two weeks annual leave and the grandparents will help out as well luckily.

Day off today, am catching up on a few jobs and going to pop to Morrisons in a bit.

Last couple of days have been nsds.

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