Frugal Friends, planning, saving and considerate spending through July and August

[Wolfcubisthefemalenominal]

New Fred frugal friends

I get frustrated at that show for the same reason. Surely not replacing stuff and making do with what you’ve got is more frugal than just replacing with a cheaper make
Also Lego is far far far better quality than a lot of other brands, sticks together better etc. I really don’t stick to brands much in life but that’s one where I’d never buy anything else. And yes em all packs can make infinite models for sure! Mine have some models that are left for display (since we’ve moved and now have space) but mostly they get rebuilt into new things constantly.

I prefer EWFL. I thought there was another one due after the tennis recently so I keep checking iplayer.

Feeling rather wrung out this morning. Had a loooong talk with DH last night. We’ve always had an easy, totally loved up relationship in the 16ish years we’ve been together, got through tough times etc. Until this year. Things are so stressful, this is the hardest year we’ve ever had and it’s really having an impact on our relationship now. Had a very frank discussion about this that he really wasn’t expecting. But we’ve agreed that while we’ve been lucky to never really need to “work on our relationship” before, things have changed now and we do need to, or we are risking it breaking down, which neither of us want at all.

Rain!!!! We have rain!!!! Lovely cooling wet rain!!!!!

lap it’s good that you’ve had that chat with dh and hopefully you are both on the same page. I’m sorry you’ve had a tough year. I do hope things improve soon for yous guys xxx

Looking at my shopping habits in comparison to SWFL I’m very much like the lady on the show in some ways. If something branded is on offer (and is cheaper than the own brand) I’ll buy a lot of it. Dm has a stock pile of laundry powder. She only uses bold (the lavender and camomile one). She sends ddad to the shop when the massive boxes are on offer and he buys loads.

Currently I’m buying persil powder from amazon. We have two and a half massive boxes in the house. I get one delivered every month or so. It works out cheaper than buying a box a week or two weeks of s smaller size from coop.

Sorry for being awol. 28 degrees here. Currently hiding indoors. Girls have swimming lessons later so that will be nice for them.

I really feel for you em. Hurry up baby!

laputa. We’re at that amount of years too.

Plumber (second one as first lot have not bothered to come back to do the work) has quoted £400, parts and labour to fix the hot water problem on the boiler today. On the plus side, they can do the work tomorrow. I’ve been waiting a month for the first plumber whilst having showers that run cold.

We’re tag teaming work/childcare this week, and then both working a couple of days next week. But Wednesday next week we have a child free day off together. Romantic trip to ikea planned but maybe childfree lunch too

I haven’t seen this SWFL yet but I agree it’s a bit odd... I guess it shows you what you should have done, for next time! I am a stockpiler too, Em... I defo shop like there may be a war /famine round the corner.

Sorry things are tough Lap, even the best relationships need tlc at times. You’ve always had such a happy relationship, I hope you can give it the space to thrive. Are the big stresses at the mo still health (both of you)? Obviously you don’t have to answer that!

Hi Love

We’ve been out in the garden since 8am but it’s now 38c and humid, and my lawn doesn’t have much shade between 1and 4ish so I’ve put on some dvds to tempt DS indoors. DD has just woken up to find we’re watching the Gruffalo and she can’t believe her luck! Wallace and Gromit next. I simply can’t face outdoors. The water’s been off for most of the day (mains replacement ) but it’s just come back on, yay.

We’ve no bread for DC’s toast tomorrow morning so I’ve instructed DH. I’m still claiming an nsd though

Slightly cooler here today but we’ve tried to spend the day in the woods for the sake of ddog, saw a few dead jellyfish and baby crabs on the beach washed up by the storm.

£1.50 on a solero, ds bought his own

Dinner out later probably

Wallace and Gromit backfired, DD was a bit scared of the baddie and so insisted on sitting on my lap. I am now a melty mess 🥵🥵🥵

Seacow will ds go in the pool in the nuddy?! If it's just in the garden obviously, dd likewise hates wet clothes and at home tends to spend most of the summer in not a lot clothes wise.

Sorry to hear that lap good you had a chat about it though.

Work has been hard work today due to the heat, dd had a good time at her club though so that's good.

Spent 70p on a drink.

Hi all.
My it is hot!
Yesterday was my last day at work until September. It was the nursery's 70th Birthday, we had a drummer man who makes all of his drums and shakers out of rubbish/ recyclables, he was really good and the kids enjoyed bashing some drums.
It was very warm though, but everyone seemed to stay hydrated. Also a NSD.

Today I met my friend and we went to the Olympic park in 35 degree heat! The kids were fine because they played in the water fountain, we then found a shady spot and had a picnic, it also rained for about 5 minutes, which was lovely, just hoping for the storm to come!

Spends
£66 ocado
£10ish on drinks, some cooling spray, ice cream / ice lollies.

Laputa, I'm really glad you had the courage to talk to your DH now. You guys seem to have such a good relationship, hopefully you will get though this and become an even stronger couple x

Em, glad you had some rain, you must be baking!

Hi Love, hope you get to have lunch with DH.

We will be getting rain very soon, we have thunder and lightning! We definitely need it to clear the air.

I am about to dash out the door for a run (yes really - hopefully no one turns up)

Before I go - If you have hot bedrooms hang wet towels in front of open windows and open a window (just a crack) on the sunny side of the house. It draws the air through the wet towels - the water evaporates & cools the air. As you go through the night they dry out so it doesn't et too cold & wake you up.

Great tip unescorted!
But you are mad to go running in this heat!

That’s an amazing tip about the towels!

Thanks all, seacow it is partly stemming from the health stuff, then the resulting money worries of course, plus now figuring out all the help the kids need which is exhausting as you know :( but TBH both of us have our mental health in tatters ATM, partly due to the above of course, but it runs much deeper than that. While we have got through struggles before we’ve never been so completely swamped. He’s hoping to have therapy himself for PTSD but there is every risk things will get a lot worse before it gets better so it’s even more important we reconnect now TBH

Fantastic tip, thanks unescorted I’m having to leave the pooches indoors while I work, DH and both DDs are away this week. I can leave the windows locked ajar so I’ll see if I can fit a wet towel into the gap.

About a fiver spent today on a very late lunch.

Great towel tip!

Yes you can definitely buy single plates. They are about 50p each in Ikea. I thought only having 1 of everything would drive me mad though, think how often you'd be washing up! We didn't have any new stuff in our student house, its was all odd plates.m pans etc donated by parents. We had a wonderful selection of 70s patterns!

£40 dinner which was delicious and chef was a one man band miracle worker but he’d have made Em’s dh and my stbexh look organised

Hello. Sorry for being AWOL. Nothing exciting happening here really, Tuesday we went to the beach and swam in the sea, yesterday we spent at my parents and in their pool and today we decided to escape the heat by going to gunwharf (Portsmouth) much cooler there and we went to the cinema. It's been a spendy week.

Frugally I did an Asda food delivery last week as no time to shop and I got a voucher for a months free delivery so will use that over the holidays. Nothing worse than taking the dc food shopping.

I'm working in the toy shop again this summer but I think that'll be it as it's causing me lots of anxiety although not having the extra money also causes me anxiety

We're going to goodwood next weekend (paid for by my lovely friends dh) good job as it's £375 a ticket

Our sitting room is currently 29° and there's no rain forecast until tomorrow. Even then it's only a 40% chance...

£11.85 pizzas for 4 at pizza express. Was £31.85 but we had a voucher. Took the pizzas from the restaurant to the beach.

Also £24 at M&S. Beers cold drinks and crispy snacks to have with pizza picnic.

Yesterday £35 pony. Today £££ childcare about £50.

£15 sticky name labels. Got just surname so can use for both dc

Em is quiet....

Good point Wreck. Em if baby is making an appearance we are all thinking of you and wishing you an easy birth

£16.70 Tesco on stuff for tea - proof coop is cheaper than Tesco!

£ 26 on a framed picture and a small
Gift each for ds and dm

£10 for ds boat trip to see pufflets

£11 coffee for everyone and cake for ds

Baby update.

No baby yet.

£14 at Morrison’s (I didn’t even know we had one...) on stuff for dinner (pasta shells, cream cheese, bacon lardons, garlic bread - “carbonara”) and some cookies.

Dropped ds off with dparents so I can get a few chores done.

Just taking a break and watching suits and eating lunch. I am lusting after Rachel’s wardrobe (Megan markel). I do think she’s very pretty.

£55 posh fish and chip lunch for everyone