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

[Wolfcubisthefemalenominal]

New Fred frugal friends

Em not when they are 12.5 that’s for sure. We were both still awake at midnight and ds was up with the larks

Bloody tv has given up the ghost after 11 years. It’s fine so long as you want to watch things in abstract tones

Been back through scrubbing all my finances in advance of payday. I’m going to divert the money saved on the gas and electric bill to a small pot for summer childcare. I didn’t really have to worry about that this year as child maintenance money covered it but I need to be really conscious about these annual expenses. If there is an interest rate rise then things like haircuts are going to have to go! Hopefully solicitor expenses won’t be too horrendous if I do most of the work myself as there is no room in the budget for these and they will have to come out of the annual expenses pot at risk.
It’s rained most of the night but still not really much cooler

We need to do a serious finance overhaul here too.

Had an email from ds’ nursery last week.

They’re increasing fees from September. But this doesn’t apply to ds as I was supportive of nursery in its latest Facebook debacle. So we’re on same fees. Yay.

Also ds’ fees reduce from October because he’ll be 2 in sept. Hoorah.

Then when dc2 starts in january ds’ fees reduce by 10%. Nursery have also waived dc2’s deposit and admin fee. Which is very nice of them. we’ll still be paying £1700 a month for childcare on a three day a week basis but any savings good right?!

Sounds promising Em....
Wolf hope you had a good week away, but tough times ahead as part of moving on.
unescorted I need quilt pics!
wreck good to see you back, that sounds like a rough night. I'd be annoyed with dh too.

It has rained constantly for over 24 hours here, fed up of it now. All cricket was abandoned yesterday. Ds is due to play in a representative game today, but I can't see it being on. A day at home would be good. Dh may go to watch the Seniors golf as Tom Watson is playing his last ever round of competitive golf today. He's one of his sporting heroes & has never seen him play & it's only a few miles away so I think he'd be daft not to. Cost would be the ticket & then he'd take a frugal flask, bottle of water & sandwiches.

I spent much of yesterday quilting. I am getting there now with the quilt that is going in to the show at the end of August. I made a big error with the stitching yesterday so spent ages unpicking. Had an inner tantrum but managed not to scream or cry, glad I noticed the mistake when I did really. I made a little play mat/pram quilt for my managers baby, using pieces of fabric left from making our nephews quilt 4 years ago. Used leftover wadding to but still needed new backing fabric. Will post quilt pics later.

5 days until we go away now & have so much to do before then, my list writing has hit new heights! Car insurance expires this week so I need to look at options, but I've a feeling the renewal quote is fairly competitive so may stick with it.

life is right Em, lie ins happen as teens!

Spends €40.08 on petrol and €2.25 on sausage rolls. They didn't have my favourite poppy seed bread

I need to go to Lidl later. I think I mentioned already that DD has been complaining that she's bored eating the same dinners, so she rooted out her Home Economics book and selected some new dinners she fancies. So I'll pick up the ingredients.

It's a gorgeous morning here. Must get some washing on.

em DD was an early riser as a baby and small child (around 7 a.m. thankfully, not 5 a.m. like I've read on some MN posts) but often sleeps until 10 or 11 now. It can be annoying when I want to do something noisy like hoovering or showering, but don't want to wake her.

Wreck I'd be so mad with DH! Have you spoken to him yet? What did he say?

Wolf sorry to hear about the TV . Is there any chance a friend or family member would have a second TV they could lend you, until you can afford to replace it? I'm also dreading the legal bills although we won't be getting divorced anytime soon.

He's just acting like nothing happened. I cba to argue.

Butternut risotto for dinner tonight I think. The sun is trying to come out but it's not as warm as it has been.

Wolf there's often practically new TVs on the Facebook pages? We have a 32" which is plenty big enough for us.

We got a smart tv from Argos which wasn't too pricey, I really love it for Netflix and iplayer. Think it was around the £200 mark which I didn't think was too bad.

Can't be long now em!

Wreck can't you bugger off tonight on an impromptu girls night or similar??

Need to pop to aldi soon and got a family get together this afternoon. Am mostly packed for our holiday tomorrow!

Aaaah!!! Friend just text to say they’re coming over in 5 minutes!!!

Have just rushed to get dressed etc.

I wouldn’t usually tolerate this but she’s here for a few days only and I’ve already knocked her back twice!

wolf I'll join you in the knackered appliances corner if I may. PC has given up the ghost this morning. We've kept it going as long as we could. The DC have laptops but for now dh & I are relying on phones & a slow old iPad with a cracked screen. Everything is backed up on an external drive but it's a nuisance & an expense we could do without.
On a cheerful note, a quilt pic!

£399 new tv. Reduced by £50, £225 of work reward vouchers and £160 of birthday money used so £14 balance to pay.

Cute quilt

So clever north.

Ds is on his third bowl of risotto. Although he did have a break for an ice cream and Alice of melon

I need to get them school shoes, might do it tomorrow. That'll be £100 gone 😭 dd needs new trainers too and they both need pe trainers (which I'm going to get from decathlon for £6.99 each).

NSD for me, took DD2 to the airport, short break with bestie and their family. DH filled the car this morning. He paid for the flight a while ago, no idea how much but easy jet to France so not expensive.

north mine are far more rustic than yours. I first started doing them to make camping quilts and they have not evolved from there.

Wolf look on ebay - collect only. We got one for £5 from the next village. It is still working 4 years later. It is not posh but does the job.

Em can you not give the baby a section 21 notice?

I have 5am risers. 3 of the buggers. Sometimes earlier. 4am was a particular two-point last week but to be fair it was bright sunlight and extremely hot.
Black out blinds and later bedtimes make no difference, neither does a shorter/longer/earlier/later nap.

I am waiting until they are teenagers who want to sleep all morning to get my revenge. I will be buying an air horn. Perhaps a gong. Or a trumpet

Snuggly I thought that but I enjoy my quiet mornings too much. Blissful with a backing track of light snoring.

If baby hasn’t arrived tomorrow we’re going to our fave Thai place for dinner. And I’m going to have a hot hot hot jungle curry (no coconut milk in the recipe) and will also have a their chilli pineapple for dessert.

This is today. Apparently I have ages to go because baby hasn’t dropped yet. But I don’t remember ds “dropping” am pretty sure bump was high right until the end.

Le sigh.

You look fabulous Em. Hope you have a comfortable night

North beautiful quilt

I spent €21.87 in Lidl. When I was packing the groceries into my shopping bags, I discovered a bag of baby new potatoes at the bottom of my basket that I hadn't paid for . I owned up and paid the extra 99 cent.

Busy day today. I did three washloads, hoovered most of downstairs, mopped the kitchen floor and helped DD make dinner (home made hamburgers and baby new potatoes).

Off to Dublin tomorrow because DD wants to buy a Vans school bag - she's paying for it herself. I also want to pick up her play (Romeo and Juliet). For some reason the plays and novels aren't covered by the book rental scheme.

NSD.

Quilt completed

Frugal win, i had a sort through all my fabric stash today & have enough for lots more projects without buying anything extra. Come September I'm going to get cracking & finish some Christmas things.

Baby update. Contractions started at around 3. Well I noticed them then as I woke up.

Am sitting here currently waiting for Dm to get here to look after ds. Dh has made me a tea and some toast which I don’t really want. I’m also having a bit of a cry. Relief probably that things have kicked off and also feeling sad for ds who has zero clue how his life is about to be turned upside down. 😭😀