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

[Wolfcubisthefemalenominal]

New Fred frugal friends

Agree that the self-catering will be really helping sea and you deserve to get some yummy holiday treats after lots of hard work recently.

We're also on holiday (Devon), it's pouring with rain, the car has broken down (again) and more than one child has been sick but we're having a lovely time simply because we're away, no work, and we have pasties, Fish&chips and ice-cream on rotation 😬

The one thing that's bugging me though, and it's a frugal bug... I keep stupidly optimistically buying kindle books that are on deal - either daily or for £1 - thinking il find a cracker but they're all complete shite and I may as well have bought a bestseller at full price 😡. Any recommendations of good books greatly appreciated - I need something good to read!

What sort of book do you like Madden?

unescorted looking forward to seeing what fabrics you got!
We have always done SC hold & are in an apartment now, but decided this time to mostly eat main meals out. I'm enjoying the break to be honest & eating out is very reasonable here so not the end of the world. SC often works out more pricey than you think.
It's hot, hot, hot here so we've had a beach & pool day. Da arrived safely yesterday & managed to get all his medication through security! Hopefully the break & the sun will do him good.

North i love SC abroad for breakfast and lunch with a lovely outing for an evening meal (by lunch I mean huge packets of Lays crisps and 7Up by the pool 😁)

Wolf I love page-turners with a bit of thriller/twist thrown in so loved Girl on the Train and Elizabeth Haynes thrillers (Into the Darkest Corner being one) but I also love uplifting tales like Eleanor Oliphant and Elizabeth is Missing - will try and think of others I've really enjoyed x

Hi all. Haven’t been able to get online much lately, had no WiFi in Somerset!

We went to this children’s assessment charity clinic where each child spends a day with a therapist who runs loads of tests with them, interviews the parents etc. It was AMAZING. Absolutely exhausting but they were lovely and just “got” them you know?

A lot of it was confirming what we already suspected:
DS has ADHD (like, off the scale 😂) and dyspraxia
DD has dyslexia
Both have sensory processing disorder and auditory processing difficulties.

The reaction to the above was basically “well, DUH” 🙈😂 but it is very good to have professionals confirm it and that we will have their report to say they’ve been screened.

The big surprise was the I.Q. testing, I had no idea they’d do this and it freaked me out as I know DD struggles massively which has a huge impact on her self esteem. Hers is the bottom end of average (95) which I’d suspected but we found out LOADS about where her specific struggles were and also that in some areas she is very able. Visual processing is a huge deficit - some things she scored in the

Ohhh madden I have been burned by exactly that on kindle. It isn’t always clear what is decent published work and what is something knocked up in a week and self published. Not to say that all self published work is bad - I have read some amazing stuff! I am trying not to buy any books (until I found Eleanor Oliphant in a charity shop for 50p) while I read through the backlog of kindle stuff, and I’m trying to use the library more again.

One that I enjoyed recently was Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Content warning for mention of baby loss though.

madden I’m just about to start browsing and loading my kindle up with holiday reads. I can get through a good 12-14 on a fortnight away.

lifelongfrugaleer yes it was, the Haarlem jamborette over in the Netherlands. His mate is at the one in the USA tho.

He’s not even been home 24 hours and I’ve just dropped him at his mates house for a sleepover. I think they’ve missed each other!

Laputa that sounds so positive I’m really pleased for you

Madden I second the Celeste Ng recommendation both Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You (suicide trigger). Also Three Thing About Elsie. If you like sort of gritty action thrillers then I AM PILGRIM is cracking and The President is Missing. I loved The Brief Wonderous life of Oscar Wao. The restaurant critics wife and war crimes for the home too

If you like fantasy I’ve got a whole
Separate list

Lap that's fantastic you got so much for the DC. Did they give any indications about dd2? Could she be affected or is it wait and see. Proud parent moment there for you two.

£££ at Whitby. We weren't going to come as DC are travelled out. Pleased we did as spent the day crabbing and on the beach. £5 arcades was sponsored by mil.

Kindle (or any other reader) owners - you can download library books. Join as many libraries as you can - I have Derbyshire, Manchester ( this is all 10 authorities), Liverpool, Kent, Cumbria & Milton Keynes. It costs nothing and if they are crap then it is no matter. Manchester are really good - most of their print books are electronic. You don't have to live in the area to be a member - just have proof of address when you pick up the ecard.

Fabric porn is here I blame North

Anyone looking for good books the Claire mackintosh books are excellent, also Lisa Jewell has change her writing style since Ralph's Party and one of her latest books, I found you is a great read too.

The quilts are fab, I had to scroll back through the posts to see them as I think I missed them when the site was all over the place, my mum made something very similar when she was pregnant with my sister who's 30 next year- and she still has it! Those fabrics are so pretty, they remind me of the Amish quilts.

I had dinner out at a Lebanese restaurant, paid for by work, which was nice 👍🏻 another long day at work tomorrow 7:30-7pm which is fine but my commute is 3 hours round trip minimum so my weekend will be spent 😴

When I can get a nice one of the two of them I will!!! Turns out ds only likes being nice to Dd when I don’t have camera/phone handy! Haha.

Nsd today.

Although I have struggled physically. I’ve tweaked something in my foot. Maybe from wearing flip flops constantly...so occasionally my foot hurts when I walk. My hips are hurting. My back is hurting. I officially have the body of a 90 year old.

I’ve also had to wrestle the cushions off the couch and wash them. Because I had a mishap. Ffs. Fell asleep on couch and didn’t change my Maternity pad quick enough. Bloody stupid maternity pads. Stupid post birth body nonsense. Grrrrr. Have also had to explain to dh why we now have a naked couch. His reaction was “Eugh” 😂

Oh nooo em I had that just from a heavy period a few months back 🙈 yuck indeed. Normal bodily function, but still yuck. DD1 had a few mishaps while we were away actually, she’s on month 3 and they seem to be heavy already 😰 poor baby, she’s only just 12.

Life we did actually joke that we will be back there with R in about five years 😂 TBH genetically I’d be more surprised if she’s NOT autistic... I have spotted various things but who knows. The staff were lovely with her and commented on her excellent fine and gross motor skills 🤩

Met our new family support worker today too. Referring ourselves only happened due to needing to jump through hoops to get DS seen by CAMHS, but actually with all the shit going on it will be helpful generally, she’s getting all sorts organised like Young Carers, someone to help with DLA, she even said she will help organise meetings with school SENCOs and attend them with us while we find a school place for DD1! She’s awesome, I really like her.

I have sooo many phone calls to make tomorrow.

lap yuk indeed but as you say completely normal. I swear men wouldn’t cope with childbirth and the aftermath.

Poor Dd but hopefully things will stop being so heavy for her. I vaguely remember mine being heavy initially. Then settling down.

Dh has just brought Dd into me. She’s slept loads last night apparently which means dh has slept more.

I slept through ish. Before I went to sleep last night (around 10) ds farted in his sleep. I thought it was dh. I heard it from the next room. 😳

I think we’re going to take dd into town today she needs registering.

Recurved a card from dr yesterday. A congrats card and my 6 week check up. Hoorah.

Morning!!!

That sounds incredibly constructive Lap, what a great find that place was! I’ve heard of Irlen’s Syndrome, I believe there are various aids (tinted glasses?) that can help visual perception. You certainly have your hands full and are doing a brilliant job.

The IQ results are intriguing, and interesting that they can measure it even with SEN /attention difficulties. I’d love to know what DS’s IQ is as I feel his impaired ability to process language (and his distractability) gets in the way of his actual ability because he can’t understand what is being asked, or maintain focus. But I think he is actually quite bright. Not that I know what I would do with that information, practically, but it would still be interesting!

Unescorted those colours are lush! I really liked the way that lady puts colours together in her bundles. But I’m still sitting on my hands. For now

Em you may recall that happened to me a few months back with my sofa, but it’s not washable! I still have a throw over one cushion . It’s nature, it shouldn’t be embarrassing but still... We’ll need to get new sofas once the building work in the kitchen is done - I don’t want new ones before the onslaught of dust.

Madden I’ve had the same experience with free /cheap kindle books so now just but the ones I actually want. I don’t read much at the mo though because I fall asleep every time I sit still so it still doesn’t cost me much!

Wales is gorgeous but the weather is filthy right now! Heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast. I am not sure what we’ll do. I don’t want to waste one of DM’s days with us but as ds doesn’t cope with indoor attractions OR getting his clothes wet we might have to stay at home! We had a wonderful day at the beach yesterday, the weather was gorgeous, the beach was stunning and the DC were in their element. DD announced that she loves paddling (at the moment everything is ‘I love X ... X is perfect’ or, most usually ‘ I don’t like/I don’t want.... ). Her language has thoroughly overtaken DS’s now. This gives her the ability to very eloquently boss him around and disagree with her parents - so a mixed blessing! But seriously, I just can’t get over the wonder of having a little reciprocal conversation with her, at just 2y 1m, when I still can’t do that with DS, nearly 7. It’s very special, and the interaction of the DC is lovely to watch too.

It’s supposed to be my lie in today but I can’t sleep. I am enjoying the alone time though and am lolling in bed, from where I have a direct and stunning sea view. Feeling very zen, but might message downstairs for a cup of tea to really enhance the moment

Ah cute em.
Filthy weather here so might just go home and go to the cinema or swimming instead.
Saves me ££ at the sea salt shop anyway

Morning all

Ocado shop coming today £10 off voucher used, it’s £98 but includes lots of tins for the brexit cupboard and also food as I now have ds at home next week - I’d planned to just east things on toast for a week and save money but I can’t expect him to do that
Returned a dress to sea salt and ordered a different size as the don’t have an exchange mechanism. Waiting for them to refund the first dress which seems to be taking ages

What a lovely little pair Em

Laputa glad the family support worker is being helpful

Sea would ds tolerate being wet if he was in swimming stuff? I know it’s peeing it down but you could walk on the beach if so.

It has been absolutely pissing it down here for hours, I can hear the beck is filling up and racing I had wanted to do some gardening but I suspect more indoor jobs are on the cards. I’m expecting one phone call from work too

No he wouldn’t Wolf. One of my great sadnesses is that I can’t get him to go into water -sea, paddling or swimming pool - because he won’t get any clothes wet, even swim stuff. He’d love it if he would get in though. I want him to learn to swim too but can’t see how we’ll ever achieve that!

Great news about the support worker lap.
Ah em, perfectly natural but very vexing.
Ah sea that sounds hard. Indoor day is tricky when not at home. Soft play et Al will be rammed. Any castles nearby?
The forecast all weekend is now hideous.

Will he go in naked sea? The sea obviously not a pool...

Em so cute

Lap that sounds really positive you've got so much out of it! Dreading dd starting periods she's only 9 but has had all other signs of puberty for a year now.

Morning all, another broken nights sleep here, I woke up at 3am and put the puppy out for a wee which I think was a shock to him given it was pissing down!! He went though and still no accidents in the crate or house.

However he was then pretty much awake and crying on and off for the rest of the night, dd woke up as well as he was crying a lot so at 5am we tried him in the garden again, he didn't want to go.

I got up with him for the day at 7am and he had a big breakfast so maybe he was hungry or maybe it was the heavy rain/storm last night. Who knows.

Sorry I am definitely going to be a puppy bore for the next few weeks

Not sure if I posted spends ystd, we went to Pets at Home and spent a fortune bought quite a few things, dd contributed a bit and my total spend came to £30 ish. Have booked him in with the vet nurse today for a general once over and to start to consider things like flea and worm treatment.

Em such a cute pic!!

Yy re going naked as much as possible Sea dd was similar esp when she was younger, we used to have an issue that the min she came out of a swimming pool she would strip her costume off. As much as possible I would let her go naked esp at home or on a quiet beach. I think once she realised how much fun it was she was more likely to put up with having to wear a swim costume iyswim. Are there any swim classes for kids with ASD near you? They might understand about the sensory issues and have some advice.

Aaah what a gorgeous pair of siblings em 😍😍😍

Aw, thanks seacow :) yep irlens is the one with coloured lenses. Her best friend is diagnosed and has them, I need to get the contact for the society. Assessment for them was under £100 when she went so I’m hoping it’s not increased too much and we can try and save for that although we are skint AF right now. However the therapist was saying the actual glasses aren’t necessarily worth the HUGE expense - the colour needed can change over time, according to medication changes, hormones etc. The therapist herself has irlens so I’m trusting her judgment there!

Yes it was totally fascinating the way all the tests broke down everything into really specific abilities. Like there was a test for word retrieval where they had to name individual pictures - really simple stuff like ball, sandwich etc. DS raced through it, DD was painfully slow, even though they obviously both KNOW the words - but DD can’t find them easily, which is one of the things at the root of her difficulties.

I have a looooot of sensory exercises and stuff to read through, as and when I find stuff I’m more than happy to share here or if anyone wants to PM.

Has he tried a wetsuit type thing seacow?

sea just a swim nappy? (I’ve forgotten how old ds is so maybe he’s too big for nappies....)
I can’t imagine having to deal with sensory issues like that. So tough. You’re doing a fab job though.

Ds has annoyingly chosen now to start showing signs that he’s ready for potty training. Ffs. As if we didn’t have enough to do....!!! 😂 he’s being good though and telling us “weewee” or “poopoo” except he tricked me this morning. Told me “weewee” and headed towards the stairs. Upon nappy inspection it wasn’t a weewee. Worlds biggest poo!!! 💩💩😂😂 but he’s good for telling me!!!

Dd slept well last night. Either cluster feeding is over for now. Or her sleep snug bag helps. Either way. Winner!