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

[Wolfcubisthefemalenominal]

New Fred frugal friends

Oh Camden I’m so sorry that sounds really awful. I assume you’ve done all the things like report to trading standards and the police? I have absolutely no useful practical advice

£9.70 for some things from the farm shop - df went otherwise I’d have spent more

@CamdenTownie that is totally shit!!!

We thought we had an electrician do a runner on us once (when we were refurbing our apartment). He came in took money did half the job then never came back. Surprised us as he was the guy my dad used loads so we thought fairly reliable.

Turns out he hadn’t done a runner. He’d died. Not on our job thank god. It sounds awful but it took us ages to a) find someone else to finish the work and b) get our money back from his business. We felt awful pursuing it but had to otherwise we’d not have been able to finish the job.

£9 boots. I finally collected my order which arrived last Saturday but they told me on Wednesday hadn’t been received yet.

Contacted customer services all kinds of ways on Wednesday. Finally today someone got back to me.

That sounds awful townie. The stress must be terrible. No wonder you are trying to be frugal!

We’ve just got to do the last of the packing this afternoon and then off tomorrow. Hoping the wind dies down as talking the DC on their first plane ride and worried about turbulence. Only just over an hour on the plane though.

Frugally we have frozen sausage rolls and cocktail sausages to then defrost tomorrow for a picnic lunch on Monday. We will see if it works! We should have a fridge in our hotel room although reviews aren’t great including fridges that don’t work. Half our suitcase is snacks .

Camden that's awful!

Love how exciting. The wind is meant to die down for tomorrow. Will be breezy but not like today. We've got two weeks until our holiday and I can't wait!

Oh no em! How awful!

We're going to a friends for a curry tonight. She's cooking so frugal win as no dinner needed but will need to buy a bottle to take with us. Hopefully I can park outside Tesco on the way home or I'll have to go to M&S

OMG Camden surely that must be criminal/theft?! I was talking to a friend the other day who had a similar story about losing 50k to a dodgy builder who took the money and vanished 😡

Our Saturday is going okay, dd started her period this morning!! I've been expecting it tbh and it probably explains some of her more arsey behaviour over the last day or two. She was really shocked but seems okay now, no belly ache so that's good.

We're just back from taking the puppy out, went to the dump and a local garden centre. He was very good bless him and got loads of attention at the garden centre!! Apparently he is meant to meet 100 different people before he is 16 weeks and I reckon we met 20 odd today!!

I spent £10 at the reuse shop on bits for the garden and £1 on chocolate for dd. I promised her a girly evening to celebrate her 1st period.

Fucking hell Camden that's beyond shite.

I've taken a leaf from wolf book and sorted my kitchen. Tops of cupboards cleaned and organised, baking and spice cupboards. Found stuff with BB of 2015. Have to much baking stuff but can't part even though not used for ages. Boxed up now though so more organised

Ah bless DD girlie. A big moment

Thanks for the sympathy guys!

We're doing all we can, police are involved too, builder definitely hasn't died, he's just a compulsive liar and the worst kind of human I can imagine. I'm more concerned about dh and the way this is/has affected his health, he hasn't been to work for over a week because of all of this and it's put him such a bad place mentally I'm terrified of the consequences.

X

That's awful Townie. I hope you eventually get it all sorted out.

Big day for dd Girlie. Pleased she is ok.

How old is dd Girlie? seems like she's dealing with it well - quite lucky that it's the school holidays so she will have time to get used to before before she's back to school, that was the part dd1 found hardest, I got her some of the period pants from cheeky wipes and then I also got some for myself, they are a fab invention and when I'm at work I feel much more comfortable.

Blimey townie that is shocking. Most of the trades I work with are straight, but all it takes is one. I have all my sites insured for trades / contractors not finishing the job - and I do £30 mil or theres about a year. I have not had to claim once for someone doing a runner - so don't blame yourselves. In fact when I had our roof redone I didn't get insurance. How far off water tight are you? Are the trusses up? If they are it might be worth getting roofing sheeting over the top to reduce water egress if it is going to be a while before you get it sorted out. Check with your house insurance - they may pay to prevent further damage to the main part of the house.

Lap so sorry you are having a hard time.

I have had a domestic day - still tiding up the house. It has lightened my mood - I hadn't realised how mentally restrictive it has been having to work around other peoples junk and rubbish. I have bought boxes with lids so I can just drop things into appropriate boxes and shove them in a cupboard. I have promised dd that I will help her re fold all her clothes so her room is done and then tomorrow it is ds's room while he is away....here binny bin bin...…

Today I cashed in the carrier bag of 1&2p pieces (£15.72 worth) and spend £27 on boxes and toiletries.

girlie totally missed you dd. It is a big day - I still remember my first one & I am just about finished with them now.

Oh Camden, that is really shit, I'm so sorry.
Laputa, hope you get it sorted soon.
Big day for your dd Girlie.

Thanks for that info @Unescorted we've asked our insurers but they can't help. We do have sheeting on the roof at the moment but that's all, we still need brickwork and carpentry done (properly, it's there but inadequate) before we can proceed.

We are in a bit of a pickle because there are certain measures that have to be taken before we can do anything ourselves, it's going to cost over £20000 to get watertight including windows etc, which is a long way off. I just think it's appalling that people can do this and walk away without any recourse.

He's left us in such a shit position- no money and no roof, so we can't even get on and find someone else to do the work because we can't pay them right now.

Camden I am horrified for you, what a nightmare! As you say, the worst thing is the effect on mental health. And the stress of not being watertight. As you know who the guy was, presumably his crimes will catch up with him (I mean, what an idiot he is, it’s hardly an unsolvable crime) but I guess you won’t necessarily get all of your money back. And it takes time. Do you have any prospect of borrowing some money or will you simply have to save up? I am really sorry this has happened to you, some people are just total bastards.

Girlie glad DD has taken it well. I remember my first period vividly, perhaps we all do?

Lap aw, crap. Hope you can at least get accelerated up a waiting list as a result of a reasonable complaint. Is there an equivalent of PALs for community-based services?

We’ve been to Portmeirion today in the rain. I thought it was fairly horrible, architecturally, but worth seeing if only to dislike it! And just a very strange place overall. We were lucky-ish because I expect it would have been busier on a dry day, and also it stopped raining briefly so we managed to eat our picnic lunch as planned (Plan B was to head to a cafe and buy our lunch while DC ate their pack ups - DS is so fussy I cant usually buy him food he will eat while out. And DD doesn’t eat sandwiches so mostly eats boiled eggs while out 🙄😬😁). But no need, so still managing not to spend on eating out at all. Just petrol, entrance fees and supermarkets (££££!!!) so far. Still, we are halfway through our holiday now and while I have spent a ridiculous amount on food, it is clear we’ll be shipping a lot of stuff home. I don’t know why I always shop for an apocalypse .

DM paid for our entrance to Portmerion today, but dh filled up the car for £60 and I bought a beautiful Mason Cash mixing bowl in a lovely kitchen shop there. It’s a beautiful red on the outside and it’s going to be my cake making bowl. £21.50 and I don’t strictly need it, but I have been stroking it a lot

Holy shit camden :( how awful!

Awww girlie! I’m glad you are celebrating. DD1 was mortified when she got hers - honestly it wasn’t on my radar yet as she was really slim AND younger than I was (12.5), but she’s grown a lot in the months since. I said I’d take her out for ice cream just us, she refused at first as she thought I was planning to sit her down and make her talk about puberty 😂 but we actually talked about BTS and Harry Potter 🙄

It’s hard enough for any girl of course but with ASD all the sensory issues are worth thinking about, I need to reply to your PM anyway so will write in there at risk of TMIing the thread 😂 but if it reassures anyone else, she just had her third and she’s coping surprisingly well already.

Seacow sympathies on the repeated books. Currently it’s Tanka Tanka Skunk. Planning to make the big two write a sequel as a home ed project :o

I’m pretty sure they are still covered by PALS, it’s community mental health trust but I’ll ask. Ugh, I may need a lot of handholding through this process!

I did at least have a fab (spendy) day today - took DSD to see a new anime that was only being shown in London, went to her beloved Chinatown and tried pad Thai and bubbletea! Was really nice being just us two. Can’t remember if I said, she’s already found a flat with her friend, I’m a bit gutted she will be moving out again soon 🙈

@ChristmasSeacow just after Christmas we doubled our mortgage to pay for the work that we needed done. So can't really borrow anymore, will need to save hard to pay for the work bit by bit, I could, (and have), cry when I think about it.

Plus I don't have anyone to talk to about it to be honest, I can't talk to dh because it just starts another episode and he gets in such a state I'm worried he's going to have a stroke. But my biggest fear is that we will end up separating because of this, I just can't take the pressure of his mental state and the constant depressive state, in his words the fella has ruined our lives. I try to reason with him but he won't have it and I don't know if I can deal with this long term. I'm trying so hard to save and cut our spending down to the bare bones and that's tricky in itself.

So thanks everyone, because getting it all out here has really helped.

Completely understand camden this thread is always wonderful and a safe place.
Stuff like this and mental health issues can really test even the strongest of relationships

Townie many of us have come to this thread in times of crisis. For me it was 37K of debt. The people here have saved me and my marriage. You cannot get a more supportive group of people. I may have got a bit of dust in my eye at the thought of some of the kindness shown. We have your back.

Lap PALS have been really good with Dh - long after discharge. I am talking years. I love that you and your DSD have such a good relationship.

Tonight I have a v. stroppy DD. I am at a loss s to why and am leaving her to it.

Much the same here Unescorted I wonder if it’s the wind

Just huge hugs to all that are having a shit time xx
People on this thread have had my back and have been wonderful, I really couldn't have got through some of the shit without you all, so thank you xx

Camden

Talk away about it Camden. We all have to lean on each other now and again.

Four pre teens in my lounge last night/this morning. £22 pizza.
Forgot to confess my Whitby spends £38 on sea salt dress in a style I never normally wear. £89 on a new waterproof coat for walking to work.

Going to buy paint for DS room today.

Camden that's such an awful thing to happen

Thanks for all the support re dd, it is a big day bless her. She asked me at bedtime if this means she's a woman now! We had a nice evening, watched mamma mia, did face packs and nails while the puppy slept!

I've been up with him since 6 😴 really not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow 😥

His cute face makes up for the early starts...