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

[Wolfcubisthefemalenominal]

New Fred frugal friends

He’s adorable Girlie. I so desperately wAnt a dog.

Nsd yesterday woooo. I did add lots to my ocado shopping basket as I was auditing the cupboards though

Need to chase seasalt tomorrow as I haven’t had an acknowledgement that I sent a dress back to them for a refund and it’s been at least theee working days since they will have received it

Took my eye of the ball yesterday because dh has been moving money around to pay for legal fees and a surveyor. But I've managed to get it all in order.

My girls came back from their trip overseas last night, they had a good time but were exhausted 😴 lots of laundry to get through now.

Also had 2 small refunds go into the current account one for £22 and another for £28 so that was a nice surprise. Paid £39.99 for a new school blazer as tomorrow is the last day to order and I didn't want to risk forgetting to order and miss the deadline.

Dh has been busy with a work project (although he hasn't been going into the office he's still doing stuff from home which is good) so that's helped to take his mind off of everything that's going on.

It's my mums birthday today so we are going to see her later, we don't have a great relationship and aren't particularly close. I've got her a gift and some flowers. DD's are home for a week and then they'll be going on a short break with grandma, which helps as I'm working all through the summer hols and dh should be too, but I'm not sure what's going to happen with him right now 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yesterday in a moment of madness and impulse I ordered a Fab Fit Fun box, it said it was £43 but they've charged me £51. I'm a sucker for this kind of crap. Don't know why I do it, now I'm regretting it and going to try and cancel hmmm.

Sausage mash and onion gravy for dinner tonight. Changed most of the beds yesterday so will finish that today and get on with the ironing!

Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday

Paperwork filled in to remove knob-face from the joint account and email sent to life insurance company to determine whether it’s possible to do the same with them. New life insurance quotes for me don’t seem to be better than 50% of what I’m paying for both of us so seeing whether I can preserve my existing benefits by just booting him off the policy.
Planning to make an appointment with the banks mortgage advisor in the next couple of weeks. Online quotes with current provider look promising but very different to other providers at similar rates so I’m wondering if I’ve done something wrong with the quote. Trying to investigate the potential to extend the mortgage in case I have to buy him out.

Camden cancel that subscription! Well done on the refunds

Productive morning/day so far.

Tidied up the cardboard recycling in the garage. So it’s all now neatly squashed/ripped and packed into the biggest box.

Laundry - one load outside another in the machine and towels and my dressing gown in the dryer to fluff up. Dry clothes away

Kitchen tidied
Dishwasher emptied

£3.99 on the “stylebook” app. On recommendation from a poster on another thread I’ve started adding pictures of all my clothes so I can worn with what I have, work out what suits, work out what I wear etc. And keep track of what I have.

Have also managed to cull a few bits - gym leggings in a size 14 - bought by mistake ages ago. A pair of straight leg slim fit jeans (which sag and bag on some) and a very old hoody which has shrunk in the wash.

I’ve also managed to make use of the ones kallax storage baskets I bought. I had ordered the kallax too from amazon but they wouldn’t ship it here. The baskets arrived and annoyingly I have run out of time to send them back for a refund. They do however fit in some of the shelving space in the wardrobe and under the bed. So have sorted through accessories in one and gym clothes and accessories (stretch bands, gliding discs etc) in another.

Dh took ds to the park earlier and then to see Fil.

Dd is wearing proper clothes today. 😂😃😍

I've had a fairly busy day too.

I made myself low carb pancakes with bacon for breakfast.

Dc stayed at my friends last night so before I went to collect them I went to M&S and Tesco for forgotten shopping and picnic bits for longleat tomorrow.

Collected dc and my friend gave me the wine I didn't drink last night but took with me as she's off on holiday tomorrow.

Got home and have put chicken and chorizo casserole in the slow cooker and made low carb blueberry muffins that are currently in the oven.

Ds is upstairs watching some crap on YouTube and dd has fallen asleep on the sofa good job because later we're off to an open air cinema for her friends birthday so will be a bit of a late night although not too bad.

£7.98 mcds (using £3 off voucher)
Meter readings submitted. Looks like I’m using slightly less than their estimate so I’m hoping I might be able to drop my direct debit a little more when the bill comes through. I’m paying £95pm they estimate I’m using 106pm but my account is over £200 in credit (actually over £300 but they work on pay in advance)

Do you have a chicken and chorizo recipe wreck?

Tidyed the house post sleepover after the gym. Lots of washing down. DS curtains changed and filler for cracks done. Deathly hallows 2 watched as DS wanted to watch all the films post hp world.
DC of to mother's tonight as back to work tomorrow. Boo

Chicken of your choice (I've used boneless skinless thigh)
Chorizo diced of sliced
Tin of tomatoes drained
Thyme sprigs or dried
Green olives
Salt and pepper
Paprika

Optional extras
Crumbles stock cube
Red pepper
Onion
Garlic
Anything you fancy

Method:

Chuck it all in the slow cooker and ignore for a few hours

Sounds lush

em & wreck sounds like you've been busy & productive.
camden what a nightmare you're having. Sounds like all that you're doing is practical & sensible. Good luck with the legal side, stuff like that makes me angry, it's so unfair.
unescorted I love those fabrics, sorry for my bad influence
wolf bulb have a facility for you to reduce your payments on the website without waiting for them to initiate it or you to have to argue your case. I've done it before. Well done for getting some of the financial/legal stuff moving.
seacow I found Portmeirion strange too. Hope the weather dries up for you.

It's rained on & off all day here in Spain too, always a risk in the north I think. It's been fine though, we've had a chilling day. Dh is in the pool with ds & dd, I'm about to light the BBQ & we've just played the Monopoly card game for the first time, great fun, positive verdict from all of us. We have a box of small games we always take away with us & this is a new addition. We've got cards, dominoes, uno, Yahtzee, monopoly cards, bananagrams, pass the pigs, Dobble, Pit & Continuo. They've been collected over the years & make for good frugal fun.

Waxing was €39
Spends last night approx €40
Today €20.69 topup style shop in centra milk bread cheese cookies chips fruit will push grocery shop out until wed eve

Will catch up this eve on yesterday's & today's posts

I need to get back to posting my spends as I'm getting carried away in the school holidays. Today wasn't too bad though, £12 on some posh picnic stuff to go with what we had already packed but that was for all 5 of us.
Dcs have been hard work today. I asked them to tidy up the colossal mess they had made in the living room. Dd1 who had made most of the mess cried and said she hates tidying. She was trying it on. She did then start tidying only for the dts to keep taking things back out of the box and flinging them about. This made dd1 cry again and I got really cross and shouted at them both. Now dh is trying to get them to sleep (they are not having it by the sound of things) and I am feeling rubbish about shouting at them.
I have gin and a chocolate brownie left from the picnic so I shall have those in a bit!

Snuggly it's hard going, and they're testing you! Enjoy the gin & choc brownie.
I'd a lovely choc & walnut brownie today.

Inspired not to make some avocado brownies again but I don't have any so I'll put them on shopping list

I know there's only tayto here but the pic attached is Irish word for frugality.

Wreck that sounds lush without the olives

Wolf fingers crossed 🤞
Well done on paperwork, glad things are progressing for you in separation

Em winning at life with dd in proper clothes you're being very productive, please slow down & look after yourself you remind me of me after ds was born & before I crashed & burned

Camden

Thanks Happier. I'm treating myself to SWFL on iplayer with my brownie

happier I promise I am resting as much as I can. I’m indulging in some Netflix binge watching every day and am trying to get early nights and not do too much.

DInner with Dparents. Dm made gammon and “dolphin” potatoes. Mmmmmmm.

Em glad to hear it

I've been awake since 3:30 😭😭 I'm so tired and we're off to longleat today. I'm driving too. ☕️ this is why I never get up with the dc at night because I just can't get back to sleep

I'm the same, Wreck. If I get up with the dcs I'm up for hours even if they go back to sleep quickly. It's happened the last 3 night in a row and I could have cried when they woke up this morning. I just want to sleep. Dh asked me what I want for my birthday and I said I just want to wake up of my own accord and have a lazy morning! No way that will happen though, they will be too noisy!

Dh doesn't get it because as soon as his head hits the pillow he's asleep! Ds went straight to sleep once I tucked him in so I really wouldn't have minded getting up but that's it for the day. Hope you get your birthday wish earplugs maybe?!

A night in a hotel on your own Snuggly with late check out
Ds was prowling round the house at midnight and I have the same can’t fall back asleep problem so I’m also in the knackered club. I am rather cross as he is old enough to know better

Hi early risers and everyone that can't get back to sleep 😴

I'm on the tube on my way into work - weekend went far too quickly!

Plan today is to spend less that £2 on Lidl on a couple of bananas, a bread roll and some biscuits. Best thing about working in London is that I don't have time to shop!

I'm doing quite well with budgeting, cancelled the subscription box 😬 that I should never have ordered. Should definitely have enough left to take some spending money on our trip to Wales during bank holiday week. Plus I have to buy dd2 school shoes(£50) and ds2 uniform for college (£200 yikes - £4.50 for each pair of socks )

Morning I'm also in the knackered club although the puppy is doing good at night, he went from 10pm til 5am with no wake up/loo breaks then goes back til 6.15am but then he's up for the morning! The aim is to get him to go from 10-6 with no wake ups!! I can cope on 8 hours of sleep 😁 I seriously don't know how you with young kids cope with years of sleep deprivation!!

Back to work today 😭 my annual leave has gone way too fast.

Ystd my only spend was £44 in Aldi which didn't feel too bad as was a big shop and I got a fair bit for that.

Meal plan

Veggie Spag Bol and garlic bread
Jacket spuds various fillings
Lentil Dahl for dd/chicken stir fry for me
Something on toast probably eggs or beans
Pizza and salad
Roast dinner
Tuna Pasta and pesto

Back to work today. Just walked in. New waterproof coat passed the test. Urgh it's August ffs

Morning everyone. Day off so today’s plans include ironing school uniform and looking for new pencils rulers etc as my DC go back to school on Thursday. I always hate the change in routine when they either stop for holidays or go back. It unsettles me for a while.

Huge sympathies for all those struggling with lack of sleep. I think your mind blanks it out as now that mines are older and would sleep most of the day I don’t really remember the sleepless nights very well.
On the downside, due to the menopause, I frequently wake early now, but I can stay in bed relaxing until it’s a reasonable time to get up and I’m not having to be full on supervising/entertaining young dc. It must feel like a very long day for some of you.

I’m also amazed at how early some of you have to start work. I start at seven but I’m a shift worker so that’s kind of par for the course but some of you are on the road even earlier than me.

Camden that’s an awful situation with your builder. You must feel so powerless not being able to fix the problem. It’s a disgrace that cowboys like that can just steal people’s money. I hope you get something sorted

Knackered here too. Ridiculous thunder lightening and rain last night. Ds was both frightened and excited by it. Dd slept through most of it - only woke up for feeding. Poor catface though. So scared.

All three littlies were in with me last night. Dd in her basket. Then me in bed. Then Ds on the other side. Catface in between me and ds. She alternated between sleeping on her back with her legs in the air to trying to snuggle up to my face shaking when the thunder crashed.

Dh has gone to work. Ds is currently trying to sit in “magic chair” (dds rocker/vibrating chair) and watch fireman Sam.

Words I never thought I’d say “we don’t put fireman Sam In our mouths do we?” And “no...not Tom Thomas” when he gave me fireman Sam....