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

[Wolfcubisthefemalenominal]

New Fred frugal friends

Em I just asked dd1 to go and rescue Wendy (of Bob the Builder fame) and a velociraptor out of the garden

Have also been meal planning and off to supermarket in a minute:
Crispy chicken/veggie alternative, new potatoes and veg.
Risotto
Homemade pizzas w sweet potato wedges and salad
Nachos
Gnocchi with J.O. 7 veg sauce
Possibly out for family meal on Saturday. Freezer meal if not.
Roast on Sunday.
Stir fry using roast leftovers and noodles next Monday.

Morning all. Didn’t have storms here but was kept awake by the toddler anyway 🤦‍♀️😂

Crappy afternoon yesterday, had to stand up to my parents which I never really do! But they were being their usual intellectually snobby selves and pointing out various spelling errors in the therapy packs we brought home. Had to point out in return that a) the therapist herself is dyslexic and b) doing that right in front of their newly diagnosed dyslexic granddaughter is not exactly a kind thing to do. They laughed it off (out of social unawareness, they aren’t generally mean people) until they saw by my face that I REALLY meant it 😡

Have phoned doctors, just waiting for a triage phonecall as that’s how they manage “on the day” appts.

Wolf I also want a dog spend hours every week looking at them on rescue pages and done deal and then I tell myself it's not the right time. Yesterday there was a beautiful dog free to a good home in next big town to ours, and I thought about ringing them but stopped myself. I'm used to my freedom of being able to leave my house while dc are at their dads and not return until they're coming back and that would be curtailed by a dog.

My bf's dog is very jealous of me and I thought he would get used to me but it's actually getting worse rather than better.

Ds woke at 3am "couldn't sleep" changed his kylie sheet for second time( first time he wet it awake in temper) and had to lie in with him, so although I'd 7 hours sleep it was broken. This is his version of apology cuddle up to me in middle of the night after being a tyrant before bed last night I can go back to sleep quickly however so that's a help.

Got up late, briefly debated buying lunch & then went to fridge & took out leftovers from Sat evening's dinner, packet of micro rice and grabbed two kiwis. Purse & Diet safe again

Hi all, just waiting to go to the airport, we are off on holiday today!

So just a quick hi and bye from me. I’ll be well and truly back on the frugal wagon in a couple of weeks. See you all soon!

Have a great holiday, Curls!

Enjoy curls

Have a great time!

Success with doctors, I didn’t even need to be seen face to face she was happy to refer me back to MH team as urgent. I’m not entirely sure what that means (two days compared to two weeks? One month compared to six months?!) and am trying to get up the courage to phone them and ask 🙈

Hopefully swimming later. Not managed to go in nearly 2 weeks between mega-period and the trip away, that’s the longest I have been away from it since joining.

Enjoy curls
Laputa that is good news.

Devon is lovely and it is just really nice to go with the flow and not to have to pander to a certain person.
Spent lots of money on food and the kids, but it was saved for.
Hope you are all ok

Yikes. Receptionist said it generally takes 8 weeks. She wasn’t sure if “urgent” would take it quicker though

Well done Laputa that’s a good result but fingers crossed the wait is shorter than 8 weeks
Dog sitting today whilst wfh in exchange for emergency childcare as arrangements fell through.
Nsd so far, dough out of freezer for a pizza yes. Didn’t get to the bank to submit joint account change forms due to dog. Track and trace shows seasalt got my return so I will give them a few more days before complaining.

Have fabulous holidays to those going on hols and those on hols currently

Hi everyone, can I join please?
I'm a couple of months into my second maternity leave and we've recently had some larger than expected spends on some emergency bits (like another car after mine suddenly died ) and now have no real savings. We're on a tight-ish budget as is so have cut back a huge amount of our spending and sorted as many bills as possible but still need to be really mindful of our spending while having a nice time with the DC.
I'm actually enjoying knowing where our money is going for once but I'm hoping that posting here will keep my thinking about it and help me stay on track (and you all seem lovely and supportive!).

YNAB referral link for anyone new to budgeting I've found this to be a game changer for me - bills are met & I know what I can afford to spend at any given time.

Welcome rosieposie

After deliberating over a dog for how long now? I've made plans to see one on Wed eve that's being rehomed. Cross between an English setter and labrador, just one year old. Looks amazing Will see what I think of him/her on Wed eve.

We will need pictures Happier. I love setters
Welcome Rosie -my top tip is to have an annual budget because one off expenses can screw you up. Put a little money away each month to cover these and on payday always pay yourself (savings and budget pots and pensions) first

Welcome Rosie

Enjoy curls

Exciting happier! Very wise not to go for a puppy 😉

Lap your parents were thoughtless, you were right to tell them.

Quite a tricky day here, first day back at work and dd really didn't cope well with being left on her own to look after the puppy. She lasted 2.5 hours and then rang in tears, I was able to come home and wfh for the rest of the day. Although it was hard to get much done as dd needed support and I needed to keep reminding her to put puppy out/put him to bed/watch him etc etc.

I think she's feeling overwhelmed and her period isn't helping. Plus the cat hasn't been well today and thrown up a few times!!

Managed a NSD though at last!

Thanks for the welcome
Wolf the annual budget is what we're aiming for now to hopefully deal with those unexpected spends. We used to do that and life was a bit simpler for it.

How exciting Happier! Setters are lovely dogs.

Sounds like a tough day all round Girlie, cats always know the worst time to do something disgusting!!

I had an annoyingly spendy day today. Met some friends at a baby group for a play with DS and DD which cost £2 but thought we'd come home for lunch. They all wanted to go to the park after (at lunchtime) and went to Morrison's to buy massive picnics and I didn't want DS to miss out on time with his friends so I ended up spending £9 on picnic bits for the two of us Next time I'll pop home and make a picnic here and just meet them there!

We saw the koalas! Not too spendy. £30 fuel which is part of my weekly budget £5 coffee and another £10 drinks.

Welcome Rosie

Welcome Rosie

Hi Rosieposie
*
Bornlazy* I start work at 7:30 but my commute is a minimum of 90 minutes each way so I'm always up early, usually before 5am, I don't mind it but today I had to work until 7pm so 11.5 hours plus 3 hours travelling 😴 I do get dinner (paid for) when I work a mega day in the office, today was GBK so not bad.

Everyone thinking of getting a dog takes me back to when my spaniel was a puppy 🐶 hard work but so much fun.

Spent £1.51 in Lidl today 😊

Welcome Rosie.
I work Flexi time and make the most of DC being away by going in early as the office is open from 7.

Nsd yesterday as thought I had forgotten my purse, but I hadn't as it was in a different pocket.

Ah keep us updated on the doggo happier. We would love another but would need to pay a dog walker which isn't fair.

Sounds tough girlie not a great mix of events for day 1.

That's a long commute Camden. And a long day.

£63 in Sainsbury's 25% off clothes

What time do you go to bed Camden? 5am is still the middle of the night in my book 😉 although not since getting the puppy!! I slept 11pm til 4am last night 😩 it's not the puppy's fault, I woke up and thought I better put him out and then can't get back to sleep. Puppy then woke up at 6.15 needing a 💩, he's tired this morning though and we both dozed on the sofa until I had to get ready for work. He's still snoozing now!

Hoping for a better day today, I've got patients to see so can't wfh but will come back at lunch and dd and puppy are going to a friends this afternoon.

My mums kindly given me some money towards puppy classes which is a relief as would have really struggled to get to the end of the month otherwise.

I need to start thinking about what back to school stuff dd needs. Uniform wise I think she's okay but she will need shoes and trainers and a new winter coat as last years one has fallen to bits.

Morning all. Nsd planned here - unless I give in to the online shopping sale emails I’m being sent...

Dh has taken the car today. Midwife is coming for our final check at some point today so because I don’t have a specific time I can’t realky go anywhere.

I’m hoping dh has taken the pram from the car boot like I asked him too so we can maybe go for a walk. But if not it’ll be an at home with netflix day.

I asked about Mils visit yesterday. Asked dh whether she’s hiring a car while she’s here. He said no. She can come everywhere with us. What he hasn’t considered though is that our car will not fit three adults and two car seats. We have a fiesta. Car seats take up loads of room. You’d have to be the size of a twig to fit in the middle seat. I’m not huge and I can’t fit (I tried yesterday). So logistically dh hasn’t thought this through. Options are:

• mil hires a car
• I schedule in activities rigidly and borrow DMs car
• only two adults go out at any one point
• two trips everywhere
• one adult gets the bus and the others go with the kids in the car.
• we buy a second car - jokes. Won’t do this.

I’m leaving dh to work this puzzle out.

I’ve already said I’m going to use mil being here as an opportunity to do things for me - hair done, pedicure etc. So dh won’t be left alone with two littlies.

Just waiting for Dd to drop off to sleep so I can hop in the shower....