Had a Spendy Summer? Join the Friendly Frugaleers as we Segue Smoothly into a Sensible September

[LivingInLaputa]

All welcome. Couldn’t see another thread!

Dd has her first round of jabs today. Waaaaa. Then an hour later I went for a chat re my mirena. All good so far.

GOt back home gave Dd some calpol and she sicked it up. So I couldn’t then give her anymore (as wasn’t sure how’s much she’s had...) sigh.

Anyway. She went to sleep. So I was able to chill for a bit.

Picked Ds and dh up from nursery and work. Home. Dinner. Played with duplo - ds was given a lot!!! Bed.

Easier day tomorrow I hope.

Camden I'm overdrawn this month by a fair amount 😕 I also get paid Friday but am not holding out much hope for October being much better!

Am getting quite concerned about how I'm going to afford Christmas this year.

Thanks and yes that’s the one 😀

Em lovely pictures 😍

I'm ok but no where near my food budget. With feeding more it's over. Trying to eat more veg to balance it out

The JO cottage pie makes loads.

October is spendy as both DC have birthdays. Then I run to Christmas. No idea at the minute what to get people. Then again not much thought given either

September has been a gazillion times better than August

We are screwed money wise. Dh's boss keeps telling him he's going to give him some money from this big job they're doing but we still haven't seen it (anyone surprised?!). No idea how I'm going to pay for ds' birthdays, the school Christmas trip, nephew and nieces birthdays, brothers birthday, Christmas.... we just don't have any spare money when we get paid and food is getting more expensive. Dd announced she's becoming veggie too which would be fine if I wasn't eating low carb for my diabetes. We will all be living on cauliflower cheese!

I'd be worried too Wreck. Remember you are an awesome frugaleer and we are here to support you.

You're right about food getting more expensive. Our shopping bill has gone from about £60-70 a week to between £90-100 without us buying anything different. Still buying nappies but hopefully we are reaching then end of that phase soon. That will make a significant difference.

I'm veggie. I'm trying to think of low-carb cheap veggie meals for you. Frittata is a good one. I'll post later if I think of more.

Wreck that's awful stress on you, do your family know that ye struggle financially? Just thinking you could forgo present for brother, not as easy for nephew & niece I know.
Maybe check Jack Munroe for cheap veggie recipes for dd, could you batch cook hers just so you're not making two meals every meal time?

girlie puppy sounds delightful, I'm delighted I got our dog, ds's temperament has vastly improved since we did & he's more open too about his feelings, might be an age thing too.

Get your worries about Christmas too, I added up what last Christmas cost & what dd's communion cost the other day, if I get h's share it'll cover this Christmas, if house sale doesn't go through I'll need to approach him for this money.

madden is everyone on board with the budgeting, it's half the battle. I've found that side of things much easier since I've been on my own, because there's no one else spending from the accounts except me.

This month has gone better than last month, I'm not juggling as much as last month coming up to all direct debits going out.

That really sucks wreck :( I’d talk to family now about Christmas/birthdays, it will likely feel more difficult to say “we can’t afford it” nearer the time.

I’ve completed all the stuff I needed to do in order for meds to be approved, so just waiting for the all clear now! I can’t quite believe it.

We had our family support worker round yesterday (she is so awesome, and sweary and “real” 😂 none of that airy fairy nonsense) and she brought a benefits advisor with her, she’s going to come back next week to restart DLA etc. But she’s lovely too, she said if at any point we get too overwhelmed with the (horrible) process she can leave and come back another day

So most of us are in the same boat budget wise congrats to anyone that made it through the month without going overdrawn or dipping into savings!

I think we are ok until some surprise cost is sprung upon us, I've just had an email for a trip for dd2 and they want £100 deposit tomorrow, it's first come first served and only half the year can go, ds2 went a few years ago and had a great time.

We also have scaffolders after money because the thieving builder owes them money and has told them he's not paying so they are knocking on my door, dh wants to pay them, but I'm so angry I think I'd rather let them take it down. They want £600 today. Anyone know if that's what scaffolding costs? I'd rather pay someone else more as I just can't bear the thought of paying his debts. I've already paid once for it!

Hugs to everyone struggling at the moment, whether it’s personal or financial.
We are ok, thanks to the council tax windfall. And DH being handy with tools to fix the car.

I’ve started making a list of ideas for Christmas but not bought anything yet. @WreckTangled we pared back who we buy for a few years ago and I think once we suggested it, everyone else was a little bit relieved too! We just buy for our own kids and the nieces and nephews.

I got paid today and it couldn’t come soon enough. September was extremely spendy for me as ordered new sofas and bought new bedroom furniture. I have had to dip into savings a few times but It was badly needing done so feel it was justified.

I am hoping October will be a bit more controlled but it is a five week month for me and I have four birthdays so maybe not...

Camden I get the rage every time I hear about your builder. It’s shocking that he is getting away with this

I am also angry about your builder Camden, it’s just awful. If they take the scaffolding down will you need to get more put up? That’s just a practical consideration about what’s cheapest from here. Otherwise, if they were engaged / contracted by the builder and not by you directly then I wouldn’t pay. Not being mean but you’ve already paid for it and if their contract is with the builder and not you then I’d be polite but firm that they need to pursue him. If you engaged them directly then I’d feel obliged to pay as much as I could. But if you can’t, you can’t.

Yyy to food prices going up. I’m really noticing that. Also hoping the end of the nappy years is in sight!

Great that you have a sympathetic and useful support worker Lap

September wasn’t bad for us because I’d bought all uniform etc earlier in the summer, and we don’t spend much on DS’s birthday - he’s not very interested in toys so most of the cost was cake /family lunch (I spent a fortune on ingredients but that was the worst of it). October will be expensive because it’s my sisters’ birthday (twins, and milestone one). They are ace so I will spend a bit. And bake a cake.

Christmas won’t cost a fortune as we’re probably not hosting this year and I’ve already started with the present shopping so it’s spread out. But we do need to save as I’ve only got another year of this contract and then I don’t know what will happen with work /income. So must make proper efforts.

BUT. I’m planning to buy a new mattress ASAP. Ours is awful (memory foam - never again!) and I’m sick of having an aching back. I’m going to try and order one next week. Pocket sprung, medium firm and no pissing awful memory foam

@WreckTangled we do 4 presents for everyone and set a budget. Something they want something they need something to eat/drink something to read.

I get my last pay on 21 Oct for this year so need to budget carefully for Christmas.

Spends today:

£65 joules - reduces yellow rain coat that I’ve had my eye on for ages. And a bobbley hat for Dd.

£60 (but £30 of this gift voucher) in next for ds and Dd.

We struggle to do one present!

It'll be ok I'll just keep on at dh to get more money. It's always mean who has to carry the financial burden because I control the finances. He just works and puts it in the joint account I'm the one who has to work out how the hell we will pay for everything. And he still moans that he has to put all his wages into the account (he doesn't) can still buy beer though...

Thanks for the sympathy ❤️ I'm just having a really bad day, I actually cried at work this morning, which is mortifying because almost everyone I work with is VERY young and just doesn't live in the real work (think bank of mummy and daddy).

I keep having all these grand ideas for Christmas but realistically they won't be happening, we also booked a very expensive holiday before we were done over, so I'm trying to pay that off, would not have booked it if I'd known how things were going to turn out.

Parents of teens - how are you planning on dealing with Christmas this year? Both ds1 and ds2 won't be bothered at all, luckily I bought loads of stuff in the boots sale after Christmas, so that will make up the bulk of gifts this year, I also held two things back from dd1 birthday presents earlier in the month, we've gone from pretty well off to scraping by in order to get things done.

It's so shit Camden. I also wouldn't want to be paying the cowboys bills and I don't think it's fair for them to ask you. I would tell them to take it down I think, assuming that another lot of scaffolding when you need it won't end up being more expensive if that makes sense? There's some info here on scaffolding costs householdquotes.co.uk/scaffolding-costs/
Funnily enough we currently have scaffolding on our house because they put it on the wrong house. Not so funny is that they've drilled it into the bricks and broken a window vent and window ledge tile in the process

Bloody hell Wreck! I hope they will compensate you for that.

I've been thinking about your veggie/kiwi carb problem. I am the only veggie in our house. We often make big quantities of things like basic tomato sauce or curry sauce to freeze in portions then add the meat/veg/Quorn or whatever to it as and when required.

Thanks for that info wreck, I'm going to send it to dh.

That's awful, I can't believe they've damaged your property, are they going to repair it? Apparently scaffolders are a law unto themselves so everyone keeps telling me!

I've been back on the Christmas bargains thread and order 7 Dr Botanicals cleansing bars/exfoliating bars for £12 delivered, so that's quite a few gifts sorted.

Wreck I am sorry things are so tight. It sounds as though your situation is very similar to that of my parents while I was growing up. things were very very tight for them for our whole childhoods - they weren’t extravagant people but had to work really hard to manage within their means. My dad brewed his own beer for several years as he couldn’t afford it otherwise! I had, and have, the utmost respect and gratitude for the happy childhood they gave us. It must be incredibly stressful to have to worry about money so much and to absorb that stress on behalf of your family. I think you give your kids great experiences, whether on a budget or not, and they are very lucky.

Camden one very lean Christmas is not going to hurt your kids. They’ll probably always remember it as being different to normal but I bet they don’t look back on it negatively - It’s just got to be done as part of getting back on track and they will respect that, even more so as they get older and can understand better. Sorry you are having a bad day .

I just shouted at a driver who mounted the curb near my kids in the way back from school because he was driving while on his phone and swerved away from another car. I lost my rag and gave him a proper piece of my mind - it was a very near miss and I was in shock myself. To his ‘credit’ he looked almost sick at what had nearly happened and he almost cried when I shouted at him so I don’t think he’ll be doing that again!

Wreck I think you're the same as me and buy for lots of people at Christmas. Even with a budget it soon mounts up. The problem I have is that some of the people I buy for don't have many other people that they get gifts from so I'd feel mean to stop it.

Camden I have two teens and they will get mostly clothes, smellies and xbox games. I always spend far too much on them and I know I'm not doing them any favours by spoiling them.

Scaffolders and roofers are animals according to dh we don't own our house so I'm sure it'll be sorted.

Sea how scary I would have shouted too! Hopefully it taught him a lesson

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to sit down with dd later and discuss meals she would like and go from there. Also will Pinterest some things.

It's our fault we're in this position we went on holiday and do nice things instead of saving. I have no one to blame but myself

Posting spends now and will catch up when dc are in bed.
Went to town to exchange a schoolbook & visit the free library. Easons not doing schoolbooks anymore so refunded me €6.75 went to other book shop & got replacement book €4.95 annoyingly it's the book I originally bought & teacher said it was incorrect
€11.96 on 4 reduced Shaun the sheep books for ds
60c on parking
€50.22 in Lidl went in for a dog harness & cat nuts
€1 on hot choc from vending machine for ds
All above are bills account spends

Then dd needed sanitising liquid for school because they've no soap this was message from teacher
I needed to replenish my make up & had watched a couple of tutorials on Instagram & some used products from primark/Penney's so I spent €36.40 there but have everything I need now

No soap?! Although hand sanitiser can kill some germs it does not wash poo etc off of hands. 🤢

Wow, no soap. That's bad.

Nsd until I went on the Christmas thread. £17 on soap and ,£10 wrapping paper.