Friendly frugaleers as the leaves fall our bank balances will rise, hopefully!

[lifelongfrugaleer]

Couldn't see one so took the liberty of starting a new thread.

Watching how Britain spends on virgin media player with Anne Robinson

Thanks all. Unfortunately I can’t get my meds yet because the doctor wrote the prescription unclearly so I have to take that back tomorrow, but I’m feeling very positive.

I love the word swoodles :o

Thanks to a lovely friend DS is going to start Scouts. She is a volunteer there and her son (DS’ best friend) goes and she offered to pick him up on the way there. She’s even got spare shirts he can have as her DS (and three of his four brothers) have all moved through scouting and outgrown them. Yay! £12 a month for a lot of fun. :)

Thanks for the ideas! Wreck you reminded me that I’ve recently bought gluten free teriyaki sauce so I’m going for a teriyaki chicken thinly with veggies and swoodles (agree Lap, excellent word ). That’ll do the trick.

I’m sooooo tired. Worked for 12 hours including travel, and a high pressure day of back to back meetings, then rushed home, put dd to bed, rushed out to get petrol as we were on fumes (and I can’t fill up with the DC in tow, either would go mental if I left them in the car to pay), then sainies as I had a Tu order to collect that was almost out of time. I’m now making dinner but have more work to do afterwards, argh!

£59 petrol, £15 sainies, £12 on a round of coffees for colleagues at an off site meeting.

Scouts sounds great Lap, and a bargain! Will read back properly later...

Oooooh swoodles. What a corker of a word.

Beavers/Scouts is such a bargain! They seem to do SO much for that monthly fee and any add in activities or sleepovers are low-cost too.

Dd is off on a Beavers sleepover this Saturday and they're doing around 6 adventure activities, sleepover and all food and the cost is £25. She will love it!

Limping on to end of week here, unwell, period has come early, not enough sleep or mojo. I'm supposed to come back from half term feeling rejuvenated 😂

NSD yesterday!

Tired.

Very stormy overnight. Ds woke up at 430, had a nap in our bed for a bit then was awake again at 530. We’ve had toast and tea in bed and watched Netflix. Peter rabbit and peppa pig. Yawn.

Dh is taking the car today so Dd and I are “stranded” at home. To be fair we have no plans and a stay home day is probably what we both need. If we get a break in the rain we might go out for another walk.
Nsd planned today.

Oh dear. Popped into Jojo Maman Bebe. They have a scratch card event and I lucked out and got 50% off everything. £150 later... ouch! I mostly bought useful things - like gloves, hats, wellies, snow boots, waterproof trousers. But also a few toys and a Christmas outfit. Oops.

It's my day off today & have managed to be very productive so far. I dropped ds off for his second CFS physio appointment, went to Hobbycraft for individual cupcake boxes (no plastic) for dd's birthday, then gym, booked dd's birthday meal, booked apprenticeship open evening for ds, grocery shop £68, updated budget spreadsheets & took meter readings.
Still need to clean the bathroom & do some Christmas sewing/quilting. I'm doing some bunting for dnephew & a lap quilt/throw with leftover fabric bits from other projects. Also need to finish table runner and Christmas tree skirt I made last year! Should be minimal cost involved as I am trying to just use fabrics & wadding I already have and am backing things with a sheet I bought a while back from a charity shop.
Will pop back when I've got the bathroom sorted....

Gosh it’s quiet here today! While DD napped I had a huge sort out in the spare room and moved my Christmas shopping stash that was dotted around into DS’s room, as he has lots of empty cupboard space. Weirdly, I can hide his and DD’s presents in his bedroom and he literally won’t notice at all... Spare room looks a lot better now. I just need to put some laundry etc away and change the bed and then it’s respectable for my friend visiting tomorrow, phew!

Got quite a lot of work to do tonight, even though it’s my non-working day. I am looking forward to this week being over.

The bathroom guys have said they’d like to start next week as another project has been delayed so they have a gap. I am under a lot of pressure to choose everything this weekend, at least for the en suite, and also clear all the surrounding space through our bedroom for easier access. On the other hand, it will be well out of the way before Christmas and that’s very appealing!

Photos of the crafting please, North

Ds was sick this morning so didn't go to childminder. However he seems absolutely fine since 7.30 am, no fever or anything, so fingers crossed he'll be okay and not pass it on to DH or me!! Ds and I both need to get flu jabs if they have any left. Usually my work offers it for staff in certain roles.

Sea My job is really full-on at times but I'd never be able to do it on the small amount of sleep you sometimes get - certainly not with the positivity you always exhibit! It's impressive. But do take care of yourself this weekend if you can, amongst the house-related shopping.

em Best of luck with the vegan experiment - let us know if you want any ideas!

Aiming for another NSD tomorrow. We'll see. NSD today at least, and LSD yesterday as well. Feeling a bit skint due to the quarterly gas & electricity bill coming out of my account Tuesday on top of normal bills. We'll be okay though as long as I get back to meal planning based on what we have in the cupboards. And stop buying a second breakfast at work which isn't helping with my weight loss or frugality goals.

I’ve eaten more fruit and veg today than I have in a long time. because of this my digestive system has gone haywire. 😳

I’m actually enjoying this challenge. Variety is the spice of life and all that.

Nsd.

Dd sicked on my uggs!!! I know they’re not the most stylish of footwear. But so cosy. I’ve washed them off and they should be ok. 😭

££££ at school Christmas fayre.
No other spends though as didn't get it off work for s break.

I'm finally in bed with lemsip 🤧!! Watching the student EWFL - my alumni 👩‍🎓 one of them even on the same course as me (well, almost 20 years later 😂)

Worked today, lots to catch up on after being away for a few days.

Spendy day as my friend booked two days at the spa for next January a bit earlier than I expected so had to pay her £89. Had hoped it wouldn't get booked until after my bday so I could use bday money!

Also spent £72 on Amazon on Christmas presents but that's dds main presents done (grown up Lego and a board game.) Plus stocking fillers and something for my mum.

Used savings for both of the above.

More frugally I only spent £2.30 in the co-op and got 3 loaves of bread, a big bag of spuds and custard powder for that.

I’m obviously going to ask what board game, girlie :o

Haha lap I knew you would 😉 I'm a bit scared to say in case you tell me it's rubbish 🤣 Pentago? It had good reviews and is for two players which is good for us.

Have spent a soul destroying 2 hours trying to upload photos to oneclickprint 😩 have now given up in frustration - it's so so slow!!

That’s a great game! We have it, one of those simple to learn, quick to play but endless strategy type things :o

Ooh lap! I'd love some board game inspiration 😁... specifically small games that can be easily packed for a day out/holiday etc and are easy enough for 8-9 yo. We have Dobble already. I've heard good things about Bananagrams and Pick-up-Pigs?

I want to put together some ready-packed bags which have games, colouring, snacks etc so that any time we want to head out for the day or meal out etc we can just grab and go a bag ready to entertain the kids (rather than me scrabbling around for a pen and a napkin which is what usually happens 😂)

Girlie we love pentago too

Madden banana grams is no good for a day out but it is good for holiday cottages

Gubs is a good portable one (cards in a tin)

Hello all - I’ve been referred to the two week breast cancer pathway after finding a hard, irregular lump. The new GP was very nice and said he thought it was in my favour that the lump moves when he touches it but because of the size and irregularity he wants it checked as suspected breast cancer. The added complication is that I’ve only just moved here so I’m not registered with the GP (did that this morning when I went in for the emergency appt) so he’s worried the hospital will refuse to see me.

Oh no plan that sounds quite scary, I'm sure they won't refuse to see you though.

Dd had her SALT assessment this morning, it was a long assessment but feel like we've made some progress. She will request a peads referral for poss ASD, dd also struggles with auditory processing which explains a few things!

Glad it's Friday!!

Oh no Plan. Fingers crossed you can be seen quickly and it isn’t a suspicious lump

Girlie how is dd feeling? Glad to see things are progressing but I expect it was a tough day.

£46 Sainsbury’s
£6 McDonald’s

Plan I don't think they'll refuse to see you. Even though you only registered this morning it will have been updated on the spine and you should now be registered. It's just the paper notes that can take about six weeks to move over but that's just for the GP's not the hospital. Hopefully it's all clear for you.

Swimming with ds and a coffee with dparents in cafe after £10.50 (3 coffees a flapjack (vegan) and an apple juice for ds).

Just taken Dd for a walk. Managed to dodge the rain again. She’s still asleep in her pram.