Frugal Friends Finding Financial Freedom In February

[Wolfcub]

New Fred

Sorry wolf posted that before reading your last post. Sounds awful. Would the promotion be the same but at least for more money or even worse?

Wolf that sounds terrible, has he never heard of communication!!
Thanks north she seems fine now, so should be back to school tomorrow.

That's shit wolf. Boss could at least have the decency to tell you.
Sorry to hear about the insurance hassle tayto.
I've I use Mary berry flapjack 4 ingredients. BBC good food is my other go to for recipe. There is a nice millionaire shortbread. I think it has a white pattern on it in the picture

Evening all! I'm just settling down with Series 2 of You (can you tell dh is out 😂). Once I've caught up here I will watch whilst sorting out the washing mountain.

Snuggly, I'm backing your idea for an official 'life admin day' added to each week. I just can't keep up some weeks and having house-buying/selling admin added to the list doesn't help (actually born, can I have a bit of your mojo and organisation please?!). Happier, not bored of house talk at all! (am I just as guilty?!). How do you feel about the house at €135? We found out from the sellers estate agent today that they've rejected a good offer from a buyer who's proceedable just because they haven't found anywhere to buy yet 🤷‍♀️ - it's made us question how serious they are about their sale.

Seacow and wolf wishing you early nights, supportive colleagues and lots of caffeine and sugar. Also unescorted, really pleased that your work weight has lifted - great news. Tayto I was also really shocked about the MH/Ins... no wonder so many of us keep going under the mental load when there's such discrimination for asking for help.

North how is your ds today? Yes to making his own links with his health but no harm in being at the sidelines with nutritious flapjacks!

Happy Birthday curls and enjoy your spa trip girlie!

And finally..... 😂 (best not leave it over a day to respond next time - you're all so chatty!) Laska I've been salivating over those squashed roasties since the weekend 😋!! I'm also going to put some kind of hot pot with scalloped potatoes on the list as we have a real mash/roasters divide in this house so maybe scallops will be a compromise?!

Totally agree, how on earth is it only Tuesday?

Great news unescourted

That’s not on of the boss wolf

That’s not fair tayto . It is wrong that still today when you rightfully get help, you end up being penalised.

Wishing you lots of sleep tonight sea. No idea how you manage on so little.

NSD

DP is meant to be writing a job application. I’ve seen a possible one but wavering as it’s full time. On the plus side, if I got an interview it’s on my non work day so would only have to tell my boss if I got it.

Very tired here today as was too wired from work to sleep last night.

Evening.

Nsd. Wahooooo.

Yoga at lunchtime which was lovely and chill.

We also got the pics from our photoshoot back today. OMG they are amazing.

This is my absolute fave of ds.

north you quilt! I just started last year and have made 3 so far, a small starter one (from Melanie Ham’s beginner quilt tutorial), then a king sized and a double sized one. not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I hope to get better.
Less fat is a good idea for the flapjacks, they do come out a touch greasy. I tend to slightly under bake as we like them softer. I think next time I may try adding some luxury fruit muesli to the mix.
Agree with everyone about the length of this week...it seems to have been 4 working days already....

em how cute is he!!

ds is okay today thanks madden. That's the approach I try to stick to, being on the sidelines ready to pitch in when needed.
Seacow You really are amazing, but I do hope your work gets more manageable soon.

That's a really lovely photo, Em.

That's a gorgeous pic Em

Thanks guys. They are so lovely. And she emailed them all across to me. No cost for printing them. I’ve got them all digitally so I can print as I like.
(Unlike others who take beautiful pics then charge £40 a pic for printing....)

Lovely pic Em
Yes I quilt Ive, very simply though, but love using colours to good effect and have a bit of a fabric addiction!. unescorted quilts too, which reminds me, did you make the batik quilt?
I need to finish 2 bargello cushion panels I started at a workshop & turn them into cushion covers before the next workshop mum & I have booked ourselves on!

I am still Standing ... just. And I do appreciate the sympathy - this happens to me quite often but not usually this bad /prolonged so I am Feeling exhausted and resentful! Boss also wrote today and said the audit committee wants a report on a piece of work (which I’m meant to have done but it keeps slipping for other pressures). I.e. I need to pull my finger out and do it. I have no more finger ! I was actually quite angry and haven’t replied yet. I don’t want to sound like a whinger - I’m pretty senior so these things are expected - but I’m putting a new team in place so actually while I am senior, i don’t have the usual arrangement of a big structure beneath me yet.

Unfortunately I can’t hand anything else to anyone - I was brought in for specialist knowledge and literally no one else had it. And we have a few massive projects on, including a new IT system implementation which is killing me . New guy starting in March will have a lot of knowledge for that and that will help a lot but in the meantime I’m doing his job and mine. I am not enjoying life very much at the moment. And I feel I am letting my children down.

I am having a think about my work future and what I want. Not sure what else I could do. I have a useless PhD and lots of transferable skills but at my age I think a change of industry /sector would be very difficult. I will think hard about it.

Phew. Anyway. I’m not bored of house talk. Love it. Happier I think you have to not think about being pushed towards the asking price etc but what it is worth TO YOU compared to what else you could get for your money. If it’s worth it And you probably won’t find anything you like better for the price they’ll take then go for it
If you can afford it. With houses I feel fatalistic - there’s usually more than one ‘right’ answer and if it’s not Meant to be then something else will come along later.

North I am . Enjoy the birdwatching!

Wolf sounds as though you are in a similar situation to me

Coffees and teas about £7.50
Tiles £793.

Oh and lost 2lb at Fatfighters.

Off to do one row of my knitting and go to bed 😴

Yesterday was NSD. Horah

Gorgeous photo em.
I love house talk. It will be me next year.
I think a factual email of what you have on and the hours you are doing to boss world be a good start. They may not listen but you have told them in writing. Before it all falls apart.

I wish I could sew better. I seem to be getting free time from the DC now so might take to a hobby. I think in going to start properly cooking again first though.

Are you planning a move too life? and how old are your children? Lovely to have some time to focus on yourself.

I got to sleep far too late - my book is too good! (The Hunting Party). Feel like I've been asleep for about 5 minutes 💤💤

sea what is it you do? What industry?

I’m on day 3 of work now. Dd has a great time at nursery. All smiles when I picked her up. Yay!!

Morning everyone
Couldn't sleep so am up early
Planning a NSD for me today hopefully but we shall see
Meetings and house viewing for DD2 went very well yesterday , Hopefully she will be in by Easter everything crossed
Em that is a beautiful picture of your DS so sweet

NHS management Em

Morning all,

Ooooh I don’t mean to brag, but I had such a good nights sleep last night! Went up at 9.45, exhausted as the night before I’d had horrible tummy ache from my birthday takeaway. And this morning I feel amazing, not slept that well in ages. I’m normally yawning my head off soon as I wake up, but I’m full of energy today!

Lots of housey stuff to get done today. And I only need some milk so I think I can still pretty much call it a NSD.

Yes madden we are up sizing so saving hard allegedly

Yeah for happy DD after nursery.

DS on antibiotics for sinus thing so will need paracetamol and tissues. And carrots and apples

Crazy busy at work, will try to catch up on thread tonight, thanks for recipe suggestions, NSD...

So guys I signed contracts for sale of my own house today, and agreed to buy the other house at 135K So now I'm trying to find something to rent in the short term to cover the gap between moving out of one and into the other. Most places have minimum lease of 1 year, rents are high too and I've got a dog which isn't welcome everywhere. I found one place and they looked for landlord reference and employer reference, I haven't rented for about 16 years! But it's a 4 bed house and takes pets so might be an option. It's almost double what my mortage will be but it's short term so I'll just have to suck it up!!

em pic is fab, the girl I go to for Christmas photos emails them as well, it's the best!

Spends today 70c on parking

In other news I've to pay the total property tax for 2020 on current house €247 but I'll get a refund of 10 months of it once sale goes through so that's ok, that'll be a spend tomorrow.

£42 in Tesco yesterday. Day off today. Booked a pedi for tomorow, have some pale sparkly polish from Christmas to use. Am marinading chicken in olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs to put on skewers for later. Will serve with flatbread, salad and a few chips. I have defrosted a Welsh fruitcake my sister gave me and it smells very good. I will give DP his with custard but have mine plain with a cup of tea. Bless our tummies, as my Mum would say.
@Fearofawelshplanet, I have a Bero recipe book if you wanted me to post any? I grew up baking from this book and the bakes are economical and straightforward.