Managing Money Mindfully in March with the Friendly Frugaleers

[Happierwithouthim]

Last Thread

All welcome on this thread, we're a friendly bunch who like to get bang for our buck, and manage our money as well as we can.

Pet pics very welcome too

Thanks everyone x

What is everyone doing about Mother’s Day? My DM has always said she’d rather we spent time with her than gave her fancy gifts and looks like this year it won’t happen 😨

Thanks Lane that’s really frightening about ibuprofen but good to know. Think I’ll remove it from the cupboard for now just in case someone forgets.

Tesco’s was bonkers.

I’m going to tell my mum I am doing her shopping tomorrow rather than taking them. Shopping is one of their social events. It was not enjoyable today.

I’m going to take Mother’s Day stuff round tomorrow and minimise the contact.

I haven’t been able to buy own brand paracetamol for weeks but I suspect if we dig around in bags, pockets or drawers we will find some half used packets of it.

I've sent cards already. Will facetime parents.
My in laws are in the at risk group but due to existing MH issues I might still invite them over. They are still on going and I don't want another hospital stay.

Yoga. All non essentials need to go imo

@bubba22 I’ve told him that if I’m paying his bills then he needs to get rid of either amazon or Netflix. Can’t do much about the phone or cars. Phone is a new contract £50! I guess he could sorn one car? I’ve also said he needs to step up at home if I’m working extra to cover his outgoings.

Just back from Aldi spent £54, mostly normal in there but no loo rolls, pasta or chicken! We've got plenty of food though so that's good.

I did my mum a nice Moonpig card this morning using old photos, it's a large card cost £5.50 ish.

We were going out for lunch on Mother's Day but will have mum over here for lunch now, will go for a nice dog walk as well.

Going to brave town later as need to get a few bits, started my uni course Ystd so want to get note books, pens and some files. If I'm going to be holed up at home at least I'll be able to get on with some work!!

Dd very chipper at being off school, she's currently out walking the dog.

Coop was reasonably well stocked, got some fresh stuff and used one of our healthy start vouchers. Got one loaf to make some cheese and ham sandwiches to freeze, then they can be used for toasties as needed. Got the last pack of gluten free sausages for DH too so at least he can eat something meaty!

Someone queued up trying to buy six loaves, then when they said no tried giving half to his wife to buy but she already had other bread so they still said no. Checkout lady said one man had been in five times that day to get round the purchase rules 🤬🤬🤬 I fucking hate people and I’m so so glad DH doesn’t work in there anymore

Local shop also got in trouble with trading standards as they put calpol price up to a fucking tenner 🤬🤬🤬

@LaneBoy that’s so sad! I’ve not been out for a while but I’m shocked by what people are saying! You would think people would come together.

It’s awful isn’t it? And yet in other ways I’m seeing a wonderful side of people. Just little things like when I mentioned the calpol thing one of the other mums on my course immediately said she had a spare bottle if I needed 6+. I’m in FB groups locally where people are offering excess and responding to people needing stuff etc

The contrast is huge. They do say everyone shows their true colours in difficult times :(

DD1 won’t be best pleased, school closed to years 7-9 as of tomorrow (it says kids of NHS staff etc can go in to be supervised still, so more like childcare)

Dh has been foraging in the garage and found a massive Swarfega 4l in the garage so we have all the hand wash we need so that is another thing we can leave on the shelves
www.wickes.co.uk/Swarfega-Lemon-Handwash-Pump-4L/p/213555?utm_source=google&scid=scplp213555&sc_intid=213555&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjcfzBRCHARIsAO-1_Orj_J7I0S_4uPQj0y-x_vAbHTAuC5wRw-nMCgbGFJiHGgHwOE25f4saAs7PEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

mrsmadevans I've actually bought nothing extra as had ramped up my cleaning supplies for moving house and bought lots of new soap but landlady had left a new bar in every bathroom so I didn't need to open mine yet.

Happier l felt great over not having to buy that , l bet a lot of us have got things in the cupboard that we have forgotten about

Tough day at work with people worrying and restructuring things. Busy but not busy in my normal way.

Don't forget if you want to Skype chat (can just be messages doesn't have to be voice or sound) just download the app and message Unescorted, Life or me with the email address you register on Skype with

Hello!

Well. I think DS will still be able to go to school as he has an EHCP... though we’ll have to decide whether we want him to go nearer the peak as he’s not brilliant at hand washing etc. DD’s nursery will close so we’re going to have to cut our hours to cover childcare between us. I don’t know whether we’ll get any paid leave for that but if not, phew, we’ll be a whole salary down. Really can’t work meaningfully while looking after a toddler. I am feeling quite worried now.

DH’s boss, who owns the largish company he works for (a household name) said they are probably going to be on 4 day weeks for the foreseeable future, even once this is over, to avoid mass redundancies. Needless to say, the new kitchen and building work will be on hold now.

We’ve also sent my mum off to her flat for the foreseeable future - she usually stays with us 2 days pw. DS will be devastated when he understands she’s not coming back for ages (he doesn’t really understand that at the mo). I’ve had a little cry about that today. She and DS will miss each other terribly, and Skype etc doesn’t really cut it as he has minimal speech. And I’m worried about her getting CV.

Anyway, on the plus side I had a very nice cheap
lunch today from Pret - free hot drinks and half price food for NHS workers. So lovely of them!

Welcome to the new people, and very sorry to hear about your MIL Born.

DH’s birthday today so I’m off to try and cheer the fuck up and make his favourite prawn linguine thingy. Back later.

Having a tough night here. Anxiety levels in the dc are high. Dd about cv and ds is gutted that A levels have been cancelled. Don't want to go into it now as I'm feeling pretty down about it all tonight

Sea I have cried several times about not seeing my mu, particularly about the dcs and my mum not seeing each other. For Mother's Day I am going to get the dcs to make cards and I am hoping I'll be able to buy flowers or a plant and I will leave them all in the front porch. She won't see us, she is terrified. Luckily she has many friends in the same situation and they are all setting up WhatsApp groups, Skype calls etc to keep.in touch.

Just trying to get my head around school closures. My head is swimming!

Urrrgh. We’re awaiting the details of requirements for schools opening for key workers. We need the answers to work out logistics for us in school and our DC too who go to a different one. I suspect things will keep changing daily.

I got very cross with my mum. I feel very stressed all round!

Ah, I really do sympathise. I think we were all expecting this but it’s still a shock as we no one yet know what it means for them . This could go on for a very loooong time.

Prawn linguine was pretty nice. I’m not exactly cheerful now but back to philosophical. I just want my mum to come through this okay.

We’ve been locked down. No schools nursery flights in or out (unless medically necessary). No passenger ferries running. Freight only.

Fingers crossed tomorrow I get a nice hefty bonus. Maybe.

Hi all, I'm feeling stressed as got told today that my dds epilepsy medication may be difficult to get hold of, so have sent a message to her nurse. We have enough for a month roughly, so hopefully by then it will be ok.

Born, sorry to hear about you MIL .

Hello to the new people 👋🏻

Not sure if my nursery will remain open yet, will probably find out tomorrow. Very stressful times.
Take care everyone

Born sorry I cross posted with your post about your MIL. I hope it is not too stressful organising her funeral. X

North the A levels are a worry. No one seems to know what is going on. DD is in an OK position b/c hers are all assessed except the final 15 hour practicals so mocks/ predicted and deferred are all about the same. Her friends are in a right mess & I am guessing so is you DS. Some will benefit from predicted, other Mocks and others from deferred exams. Fingers crossed we get some clarity soon.

Sea I am glad to hear some good new out of this.

babba welcome. It is going to be tough for so many. As Happier said - it is a really friendly place.

Work is bonkers, food bank even more so and my family another order of magnitude on top of that.... does anyone know a good vallium dealer?

unescorted D's has geography coursework to hand in today and teacher assessment should be ok for him as they have all been so supportive & he has worked hard with them.
Things have just got worse here as DH has started with a temperature . I'm in the vulnerable group because of my chest, so he is now shut away in our bedroom for a week and we are all on 2 weeks isolation. Suddenly it all seems very real & scary.

North you poor things. That is going to be really difficult for you all. Have you got people around you who can help out? And most importantly do you have enough bog roll to mummify him while he is in the fever stage of the illness?

I am quite pleased that Australia has closed it's borders to non residents/ nationals. It means my DM will stop blathering on to me about flying out there for 7 days to see my dad ….. She is normally quite bright so I am sooooo frustrated explaining that if she goes she will be in isolation for 14 days...and my DDad will be heading back while she is still sat in a hotel room for 6 days over and over again.

North (((hugs))) was speaking to my friend who is a GCSE/a teacher and they are just frustrated too. All that work.

I can send you loo roll to gag him.
You were definitely with me North. fake alibi

Sorry I know it's not funny but my inappropriate humour is my cope skills.

life I don't doubt it. Locally we have had loads about "lazy" teachers, which is doing my head in. They are all trying to get online materials ready, calm the students, protect themselves etc. They are so far from lazy - but it seems that one of the early symptoms for COVID19 is an empathy bypass.