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

Hi all I've read and caught up but so many posts since I was on, on Sat so I'm not going to catch up with all.

Hope those that are ill or self isolating are feeling better and not too claustrophobic.

In rental we've timber floors and tiles but lots of rugs. In house I'm buying there are carpets. I used £30 vouchers from my shop and scan account to buy a Russell Hobbs stick vacuum, it's not cordless but it was relatively cheap. Postage cost me €7.60 because free delivery was about 5/6 weeks time. It's meant to be 600watt, some good reviews, some poor. It has a two year warranty so that's good enough for me.

Feels like I've bought a lot of appliances lately, and I have but nothing was unnecessary really and all bought with vouchers or birthday money so not splurging bills money.

since start of year - kettle, toaster, stand mixer, 3 in 1 panini/sandwich toaster/waffle maker, vacuum cleaner

Yesterday was a NSD, today will be also, if car cinema happens tomorrow I'll take the dc that'll be €5, and Wed I will do the grocery shop.

Love, we were the same today, very low numbers of children in, we are all on a rota, doing 2 days each.

Got some bits from coop today. Bread bin bags fruit
No other spends.

Quilting project sounds like a great idea North

Work hard going today and home schooling g started well but turned into a nightmare

All recruitment paused so all that work I put into applying for job and the four days leave I took to do it totally wasted. I am feeling a bit fed up. I totally know there are more important things and a global crisis so don't flame me please

It's all relative though wolf. Global pandemic feels too big right now. It's closer to home all the effort, disappointment and hoped of the role. Fingers crossed they will pick it back to after wards.

Bojo announcement at 20.30. bets on lockdown? I think so.

I actually think it’s ok and healthy to still be upset about the “smaller” things tbh. It’s part of keeping some elements of life a bit more normal when everything else is changing.

And that is super disappointing that all your effort now feels pointless!

I’ve managed to get up a bit more today and managed a bath too. Cough is tickly but not low in my chest like DS’ seems to be.

i havent spent anything today. i’m going quite insane isolatint

Sorry didn't say hello to sunshine, welcome!

Well lockdown it is!

Good luck guys.

We’re not on lockdown yet. It’ll come. But not yet.

It all felt a bit vague and unenforceable TBH. I hope it makes a difference though.

Lane, I don't think he wants to say the word 'lockdown' because people would have just panicked and do more bulk buying.
I really hope people listen, but I truly believe Boris could have done more before now.

Well! So that’s that then. People wouldn’t be told, it needs to be law for selfish people to do the right thing. I’m hoping I can work from home for as long as possible before being drafted in. It’s bliss not to commute, while it lasts!

It is fine to be upset with the small things Wolf. I felt so sad walking DS back from school today (I’m a key worker and he has an EHCP so can still attend but it wasn’t a success today so we won’t be carrying on- that’s another story). Anyway, DS loves the scoot to and from school. He reads all the street signs. And it was a beautiful sunny day. I love walking with him too, and I especially love the school run in the summer term. I’ll admit, I shed a little tear at the loss of that simple pleasure and the happy safe life for DS that it represents. Anyway, i think it’s fine to feel sad and then get on with it, as we do.

Still busy here with work etc but the new bathroom is now finished, apart from ordering some bespoke doors for the front of the cheap ikea cupboards I’ve put in the alcove (I’m not even going to attempt to order those until After Coronavirus (ACV)).

Hopefully the skip will go tomorrow and not get stuck outside our house for 4 months .

I’ve been spending a hefty amount, mostly on Amazon, buying bits I think we will want /need to hunker down for a while at home. Some bits for the kids to play with in the garden (a bag of shells, and some pretty tumbled stones for the water tray /sand pit) and new sand to top up the sand pit. And a few books for them too. We’ve got some seeds to plant too, so hopefully that will be a nice project for them. I want to order a couple of blueberry bushes too, if they are still delivering. And I topped up the paper /glue / paints. I notice amazon’s prime delivery times are stretching out though, I think they are prioritising certain types of things now. Possible they will stop delivering non-essentials if things get too bad so I’m trying to plan ahead!

No idea how we are going to manage not climbing the walls. I’ve cancelled my cleaner too (though still paying her - only seemed fair) so marital arguments will soon be on the increase

Anyone else’s hands cracked and ‘orrible from all the hand washing? Any recommendations for some serious hand cream (ideally not too heavy a fragrance)?

I quite agree curvy :(

So sorry about school not working out sea all this change is horrific enough but for DS it must be incomprehensible. I hope with the daily exercise allowance he can still get a scoot sometimes?

I may try and leave the house tomorrow but I’d need DH to come with me, he had to sit next to me while I had the bath earlier 🙄 so I’m glad they’ve said two people/cohabitants are allowed

Sea it is such a shame that people can't listen, isn't it?
I'm sorry about DS, I know it will be difficult for him to adjust, but we are all here for you.
I can recommend the bodyshops hemp cream, it is very good.

It’s so scary

Sea fry l'occitane hand balm (their new one)

I had a slightly better sleep last night only awake three times I think so that's an improvement. Going to try and do some Pilates after work later in the hope that helps.

Nivea soft. The white one for hands and in pound world.

Feeling a bit anxious today. I didn't sleep well and am tired so that is a trigger.

Sorry school didn't work sea. Change is hard especially for DS.

Keep talking frugaleers. We are here for each other

sea dh bought me this one. It’s lovely. Not scented. Not greasy. Looks lovely.

Hi everyone, sorry I disappeared briefly from the thread last month and then before I knew it the world had changed beyond recognition.

I managed to keep working at school right up until Friday. We're running a skeleton rota but one of my dts is now really poorly (raging temp and cough and last night had a viral rash too), so even without lockdown being announced we are now not leaving the house for two weeks. All being well, il be back at work keeping the school open for key workers during the Easter holidays.

I've been so thankful these past weeks that we have a garden, that we have food in the cupboards and that we've been able to think ahead for home learning by buying a printer. All things that are only possible as we have the money there to do it. I'm also really thankful that both of our jobs are fairly secure public sector.

Atrixo or O'Keeffe's are quite heavy duty handcreams if your hands are very cracked. Not sure if O'Keeffe's is only available in Ireland.

curvy I thought Boris held out a bit too long on these measures also but I'm no expert.

wolf it's ok to be peeved about a personal problem despite the pandemic. And you put a lot of work into those applications, will they hold for after the recruitment freeze or will you have to start from scratch?

I'm put out that I'm missing my niece's second birthday after not being at her first either, had planned a long weekend at my parents and my brothers for bank holiday, had the Tues off as well. I've now switched to taking dd's birthday off instead. I'm disappointed for her as she was looking forward to having a birthday party and now it'll be just a party of ourselves and au pair. These are normal feelings.

Will have to buy milk today, had hoped not to go near a shop as I'm doing grocery shopping tomorrow.

All this talk of hand cream....I just picked mine up from my desk and squeezed out a whole splurge of stinky water....I guess it’s been there so long it separated...yuk! I may have to invest in your recommendations!
I have been spending way to much on overpriced pet food..I have a lot of cats who won’t understand about supply issues, but sadly I’ve almost doubled my April spend and I haven’t been paid yet....worrying times!
I do have a mountain of craft supplies and enough quilting bits to keep me going...there is no change to my work, so it’s just weekend entertainment here. I’m very lucky.
I hope everyone can stay as positive as possible.

I’ll dig out my hand cream in a bit, it was recommended when I was a student and I’ve used it ever since. I think it’s got lanolin in it so is good for people that wash their hands a lot.

@Taytocrisps thank you!

Forgot to add. Spent £10.25 on a paint roller to do the bathroom.
First spend in over two weeks!

Any ex bf's can use their nipple cream - very frugal

NSD yesterday and today.
Got Ocado coming tomorrow, fingers crossed!