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

Girlie it definitely sounds like you've had corona. So glad you're feeling better.
I have made myself better by hiding the coronavirus topic on here. If I want to see it I will choose to!
Just had a lovely roast pork dinner. Breathing a sigh of relief as pil leaving in the morning. It has been okay, but very hard work at times. Will be good to get house back to normal, big sorting out day for me tomorrow.

Sounds like you did girlie. Bless you. I would be very surprised if NHS workers dont all come down with it. Don't beat yourself up. Can't be helped now. In sure you did everything you could between patients.

Wolf and I have Skype set up for nattering.

I also went on the computer and hid the topic. It's great and so much better.
I understand people are scared but it was too much for me.
Our level of chat is about as much as I can cope with.
See what this week brings

I’m not a fan of actual video chatting (too self conscious 🤣) but totally up for FB buddies, messenger chatting etc

Girlie that sounds so scary. I’ve not really been watching the news much (prefer to read online) but I saw some footage of someone in Spain struggling to breathe and it’s just terrifying.

I’m going to look out for more paracetamol today as I’ve read about the potential for ibuprofen to make it worse (I have diclofenac too which is also an NSAID apparently) - I’ve ignored all the memes about gargling and breath holding tears and stuff obviously but this was actual newspaper articles so I’m inclined to take it seriously and avoid if I get symptoms. Luckily none of the gazillions of meds DH takes are NSAID.

I finally spent some of my “pocket money” last night ordering a big set of my fave drawing pens, £31 for 60 colours. Got some blank cards to draw on too, for thanking my course leaders as they end in two weeks (I’m doing a parenting course and an “adverse childhood experiences” one, both are brilliant).

I was toying with the idea of ordering a Tesco delivery but the next available slot is Tuesday 31st March! Oh well, I've saved myself some money.

Also I know we aren’t facing it in England yet (sooo confused about WTF the govt is doing but I’ll stop there before I rant as I know it’s not simple!) BUT I’ve just been added to a lovely FB group where home educators are sharing ideas, resources etc for those who need to keep their kids home. It does say UK but location isn’t on the membership questions. PM me if you’d like the group name.

Must get up, I have therapy this morning :)

@Girliefriendlikespuppies glad you are feeling better. I’m also a HCP showing symptoms so I’m off work. Yesterday I could barely lift my head.

It is helping on the spending front as I’ve not been anywhere and haven’t had the energy to shop online (not that the supermarkets have any slots anyway!). And no need to buy fuel as I’m not using it! Although I’m slightly worried about my next wage slip as I had AL and now sickness. I can cope on minimum pay but it’s annoying.

Looking at my budget this is the best I’ve done in over a year. Every cloud and all that!

Afternoon everyone
My Mum's SW rang to assess Mum for her Direct Payments to continue this morning, they do an annual check, instead of calling to our house. I was so relieved l have been worrying for over a week thinking she would have been to everyones houses carrying the CV to my Mum. What a relief
Have filled my Mum's freezer with lots of things she can heat up in the microwave , have moved the microwave into the lounge on a small table plugged into the mains , l know it seems nuts but l have to prepare for the worst case scenario that l may get it and not be able to go there. Have done her a month of tablets in her pots . She takes 14 tablets in the morning and 6 at night. No one else knows what she is on even though l have written it out . There are so many tablets and they don't do the Dosette boxes in her chemist any more. God knows how the Old folks on a lot of tablets with no one to help manage bless them.
Have not spent a penny today, so some good has come of it
Take care everyone

Forgot to say , Iceland, Aldi, Tesco, Morrisons all fully stocked this morning except for hand gel. None to be found for love nor money

€156.76 in Dunnes yesterday including a microfibre flat mop, two 8 packs of batteries, takeaway pizza so groceries were just over €133. I didn't panic buy at all but did buy a few stir in pasta sauces and odds like that because dc are at home for foreseeable.

Well there was me thinking l didn't have to pay anything today, out of the blue the car needs 2 brake front discs & disc pads....... £245
Hey ho ! It has to be done

Just back from the main street. There's a strange atmosphere. The hotel and cafe have closed. The butcher's shop is only allowing two customers at a time (so the shop is not too crowded). The pharmacy is only taking orders/prescriptions at the door. Centra has strips of tape on the floor at the till, to ensure customers aren't on top of each other when they queue at the tills. The local businesses are asking for payment by card, if possible, to avoid handling cash. I didn't see any babies/kids/teenagers even though the kids are all off school.

Spends

€18.56 in Centra
€7.95 in butcher's shop

Sorry to hear about the car expenses Mrsmadevans

Thank you Tayto
It sounds as if things are really being taken seriously with you in Ireland there is no such thing happening here it is everyone out and about as normal

Doesn't need to be video lane. Can be instant message.
£15 savers but taken off my Sainsbury's order. Who incidentally have removed all shopping slots

Well I've instructed my team to wfh.

I've just sent everyone home from a work thing. Quite happy to be under instruction to work from home myself

Yup can definitely be instant message Lane and Tayto doesn't have to be video but I'm keen we all help keep each other going mentally and socially in these tough times if we can (selfish for me as being isolated with no other adult and a stressed out kid is going to be hard)

No paracetamol anywhere today, my mum has given me some.

I had a quiet tip off about paracetamol earlier when I was looking at an empty shelf in Boots. It was so surreal. “I just saw them put some out in Superdrug. Go go go! Quick!”

And every single person in the queue had two boxes of them. Glad we actually have some though. No calpol type stuff anywhere and we are running really low. Luckily had some 6+ left for DS, who has whatever DD1 had

Evening Peeps.

Well that has all escalated quickly. I am really confused by the persistent / continuous cough. Does that mean one that takes weeks to clear or one that doesn't stop? If it is the former how do you know it is persistent when it first starts. If it is the latter at what point do you say it is persistent / continuous? Is it struggling to draw breath b/c you literally don't stop coughing for hours and hours or is it more a more intermittent cough cough cough cough for a minute and then stop for a time and then start again.

Hi all, what a day!
Parents didn't want to bring their children into nursery, which I completely understand, so very low numbers today.
Almost punch-ups in Iceland over loo roll, I only went in to get some chips, but wish I got loo roll now as Ocado have cancelled my order!
Gave me a £25 voucher to say sorry, but I would much prefer my shopping.

Spends today
£4.50 Iceland on chips
£3.50 on some cereal in sainsbury's.

Unescorted I read it as cough cough cough cough cough rather than cough, wait an hour, cough

So WFH until further notice.
Wolf you can help me with my a-z of swears/insults as I started it will my team last week. We need one for k.
Skype me as much as you want

I particularly like Knobber for K as in you Knobber, he's a right Knobber

Omg how could I forget that. Knob is such a great word