Lockdown (almost) over and frugalling continues!

[ememem84]

New thread. All welcome

If I finish work early enough today I'm going to sand over my filler patches in the attic.

Have a good day everyone

Hi - I was here on a previous username April/May time, I'm back!

During peak lock-down I was really good with my spending, but the past few weeks bad habits have crept back in and we are spending money on takeaways etc.

In August, we have a couple of household bills coming up but I REALLY hate going into the shops with a mask on so I am hopefully going to get back into my frugal ways.

Have my payday budget ready, lets see how it goes.

My mum instilled in me a real sense of independence, despite being stuck herself in an unhappy marriage with very traditional roles. My Dd is 15 and is growing up strong & independent too.

Dh and I are on 2 weeks leave officially now, but still have work to do so the plan is to get it finished today while the weather is grim. Dd is planning to meet up with some friends this week, dh & I have a couple of days out planned. Ds is quite busy with cricket. His ME is flaring up now due to the cricket restarting, but he's managing, Monday's are a rest day for him.

Shoes sold for £20 on eBay last night so good decision not to accept the £10 bid last week. Paid £150 on servicing 2 sewing machines & an overlocker which are now working perfectly again. Going to now put 2 of them on eBay as there is a really strong market for them at the moment. The guy servicing them said the overlocker should make £200 now that it's serviced.

I’m feeling really quite fed up about all things wedding now . Fed up of the feeling like we’re having to make concessions about what we want, and then also finding out a family member has been telling other people what they can and can’t do. DP and I may have had words over the wedding cake, as he left me to decide on the design (I wanted his help but didn’t want to bicker with him in the shop) and I think I choose the wrong thing. Hoping to get that changed and the cost was extortionate too but my mum wanted me to go to that shop . I feel guilty as she is paying and I don’t want it!

Please tell me it is normal to get fed up? 😂

Other than that, spending is constant at the moment. Arrrgh!

I think I might try and have a clear out today and have a break from wedding.

Love all the strong independent dds talk, I really hope if nothing else I've taught dd the importance of being financially independent.

We had a nice day Ystd catching up with some family we've not seen for ages, it involved a cream tea which was delicious!

Pay day today and the overtime I did has gone in so my account looks nice and healthy. Will be a spendy month though as going away next week to Devon and need to buy a lot of clothes/shoes for going back to school and normal life (hopefully) in September!!

Hey all! Dropped off the thread over the weekend doing a 24 hour cross stitch event. Suffice to say I have not moved off my bed much, and finally watched 3 1/2 seasons of Poldark! I gave up in season 1 when I found Outlander, but that's almost too batshit to watch now!

Anyhoo, both days were nsd's. Need to do a top up today, as I only did a small shop on Friday, and it's all gone.

It looks promising at work for keeping most of my hours, some of the others have taken redundancy so there will be more work left for those of us who didn't. Won't find out for sure just yet, but I'm not feeling constantly sick about it now. And I'm still on furlough.

unescorted, wolf and anyone else who might fancy a prototype, please put up your laptop dimensions

love absolutely normal. When we planned ours I chose my fave three things for each category. And asked dh to pic his fave of my faves. Worked out much easier.

I also lost it with Dm and uninvited her over napkins. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If the cake isn’t what you really want talk to dh and tell him. Then change it if that’s the decision.

The important thing is you and dh. And it being about you. Bugger everyone else. Dm was against us getting married in September because “what if dsis has a teaching job in the U.K. she wouldn’t be able to come” as it was the place we got married wasn’t available in September and only had one weekend available that year hence July.

Your day. Your way.

Thanks em , that does make me feel better.

Cake shop have come back and said I can change it

I’ve had a little cry, put my ring back in its box and having a break. Will put the ring back on before DP comes home!

Love I'd say it's perfectly normal. You've also got all the extra pressure of things not being back to normal and a really short time to get things organised. All those arguments are expected but would usually be spread out more to allow you to recover before the next one. I think under the circumstances you're doing really well ⭐️

North well done on the eBay sales and great news about sewing machines.

Lonely that's good that your job seems safer. I've never watched Poldark might give it a go.

Welcome back Queen

What's interesting about my dm is that she was brought up without a father as hers died whilst her mother was pregnant with her, so times were tough and maybe that upbringing made her the way she is as she's very resilient. She never really did the traditional roles with my dad she just did everything. It made me want to be the opposite and I think she sometimes thinks I'm lazy as I don't want to Martyr myself like she did. She was very good at managing money and can tell you to the penny what she's got in her bank account (long before the days of digital banking) again unfortunately that made me the opposite and I became really quite careless with money.

Not now of course I'm a frugaleer 😉 It does make me wonder what my dc will be like as I think you sometimes rebel against the way you were brought up and do the opposite

Washing Machine Man has been and gone. He replaced the pump. It was all fairly quick and painless and cost €120. A lot cheaper than buying a new washing machine. I was starting to run low on clean clothes so I've loaded up the machine and it's humming away - a very welcome sound.

I've to bring DCat to the vet for 4.15. It's going to be fun trying to get him into his carrier by myself - normally it's a two man job but DD's gone to a friend's house for a sleepover.

Love it's entirely normal to get fed up in the run up to the wedding. Inevitably, some family member starts meddling and causes trouble. I could give you loads of examples but might be a bit outing. Also, there are so many decisions to be made and that can wreck your head too. Anyway, better to have these issues now than on the day itself.

Lonely glad your work prospects seem a big brighter.

em you've just reminded me that I need to get a new thermometer. The one we have dates back from when DD was a baby and it's not 100%. Probably be as well to have one in case of a second wave as we approach winter. I think there was a run on thermometers during the panic buying, but they're probably back in stock now.

I’ve started stocking up on things just in case

£44 in dunelm. Pegs, spice jars, baskets, a chef apron for ds and a cushion cover.

I have a banging headache. I've been rushing around all day. Running errands this morning and trying to clear out dd's room this afternoon. Miraculously I have persuaded her to throw away some stuff. Not much but it's a start. She hates to get rid of anything even if it's broken/too young for her.

Will catch up in a bit. Ds is at his dads so I am treating myself to a home made fishy pie which is something I haven't had for ages. I dont usually cook "properly" for just me

Wolf I love fishy pie.

Lonely I will send the dimensions across when I work out where the tape has gone. It is a surface pro - but I also need storage for the headset, USB thing and the power charger (the battery is rubbish). I will send you a list of all the things I need in the "desk".

It is really good news about your job.

Love being fed up with wedding plans is normal I think. Everyone wants to be involved in the nice fluffy bits - not the logistics of getting Nana to the church and home again before she falls asleep from too much sherry. Somehow the brag at the reception table to relatives you haven't seen since you were last at a wedding about the role you have played in choosing the cake / dress/ flowers/ napkins/ favours carries more social cache than making sure the running order is smooth. Maybe choose something flashy that you aren't that bothered about and task the awkward ones with it.

I have not had any news about my job..... maybe tomorrow.

Back from the vet and all is ok. I've to bring him back next Tuesday. It's a good thing I allowed a bit of extra time 'cos when I went to turn off the roundabout (just a few kms from the town where the surgery is located), the road was closed for roadworks. I took the next turn but ended up driving down a strange road for about 10 minutes before I was able to turn around and come back. Found my way to the town eventually but it was all very stressful.

Home. Work atrocious today. But home. Dh has dismantled the garden. We apparently have a huge mole problem

Kids bathed. Dinner almost ready. Then it’s baking time. Birthday cake time. Wahooo.

Ffs. Forgot the pic of the “huge mole problem”

Great job news lonely
Nice mole heap em

Yes the details of wedding can cause the stress. And blooming families.

Just saw your work news, Lonely, that sounds like good news.
I am having a lazy evening after a frantic day of rushing around getting jobs done. I could do with doing some work for school but I think I'm too tired, I fell asleep whilst playing a game with the dcs after dinner!

Birthday cake has been made. Frosting tomorrow. It’s out of the tin in one piece (phew - there was a bit hanging off but it didn’t fully come off so I’ll wodge a load of frosting under that bit to secure it)

Blinking heck l am sorry l fell off the thread and then l couldn't find you all 🙄
Hope everyone is ok 🤗💐
Have been terribly busy with Mum & Bob 😬
Her dentures have broken, he lost his wallet , she lost her hearing aids & ate a whole box of no sugar sweets containing Sorbitol. I am sure you can imagine the ensuing marathon washing & drying session 🙄😬😂
They have buggered the telephones up , Bob is putting the cat food plates in their fridge and moving everything all over the place. It's a quagmire from the minute you get there to the minute you leave 🙄
We get in the door and Mum immediately wants me to get hold of Bob's daughter to arse lick her 🙄
I could scream . So we have been trying to spend time looking after ourselves and spend some time together which has been great and helps so much .
So what has everyone been doing ? Will catch up now 👍

Lonely good job news. I will sort out dimensions but will do it for the new work laptop I'm getting in autumn which I will need to look up - this is good news as apparently it has a 15 hour battery life unlike the 35 mins of my current one!

Love totally normal. This is why I went abroad. No cake to choose - the one I got was really cute - and when they asked about flowers it was white roses thank you and a minibus to get everyone to the wedding and then to the reception. So yes I went to get married in a minibus with a group of people but I had fun. I'd say if there's something you don't like or don't want don't feel you have to do it just because it's traditional or because it's what someone else wants. Your wedding do it your way

Born I recognise a lot of what you say about rebelling against the way you were raised. Definitely been there but am out of the other side and now much more like my parents

Unescorted fingers crossed you hear soon and it's good news

My pay still not sorted. They are now trying but the "fix" disadvantages me and I feel pressured about it

Morning everyone 👋
@Taytocrisps glad Dcat is getting better 🤗💐
@LonelyOversharer great news re the job 😃👏
Em thanks for the heads up l need a thermometer as well ! 🙄😂
Been watching some Welsh language programmes on S4C ARWerth .... For sale . think estate agent/auction/house renovation programmes. There's one that is excellent they put 2 strangers together give them 3 properties to bid on and a small amount of money to do it up with and leave them for 6 months. I love it 😂