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August Always Adds Pocket Pressure, Frugal Friends Thrive Thriftily

996 replies

Wolfcub · 03/08/2020 17:44

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maddenlightfoot · 14/08/2020 08:32

Morning everyone! We're finally on holiday after a very frantic day of working/packing/getting our house ready for possible viewings whilst away/child wrangling/spilt nail varnish on the new carpet etc etc!

I'm annoyed at dh stopping at services and spending £9 on snacks - something I've tried really hard to avoid in recent times - but we left the house empty of food before we left. I've been super organised and booked a delivery slot for when we get back. Il add to it over the next two weeks.

Granny I love the South Wales stretch of coast. We're in Bristol so it's very convenient for us. We had a day trip to Ogmore-by-sea last weekend - not quite as far as you but gorgeous, sandy and shallow once the tide went out. Quite rustic, as are the beaches closest to us here in Devon, but I do also love a 'proper' seaside as you describe life so we will probably visit Torquay or Paignton for some chips and arcades too.

Lonely I always think of you as really outdoorsy and into camping! We invested in a huge tent when our twins were born but it was so blummin hard to put up we rarely camped for a couple of years. Last year we decided to sell it and have now got a smaller, inflatable tent for camping ease!

Unescorted a huge congratulations to your dd. Her work is exceptional. I fondly remember buying everything but the kitchen sink before heading off to uni only to discover that so had everyone else in my flat share so we had 8 frying pans, 8 kettles, 8 sets of cutlery etc etc 😂

Adora that's a tough situation with your twins. Hard for your dd who is now having to search for a place but also hard on your dd who wants to celebrate but must feel she doesn't want her sister to feel upset. I hope you work something out today.

North I'm sorry your ds didn't get the grades he deserved either. There have been many wise words from the frugaleers. I think it was Mrs who said that a BBD is still to be celebrated. He obviously worked his socks off in the face of adversity. As above, I hope everything becomes a bit clearer today.

SingToTheSky · 14/08/2020 08:46

Aah sorry about that situation adora that’s so tricky :(

I really feel for the current cohort with GCSEs/A Levels, what a lot of uncertainty at an already difficult time.

I have a question for the expert bakers in here please! I’ve seen something called “candy melts” which I assume is for cake decorating. If you melt those and then put them in one of those silicon moulds (Lego bricks specifically 😂) would that work? Or is it better to use chocolate in those? Thanks 😋

grannycake · 14/08/2020 09:09

@maddenlightfoot If you liked Ogmore then you would love Southerndown which is just along the coast towards Cardiff. As a Cardiff child this was my favourite for a day trip - we moved to Gower for Uni and work when I was 40

ChristmasSeacow · 14/08/2020 09:12

Thanks so much Granny, that’s brilliant info! We’re off to Caswell today, hopefully - we tried there on Sunday, got there at 9am but the car park was already full, hence discovered Langland. It’s not a very obvious beach day but mostly dry is good enough for my DC 😂. If the forecast holds we’ll try Hillend on Tuesday.

Ah Adora, how tricky. I am an older sister to twins. One got the grades for her first choice, the other didn’t. It was tricky as Madden says but once she’d sorted her Plan B everything settled down and both looked forward.

Bornlazy · 14/08/2020 09:23

Adora congratulations/commiserations. That must be so hard for you.

When I started nursing you didn't even need highers as it wasn't a university course. You went to a nursing school attached to the hospital that you trained in. Now some universities are looking for two A's and B to become a nurse. The world has become very exam orientated and I don't think it's necessarily a good thing.

Granny your posts really make me want to visit Wales 😀 I've never been before but it sounds lovely.

Day off today and of course the weather has turned grey and miserable. It's still quite warm so woke up roasting about a million times through the night as I'd forgot to bring my fan upstairs and couldn't be bothered getting up to get it.

If anyone is looking to buy a fan then I can thoroughly recommend this one as it is really quiet powerful and rechargeable. In fact I think it might have been someone on here that recommended them.

I'm taking my dm food shopping today which she loves after months of me not letting her out the house being restricted. Need to meal plan before I go and try and avoid the "bargains"

Enjoy your holidays everyone who is away ☀️

Mrsmadevans · 14/08/2020 09:52

@northender

Well we spoke to first choice uni & it doesn't seem like there will be any movement, but college have submitted a mitigating circumstances form to them. It's so frustrating as we're sure his college grade for maths would have been C which would have got him in and a C was definitely realistic for him. We will ring again in the morning, but to be honest I'm thinking he'd be better with some certainty and so his insurance place is probably the way to go. He has calmed down and is more amenable to that idea now. He's gone to Liverpool with his mates who have been brilliant with him and really positive. He's dealt with so much over the past 3 years and will come out of it stronger in the end. Sorry my posts have been all about me today, will get back to normal tomorrow. Hope your dd celebrates in style unescorted x
North he did Maths A level ! That is so hard bless him , l wouldn't even know where to put my name ! I am glad he is feeling better, keep going with the appeal we had to with Dd2 one year they upgraded from an E to a C !! I mean wth! I can remember even when l did my O levels 43 yrs ago they had to remark the whole exam year because the examiner had a heart attck and died after marking them. Everyone was upgraded and least a grade . 🤗
Mrsmadevans · 14/08/2020 09:53

Off to MumBobs have a lovely day everyone 😀

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/08/2020 09:54

£63 Aldi refund, £70 camping refund

Wolfcub · 14/08/2020 12:04

I swear to god I am going to throw the bloody Xbox out of the window

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howlathebees · 14/08/2020 12:41

Afternoon all, no sleep again with the DC. Really draining me now, DH dropped us all off at my mums this morn (dogs included) so she can help with them. I’m so excited for our holiday now just so I can get a bit of help with the DC in the daytime!

Happierwithouthim · 14/08/2020 13:20

@Wolfcub

I swear to god I am going to throw the bloody Xbox out of the window
This will be when I give in to a computer console down the line Grin
SingToTheSky · 14/08/2020 13:25

Oh no wolf what happened?
We are ok with video games, but DD1’s phone I would happily banish to the depths of hell 🤬

grannycake · 14/08/2020 13:28

Thanks everyone for the Wales love and the welcome. I am trying to be frugal as I will be retiring in approximately 18 months. However, my DH is 6 years younger than me so would need to work for another 7 years to retire. We have a motorhome and big travel plans so we are saving as much as we can so he can retire the same time as me. However we also have just had a new puppy (10 weeks old tomorrow) so I have been spending far too much both on Amazon and Pets at Home.

I have 3 DC and 2 GC - my name comes from them. My DGS used to call me Granny cake as I always baked a cake for when he came. I still work fulltime in education but don't teach anymore

howlathebees · 14/08/2020 13:54

wolf I feel like that most of the time, except it’s my DH on itHmm

granny I love wales, we’re going the end of the month. It’s our favourite place to holiday. Good luck with the retirement!. And how lovely you’ve got a new pup

SnugglySnerd · 14/08/2020 14:04

I hope you made it to Caswell today Sea, it is a great beach!

ememem84 · 14/08/2020 14:45

Eugh Xbox. I threatened to throw dhs out once. He doesn’t have it anymore but got rid himself. He just seems to lose track of time and reality while playing it.

Same now with “risk” on his phone. Drives me crazy!!!

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/08/2020 15:25

I hear you wolf. Bastarding screens

Wolfcub · 14/08/2020 15:32

£48 diesel
£16.80 fish and chips
£6.50 ice cream Shock

Two loads of washing out to try and balance the spendiness and I've done a bit more glossing. Back into prep tomorrow so I can move the decorating on down the attic stairs and through into the next room. I think I'm going to have to remove the carpet from the ladder-type stairs first and it appears to be very firmly glued on. Swearing will happen

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Bornlazy · 14/08/2020 16:00

£73 in Lidl
£40 in Homebargains. Had to buy more masks as ds has lost his already 😬

I hear you on the Xbox wolf Ds plays Fortnite and screams and shouts with his pals on Xbox live. It's infuriating and I definitely notice a big improvement in his behaviour if he's off it for a while. Luckily dh has never really been into it. I dread to think what any future partners will have in store with mine.

Sounds like a worthwhile plan Granny I can't wait to retire but I'm only 48. The thought of nursing for another 20 years horrifies me so I need to come up with a plan to retire early.

It's lovely and sunny here now so I'm sitting out enjoying it

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/08/2020 17:23

£9 shields ferry, £9 chipper, £11 Chinese. Will be back to proper food tomorrow. And less calories as back at work tomorrow.

Bag for uniform appeal. Bag for scout spares, sugar Bowl sold and posted. £355 laptop ffs

ememem84 · 14/08/2020 18:12

Worked out a way of getting the egg chair here. Wahoooo!!! So will order it plus some Ikea stuff later.

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/08/2020 18:32

Wahoo

Wolfcub · 14/08/2020 19:17

Done a bit of prep work. Now covered in dust and yack.

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ememem84 · 14/08/2020 21:26

Ah bugger. Egg chair no longer available. Ffs.

Ordered my Ikea stuff though. Kallax and baskets.

Looked at budget. Have told dh that we need to change amounts into joint ac. Sigh. Nursery fees increase next month. £1800 out. Ffs. But I keep thinking short term pain.

Unescorted · 14/08/2020 22:57

I hate Fortnite….bastard game can't even spell. DS spends far toooooooo much time on it or AN Other game.

I need to scrape all my pensions together - I had a letter from Aviva the other day b/c they have taken over one of my pension pots.

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