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Frugal friends follow each other frugally through Hallowe'en, COVID all welcome

999 replies

Happierwithouthim · 19/10/2020 11:12

Here you go life

OP posts:
Thread gallery
34
Tightwad2020 · 28/11/2020 15:28

I did a big (for us) shop in Aldi this morning - £72 - which included lots of tins and Christmas bits for the freezer (chorizo pigs in blankets, mmm). That, plus a visit to the butcher and the odd top-up for milk/fruit/veg should get us through the next 10 days or so. I've been filling a bag with bits and pieces for the food bank, and it's ready to go.

Yesterday I planted up 60 irises in pots (about £7 for the bulbs, plus the compost which I already had from a while back) and I have high hopes for a good display in the formerly beknighted courtyard bit outside my kitchen. And I used my Simbr handheld steamer to clean my oven - had a moment of clammy panic when I thought I was not going to be able to reassemble the panels in the door, but all was well in the end. Results are pretty close to 'professional' standard and this time I didn't pay £100 for it. Also, good distraction from Black Friday - was tempted by some Onitsuka trainers but I DON'T NEED THEM!!!

Some of you are planning very generous Christmases - good on ya! I am opting for the budget one this year and crossing my fingers that my income doesn't fall off a cliff in 2021.

lifelongfrugaleer · 28/11/2020 16:29

That's not a lot left wolf, Sheesh.
Paying debt v savings is a ongoing debate. IMO have a buffer in the bank but best to pay off debt as it costs much more than saving earned.

£9 Sainsbury's after using cash back vouchers, £4 Iceland, £23 Aldi, £20 filling car.

lifelongfrugaleer · 28/11/2020 16:30

Happy birthday North DD. Great cake.

Lovemaltesers · 28/11/2020 16:51

Does he get all the white goods/cooker too wolf Shock

We had our first post self-isolation walk. It was amazing. Legs hurt now after sitting on the sofa for days on end

My mum has been emailing away now. No mention of our talk the other day Confused . I guess I just need to wait until she now needs help, but DDad does seem to be going through a better phase.

Wolfcub · 28/11/2020 17:49

Life usually at current interest levels I'd pay debt but you don't know what little things might come up when you move in so for now I'd go savings so
You have ready cash and then after Xmas pay debt

Love no the housing association have provided all his white goods so not needed. He's had half the linen. Toaster and kettle, cutlery, bad pans etc already. Plus pictures etc

lifelongfrugaleer · 28/11/2020 18:17

Not me wolf. Thought it will be next month. I was answering tight

Mrsmadevans · 28/11/2020 21:10

Aldi 6, Tesco 14 today, only a few bits .
Wolf that doesn't leave you with much love , you were very generous to your Ex Flowers

ememem84 · 29/11/2020 00:50

£35 riding. No other spends yesterday (Saturday). I’m in dds room. The sleeping through has stopped apparently. Sigh.

We had an amazing dinner on Friday night. Stuffed sea bass with pineapple fried rice and a green chicken curry. Tropical fruits. Wine. Yum.

Put up some
Christmas decs yesterday. Gettinf tree next week after the great toy cull/sort out of 2020. Need to do this to make room for the tree.

This is Mondays job. I have an annual leave day I’m taking specially.

wolf I’m a believer in savings at all times no matter how minimal. Makes me feel much safer. I doubt interest rates will go up anytime soon but they can’t get much lower really. And if they do go up I don’t see them increasing dramatically.

Frugal friends follow each other frugally through Hallowe'en, COVID all welcome
Frugal friends follow each other frugally through Hallowe'en, COVID all welcome
SnugglySnerd · 29/11/2020 06:28

Morning all. I've also had a bad night with dd.

Did some more Christmas shopping yesterday but also made a frugal cake using all the bananas in the box in the freezer. These are usually ones that ds has had a bite of then said he doesn't want to I cut off the eaten end then slice up the rest and freeze it for cakes etc.

lifelongfrugaleer · 29/11/2020 08:47

Sorry to those who had bad nights.
£20 on food last night. Not worth the ££ or the calories. Pay day tomorrow thank god

Taytocrisps · 29/11/2020 09:02

Morning everyone. Having a quiet weekend here. We put up the Christmas tree on Friday and then watched the Late Late Toy Show. The show was brilliant and they raised the staggering sum of over €6m. for children's charities (for context, our population is a little under 5m.).

Didn't do a whole lot yesterday may have had too much wine on Friday night. Just watched 'Fred Claus' on TV and then the Strictly dances (I fast forwarded all the padding bits in between the dances) and then an episode of 'The Crown'.

Today I'm going to clean the upstairs bathroom and sort out all my recycling (put paper/cardboard/cans into my own recycling bin and take the glass bottles and jars to the big recycling bin in the town). I also need to drive to the big town for cat litter and gutter hooks for my outdoor lights and a few other bits. It's very foggy out atm. Hopefully the fog will lift later.

Very excited to see DD's reaction when I give her the l'Occitane advent calendar tomorrow evening. She thinks she's getting her usual Dairy Milk one. I splashed out and got us an advent calendar each. Expensive but a lot less than what our planned holiday in Lanzarote would have cost. And it's been a crappy two years for us both with the separation in 2019 and then Covid in 2020.

I've booked a night in a hotel for early January with DDad, DSis and DD. It's in a place called Carlingford which is a quaint little coastal town near the border. The hotel has a pool so we can go for a swim and it's a very scenic area, so we can go for some winter walks and maybe have dinner in the hotel or in a local restaurant. I'd say we'll end up back in lockdown again in January, so I'm taking advantage of a little window of opportunity to do something different. We got a special cheap rate because it's a Sunday night.

Love that was a difficult conversation with your mum - sounds like she wasn't too receptive to it. I guess you'll just have to see how things go next time she needs help.

Welcome Gensola. Fingers crossed the new year brings the pitter patter of tiny feet.

Belated happy birthday to your DD north - that's a fab cake.

Cute decorations and towel em. The mouse washing line sounds adorable. The kiddies are great fun at that age.

Wolf how will you manage without a sofa and/or armchairs? Will you be able to pick some up second hand? Or from a charity? It's shitty that Ex is looking for your furniture but even more shitty that he's taking it just before Christmas.

Mrsmadevans · 29/11/2020 09:06

Morning everyone 😀
Sorry to Em & Snuggly and anyone else who had a bad night ☕☕ order of the day .
Hoping for a NSD today. Wrapped all presents yesterday and putting tree up today ☺️.
Am off to MumBobs now have a lovely day everyone 😀

ememem84 · 29/11/2020 11:15

Morning! Nice selfie this morning. Tiredness has taken its toll 😂

Frugal friends follow each other frugally through Hallowe'en, COVID all welcome
lifelongfrugaleer · 29/11/2020 18:07

Hope you took it easy em.
Long walk with my friend this morning. Milk needed £4 co-op.
Got Christmas refund and chair expenses £200 into account.

Unescorted · 29/11/2020 20:50

em good look Wink

I can remember the sleepless nights. It is a form of torture according to the UN.

wolf are you going to be able to get furniture for Christmas?

We are getting our baby girl back next weekend - she has tested negative. I am so happy.

ememem84 · 29/11/2020 21:24

Went to the zoo today. This was our third trip since being members. Only one more trip and then it’s paying for itself. Wahooo.

Had a nice walk around. Looked at animals. Had snack. Came home dh roasted some pork. Was so yum.

Dd asleep by 8. Ds the same.

Fingers crossed.

northender · 29/11/2020 23:09

Fingers crossed for your night Em
Great news re dd unescorted
Lots of sorting here today. Neighbour across the road took a few things that we were getting rid of for the primary school she works at which is in a really deprived area. There were books & some other stuff so I'm glad they'll be appreciated. A box and a bag of stuff for charity shop.

Wolfcub · 30/11/2020 06:33

Fab news re dd Unescorted

Pay day, thank goodness

lifelongfrugaleer · 30/11/2020 06:39

Fingers crossed for sleep.
Yeah to DD coming home unescorted

Pay day. I made it still in the black.

.

lifelongfrugaleer · 30/11/2020 06:40

I had a sort out day too. I thought we were threw most of the clutter but have another bad out and a couple of bits for sale

Mrsmadevans · 30/11/2020 08:29

Morning everyone 😀
Wonderful news re your Dd coming home Unescorted 👏😀
Off to Cardiff , Dd1 doing MumBobs thank God 👏 she's a good un ❤️ will combine doing house things for Dd 2 & shopping 😀 so l expect l will have spends later 😉
Have a lovely day everyone 😀

Happierwithouthim · 30/11/2020 09:10

snuggly I made stewed apple for myself yesterday out of all the apples that dc only took a bite out of this week Grin

Waited 50 mins before my click and collect arrived on Fri eve, was given 3 cadbury selection boxes by way of apology, even dd10 wasn't impressed with that. Came home to find that there was a burst tomato in the shopping and they'd bagged it up and given it to me anyway, and my stuffed turkey for my Sunday dinner wasn't in stock. Very unimpressed.

OP posts:
Tightwad2020 · 30/11/2020 11:15

Commiserations to the sleep-deprived - my adolescent/young adult offspring keeps more nocturnal hours than I do (as does the dog), and so I can report that the broken nights don't necessarily end, sorry.

Spent £14 on paint samples from Mylands/Little Greene, and now waiting for delivery. Excited about the prospect of the next phase of decorating, which should make the house feel much lighter and more contemporary, whilst finally displacing the choices of our predecessors here with our own! (only been 8 years). In a not-particularly-frugal moment, I also bought some glass pump dispenser bottles from Etsy so that I can decant shampoo, etc from the horrible plastic containers that are currently ruining our nice bathrooms. Middle age has brought out a very prissy streak in me, I fear. I did use TopCashback for the purchase, though, so should get something in my account.

CurlsandCurves · 30/11/2020 11:23

Hi all,

Busy weekend. DH put the spotlights in the hallway so next step is plastering. And we sold his old work van, so chuffed. It was costing around £100 a week just sitting on the driveway. Got the asking price for it too!

DS1 has his first mock exam today, think I’m more nervous than he is. The plan is to get these out of the way then get college applications in ideally before Christmas.

northender · 30/11/2020 11:34

The problem for me tight is that I'm the only one who sees the house through those eyes & the others don't seem to see the clutter or that things aren't in the right place!
It's my day off today & I'm feeling a bit off colour so taking it easy. Have to collect dd from school to take her to dyslexia assessment at 1300 but don't need to stay with her. Also need to get advent calendar goodies sent to dnephew.
Had a £20 Arcadia gift card from work a couple of years ago so bought a couple of ties for dh. Very boring, but needed to think quickly!
Have found a charity who will take old cricket kit and use it in UK and overseas. Their collection points are closed at the moment, but we can pay to send it direct so are going to do that as I want it gone, but it is decent quality that I would really like to think was being put to good use.
8 days after stir up Sunday I still have the Christmas pud to do so that is for later.
Need to start looking at the budget for next year, now that I know what dh is taking home a month in the new job.

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