Frugal Friends Forging Forward Toward February and Further Financial Freedom

[Wolfcub]

New fred

Hi I among!
£30 gas
£30 electric
£1 cake for family

madden I hope the house situation goes ok.

Peanut I feel a bit better, thanks. I've been reading the Things You Love About Being British thread (might have got the title a bit wrong, I'm not sure).

Iamongst next time you have gas and electric to pay and think you're due a refund, take meter readings and phone them up to give reading and request an updated bill. It gives you an extra week to find the money, while you wait for the new bill to arrive, without affecting your credit rating and of course when the new bill comes it's smaller.

Yesterday I had the urge to splurge, so my supermarket bill was quite high. But I didn't buy too many perishable items, mostly stuff that will keep. So I don't feel too bad about that. Nothing will be wasted.

I also sold something I no longer need for £35 and carefully stitched up the lining of my coat where it's fallen apart. It felt quite mediative doing that so I'm calmer as well as having a coat to wear.

dh spent £70 at the coop today. but has stocked us up on things. there is a reason he does the food shop and not me. I would have spent at least double that...

he also does the meal plan.

i did a frugal use it up lunch - stir fried rice and veggies with chilli peanut garlic sauce. le yum. did this while dh was at the shop - so cleared out the fridge at the same time so it was nice and clean for the new food.

NSD, I tried to buy DH a coffee as it’s his birthday. Went into town and found the Costa branch has closed today. I know they weren’t covering the costs, just hope they can re open.

Evening all! Struggling to keep up again. Just placemarking really so I can catch up later.

Does anyone here have revolut or gohenry cards for their dc? Ds is mad to have a card, I already give pocket money and track it in my YNAB so this would put the responsibility over to them

No I looked at it for DD but she is as tight as me so just got her a normal account. D's however burns through money. Still not sure the benefits are worth £3 per month as DD account doesn't have an overdraft but I guess in theory she could over spend

Happier I got my 2 Nationwide kids accounts. They can't go overdrawn. I can also transfer money immediately if they are stuck somewhere or I have forgotten to give them bus money / school trip money (neither needed atm - but useful to have).

DS's presents from everyone else arrived today, but mine has still not. The post / courier / pigeons are not working very well atm.

adora commuter coffee chains / sandwich shops must be really struggling atm. I used to buy my lunch once a week as a treat and get a early bird coffee at the cafe in our office - I no longer do either. My colleagues would get a croissant, lunch and a couple of coffees - so £10 per day. There were a 60 people working in my tiny part of the office. In the building a few hundred. - so just from my building they are losing between 10 - 25,000 per week. at a conservative estimate.

DD has nationwide account

Yes the staff I greggs are missing the office trade

The only charge for this is €5 per card

Today was a NSD I got up late which could easily lead to buying lunch but I grabbed risotto from the fridge

Determined not to spend on diesel until February I've 183 miles left so this is entirely doable, I will have only filled once in January last fill was 30 dec so was paid for in January

Local coffee shop chains here have closed all but two branches. One chain has a shop right opposite my work the other chain has one next to the dcs nursery. Yay.

The one by my work does the absolute best chocolate brownies and flapjacks in the world ever.

The coffee at the one by nursery is ace. The “nursery” one also actually sells the coffee beans etc and supplies the other one....they do delivery!!! So we’ve been ordering our coffee from there.

Sadly as we’re wfh we don’t go in much. But once we’re back at work will go back to having treat coffees every now and then. But will maintain the £20 a month bag of coffee to the dior subscription!

Just done my Pilates class online. Still feels wierd to be stretching etc in the living room. But at least I’m still getting the benefit.

Would also just like to point out we are almost at the end of jan and I haven’t bought anything clothes wise or beauty wise for myself this month. This is unheard of for me.

That’s great em!

I’ve spent a bit in town the last couple of days - had to pick up medicines and Boots had a load of clothes half price so I’ve stocked up for Cagletini’s next size.

Haven’t looked at dishwashers today, really must make a decision.

Hiya everyone, feeling a bit better today. I got about 5 hours sleep last night, hopefully some more tonight. Elijah’s been in a better mood today and we’ve managed to do a few little activities that I prepared for him. We went for a long walk with our bubble, it felt good to get out. I feel very cabin fevery.

madden I hope you get more sleep tonight, it’s understandable you’re stressed, house buying/selling can be very stressful!.

unescorted I hope DS’s presents come soon!

fear thank you, today was a bit better. I hope your claim is successful.

Glad to hear you’re feeling better amber, I’ve been reading some of that thread too.

NSD

peanut cabin fever describes it perfectly. I just want to see a friendly face and chat about nothing. I miss my friends so much.

Sing I love Boots. I'm not often in there so when I do go I usually come out with a fairly large haul.

em that's amazing. Nothing unnecessary for a whole month I shall try to use you as inspiration! How do you find pilates? I tried it but couldn't get on with it. I've taken up yoga again, for it's calming qualities as much as anything, but I suppose it's a bit of exercise too. Lockdown is turning me into a couch potato.

Happier I'm finding reduced diesel consumption one of the benefits of lockdown. I find myself going for a short drive now and then when I don't need to otherwise the brakes will seize up. Pre-lockdown I was driving minimum twice daily. The fuel savings are helping though.

Unescorted I hope your local coffee shop survives. Mine has gone to doing takeaways and still seems busy when I drive past, even through the winter weather.

Snuggly I struggle to keep up too. I'm dipping in and out when I have time and using this thread to keep me on the right mindset.

AdoraBelle happy birthday to your DH.

Today was a NSD for me. I sold something else for £50 although it's only a small thing so it hasn't created much space but it all helps.

amber i'm a classic emotional spender, so having not spent anything on unnecessary items is entirely unknown for me.

that said - all non essential shops have been closed since Christmas eve so....no real opportunity to spend! and i've been avoiding online shopping.

Pilates is good for me. I started it on the recommendation of an osteopath i've been seeing. to help strengthen my back and core (from carrying the babies about...!) feeling a bit scrunchy this morning but i get a lot out of the pilates and really enjoy it.

todays spends should be nothing in theory. however, we have the kitchen designer man coming up to give us some ideas. this is going to be an expensive year. thankfully we have cash put aside from the sale of our apartment in 2018 when we bought this place for the renovation project but just need to know what we want!

Great going em

outdoor rug arrived, and also the coat hooks i ordered. yay.

these coat hooks are one of each of out initials and we are going to put them in our porch/entry and have a shelf above with baskets for hats/gloves etc. and a basket below for shoes/boots. exciting.

also just paid £3.12 customs duty for a bottle of wine which is being sent to me from a law firm so we can do a "wine evening" (nice to see that schmoozing is still alive and well albeit via zoom...)

The hooks and shelf sound lovely Em.

Nsd. Top up shop needed though (we have run out of bananas AGAIN - not really something we can bulk buy as they go off too quickly!). Going to go out for stuff first thing and also stock up on birthday cards as my stash is really depleted and Moonpig works out expensive!

Still no sign of the plates.... I have a notification that they are on their way, fingers crossed for Saturday.

em I have been missing my vicarious spending.

€56 on a hoody from paperpressireland that says f*ck what they think
€15 on Aliexpress for stationary storage for work
€5.80 on 2kg wholemeal flour, get well card & stamp for my uncle who's in hospital

Brown bread done
Making banana & apple muffins later to use up 3 bananas, I'd have baked all together if I engaged my brain at all

Evening
I have been busy getting my Mum's birthday presents ready for her for Tuesday . I had to get Bob's pressies for her so at his bequest, have ordered a gold chain a card and some flowers to be delivered for him.
Spends 10 in Tesco.
Those coat hooks/outdoor rug sound lovely Em l remember you saying you had ordered the rug , l think you will get a lot of use out of it, well done on restraining yourself too
Adora Happy birthday to your Dh too
Amber well done on the selling too!
Snuggly l really miss our local Card Factory being open , l can't get any nice card with a lovely verse in they are all just not quite right!
Peanut glad you are feeling better today , your activities sound lovely
Sing excellent stuff re the Boots sale , they have some lovely clothes in there
Happier well done on the restraint on the diesel! YAY!

Happier Gorgeous Bread too yummy! Cannot beat freshly baked bread, l am drooling at the thought of it

NSD...