Frugaleers MayBee just MayBee

[Unescorted]

If this goes horribly wrong it is not my fault.....

Old Thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/4202621-friendly-frugaleers-accounting-accurately-all-april

Sorry Amber my week has been a cross between the Twilight Zone and soap opera with falling ratings at Christmas.

Today's joy looking after dDad while working. It feels like the toddler years are back (minus trying to fish fuzzy felt out of bottoms and sultanas out of noses hopefully). Thankfully they have superfast internet so I can "work".

Definitely American frosting Em. Look at Rachel Allen's for her walnut wedding cake. I made it for my mum's 60th and it's pretty bang on white

www.goodto.com/recipes/rachel-allen-s-walnut-cake-with-american-frosting

Oooh amazing. Thanks.

I’m going to go to local bakery supply store when I’m next in town (went today but they were closed booo) as need to get some new cake pans. And a smoother. And some fondant. And will have a practice at American frosting.

Going for vanilla sponge with buttercream and jam filling. Then white frosting. Yum.

Currently watching fear street on Netflix. Scary!

Mega spending day yesterday £168 uniform £40 primark £10 next £5 card shop £4 £shop

Today need dog food £43 and a lead anywhere up to £32

7 minute frosting here doesn't use butter or egg yolks so is super white. Or Italian frosting which has less better and no egg yolks
If you are making American butter cream (or others with loads of butter) use Lurpac butter - it is less yellow than others. Or ditch the frosting & use royal icing...

Can I just say the WH Smiths craft items are a gateway to a full on art material addiction.....

Poor DD thought it was Sunday yesterday..... she sat herself down on the sofa in her England shirt, glass of lager only to realise she was a day early. She did a quick change to a glass of wine and dressing gown....

£50 on a dress for FIL funeral. No idea where the money has all gone this month.
Birthday lunch for an old friend of DH’s today but after that we are knuckling down to some seriously frugal living!!
About to do a meal plan for this week and cancel some subscriptions.

@lifelongfrugaleer the Julius K9 216 gm-dp is good if you are using collar and harness

Gen sorry to hear about FIL.

I wish we had done a better food plan.... well not so much food, but loo roll, soda water (remembered the mint and limes) compost and bark chipping are all in short supply.

Thanks wolf
Unescorted what’s corn syrup?

I bit the bullet and ordered a Fitbit (€99.95). I've been meaning to buy one for ages. I got out early and did my morning walk before the rain came (smug emoji). The plan for today is housework followed by dinner and then a glass or two of wine while I watch the match.

Working from home next week so that will make for an easier week. No travel to and from work and earlier dinners. We're all hoping that once the immediate crisis is over, we can maybe work from home one or two days a week. But we haven't had any indication from management as to what will happen then - whenever that may be. Restaurants and pubs are still closed here (well, you can eat and drink but only outdoors), although there's talk that people who are fully vaccinated will be able to get a 'passport' which will ennable them to eat and drink indoors. Meanwhile, the young staff who work in those restaurants and aren't yet vaccinated won't be able to eat in the same restaurant they work in! Seems a bit daft to me. And cases are going up again....... Feels like there's no end in sight.

Gen sorry to hear about your FIL.

Unescorted that's funny about your DD getting the day wrong.

Gen

Laughing at getting the wrong day for the match . Looking forward to it but we are both knackered as had friends over last night and DH was up before 8 with DD and although I had another 45 mins doze I was up loads in the night cos of his snoring . At a soft play now having a rest while DH runs about with DD .

Yesterday spent £123 on grocery shopping . I swear food has gotten soo much more expensive gradually over the last few years don't you think?! Also what are everyones fave easy hearty veggie recipes? Always like trying new recipes (although always vaguely disappointed that DD won't eat them...).

A sugar syrup made from corn - I substitute with an acidified mix of water and white sugar. If you can't be faffed golden syrup or honey works (but is coloured....). 450g of sugar, 170g of water, 1/4 tsp cream of tatar, 2tsp of lemon or vinegar and a pinch of salt..... heat on a low temperature to dissolve the sugar, increase heat to a low simmer and take up to 110deg C. It stores at room temperature.

Meadow - the plate stirring give me the rage. I have realised having spent time with just DS and just DD that it is DH who is the fussy one. we are currently enjoying baked gnocchi... coat in favourite pasta sauce, add vegetables and bake for 20 minutes. They go all light and fuffy.

Tayto we are going to be "agile" working.... if you want / need to be in the office then you can hot desk. If you don't need to be and don't want to be there then work from home / cafe/ park. We were moving to this pre covid & our IT and offices are configured to make it easier. They are just boosting the meeting room IT so that the people who are dialing in aren't struggling to hear over the paper shufflers.

meadow this is one of my faves

pin.it/5j8TMWD

Welcome back meadow

Sorry to hear about FIL gen

Sorry been awol… found out my covid test I took Friday evening was positive. I have a sore throat and a headache, and I had second vaccination two months ago 😩 I shouldn’t really have got the test but thought I was the contact of a contact. Thought i was being stupid doing it… the contact of the contact is negative too 🤷‍♀️

🤣 at the wrong day unescorted

Only benefit of self isolating is we don’t have to get up early for school tomorrow now!

Love that is a way to look at it. Hope your symptoms stay nice and mild.

Gen hope you enjoy your lunch it will do you all good
Love that is so unlucky hope you feel better soon
Tayto fitbits are fab , my Dh has Afib and he has an app that goes with it , marvellous little gadget .
Unescorted that is how we wake up everyday here , not knowing what dotw it is!
Em the cake sounds wonderful l bet you will enjoy making it
Spends today 30 for a Chinese tonight for the footie l think
Come on Boys !

£19 new lead, £10 cafe

Ok so.having taken stock of last weeks spending, i see that i have fully let the emotions get the better of me.

i bought a new bag (cute - from Johnny loves Rosie), a couple of dresses, and some stationery.

yesterday, i also bought myself a laptop stand, and a keyboard - along with a wrist rest and desk mat (these came as a set). i have serious pain in my right wrist and thumb, and now today have cricked my neck, and fear it's because of my wfh posture. so because wfh on a monday is the new normal for me i have spent the money to ensure that i have a decent work set up. and hopefully save me money on the accupuncture and osteo appointments.

i've set up some SO on my accounts to transfer the £1 for the amount of days in a month to my savings at the end of each month. have had to do this manually as couldn't work out how to do it otherwise. essentially i'm getting on top of my spending and saving again as have realised that enough is enough. i need to work on the cause of the spending - ie the emotions and not the actual spending.

I’m definitely a feast or a famine with the spending. I will often refuse to buy something I see as being overpriced even if I actually need it only to then spent a fortune on some other random crap that I don’t actually need. It’s very complex and if I could work out why I do it I’d save a fortune.

I think for me I buy a lot of small things that add up to way more money than I can afford. £15 here, £20 there but over the month it adds up. I need to set myself a budget for all non essential spends I think.

@Bornlazy

I’m definitely a feast or a famine with the spending. I will often refuse to buy something I see as being overpriced even if I actually need it only to then spent a fortune on some other random crap that I don’t actually need. It’s very complex and if I could work out why I do it I’d save a fortune.

Yep. Like for example - i'm holding off actually biting the bullet and spending £000's on a new kitchen because i'm actually scared to do it because of all the hassle. but will happily spend £40 on a new bag which whilst lovely, i didnt really need.

@Gensola

I think for me I buy a lot of small things that add up to way more money than I can afford. £15 here, £20 there but over the month it adds up. I need to set myself a budget for all non essential spends I think.

Yep. this is also an issue for me.

So as above - the bag. or a take away coffee three days a week. which is "only" £8.40 a week. but adds up (obviously when dh comes to work as well instead of working from home he pays for coffee....)

but. yeah. need to focus on these more.

That’s my issue too. I don’t buy anything expensive really (it helps that I don’t care about clothes etc although TBH I really should make more effort with my appearance and how I dress etc especially now I’m looking for work) but little bits and pieces for the kids - especially Cagletini as she’s changing so quickly - and home ed supplies, bits and pieces for the house etc. Really adds up!