Would I July to you August Frugaleers

[Unescorted]

Follow on from the last one

Oh yes. I have a diet blind family too.

Just no sense of logic. DH will happily start cooking a dinner in the midst of a chaotic messy kitchen then moan about how there’s no space.

Yes, you have to all remember I’m through the childcare is greater than mortgage phase and I threw that at the mortgage when they’re at school. I pay £0 on childcare now

We have just finished paying for nursery (hooray!) but will still have some after school to pay for, luckily not much as I am p/t and dh still wfh so he does morning drop off at school instead of paying for breakfast club. All this bloody uniform though and swimming lessons etc, it soon adds up!

Love North Wales Martha, you were brave to risk a swim, it must have been freezing!

Hope you are both ok Meadow.

I froze some vaccuum packed smoked mackerel in Jan and just got it out and noticed it says “once frozen use within one month” am I going to die if I eat it?! Surely it’s fine if it has been frozen?

Gen I tend to take those kind of instructions and ignore them. The same with bottles of sauce/ingredient type things that say keep in fridge and use in two weeks.

@Gensola

I froze some vaccuum packed smoked mackerel in Jan and just got it out and noticed it says “once frozen use within one month” am I going to die if I eat it?! Surely it’s fine if it has been frozen?

Nah. I fly fast and loose with things like this. I ate smoked salmon which had been in freezer for almost a year. Still here.

@lifelongfrugaleer

Yes, you have to all remember I’m through the childcare is greater than mortgage phase and I threw that at the mortgage when they’re at school. I pay £0 on childcare now

Oh lucky.

Roll on 1 sept when ds’ nursery fees drop to 355. From 879. Thanks free hours. 😀😀

Sausage pasta for dinner. Mostly freezer. Sausages with the mussels squished out to make meatballs. Jamie O’s 7 veg sauce. Pasta. Mmmm.

Added a slug of white wine and black pepper.

Why are peppercorns so spends !?

This evening I’m making veggie kebabs for bbq tomorrow. And am sorting the fridge.

It will be fine gen, just cook it well and do the sniff test

Love a good fridge sort out Em Did mine today & it looks lovely now!

Fridge done. Kebabs done. Corn has been skewered so it’s easy for little fingers to hold.

I’ve also folded laundry. Not out any of it away but folded. Now in bed with tea.

Tomorrow I need to:

Put laundry away.
Make salad
Find lazy Susan for snackies
Make a mock tail for the kids. Last time I did this it was Ribena and sparkling water. Loads of fruit.
Make marshmallow skewers
Pump paddling pools and fill them up.
Put teepee up.

Nothing hugely taxing. But will all take a bit of time.

AHH thank you all for being so kind 😊💐
Martha l watched Changing Rooms but it wasn't what it used to be imho. I missed the regulars like Handy Andy l liked it but not as much as before. Perhaps it will get into its stride as it goes on 😊
Unescorted l am sure you can
I am not near North Wales but Snowdon is spectacular 😊
Em great stuff well done on all the work you got done 💐
Veggie kebabs sound delicious 😋
Gen l am like life if it looks and smells alright then l still use it 😊
Humbug excellent news yay! 😊👏
Unescorted l am sure you can freeze Pesto 😋😊
North mine are devils here they have broken loads of my lovely knick knacks 🙄 l had a lovely Xmas Music globe that l loved and it went missing, l had to have the Spanish inquisition to find out whodunnnit ! 🤣
Meadow hope you are both fine, thinking of you both everything crossed 🤞🤗 💐😊
Tayto have a lovely time, l know you feel awful about leaving the Dcats but you will soon be back bless you 💐😊
I watched Changing Rooms, l hated the human hair and the swing. I had images of the ceiling coming down when they all say on it at the end 🤣
Wolf have a rest this weekend and take care of yourself , nice book, film, meal, bottle of wine , bar of choc and a lovely bath 💐😊
I better get to bed , have a lovely night sleep everyones 🤗

Mrs I have you pegged to in the valleys some where between Caerdydd and Abertawe. Martha I think you were closer to me. North Wales is beautiful.. Cader Idris is one of the most stunning places in the world.

Child care costs are crippling.

Unescorted you are not far off , l am from Crickhowell originally, MumBobs is in Llangorse & we live just outside Abergavenny 😊

We had a fridge clear out yesterday too. It was al.ost empty anyway so we threw out odd jars of thi gas that had gone off and dh cleaned it. Off to the supermarket this morning to restock.

Agree about Cader Idris Unescorted, one of my favourite places, DJ and I have been many times.

Another sleepless night, this time mostly die to very loud thunder and rain!

Freezer clean out next. But this will wait until time off work. When kiddos are at nursery.

Rain overnight here too.

Last day before work here but doesn’t feel
Like a proper break with the interview and stuff.
Scout event today, in the rain
Need to meal plan and buy fresh stuff. Operation reduction no 4 for move is go

mrs Crickhowell is one of our fave places! We’ve stayed near there a few times.

I have to finish a presentation for my summer school tomorrow - left it to last min as always!

Actually managed a NSD yesterday! Pretty good as it's the first day of our holiday. It was raining all day so we just had a relaxed settling in day. We need diesel today.

I'm really keen to overpay our mortgage. We set our new mortgage when we moved at 20 years and I'd love to pay it off in 10 (before we turn 50!). I've set our regular overpayment at £350 above the regular payment and I think the percentage of this that's overpaying will increase as the interest goes down (correct me if I'm wrong 🤣). This is one of the reasons our mortgage payment has doubled since moving and why we need to reign in our spends.

I'm currently planning for a budget, at home birthday party for the little ones. Any tips appreciated! Especially for low cost, non-tat party bags x

Yes madden as your payment goes down and you leave your static payment as it is the overpayment will increase. Make sure it’s set to capital and interest to reply.
How old and which sex for party?

And how many kids?

Ah I didn't know I needed to check that life but I will (have never overpayed until the past 6 months)

It's going to be about 16 children, mostly girls

What age girls?

Oh yes... 😅, 5

Just had a google mrs that is indeed a beautiful part of the world you’re in.
DS1 football match today…nice to see him doing something active, there’s been a lot of Xbox and apart from the holiday he’s not done much. He’s a bit down about something, not sure what, needs a bit of TLC I think. Does anyone else with more than one child feel like it’s a relay race…there’s always one needing more of your time and attention and as soon as you have them sorted, another one pops up with an issue!
Heavy spends coming up so I need to look at where I can cut back again - as it’s going to be coming out of the holiday savings
£480 for DS1 and DS2 for football for the year
£100 or so for me next week, couple of days in Oxford with old friends for friend’s 50th (train and accommodation paid for already)
£300 or so on Oct for weekend away for my sister’s 50th, my treat - will need to come out of holiday savings
That’s £880 not currently budgeted for and therefore will need to come out of my holiday savings pot 😳
£250 at least for car service which is now overdue - will have that saved by Oct

I’ve been in spendy mode for our holiday so need to stop now!
madden I’m a bit out of date with littlies parties now. I used to do them cheaply at home(decorated cup cakes, pass the parcel etc) but 16 is probably too many for you to fit in at home?

Oops just realised I said holiday savings 3 times. Obviously wanting to make a point to myself 😂