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Frugal fun in February - the one with the Spring spring

999 replies

Unescorted · 01/02/2022 22:29

New thread continued from this one

All are welcome - just dive in.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
27
Mrsmadevans · 18/03/2022 17:04

Morrisons 6
farmfoods for ice cream & bits , 22 Grin
asda 35
home bargains 10
Not too bad considering some things for Mum for Sunday Smile &
i did buy a convector heater reduced to 12 in Asda it can go up to 2k in heating so l thought it will do for next Winter because we paid 20 for a very small one this Winter . We run one of these instead of putting the boiler on , it's cheaper by half Smile

Mrsmadevans · 18/03/2022 17:12

Em well done on the Boots sale Smile
Tayto glad your Dd came home safely bless her Smile
Born l hate it too Hmm when you been shopping you just want a wee and a cuppa and a sit down when you come home Flowers
Wolf well done on the cleaning and baking Smile
Curls am sure you look lovely enjoy yourself Smile
Happier so glad you are enjoying your hols Smile
Just been catching up on here and finished reading my book
I thoroughly enjoyed it The Thursday Murder Club Smile
Beautiful day here hope everyone has had this lovely weather today as well Smile

Taytocrisps · 18/03/2022 18:50

A beautiful spring day here.

Spends today:-

Supermarket (breakfast stuff for DD and her friends) €21.92
T-shirt €19.95
New crate for the cats 'cos I needed to replace one that's broken and they've their annual checkup/booster at the vets next weekend €46.99

I returned a dress for DD (runner up debs dress) so I'm due a refund of €122.

I've a hair appointment tomorrow morning and then I'm off to my Dad's for the night. We're going to watch the rugby tomorrow night and then go for lunch on Sunday. DD is with her Dad this weekend.

It feels like I've been off for ages and it's only Friday evening. I wish every weekend was a four day weekend. Anyway, Easter is just a month away so another long break then.

Unescorted · 19/03/2022 07:19

Morning lovely ones...

Mrs it was such lovely news about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ashoori.

Martha I know what you mean about the news. It is unremittingly awful. The only silver lining is that the group of people who bang on with their false memory WW2 nostalgia have gone silent as they realise that this is what close combat war looks like in Europe. Not that the skin colour should make a difference, but to them it does. And then there is all the bad news that is being buried. I am finding it all overwhelming and may also turn to Spotify.

Tayto 17 is such a difficult age. Old enough to want to go out but having to go to the less discriminating (safer) places. We did the same as you - waited up to bring them home. We also ended up being the safe place for kids to sober up before being posted home with a hangover. DD had a lot of friends with parents that were a bit My Way or The Highway - it seemed safer to let their kids sleep over than have them thrown out of the house in the wee hours to sit out until they sobered up. There are a few families in the village who are surprised that their kids know us well enough to stop & chat...... and are happy to do so.

Wolf that sounds far too busy. I fail to see the lie on the couch and do very little for most of the afternoon part of your day.

Curls lovely frock. All I want from dresses these days are sleeves, pockets and not to cling around the mid-drift. I have taken to making my own.

Speaking of which I need to pick up the sewing machine from the random bloke who fixes them. £40 for full service, new bobbin casing/ spooler that had warped ( I am looking at you DD & DH) and a lesson in how to look after it properly.

DS has picked up on frugal ways...... we used to watch the F1 with dad and he paid for the £10 each race on Now TV. So now that is not a thing I said we could do Now TV here...... DS worked out it would be cheaper to sign me up for the new customer deal. That gets us the whole season plus some of the football for DD. I have 2 happy children.

OP posts:
lifelongfrugaleer · 19/03/2022 08:07

Another lovely day here with a bit of ethereal mist
C&c ina minute £80 aldi yesterday £50

Might I some gardening

Timetoswitch · 19/03/2022 08:25

That’s a lovely (frugal) way to carry on a tradition unescorted

Holiday sounds great happier.

I’ve entered the world book day competition to win tickets to Harry Potter. DC would love it!

Good bargains in Boots em

Been a long week here, kept being next to the supermarket most days which meant lots of small spends. Never frugal.

marthasmum · 19/03/2022 08:52

Blimey I'm impressed at myself this morning. Up early to get DS2 ready for football but he's getting a lift, so have cleaned out the fridge and made soup with the bits that needed using up. Did a freezer/ cupboard stock take last night and worked out I have two weeks' worth of meals just sat there. 5 week month for my food shopping budget this month (have just been paid) so £80 to spend in Aldi today. I've realised it's the snacks and all the other bits around the meals that cost. But with 3 teenagers we get through a lot of snacks and we all feel a bit fed up of the cupboards are empty. So I'm not going to cut back on that just yet.
Savings are depleted as this month I'Ve put our fuel payment up to £400 😳
We also had a new carpet fitted this week as previously had a concrete floor in our living room - hoping that will help with fuel bills. Plus, it was a lovely sunny day here yesterday! Have also cancelled some DDs - audible and which, as I don't used them much. I also had signed up to Tesco delivery saver and Tesco Clubcard plus (10% off two big shops). But realised I just don't use them enough and I'm going to simplify and just stick to Lidl and Aldi. Have also worked out I have fidelity issues where supermarkets are concerned... I get bored with the food shop and need novelty, so can never just stick to one place. But am going to have to, to keep the costs down.
Hope everyone's Saturday is going OK. Sorry that was a long post , but wanted to record my frugal wins!

lifelongfrugaleer · 19/03/2022 09:04

Some good frugal wins there both with auditing, planning and training dc

I’ve slumped now. Showers and revitalise

Wolfcub · 19/03/2022 11:39

New council tax an water rates have landed. Council tax isn't quite as bad as I'd anticipated which offsets the water increase which was worse. Swings and roundabouts

Study done, washing done, dog walked twice, lawn mowed. Trying to ignore the incredibly aggro teen who seems to want to verbally attack me at every turn. I'm afraid I hung up on him and then laughed when he rang me to scream at me because it was somehow my fault he'd walked through the farmer's slurry pile

Unescorted you have ds well trained there

Curls the frock is fab.

Time good luck with the competition HP tickets would be a great treat

£400 Martha Shock

marthasmum · 19/03/2022 12:12

I'm now feeling less smug as I've filled up my car and it cost £130 - used to be £90. That's going to be £60 more a month on petrol a month.
Wolf you are a saint 🤗

marthasmum · 19/03/2022 12:13

Also, my frugal soup is green as I chucked in some spinach at the last minute, and tasted a bit funny as I used up the Thai curry paste from the fridge. Think it may just be me eating it !

AdoraBell · 19/03/2022 12:14

£2.40 on thread, needles and buttons. I have shoes, perfectly good, I can’t use because a button came off.

Martha I also get bored with food, could you use spices/dried herbs to change up things?

lifelongfrugaleer · 19/03/2022 16:46

Washing drying on the line, tip run done. 4 bin bags of winter garden waste for tomorrow and still 1/3 off the back and the whole front garden to do. Tip again tomorrow

Mrsmadevans · 19/03/2022 18:30

Morrisons 20
Unescorted l know it is so wonderful and l so agree re the news it is so upsetting. l try to limit myself to it tbh , it plays on my mind so much otherwise .
Martha fuel is ridiculous here 180 / Lt for diesel , 169 /Lt petrol Hmm £400 is that a month ? gulp Soup sounds delicious to me Grin
Life that is excellent going, well done! Smile
Adora excellent frugality Smile
Tayto hope you are pleased with your hair do Smile
Wolf Teens ! Can't live with them , can't live without them Smile
Time Good luck , fingers crossed Smile

Mrsmadevans · 19/03/2022 19:08

28 fish & chips for a treat, Wales lost against Italy and my lot are in the doldrums not me l don't watch it lol so l thought bugger it Grin

marthasmum · 19/03/2022 20:56

Yup £400 for a month for gas and electric!
Exceeded my budget at Aldi - spent £107 when o meant to spend £80 - but not bad and I can get it back another week.
Compared prices at Costco and Amazon subscribe and save for loo roll , pet food and washing powder (if my life gets any more exciting I may not be able to cope!)
£44 Costco for washing powder and pet food for at least the next month
£18 Amazon for enough loo rolls for 2 months
About 5 loads of washing done, went for a run
Now going to watch crap tv!
mrs enjoy your fish and chips
life sounds a productive day!
curls has the dress had its outing yet?
tayto hope your DD is doing ok
unescorted those moments of pleasure when your DC spontaneously do something you’ve been trying to teach them are lovely!

Mrsmadevans · 19/03/2022 21:03

Martha will you be able to drop it in the Spring Summer months?
That is torturous Flowers
Thank you Smile the fish and chips were gorgeous such a treat ,we never have a takeaway unless it's a special occasion Smile

marthasmum · 19/03/2022 21:42

mrs I really hope so. That's what bulb have quoted us but recently we have a new boiler, more double glazing, carpet for the front room and are being much more mindful about the heating. So I'm really hoping we'll see it dropping over the next few months, cos £400 is really not sustainable. But then who knows - it feels a bit like Monopoly money at the moment doesn't it, with the crazy fuel prices.
Am watching a programme about the real peaky blinders.

ememem84 · 20/03/2022 07:51

Oh I cannot wait to be able to dry washing outside again.

£40
Riding yesterday and then £135 Waitrose. Eeek.

Unescorted · 20/03/2022 08:46

I am having a feeling shit day already.

I am beating myself up about getting library fines - I thought I had renewed them on line but I now realise that they are a month late. I guess I didn't press the button. I also got hijacked by the aisle of doom @ Aldi so spent £70 when £30 would have covered everything I needed. The worst bit is that I "needed" noodle bowls & they had to be the beautiful ones at £10 each amazon link and because we might have guests I needed 2 sets.....

I need to do the garden today.... I am hoping the mist lifts shortly b/c it is too cold out atm.

OP posts:
marthasmum · 20/03/2022 09:05

Oo they are beautiful though unescorted.
Try not to be hard on yourself - you are very frugal normally and have been having tough times recently.
I’m at DS2’s football match. Two early starts this weekend, I’m pretty tired. Going for a dog walk with a friend later. Have a good Sunday everyone

ememem84 · 20/03/2022 09:07

unescorted I’d have done the same. They are beautiful. I love them.

Bornlazy · 20/03/2022 09:20

Don't be too hard on yourself Unescorted the bowls are lovely. As long as you can still afford to put food in them then it's not too bad - enjoy them. You won't make the library book mistake again so that's a lesson learnt. Hope you get out into your garden to lift your spirits.

Timetoswitch · 20/03/2022 10:05

Ah don’t beat yourself up unescorted, and you can make good use of the bowls

Inspired by martha, did a freezer audit yesterday. Threw away a few things, found about three meals of half used packets. I really must write on boxes with a sharpie so a. Know what it is b. What year it went in 😂

Did two tip trips this weekend. I love getting rid of stuff! Can now get to stuff in the garage again. Found the spare hooks to rehang curtains when the hooks had snapped.

Holding off buying petrol as hoping the budget might bring better news. DP has adjusted the heating so it comes in less/later now the sun is out.

ememem84 · 20/03/2022 10:16

unescorted my fave noodle recipe for your noodle bowls.

redhousespice.com/spring-onion-oil-noodles/