Summer savings support - be frugal

[ememem84]

Running out of space on the old thread so here’s the new one. Everyone welcome.

for background this is a slice to share your No spend days, your big spend days your savings your situation. We all help each other out with advice and tips etc. but it’s mostly for friendly accountability.

Morning everyone 😊
Beautiful pictures Em so glad you all had a lovely time 😊
NSD planned for me because we are going to try to keep cool and stay in the darkened house 😱🤣
Have a lovely day everyone 😊

Someone on the Christmas thread has recommended these . I don’t know myself but I know some are looking ahead to winter www.kudd.ly/?utm_source=awin&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=default&awc=23952_1660028903_4905cf5c8d8a5bb9ac6d3cfac4edb03f

I think they were from the everything’s £5 site so Unmarkerd but were these when arrived

Forgot link www.5poundstuff.com/collections/blanket-hoodies?awc=26105_1660029120_bb84d2a0f5c263384981c75ab52c4332

Morning all!

Fab starfish em

Re uniform I've tried various things over the years but what I've found works for us is not doing a midweek uniform wash and having enough to get through a whole week and doing a full weekend of uniform washing. So for younger ones that means a fresh set everyday but my older ones need a fresh top every day but they only have 3 trousers and 2 jumpers as can rewear.

Re pe kit. If it's the kind of school where they wear pe kit all day you might not need a pe bag as they will be wearing it

We just use a backpack instead of a book bag as DC can potentially carry it themselves then.

Can't remember how it was now but on someone's recommendations I've ordered a shoe measure and hopefully get shoes on Clarks outlet they seem to be around £15 cheaper than in store. Can't return to store though so bit of a faff posting back if needed.

Very spendy day yesterday approx £500 on uniform although it's mostly done now plus a toddler bed and bedding for my toddler moving out of cot and into a bed 😱

Dentist today first time since lockdown

Oh thanks life, that's a pressie for DD and me for Christmas sorted. (Even if we wear them before!). Keep the heating bills down as much as possible.

Hoping for a NSD!

@Decafflatteplease i think that's the trick - working out what works. i'm going to start with the minimum i think - i can always buy more if needed. but its a minefield.

i'm working form home today - as i thought id be more hungover than i actually am and figured work would want me in the office if i was. turns out just drinking expensive champagne is the way to go.... for clarification - the bride and groom were superbly generous. they were using money her late father left her to pay for the wedding food and drink. and apparently he would have wanted it this way.

at dinner we were given the option of a wine list or continuing on with the bubbly. we carried on with the bubbly. until cake time then i had an espresso martini. yummmm. home by 11.

today i have a decorator coming round to give me a quote to get my wallpaper up. not anytime soon as everyone in the trades are absolutely slammed at present. but just want to get a date in the diary.

dishwasher is loaded and on, laundry is going in the machine. i'm set up o the kitchen island for a quiet work day.

@Decafflatteplease hope you don’t mind me offering a bit of shoe fitting advice. The first thing I was taught and what I always tell my customers is what they measure is just a starting point. Just because they measure an 11F for example doesn’t mean any or every 11F will fit them. Brands, designs, and the individual foot itself eg a high instep will all influence what is or isn’t a good fit. What they measure is not always what they end up wearing.

So while buying online may look cheaper it may as you say be an almighty faff if you’re ordering trying and having to return.

Morning all
beautiful pictures em glad you enjoyed the wedding
nsd yesterday but we are taking the kids to the cinema today using meerkat 2 for 1 going to see the new top gun film will take our own snacks
going to be another nice day here for once I have booked annual leave and it’s not raining lol washing is already out on the line
need to buy party invitations to send out for dd 21st and a bottle of wine to take to my friends house tonight as we are having a catch up

have a great day everyone

Also on the Christmas thread for shoes www.stompfootwear.com/product-category/back-to-school-2/

Not quite christmas themed but money saving. Shoes half price, lots of fabulous brands and current designs and loads of back to school shoes by brands in current designs from Geox, Boboux?, Lelli kelly, startrite, saltwater etc shoes, wellies, boots, slippers etc. Under £30. Fab shoe shop which was run by 3 mums and unfortunately had to close this year so is selling of stock online or via pop up shops.

What a view ❤

NSD today. Yesterday £2.80 in Asda for bag of salad and 3 cans of chickpeas. We should be fine now with food we have in the fridge to keep us going until next week. Since prices started to rise, I noticed I use up pretty much everything I have in the fridge. It seems bit empty, but less (or practically none) food goes to waste.

Great pictures em - where was the wedding? sorry if I missed that update. Small and smart is the way to go with these events, I think! That way everyone can drink the expensive wine!

More prosaically, have just booked me and DS for appointments at the hygienist (non-NHS, £146 for two) and check-ups (NHS £23 each). Prodded by last night's report about hollowed-out NHS dental services, thought I"d better jump in before we got booted off the list. Have to say, I've been impressed by the amount of NHS care available to my son over the last decade and more - unlimited orthodontic treatment and he could still get more (surgery and braces) if he decided to pursue it. It's a world away from the scarcity of my adolescence back in the day.

Been a busy few days. Dd2 started school Monday... she really enjoyed it. The school has a school buddy system so a 4th grader is school friend with the 0th grader so dd2 has spent loads of time with the kindest and most caring 10 year old girl...
Have had 2 builders out for offers on renovation of the house, now waiting for the offers.
Groceries was 60 £ and besides that's nothing spendt.
My parents have booked us all a holiday to gran canaria for Christmas. Never been there so really looking forward to that.

@LuxembourglivinginDenmark aww their big school bags always look so huge on them. Can't believe my DS will be starting school next year. All this talk of school uniform and shoes has me confused.

NSD today. At work all day and brought a packed lunch (which I've barely had time to eat). DH is on leave and has DS today, he was going to take him swimming or softplay but DS wasn't in the mood so they've stayed at home with the paddling pool out. So no spends woohoo!

Tomorrow need to buy some polyfilla, caulk and no more nails as I'm going to prep walls for wallpapering and fit the new skirting boards in the spare room as DH managed to finish the flooring in there yesterday.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

@Socathe thanks. Luckily no school uniforms or shoes here. Just regular clothing and shoes..
Gas and electricity prices must really be going high up in the UK. For the last 3 or 4 nights it's been on the news here in Denmark. Also mentioning protest and no paying groups as protest... really sounds like scary times

The wedding was on the headland at this hotel www.theatlantichotel.com/

just lovely.

Got lots done round the house today and 3 loads of washing out and dried.

A couple of spends today. £14.11 on travel insurance for Ds1’s trip to Canada at the end of the month. Couldn’t believe how cheap it was, I thought it would be more since he’s under 18 and travelling alone (well, with another under 18yr old). And £79.99 on a Seasalt waterproof coat in the sale. Not had a decent waterproof coat in years and I do need one with my walk from the car park to work. Definitely a good investment if the reviews are anything to go by.

I’ve never spent this much on a coat before. It better be good.

@orange, we invested 49 pound in q blaupunkt one from B&Ms and we love it. So much better and cheaper than my conventional oven. Absolutely delighted with mine!

@ Mrs mqdevans, love ya dearly but I am only 45😜😂..... 3.50 Ronseal fence paint, 5lts it's dark oak from B&M, I prefer grey but I have had q glorious cheap day in my dungarees tidying the garden up, cutting it Al back for winter qnd painting it all brown to look pretty. I enjoy q good days honest graft!!!

@em, sunset looks delightful!

@CurlsandCurves i love seasalt coats. Which one did you get?

@lifelongfrugaleer its called Hidden Creek in the khaki green colour x

curls those are good points (I’m guessing you work in a shoe shop!)
it was me with the measure and I agree, the returns are a pain - I realised after I’d ordered that I wouldn’t be able to return to a shop 🙈
my DC are growing fast (teenagers) so I just wanted to try a cheaper option. We’re getting the same style and width we had last year. Might be trickier with younger ones though, you’re right.
bizarrely DS2 was excited about the purchase as apparently he loves having his feet measured as it’s very relaxing! Apparently it wasn’t as relaxing when I did it though 😂
1 more day to leave, counting down. I’ve done three days worth of work already this week!

I'm so tempted by an air fryer, what size would I need for 3/4 adults and is it worth investing in a decent one?

I bought two of those hoodies for DD and myself that life linked to, in an effort to keep the bills down this winter. DD will be in the house a lot studying.

I am on a garden mission this weekend too fear, it'll be good for my fitness and good for the bank balance too! I'll rope the DC into helping too.

Coat sounds lovely curls

Your daughter looks lovely luxembourg, and the holiday sounds fabulous!

Finally eaten the chilli!! 4 days of chilli! But at least you can have chilli many different ways!

Tonight is herby rice with roast veg, chickpeas and halloumi. Will make enough for lunches the next day.

Spending will be very minimal, if anything today.