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Frugally Forward To Autumn

988 replies

Wolfcub · 20/08/2022 13:31

New fred

OP posts:
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ThisisCollie2022 · 30/08/2022 21:22

@Gensola omg your poor DH and MIL. Sending you all the love. Not what you need right now! 🫂 xxx

jewishmum · 30/08/2022 21:22

Got myself a (good quality non-leaking) travel mug and have been taking it out with coffee every day so far. Also got DD a nice water bottle (both dishwasher safe.. don't ask but I can't give up the dishwasher over hand-washing). And she's taken to that and surprisingly, has been requesting water over anything else to fill it with.

So that's good as I was guilty of buying a fruit shoot every time we went out. At least. Plus coffee or coke for me. Should be a big save over time.

Park followed by library today. Plus free personal drinks and a water fountain to refill, £0.

Followed by TKMax though as I needed baby and kids socks and knickers, £15.

Regret (not regret!) buy on Vinted: a vintage Polly Pocket Cinderella castle. Not sure if it's for my nostalgia or for DD.

jewishmum · 30/08/2022 21:23

Oh, which was £30*

northender · 30/08/2022 21:26

Nana thank you so much for your post, that's reassuring. 9kg!! I've lost 9pounds since surgery

Bornlazy · 30/08/2022 21:32

Half I turned 50 this year but went through an early menopause triggered by an ovarian cyst removal when I was 40. I can honestly say that at times I felt so unsure of myself and so overwhelmed that I felt like I couldn't do my job properly and would get really anxious thinking about everything that could go wrong. That has passed for me now but I definitely don't feel I'm quite as sharp as I once was. I was just getting back on track when the pandemic hit... Working for the NHS ( as I think I remember you do too) is so horribly stressful at the moment. There seems to be no end in sight for problems that were initially thought to be caused by the pandemic. No one can see any light at the end of the tunnel and I think it's taking its toll on all of us. I literally don't know anyone who works in a hospital that is not totally stressed 😩 Hope your migraine is gone by the morning.

lifelongfrugaleer · 31/08/2022 06:14

That’s ace collie
hope the migraine is better half

em at dhs numbers, uno is an ace game too

Sorry to hear about mil Gen. Big hug and yes that was PiQ

great frugality there Jewish. A full dishwasher is more eco than hand washing anyway

needastrongoneagain · 31/08/2022 06:45

Love your frugal posts jewishmum.

❤️ gen, so sorry to hear about your Dmil. Hope your DH is okay.

I'm going to have to fill up the car today, which will be circa £70. Hopefully will last over two weeks, or maybe not...

Running tonight but there's a veggie Shepherds Pie cooked already.

Back to work today.

Contemplating the cheap cinema tickets for Saturday, but nothing I massively want to see in truth.

Woke early, and perused the MSE site for a while!

northender · 31/08/2022 06:48

born & half the NHS certainly is a tough place to work at the moment
To those with anxiety I hope you have support with it. It feels like a very strange time at the moment.
Gen so sorry to hear about your mil.

northender · 31/08/2022 06:54

tired small steps on the frugal path are good & hopefully DH will start to change habits too.
Jewish mum reusable coffee cup and water bottle are massive frugal wins
Should be nsd today. My friend is coming over this afternoon & bringing tea for us. Otherwise it's rest & recovery for me

flowerycurtain · 31/08/2022 07:08

Sorry to hear about your MiL @Gensola

spendy day for me to day. Am off for my haircut. The salon is miles away and expensive. However I've gone there because they are an AMAZING curly hair specialist. But they are putting their prices up by 20% as they've just become VAT registered. Its borderline affordable for me at that and im guessing they'll be needing to put their prices up soon. So I will enjoy today whilst I can!!!

lifelongfrugaleer · 31/08/2022 07:28

ive just been pursuing mse too need and for those looking for cheap days out its heritage time - free opening of certain places for a limited time in sept

www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/deals-hunter/2022/08/free-visits-to-hidden-property-gems/

ThisisCollie2022 · 31/08/2022 07:41

Morning! Payday woo hoo. Savings money has been transferred already! We're on mega frugal mission.

We both have allocated "pocket money" (piss up the wall fund). We've never done it before and hopefully it helps us stay in budget. He's withdrawing his and I've got a separate account for it.

marthasmum · 31/08/2022 08:14

gen so sorry to hear about your MIL, fingers crossed for you
wolf sounds really tough but glad it has settled and you dealt with it really well (sounds like you always tod)
hats off to those working in the NHS - I don’t any more but as I teach on a healthcare course we work alongside clinical colleagues and I have to say the stresses look bloody awful
jewishmum that’s what frugality is for - a Polly pocket castle 😂
need hope back to work is ok, mine wasn’t as bad as I thought but loads to do
So many of us on the thread with extra stresses and pressures - anxiety and kids with additional needs - life is tough isn’t it? My DD (18) was recently diagnosed as autistic though for her it’s less about meltdowns, more getting tied up in very toxic relationships that she struggles to get out of (and which impact the family too).
spends yesterday £4.90 on Co cop snacks after late night A&E trip (all well now)
£14.95 on a mug to cheer up poorly work colleague . Aiming to post these more regularly to keep accountable.

Wolfcub · 31/08/2022 08:22

Morning, payday thank the lord. Paid myself first of course and looking at savings I think I've just about hit the point where I can both pay 100% cash for kitchen (not cheap but highly necessary) and have a little bit of savings left over, now I just need my workmen to tell me a start date (been waiting some time!) I've also been reading MSE this morning.

Tidied my baking cupboard yesterday so just the roasting tin cupboard to tackle now. I did the spices/tins cupboard a month ago so not touching that one again this time round.

Ocado delivery later £42. Haven't yet decided where I'm going today and don't yet know if I'm going solo again or if ds will actually get out of bed.

Tea and breakfast next and then a bit of essay research reading before I do anything else

OP posts:
ememem84 · 31/08/2022 08:36

jewishmum · 30/08/2022 21:22

Got myself a (good quality non-leaking) travel mug and have been taking it out with coffee every day so far. Also got DD a nice water bottle (both dishwasher safe.. don't ask but I can't give up the dishwasher over hand-washing). And she's taken to that and surprisingly, has been requesting water over anything else to fill it with.

So that's good as I was guilty of buying a fruit shoot every time we went out. At least. Plus coffee or coke for me. Should be a big save over time.

Park followed by library today. Plus free personal drinks and a water fountain to refill, £0.

Followed by TKMax though as I needed baby and kids socks and knickers, £15.

Regret (not regret!) buy on Vinted: a vintage Polly Pocket Cinderella castle. Not sure if it's for my nostalgia or for DD.

Agree. For me a good coffee mug and water bottle are worth the money.

i have a contigo one (the rumours about these being leakproof are true!) and I love it.

I had that castle!!!! Amazing!

I’ve been to the gym this morning. Wooop. Came home and DH was yelling at the kids.

we had a rule today that whoever was up first went to the gym first. So I did.

DH then had to get up with the kids do breakfast. I came home and he was moaning because he’d made them porridge and toast (ds and dd) and himself eggs. They didn’t want theirs. So haven’t eaten. They’ve moaned because they wanted their tablets but I’d set timers for use. Behaviour from them both seems to deteriorate if they use them for too long (who knew?!)

dh has stropped off to the gym now. He’s stressing because I’m out for lunch with dsis. And he’ll be with the kids by himself for a bit.

im frustrated because I’m doing everything again. And he can’t seem to get on board with it. He does recognise it though. And says thanks. But won’t jump in to help.

however today proved that I can do gym and back before DH will need to get the bus into work next week. As long as I can organise clothes etc before I go

CurlsandCurves · 31/08/2022 09:00

Payday here too, woohoo!

@Gensola sorry to hear about your mil.

@flowerycurtain I’ve just paid for my curly cut today too! I go in a couple of weeks. Luckily mines only a 45 min drive away, curly hair specialists are few and far between aren’t they?

DS1 left for Canada this morning, eek! His flights around midday I think. Will be checking up on him via sky scanner. I’ve told him I don’t expect lots of calls home and to just and have a great time. But just a text to let me know he’s got there safe.

Aaand I have sent him a pic of my all time favourite perfume which has been unavailable due to supply issues for over a year. Just in case there’s any at duty free. Told him to let me know the price and if it’s ok I might get him to get me some. Prices online for it in the rare places I’ve found it are ridiculous.

Socathe · 31/08/2022 09:00

@Gensola sorry about your MIL, hope your DH is okay

@ThisisCollie2022 DH and I do monthly pocket money, we have done ever since we joined our finances when we bought our first house six years ago! It works, means we can buy ourselves clothes, work lunches etc without any resentment from the other.

My DM is coming to stay tomorrow for a night, excited to see her, we moved away from my home county nearly two years ago now and I'm still sad to not be able to just pop round. We're going to cinema and a meal while DH has ds so will be lovely to spend some quality time with her alone. £12 for two cinema tix plus have Tesco boost vouchers to spend £45 in pizza express so should be a frugal evening out! I've not been to the cinema since before covid and it seems so cheap now, sad really as guess it means they're not doing well.

DH had convinced himself he needed a takeaway as I'll be out for a meal (he gets such FOMO!). We have £20 cash in the kitchen drawer from selling on FB marketplace I said he could use but he's talked himself round to cooking himself a nice meal instead so that's a frugal win.

In other news I've been waiting for a fixed rate deal to appear in my British Gas app since the price cap announcement as I called up beforehand and they had no fixes to offer at all. Well one has appeared at £423/month! Going to use the MSE calculator to check it out properly but I can't see it being worth it, we usually use just under the average use amount so that's about what we'll be paying per month in Jan/Feb time if we don't try to cut down at all (which we will). That's if the predictions are accurate anyway. What a nightmare.

WFH today and have washed and hung out all the bedding in the house. Did have to do a hot wash for DS' comforter (he chews it all night and it's gross) but 30 min 30 degrees wash for all the rest. Tried eco setting on dishwasher and things didn't come out clean so that's a no go.

Hopefully a nsd today. Happy Wednesday everyone.

Wolfcub · 31/08/2022 09:08

Gen I missed the post about your MIL, so sorry to hear she is so unwell.

OP posts:
Bornlazy · 31/08/2022 10:01

Me too Gen I hope she's ok. It's awful when you can't visit.

mustbefunny · 31/08/2022 10:49

Sorry to hear your health news north, how are you feeling today?

And so worrying for your mil gen.

I've spent much of the last week supporting my fil in and out of hospital. It's tragic how understaffed it felt. Luckily, as we were able to be there, we could help with caring, washing, feeding, toileting etc. but so many people either don't have, or can't have, visitors.

Slightly jealous of all the payday money shuffling happening... our 'payday' is tomorrow as that's the day money hits our joint account!

ThisisCollie2022 · 31/08/2022 11:00

@northender sending you lots of love Xx

Just finalised my weekly shop and it came to £60.11p. Bargain! Includes all meals including DS's packed lunches.

And it also included crackers and chutney for Christmas. I love a Christmassy cheese board!

And Tony's chocolate. Finally on offer!

northender · 31/08/2022 11:26

Ooh Collie where is Tony's choc on offer? Good idea to start a Christmas food stash now. Well done on the car insurance too

Timetoswitch · 31/08/2022 11:36

Sorry to hear about MIL gen

payday, yay!

Did a top up shop £23, but that included a big box of washing powder.

I seem to have various bits of credit coming in from shopping apps at the moment, which is nice.

DH came home from work yesterday, and would not stop talking about work 🤣 I really haven’t missed it. Back to work for me soon too 😢 I do think the DC need to go back to school though. I’m desperately trying not to spend money just to keep them occupied.

I don’t think I replied to life. The job DH passed the board on has a 12 month waiting list so 🤞

WeightoftheWorld · 31/08/2022 13:43

Haven't caught up apologies, just a quick one from my phone. Been in town this morning - SPENDY. About as spendy as it gets for me but won't be repeated anytime soon:

£97 bravissimo. The frugal win was that I had a £10 off voucher that I'd 'earned' through their rewards scheme. Otherwise would have been a tenner more. Also accrued 3 more points towards another £10 voucher (it's 5 points for a voucher).

£78 Primark on clothes. Got a lot for that though. Mixture of cas and things for work.

£6.49 work shoes from M&S. Massive frugal win - tag said £35. More than what I wanted to pay but couldn't find anything suitable that fit and was affordable and this was the 3rd shop I tried. So went with it, at the till she told me it was a sale item and £6.49 but hadn't been labelled. Wahoo!

£21 Lush on gifts

£30 cash on lunch for me and DH at a lovely independent cafe that I last went when I was pregnant with DD (who is 4!). First time we've had a meal out together alone in about a year, since before DS was born basically. Frugal lunch out really as we had two courses each plus a drink each.

69p card factory

My bank balance!!!

lifelongfrugaleer · 31/08/2022 13:44

A 12 month list is good,