Frugally Forward To Autumn

[Wolfcub]

New fred

need I love the idea of Facebook selling groups but I'm so wary of buying secondhand on FB in case things aren't how they're advertised and leaving me with no real recourse, and I feel like I always end up trawling groups for my size in new with tags and never finding anything!! I did buy a mixture of new and preloved maternity and nursing clothing from Facebook groups but that's about the extent of my dabbling in that 'world' hah. I like the idea of it though, I'd rather save the money and also stop buying so much 'new new' for the environment.

born Love the champagne glasses bargain! I love charity shops, but my locals are all tiny so I never really go into them anymore, can't squeeze the pram round properly and definitely not possible to keep a good eye on DD to stop her crashing things over in such small spaces haha.

HTruffle My DPs have a blackberry bush in their garden and DD loves picking them, entertains her for ages and she's generally got quite a short attention span hah. She loves eating them too!

Good luck Collie! I've had many many interviews over the last few years, mostly leading to rejections, so I get soo nervous for them too, I feel you on that.

Both the kids still poorly and so is DH now, so I'm the last (wo)man standing. He did two LFTs and both negative so it doesn't look to be covid. I will need to do a quick dash to the pharmacy at some point as we are running out of kids' paracetamol but that should be my only spend for today.

@ThisisCollie2022 If it is a little bit senior you are the candidate they are looking for. Ambition is valued. How else do people progress in their careers.

Interview done! They're were so lovely. Whoever gets that job is a very lucky person 😊

Thanks everyone for your support, really appreciate it! x

Fingers crossed for you collie.

Best of luck collie I’m enjoying the damp, grey NI weather 🤣 a change of pace after 60 odd dry days!

fingers crossed

if anyone happens into primark and sees these in an adult 6 and 11 please you buy me them and I will cover your costs

My husband said this might happen but didn't realise it would be so soon! But a pensioner (late 80s) didn't have enough coins to buy herself a pasty in the bakery. So I paid the difference. We started carrying £2 coins on us in case someone was struggling to pay for basics (bread, milk etc).

I've only had the £2 in my purse for a week...

She was almost crying, she was horrified at the cost. (£3.95 for a medium!)

Well, WOTW, have you thought of Oxfam for secondhand? They have a website as well as high street shops, and for Secondhand September, are offering a further 20% discount on online purchases!

Interesting work from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on the Minimum Income Standard for 'decent' living. According to their research, a single person, no dependents, would need an income of around £25, 500 a year to attain a minimum standard of living (which would include access to important cultural, educational and social opportunities like wifi, a smartphone, a laptop, Netflix, the ability to buy presents for family, a week's holiday in the UK per year) and two adults with two children would need around £44K. I don't know how they adjust for different housing costs around the country. And their calculation doesn't extend to households like ours where we have adult dependents still in FT education, but not under our roof, which requires another set of housing costs and support on day-to-day living. But it's a good barometer of public opinion
www.jrf.org.uk/living-standards

And fingers crossed for Collie - hope you get it, as you liked them.

Ds has yet again refused to get out of bed. It's my last holiday day (not counting the weekend) and I'm feeling pretty down about it. I had hoped to salvage one nice day out out of the week

Good luck Collie and I hope your good deed brings good things to you.

@Wolfcub sorry your day isn't going well. How old is he, I found 14/15 the worst and then they gradually turned into human beings. Fingers crossed he bucks his ideas up.

I've got two teenage GC here, not on their best behaviour. Having one is great but together they just egg each other on. I've had to shout at them at something they were listening to on their phone, vile language and just not nice. Don't want it in my living room. Roll on school.

Ah that’s kind collie but £4 for a pasty!!!

Sorry you day is shit wolf, hope you can salvage some of it

piss poor planning spending day today
$921 wardrobe - planned
$50 town - mostly planned in various shops
$19 Aldi run out stuff
$34 M&S mindless spend

my hob is broken and having to adjust for meal and doing it badly

Wolf

£6.50 in the pharmacy on OTC meds for the sickies (everyone here except for me). That should be all of today's spends though.

Hello all.
My DBIL told my Dad Warty doesn't like spending money and then told me I live like a mediaeval peasant. He's really a nice guy but it made me think I should join the thread. Hope that's ok.
We have an allotment (we were on a waiting list for years) and so far we've frozen 24 litres of stewed apples and a lot of rhubarb. The idea is to use it over Winter in crumbles and for breakfast. Pretty much living off our vegetables at the moment (with bread, eggs and prawns etc) - lots of corn on the cob this year, courgettes and rubber beans.
Later on today I'll plant some chard, Brussels sprouts and beetroot. Trying to plant more Winter crops - so we have kale and broccoli already. Have a real fear of the upcoming energy bills so trying to grow as much as we can.

Runner beans

Rubber beans made me chuckle!!

Welcome ginger, I'm envious of all your veggie growing skills!

Our huge bill that was estimated at £1000 was £300. I cannot shout YAY loud enough. What a relief!!!

Welcome Ginger - I am in awe. I managed some tomatoes, salad leaves, rhubarb and herbs this year. The birds got the rest.... they are lovely fat birds.

That is a relief collie

I got sent a reminder for my MOT today..... It also needs a service and the heater fixing. 😧

Could I join the thread?

I’m fortunate in many ways - I am financially comfortable but saving to buy.

so far what I do to keep costs down:

• shop at Lidl and have a week each month of no spend where I use up everything in the cupboards etc. I could still cut down on this I think.
• the (gas) heating is never turned on and never has been. blankets and dressing gowns are my best friend.
• Shower at work more often.
• all appliances off when not in use, lights barely ever on.
• shop second hand.

I do have bad habits, this month I’m determined to bring in my own iced coffee to work instead of buying it. Bring in my own food etc.

looking forward to gaining more tips.

I’ve cancelled Netflix, now tv etc.

I’m on a cheap tariff for phone bill, we are cancelling the WiFi when the contract ends as we don’t need it (use data).

I pressed too soon. I meant to say I’ve lost quite a bit of weight over the past year (intentionally) and whilst I have not bought new clothes, my old size 14-16 ones are hanging off me (they were tight pre loss). Even my leggings etc.

I need to buy quite a lot of new clothes, but charity shops haven’t been successful yet. Any tips? I’ve been able to sell a few items, earmarked lots for the charity shops and passed some on. I will keep my tops and pyjamas and even some jeans that are fine baggy / can have a belt.

Thank you all - although I think it is my obsession with growing veg and fruit that led to the comparison with a mediaeval peasant
Feel (ridiculously) very resentful if I actually have to buy fruit!
I will make some soup at some point and freeze it this year. Will let you all know how that goes.
My friend has started making her own clothes and while it's saving her a fortune she is brilliant at arts and crafts. I would look like I was wearing a curtain. Great idea though.

@Nurse16
Sainsburys are good?

I miss our allotment but love the medieval peasant likeness

welcome ginger and nurse

are you still losing weight or at maintenance? That will most likely decide what clothes you need.

@Nurse16 what about Vinted? You can build bundles from a seller. I've done it twice now and saved 10% each time :) congrats and welcome x

I've just had £75 refunded from something that went awry so that's
£100 water rebate
£75 refund
£36 bank refund

All towards my unexpected £300 bill :)

@ThisisCollie2022

thanks for the suggestion! I actually completely forgot about Vinted so am back on that now. I’ve previously sold via Vinted too

@lifelongfrugaleer

hi, I have around half a stone to lose until I will go into maintenance but don’t expect my size to reduce much with it. I’m between a size 8 and 10, 12 in some shops - I don’t have the hips for smaller sizes. That’s way too much waffling but is why I’ve waited so long in a way and am wearing very baggy clothes.

I did buy some second hand size 12 dresses which fit nicely, and plenty of the old size 14/16 stuff especially dresses and tops look nice it’s mainly leggings /trousers, PJ shorts and underwear I need to buy more of.

thanks for all suggestions x