Friendship and Falling Leaves, Frugal Autumn Continued

[Wolfcub]

New fred

Happy birthday Em

NSD planned here today.

Yes!

I was thinking that too em and adora 🤣 tree surgeons are expensive, and cutting it yourself, well with the ladder etc it’s more effective to pay £5!

Thanks for the encouragement. What do you fancy doing in the circus, I've always fancied riding on an elephant but they probably don't have elephants anymore. I can't be a juggler because I can't catch to save my life.

I might have to be a clown, it will probably come naturally.

I had the little GC at the weekend and they exhausted me but lifted my spirits. I haven't laughed so much in weeks, seeing the little one bossing her big cousin around was very funny. I think she is going to be a force to reckon with.

I've filled the car up this morning, done an online shopping order and bought a birthday present for a relative so not the cheapest start to the month but the petrol will last me the month so not all bad.

I sitting with a crocheted blanket wrapped round me so I look like a proper old granny but the only trouble is my feet are cold. I'm thinking I need a nice furry pair of slippers which will certainly add to the glamour.

Congratulations on the job Collie, don't worry about turning the other job down, I used to be a HR manager and it is normal, they can't offer everyone a job and everyone doesn't have to accept a job offer. When I first did interviews I would feel terrible about turning people down, sacking people was even worse but that's part of the job.

I submitted my meter readings today and we are in credit which I suppose we should be at the end of summer. They are knocking £67 off our DD this month due to the govt subsidy so I'm feeling a bit more positive about that.

Onwards and upwards for October.

Ah you lot are so lovely! Thank you everyone 🫂

happy birthday Em!!

Life is quiet here but understandable really.

I spent £20 on prescriptions today 😢 I've got the NHS pre payment form thingy ready to fill out. I was booked into the GP today and I couldnt really cancel so I went along, then was asked to go to hospital for urgent bloods and got diagnosed with a brand new life long illness. Pah!

They also gave me a free sample of cream for the eczema breakout on my eye lids that has erupted due to crying so much! It's really nice stuff.

I've had to rejiggle our monthly spreadsheet to increase the budget for food shops to £80 per week.

Happy birthday @ememem84
we also got a ' polite reminder about our overhanging tree a while ago.. but they do give you a month to do something about it , then its £50! ( But then they come and chop it)

Its still pretty warm here today and I have swum in the sea. Id like to keep it up for as long as I can, and have bought a shortie wetsuit for the purpose.. I just need to get some neoprene socks and gloves now... And a hat ... Yes I am mad.
hair cut £25 inc tip which I always think is fab value as my hairdresser is really good at doing my pixie cut ...
I also just spent £96 in Sainsbury's and didn't seem to get a lot... Was mostly replacing basic basics like pasta, rice , flour , cleaning stuff and paper goods ...not much actual food was included for all that cost😪..
..
.

Hope you are ok @CollieWobble22 would you qualify for free prescription due to your disabilities at all? I get free prescriptions but was spending £20 a month so feel your pain!

Happy birthday @@ememem84 to be fair the £5 sounds pretty good value for the tree tidy!
**
laska sea swimming sounds wonderful as does your haircut

Welcome @Rattlethestars (think that's the right tag!)

LSD here, £10 in butchers on reduced meats and easy meals eg ready marinaded chicken etc all to put In the freezer for when I'm recovering. All yellow stickers too. Our butcher is fab. They literally take what you want off the animal right in front of you eg if I want pork chops they get basically a whole pig out the fridge and carve it there and then. Apologies to any veggie frugaleers!

Still no op date 🙄

Collie 💐 congratulations on your new job too 👏👏👏
Decaff great bargains 👏👏☺️
Mum is in the rehab ward near to Bob and is looking like she is improving thankfully ☺️
We have booked a GTG Morrisons hot food magic bag for 5.30 tonight . Never had one from their Cafe before but half of the reason we like doing this is because of the surprise what is in the bag lol . I know we are saddos lol

Happy birthdayEm have a lovely day sweetheart 💐👏☺️

Sorry I missed wishing you happy birthday em 🎂

Good news that your DMum is improving mrs

If anyone uses TopCashback, there is an opt in offer on getting £5 cashback on a £50 supermarket spend.

I think the tcb offer might be on online shops though

Hi all, I've been keeping up with the thread lately but not posted for a few days as seem to have gotten quite busy, I'm on a full time training course now for three weeks. The main frugal aim being not buying breakfast/lunch in the canteen every day! I've tried to be organised and have planned all meals this week I can have as leftovers for lunch so I actually have nice lunches to look forward to!

Today 69p on a can of drink in the canteen. Needed a mid afternoon pick me up, classroom work is a bit dull.

Frugal win, I did a back claim for a load of tax expenses for DH (professional subscriptions, uniform allowance etc) as he's never claimed all that he could, and he got a £100 cheque in the post today woohoo.

Socathe my daughter takes porridge/soup/chilli etc in her food flask when she is working. It's just getting organized and making the time for it . I know how hard it can be with a family and house to look after and my Dd just has to look after herself so please don't think l am being patronising or preaching but those food flasks are brilliant ☺️

Yay to the 100 pounds back too! ☺️👏

Thank you so much Time ☺️

The Morrisons GTG hot food bag was 2.99 it contained enough hot food for 2 meals. I had a baked potato with beans. DH had a steak pie, chips, peas and gravy which he relished 😁 . Not for everyone l know but good for a change and cheap ! ☺️

@AdoraBell e sorry for your loss 💚

Sorry for your loss collie 💚

Happy birthday Em, I barely have time to post. Very low spend week this week because I am working and studying a lot. Making use of the late sun here for drying washing.

Glad your mum is on the mend @TheNewlmprovedMrsMadEvans I had GTG but never got any offers 9ther tyan bread 😀 your sounds good!

Happy birthday Em x

Sorry for everyone’s losses.

mrs hope dm is on the mend.

thanks for birthday wishes.

dc in bed. I’m in bed. Catface is threatening to come in (hasn’t done it yet though).

Hi everyone,

I've had two busy weekends in a row and I finally got to sit down at my keyboard.

Thankfully I'm off tomorrow. I've to bring DD to the orthodontist in the morning and call into the bank. And do a grocery shop. And catch up on laundry. Tomorrow evening I've my book club meeting. I haven't actually read the book (the bookshop ordered it for me but it never came in with the order) but the book club members said to come along anyway.

DD had some coke earlier and is totally hyper. She's been chatting non-stop for the past hour or so. I mean, it's nice to catch up (she was with her Dad at the weekend) but she's yakking away .

Last weekend was spendy so I deliberately delayed paying a few bills as I didn't want to go into an overdraft. I paid my waste charges bill today (€87.25) and I'll pay my TV licence on Thursday (€160). Electricity DD went out also (€191.75). Seems like it's all bills atm. It definitely wasn't what I pictured as a child when I wondered what my life would be like as a grown up. I gave DD the Child Benefit form to get filled out by her college and once I post it off, I should get back money for the months of June - October. I'll put that money into the Credit Union to go towards the next order of home heating oil. Trying to stay one step ahead of the bills. I need to tighten my belt now, catch up on my bills and plan very carefully going forward.

Annoyingly, my DSis wants to plan all kinds of things like weekends away and shows etc. She's in the fortunate position that her mortgage is paid off (or will be very soon). I'm delighted for her but I need to be more cautious so I'm finding it hard to share her enthusiasm. And if I tell her I can't afford these things, I suspect she'll offer to pay for me or treat me. Which is nice but I don't want to feel like a charity case either and to be constantly sponging off her. I'll have to hold a conversation with her at some point, probably sooner rather than later.

I bought a pair of jeans last week 'cos I've been meaning to get some since the first lockdown but I wanted to try them on before I bought them. After wearing them for just two days, I noticed that the side seam was starting to unravel, so I returned them today and got a new pair. Luckily I hadn't thrown out the receipt.

Right, that's all my news. I'll pop in tomorrow and catch up on your news.

Morning. Just enjoying a quiet cuppa before the house wakes up. New mug for my birthday #love

I’ve been up since 530. In that time I’ve fed catface (who was definetly going to starve this time); taken laundry out of washer and thrown it in dryer and thrown another load in dryer; done lunchboxes for us all. We all have baby cucumbers (bought yesterday in M&S,) g some grapes and some pepper sticks. The dc have some pretzel crisps (just a handful) and I have an apple. They have a ham and cheese bagel and I have ham on salad.

I’m also currently running the oven on a clean setting. have had to open the back door to stop the smoke alarm going off….

today I need to do the school run - helpfully they’ve changed dd’s start time to the same as ds. So I can now drop them both off at 830 instead of one at 830 and the other at 845. So that gives me more time before I get into work.

once I’ve parked up I need to run to the market to my fave bakery and pick up a box of donuts for the team for my birthday treat. I usually get a selection of jammy ones, apple, custard and chocolate. Usually about £22 for enough for the team (roughly 20 of us).

We are so far unaffected in heating cost rises here. Although for how long I don’t know.

i do need to work out the timings for the underfloor heating though. Need to read the book and set it up properly.

work have said that we’ll be getting £1000 split over 6m to help with transport costs (bus fares and parking ) so we’re encouraged to work from the office to save our heating bills. Which is nice.

nice cup , it matches your prints
sounds busy but organized em
good to get the help to travel to

hi tayto, I hear you on your sister and not wanting to be a charity case. Can you afford one thing Andjust do that,
hope dd went to sleep

nsd yesterday, need to return some dog coats £55, waiting on an M&S refund to buy some cords and school jumpers,

Morning.

Sorry, I've lost track of the last couple of days!

Gran, I'll be a juggler, I think that might be apt for me at present! Love the description of your GC

It's quite mild here today so washing is on the line.

Hope you can find the right balance Tayto re your sister.

The bag sounds good Mrs, we get them too, they are useful for the DC. Great news re your mum.

Nice £100 back socathe

Food prices are mad aren't they Laska

Spends have been low this last weekend, but need eggs today (we have eggs for breakfasts), and some chocolate for DH. I'm making roast butternut squash dhal later which will do two nights at least.

I'm meeting a friend this evening before tea for a walk, I quite like this, get to have some fresh air, chat and spend nothing.

Right, must crack on!

Have a super day all!

Wow em that's morning goals right there! Mornings here are generally a bit chaotic 😂 I like watching mummy vlogs on YouTube does anyone else watch those and especially like morning routine videos especially if they are calm ones there's something quite soothing watching them but I could never be as organised as some of those people 😂

Birthday Donuts sounds lovely. DH does similar in his work

I'm currently sat in Costa for a rare treat nowadays. I have a meeting in a bit so am prepping for that, no point going home in-between school run and meeting. Have turned my hearing aids off (can do on an app) and am enjoying the silence so I can work in peace 😂