Friendship and Falling Leaves, Frugal Autumn Continued

[Wolfcub]

New fred

Em Mostly just that I'm rubbish at falling asleep! I do get frequently disturbed by the kids and DH's snoring, but the main issue is struggling to fall alseep at a normal time. I've basically always struggled with this though, it's just been a bigger issue since having kids that then disturb me once I am asleep and mean I can almost never lay in, and since DH randomly started snoring about 4 yrs ago grrrr.

Curls I tried a load of stuff on Headspace a couple of years ago when my old employer had a full subscription to it for us all, but it wasn't helpful for my sleep unfortunately, I had such high hopes. I feel I've tried pretty much everything for sleep really and little works. I think maybe exercise would help, I'm very physically inactive atm which is terrible and I do miss exercising but I'm just soooo tired all the time I feel too tired to do it. Another vicious circle!

Gen Congrats!!

Spends today: just £2 bus fare to work. Frugal wins was taking lunch from home - have managed this every day of this job so far. I guess it helps that it's only 2 days a week hah. And also that DH had the afternoon off work so came and picked me up so I saved on my bus fare home. Also got an expenses cheque through today from one of my jobs for my September expenses so that's good. Should be getting two lots of pay early next week I think for two of the jobs. Other job finance department are still not answering my emails so no idea when I will be paid for that one. This is a common issue with this role around the country so wouldn't be surprised if it takes months. I have decided I will work as normal through to end of December and if I still haven't received any pay for that job I will go on strike until I am paid all the backpay. Hopefully it won't come to that though. Which reminds me, I really need to chase my old employer as still not received my last pay slip nor my P45 in the post as they advised, and also need to update HMRC with all my new job details and expected earnings for this financial year, as they've got me on the wrong tax code in one of my jobs.

That sounds horrible, Weight. I've struggled in the past with sleep (giving up booze helped me, much as I disliked blaming it!). I've been reading/hearing a fair bit recently about the positive effects on sleep of getting into daylight as soon as possible after waking up. It does things to your brain that helps it get into sleep mode 15-16 hours later. Might this be worth a try? take your cuppa outside first thing, turn your face to the sun like a flower?

Gen, congrats on submitting your thesis.

As for painting the dining room - it's a tall room, and I will have to work around the furniture, so lots of getting up and down a step ladder to do the ceiling, even with my roller on a long pole! But it has been painted professionally before, so most of the hard work on the prep has been done and I can 'just' (ha, ha!) go over it. Ceiling and walls should be straightforward, but there's a lot of panelling as well, but it will improve the room no end to get it done.

Congratulations gen
Spends today 60p in Morrisons went to get dsis some flowers she took her cat to the vet yesterday and today he’s been diagnosed as having a tumour in his chest and as he’s 13 when I left work I wasn’t sure if he was coming home or being put to sleep was lucky to get some yellow stickered ones that are lovely for 60p. Dcat has come home going back for a review on Friday at the vet's
£1 to the works lottery

Morning.

Sorry to hear about your sisters cat Alfie, hope it goes well on Friday.

Good luck with the decorating Skies. The situation with your parents sounds awful. Morals seem to go out of the window in the conveyancing process, it's such a stressful process, never mind at an advanced age.

Fresh air and a wee bit of exercise perhaps to take in some fresh air, just a walk etc might help the sleep weight, I know it's hard to feel up for it when you're tired though. I'm okay thanks, plodding on. Hope the migraine has cleared.

I enjoyed Bake Off Half, it's been a bit of a slow burner for me this year, but starting to see the baker's personalities a bit more. Fair result too.

Another runner here kessie, going out tonight with the club.

Nice one Gen, such a relief!

Enjoy your days away laska.

Hope life gets a bit less busy Mrs

Spends
£18 for the biweekly garden tidy while I've no time to do it.
£40 taxi fare for a home visit for DH, there and back to the hospital. Nothing much I can do about that.
£2 hospital parking.

Some delving into the freezer the last few days, making like a bit more frugal.

After a really wet weekend, It's raining cats and dogs. There are flash floods everywhere.

Massive congratulations!!!!

£2.10 on the bus. Today is dhs turn to do drop offs and pick ups and im on the bus. My bus will get me in for 835. So I have almost an hour to kill before work. This is my time to get a coffeee and chill.

Well done Gen

Gen Congratulations sweetheart well done 👏👏👏❤️💐

Needs thank you sweetheart ☺️
I love Bake off but like you am finding it a bit slow getting involved with the contestants.
I think it's me tbh l am just preoccupied with what's going on here 🙄
Em that is a bargain! Have a lovely cup of coffee & relax before work ☺️
Tayto rain here too but not as bad as you are experiencing hope it's settled now 💐
Alfie so sorry about your sisters poor cat bless her 💐
Weight it's a nightmare when you can't get proper sleep . I try everything. No caffeine at all now , window slightly open to keep my base temperature lower, listen to trees rustling or rain and l make sure l do the same routine evey night . It works mostly but some nights 🙄💐
NSD for me today l hope ☺️
Have a good day everyone 😚

Struggling to keep up with the thread, so like need am going to try to post daily for a while.
Gen well done on submission, what a relief!
Having a bit of a use up week from the freezer, then tomorrow we're having a treat and eating at a tapas restaurant which we have a 50% discount voucher for.
Half I've just had to order a new combination microwave, grill, oven which is going to be fitted tomorrow. Expensive but will be well used.
Still hanging on here with no heating & no tumble dryer yet
No spends yet today

Hi all,

Congratulations @Gensola hope you can rest a little now!

Nsd apart from parking today (80p) which was unavoidable so pleased with that.

Looking at half term plans, told the DC we can go out for the day to an attraction they like. We went in Feb and it was £70.... just looked now and it's £110 that's a massive hike 😱 that will be the only "big" thing we do though!

I'm still up.and down like a bloody yo-yo. Feel in limbo waiting for the op, only a few more weeks to go. Just want it out of me.

Anyway best go and make dinner!

DS was up most the night crying but without any obvious signs of illness except for slightly sore throat. We were baffled but it's not like him at all. Was still not himself at nursery so they called DH whilst he was napping around lunchtime who agreed to go and pick him up in a bit and then when he woke up he had a fever too. Poor thing is just laying on me now half asleep in front of teletubbies repeats. Meant to be taking DD to a tap dance taster session tomorrow and probably won't be able to now so she will be gutted. She has hardly been able to do anything herself over the past month of DS being so unwell so much, I do feel sorry for her.

Spends:
£2 bus fare to work.
£2 bus fare home.
£2.35 Tesco on bread and chocolate. £1.35 for a loaf of bread!!!! Felt like crying. So worrying.

Aw, your poor Ds, @WeightoftheWorld hope he’s better after a good nights sleep. My eldest has been really poorly the last couple of days but he’s feeling up to going back to work tomorrow. Takes a lot to bring him down but this really did.

Absolutely shattered after spending my day off helping dh at the rental house. But I cannot believe how much we (he mostly) have got done in a matter of days. Today I learnt how to dismantle kitchen units and take tiles off walls! Came home covered in plaster after being Dhs assistant as he plastered the bathroom. It’s hard work but so satisfying.

Hope your DS is feeling better soon weight. same for your DS curler. Its the pits when DC are ill, for so many reasons. That is a lot for bread Weight 😪

£15 eyebrow and chin thread.
£18 Primark coat for DH. Padded and hooded, quite a good bargain and great for Amsterdam /Berlin next week. He's been using his late Uncles coats (MIL is extremely thrifty and gave him them) but they can go to charity now.
£3 nails for DD - should come from her pocket money account.
£16 Lidl - DH did top up shop.

Last day at work tomorrow, was supposed to finish something tonight and I've left my laptop charger in the office! Argh! 🤡 Tomorrow will be v busy.

Sorry that should have been Curles! Keypad still playing up.

Morning.

Boo to poorly children and the associated tiredness, childcare, stress this entails. Big or small children too!

Enjoy the tapas North, love tapas.

Yesterdays spends
£3 coffee for DH
£55 Lidl, including halloween sweet and I needed quite a lot cleaning/washing products. Qualified for my £2 off but unlikely to get any further discounts this week as we are decently stocked up.

Had a lovely run with friends last night. And rustled up a lovely Thai curry very quickly indeed, used some prawns from the freezer as we are running it down.

Payday next Tuesday!

My pay day is Wednesday, dh's isn't until Monday the following week.
The run sounds good need , social and healthy at the same time. I did a gym class yesterday morning. It's so good to be back exercising again, the classes are small, very social (before & after the exercise!) and the instructors brilliant so instead of their core exercises I'm doing some pilates moves.
decaff I really feel for you & completely understand how you're feeling.
Am taking my fit note in to work today, it will be good to catch up with colleagues. Then I've got pilates (£25 but one to one for an hour, mates rates). I've found pilates brilliant and will be sad when I'm done with these sessions (probably need 2 more).
Half sorted our loft room yesterday & hoping to finish it this morning. It's where dd is going to study & ds had left it in a slightly chaotic state! She had her predicted grades & UCAS reference yesterday. She's over the moon as it's what she needs for uni so means she can apply for the courses and unis she wants.
Oven arriving between 1030 and 1230, hope its sooner as I need to pop to dparents before going in to work.

pay day tomorrow thank goodness.

i've been on a tax seminar this morning and have spent the last hour or so going through our finances.

i've looked at all accounts i have, and have cancelled things.

my revolut account for example which i hardly use i had a load of share positions which i'd totally forgotten about - not thousands, but like £120 there. so sold these. and will transfer the cash back into my bank once it's all completed.

i had an account with crypto.com (with around £38 in it) tried to transfer it out but minimum transfer of £70 so had to transfer in enough to reach the transfer out limit then have transferred out.

i had at one point when i was trying matched betting a load of betting accounts. have closed these all down, bar one, and have made withdrawals of the funds to my account. total of around £80.

we can't switch utilities as we have one electric co here and one water company so no point. debating cancelling tv licence as we stream most things, but not sure if i can still watch Iplayer without it. so will check.

ditched all my subscriptions (except audible which i've paused). phones ar eon the best contracts they can be.

the big savings for us will be food, parking and petrol. so i need to look at being more careful with this.

£3 coffee at the hospital for DH.

😁

35 £ Lidl groceries
20£ in Home Bargains for Turmeric capsules, Magnesium & vitamin D . I find Turmeric capsules are excellent for my arthritis and back pain l take them instead of Ibuprofen. They take a while to work though. Magnesium for Restless leg syndrome and cramp . Wouldn't stop taking them now .
Cooked a chilli in the Slo cooker, instead of having it on high all day, l put it on low and just turned it up to high for the last hour . l will turn the slow cooker down more in future.
Hope everyone & the poorly Dc are feeling much better.

£97 dunhelm on thermal curtains and poles
&88 Aldi and need to do rest in Sainsbury’s

DH took DS to A&E yesterday evening in the end, got antibiotics for him, they seem to be helping as he's not been so bad today, sleeping a lot but not crying loads anymore. He's meant to be in nursery tomorrow as am meant to be working tomorrow morning from home. His fever appears to have gone now so fingers crossed. DD is only booked in for the morning so I will pick DS up with her if he does make it in so he can at least have a good PM nap at home. Shame for DD again though as we were planning to do a 1-on-1 trip to the library together whilst he was in nursery, she gets hardly any 1-on-1 focused attention from me or DH anymore and I think it's difficult for her. Poor DS is also back to the hospital tomorrow late PM too for allergy blood tests - will be his third trip to the hospital this week!

Need to dig through and find recent bank statements/possibly order some over this weekend, to email them across to the conveyancing solicitor as proof of our deposit. All our unfiled post is shoved together in a mess in our bedroom and DS still sleeps in our room so it's tough to get stuff sorted as the bedroom is a no-go area so often.

Em So organised! And great to find little pots of cash that you'd forgotten about, that's always nice! Also re: TV licence, I dunno if you may have different rules over there, but here you need a licence if you watch iPlayer at all, even if it's not live.

north Pilates sounds great, I used to go many moons ago and really enjoyed it and built up a lot of strength and stamina from it.

Curls Aw, hope your DS is feeling better?

And thanks to everyone for all the sympathy and well wishes for the poorly little one!

Poor DS weight and I hope all the other poorly people/family members are on the mend.

I’ve had to make a few calls to the bank recently, in order to do some frugaleering but over a couple of weeks. Well done em for getting so much done.

In non money related news, Dbrother has finally told DMum that he has split up from his partner and moved out. This happened almost two years ago 🙄 I’m now having to read very long emails from Dmum, slagging his ex-partner off etc. It’s very tedious. Dbrother is obviously family, but hardly the golden child Dmum makes him out to be! On the plus side, I no longer have to keep this secret.

north I swear by Pilates. I started two years ago and have built up core strength. And my posture is better. Yay.

weight I checked and I do need a tv licence. So keeping that. I looked at changing the insurance for catface. But sticking with per plan.