Frugal the flip to make the festivities fun

[lifelongfrugaleer]

Wasn’t going to be flip but decided to be polite
46 days or so

don’t panic frugaleers

I requested a pension statement a couple of days ago for my old pension. I requested one a year or so ago but it never came. Inspired by you lot!

I have a washing machine that sings at the end of the wash em. I turned the song off, but then missed it so put it back on. Ha!

time she knew he wasn't ill at all, if there was genuine risk of vomiting she wouldn't take him because she'd be putting her other mindees at risk. I've two childminders and the other is same policy. I'm glad I wouldn't be happy if mine were exposed to infections to suit other parents either.

Mine also sings at end of wash, it stopped working and repair guy didn't bother fixing it, then it started working again of its own accord. My bf thinks it's hilarious and also thinks my home is very hitech because I've a smart plug on my boiler so I can switch on my heating from anywhere, I've a kindle fire stick on tv, an alexa in kitchen and google nest in the bedroom, so don't need to get up to find out what the weather is like outside, he's very amused by all this.

Yesterday for first time in my life I bled two radiators. Dd's room was always cold, radiator wasn't heating but I thought end of line, turns out it was just full of air, the difference is incredible. It took the kitchen one not working properly for me to do something about it

The hiss of air emerging from a radiator valve, and the even heat spreading throughout the radiator subsequently, is one of the most satisfyingly sensuous experiences in home maintenance, Happier! well done!

NSD today since I am determined that we eat the stores before I go back to the shops. Nope, not even bread until tomorrow. Chilli tonight, and rice.

Started watching Maternal on ITVX last night. Quite a good, slightly soapy drama about three junior doctors returning to work in a big teaching hospital after maternity leave. They all have more time on their hands to run demanding personal lives and much nicer houses than I suspect most junior doctors can afford, but it's a strong cast, and a nice watch if you are looking for something to fill the gap between episodes of Happy Valley and University Challenge! Also, free!

Applied for GHIC cards today, and have downloaded the CHase app which I plan to use to stash my holiday fund. Was taken aback by my unmade-up, morning face in the selfie-screen that pops up as part of the Chase application process. Blimey! perhaps I should set up a 'late middle-age surgical refresh' fund. Or at least buy a better moisturiser.

I love the Chase app, but agree the photo part at the start is not enjoyable Big

DH finally got hold of some kids ibuprofen today. He tried two supermarkets and a chemist yesterday, none available. Fortunately DC’s temp had gone down with just calpol.

Did some phone calls on my lunch break at home. I normally can’t do this at work as someone always wants to see me at lunchtime, but too cold to hide out in the car.

Ah, the joy of a new washing machine. Mine is about 6 months old and I was so excited to try the 15 minute speed wash 🤣🤣.

I love my Chase account. I've set up lots of different savings pots, love the round ups and comparative spends from the previous month, decent interest on savings etc

Still going well here this month. Spends today was £5 on a tinted moisturiser. Payday is Wednesday, don't think we need anything much until then.

time it's hard to get kids ibuprofen here. Got some from Home Bargains for under 9s and DD is 11 but it seemed to do the trick. Hope your DC is better soon.

Well done big on the NSD and everyone who is managing low spend months! That's not me unfortunately.

January really hard for me to cut down as DS's birthday today. Was considering a NS period from the 21st to the 18th Feb which is the four weeks to half term. Essentials and needs only, no presents or 'wants' shopping and try to get jobs done in the house that don't cost money. Tip runs and decluttering the house for example. Let's see!

Spends yesterday £42 coop and Asda for DS birthday cake ingredients and a goodie bag I do both him and DD on both their birthdays. That's it no more present shopping needed for a while!

New friends. $35 for a koala snuggle today. Money well spent.

$94 to get into the wildlife park. We spent 4 hours there. Saw loads. Fed kangaroos (they are so so soft!) and had ice cream. Yay.

They look cute em but I would not cuddle a koala in a million years. Smelly grumpy flea bags with talons they aren't afraid to use. You are braver than me.

I get irrationally angry at the beeping dishwasher. I would lose the plot if the washing machine had to break into song of smugness when it finished doing its wash..... That is the only reason it exists, it's actual job. There is no reason to do a look at me aren't I fabulous turn at the end of it. It is the mechanical version of DH telling me has emptied the dishwasher "for you". How he draws another breath is still a mystery.

I have managed to WFH for years... Tomorrow I have to go to the office. I am out of practice with the throw it all in a box for lunch and my weight loss plan / frugal ways are not going to survive a meal deal... I suspect my taste buds would rebel. Can you please let me know your best pack up lunch ideas.... I don't mind putting effort into it tonight but won't have a huge amount of time tomorrow morning.

soup unescorted, tinned at a push with a pull key, also don’t forget cups, teaspoons, teabag milk bowl for soup, charger, notebook pen and building pass
i also take breakfast as eat that late

cute animals em

lsd yesterday as needed crackers for soup, Ted bags for the office and a birthday card

@Unescorted my new mate George didn’t stink how rude 😂 and hopefully didn’t have fleas

he was a bit clawy though. Hence the sexy green fleece.

BigSkies so true
Unescorted It's like the jingle Ryanair used to have at end of their flights, you've arrived at another on time Ryanair flight, like whoop dee f*cking doo
Spends
€10 in local shop on Tues on eggs/packet pasta carbonara
€3 on a nature valley protein bar & cadburys caramel egg(discovered I've lost my taste for these because chocolate tastes different) I need to purchase snacky type food, I'm not eating evening meals as much anymore.

€50 regular childcare expense
€30 childcare for ds sick day(half day, his father collected him at lunch)
Payday today - budgeted in ynab
extra expense this week dog grooming €55 & dog sitting €40
Charity are running a six week cat neutering programme must book the three kittens in, I was facing €270 for them, now it'll be €90 max phew

Have been Mia l'm afraid 😳
No snow here .
l can't wait for Jan to bugger off 🙄
Spends £510 on revamp of plumbing in bathroom. New taps sink and basin, toilet seat, new radiator, new copper piping and isolation valves because we had the connectors that are like shower hoses and this is the third time they have burst in 5 years . We have been extremely lucky to be here when they have burst but we don't want to push our luck again . Best to get them all put back to copper and be safe .
According to my plumber we have been very unlucky but l have a feeling we can't be the only ppl who have had this trouble 🙄
Hope everyone and their lives bed ones are feeling much better 💐

That should have read loved ones 🤗

Lives bed ones are my family 🤣

Mmm, quite frugal here today.
£4 in Lidl on some useful carbohydrates and veg.
£2 in Sainsbury's on fruit, loyalty points knocked £2.50 off the actual cost.
£4 win on a scratch card from Christmas lucky dip (bought by my parents, 'twas actually DS' card but he is prouder and cooler than I am, so didn't want to collect - I had no such problem) which then allowed me to buy the good bread from the baker.

I reckon we can eat the fridge/freezer/cupboard now for today, tomorrow and Saturday, and won't need to do any topping up until Sunday. Which means we will have spent £98 this week on food, toiletries and household items, including dog extras and an indulgent chocolate cake. It was £121 for the first 10 days of January, but we were still eating a lot of the Christmas pantry.

Nice long muddy walk in the winter sunshine with Ddog this afternoon. Big bath and lunch for him, beans on toast for me.

Lovely marsupials (I think?) there, em.

An on toast night here too for tea
Sainsbury’s shop currently at £100 and need some lidl bits

Ah, my lives bed ones. So precious. 😂

I hear you on the surprise honest photo Big. I am horrified by how raddled and like my dad I look these days. I think I am beyond the help of moisturiser though!

Not posted for ages as no time, i am ridiculously overcommitted right now! Grocery spending has massively reduced since Christmas, a combination of not needing much non-food stuff, still having Christmas treats around and being more organised. In advance of Christmas I chucked loads of stuff out from my freezer… I hadn’t been ruthless for a good while because it felt wasteful, yet there was no point at which I fancied eating the cassoulet from 2019 or the slightly freezer-burned sausages and random aged bread rolls. Anyway, being able to find what I actually do have, and having room in the freezer for bread etc and not having an avalanche when I open it is life changing!

Also not bought ‘stuff’ since Christmas, other than passports (got them back in 12 days!) and floor tile and skirting samples. Go me! We have booked a gite in Brittany for 2 weeks in august though, and paid the deposit. It will be about €3k incl. the ferry, not bad for 4 bedrooms as DM is coming too and DC can’t share. We booked through a French website and had to spend €280 on compulsory insurance which we can’t even read the details of but I’m just relieved we’ve finally sorted something as the school holidays were booking up quickly. It’s also much better value than the properties on airbnb, as it happens - the French keep the best ones to themselves, it seems… 😉.

currently stressing about work (NHS, mega crazy), getting our building tender out, getting my tax return done and finding a SEN secondary for DS. Sigh. Glad there’s only one more day left of this week! Need to do the online shop tonight so I might indulge in some recipe browsing for an hour.

Oh half we love Brittany. We used to book our holiday accommodation through Brittany ferries because it worked out cheaper than separately.
kessie I might well carry on beyond 55 but at least we have some choice.
What lunch did you decide on unescorted? Soup is my favourite at this time of year
Have had some great gym sessions so far this week. How's the PT going Curls?
Have made a new sourdough starter this week & have prepped the first loaf tonight. Not holding out much hope as the dough seemed very wet but we'll see

@HalfWomanHalfChocolate We toured Brittany for 6 bweeks last September and it was absolutely lovely. One thing that you should know is that they don't allow dogs on the vast majority of beaches (bit of a problem for us as we had our dog with us but I seem to remember that your DS has a fear of dogs) The food is great and we stayed for a couple of days in Cancale which is famous for oysters and all thefamilies eating oysters for Sunday lunch was incredible. Little children eating them then they were allowed to throw the empty shells back onto the beach

half we always book through the French tourist information office in the place we want to go. Usually when we get there - we have never had an issue with nowhere to stay. Even in the ski resorts at peak ski season. As you say there is much better choice for your budget.

I have been super disorganised because I had an emergency food bank session yesterday.... Huge delivery of the things we don't need and gaps with things we do. All the other people who normally do Thursday we're off or Ill. I am going to have to buy lunch on the hoof....

Hey Granny! Yes, well remembered! That’s actually one of the reasons we chose Brittany. We were considering going to the Western Isles of Scotland (I lived there for a couple of years asa child and am curious to return) but they don’t have a single dog-free beach on Lewis /Harris 😕. I wrote to the local authority to ask and they couldn’t have been less interested. Sigh.

anyway, French food 😋. Just hope the kids will eat something other than bread!

Having a quiet day here, before off to do my visit.

DH has a job interview on Monday, would be a significant pay rise but will be longer travel/working day, and much less time off. I feel a bit bad here as feeling a bit grumbly, because all those things mean I would do all the DC pick up/drop offs, and much more of the holiday care alone. I need to give my head a wobble and find a way to make this a positive! I saw the job, and suggested he apply so I only have myself to blame…

I’ve been looking at Additional pension contributions, thanks to whoever was looking at their stuff. I think if DH gets the above job, I might get on and do this, as his is so, so much better than mine!