Frugal Friends Fearlessly Facing February.

[needastrongoneagain]

Thought I'd start the new thread. Been ages since I started a thread!

Taking bedding back to Matalan tomorrow. Didn’t like it when I got it home.

That's funny, Weight, I was also on the Land Registry this morning - and the entry I was looking at hasn't been updated from nearly 2 years ago when the downstairs flat changed hands. More chasing, more admin, sigh...it does feel never-ending.

£46 in Aldi, of which a good tenner was on various cheeses. Dinner tonight is leek and potato soup with gruyere croutons. Payday for me today, so had a happy 30 minutes getting all my payments and savings pots sorted out, and organising budget for the month. After everything is paid, I will have a grand total of £124 to cover any transport, entertainments, frivolities like Valentine's Day gifts (were I so inclined, which is no certainty), eating out, etc through to March 8.

Less frugally (but budgeted for, so maybe frugal really) I bought a pair of trousers which - if they are what I think they are - will go with every shirt and jumper/jacket I own, and get me through the whole late spring/summer/early autumn. Fingers crossed. Haven't bought anything new since last July, so feeling unreasonably excited about this purchase.

I have been eyeing up the high waisted wide leg ones in Uniqlo. I am now almost at the weight where I don't look like a dropped ice-cream cone melting in the sun. I could pair them with a singlet, white shirt, ribbed tees.... And have boots on to give me a bit more height. I feel as if I am talking myself into spending £35. Big you aren't helping my frugal ways.

happier top result with the wheel.

Ah, well, unescorted, you may not be the first to say that...now I have a yen to buy some Uniqlo socks, also on my list for this year, but that will have to be next month's treat, if I can afford it after getting my hair cut.

Right, bed for me, and (from the library - see, frugal!) Pat Barker's Women of Troy. South Riding was a cracker, and have passed it on to Dmum.

Where do you guys buy your knickers from? I'm not taking lingerie now just every day stuff. I used to get mine in a multipack from M&S they don't stock them anymore. Got some bench ones from m&m direct they've now lost their elastic, not having any luck in primark or Dunnes. I don't want ones that go up to my waist or worse my ribs, I don't want shorts or thongs, I guess hipster style briefs.

Asda or M&S but not got any for a while

Try Amazon.

Good news re your DS @CurlsandCurves, less so for you @WeightoftheWorld, it's relentless isn't it sometimes? 😢

Sorry but I didn't laugh at your description of yourself @Unescorted, which I'm sure isn't true!

I discovered Runderwear knickers year ago, due to er, running a lot. They are £££ but genuinely the most comfortable underwear I've ever worn, and no VPL either. You hardly know you're wearing them, in the nicest possible way!

I need shopping today, but have pushed on an extra day, it's 8 days since my last big shop. Will definitely need to order oat milk too. And the bulk buy of dog food looks like it will have to be in this month rather than stretching it to March. DH needs a few essentials too. ''Twas a frugal February thus far! Although, apart from the cookbook yesterday, all necessary.

Hope the poorly DC are on the mend.
mrs I know I’m a bit behind with the news but I’m glad your mum is settled in the care home.
DDad has been to hospital again with possible sepsis caused by a UTI (high temp, rigors etc - needed IV antibiotics). That’s the third time jn 2 months so he’s hopefully getting a referral to see why it keeps happening. Getting old is no fun, is it?

We are very lucky here as cautiously optimistic on the financial front. DP’s pensions are coming through so that’s about £300 a month altogether. He also has a new job which he will like much better, ad hoc teaching basic skills at nearly £30 an hour. It won’t matter that it’s not regular as we have his pension income. Am planning to put all his extra income aside for uni/ emergency house expenses. We’ve never before had money saved that isn’t for a specific purpose (eg Xmas) so this is very exciting.

As unescorted said I am looking at the COL stuff and thanking my lucky stars. It must be so awful and miserable. Every time I go shopping I am grateful I don’t have to cut back and explain to the teens why there are no snacks etc. Food is the place I continually overspend, have decided to deal with this by accepting it’s a hi high cost because we all like it and look forward to nice meals. And that we are lucky enough to afford it so stop feeling guilty, and feel grateful instead. Also to increase food budget by £50 a month, but then I can’t spend more than that 😳
gen good luck with the interview.

@Gensola best of luck!

happier Tesco. They do the job...
need it is a true and accurate description.

Can I recommend a pressure cooker cassoulet for a cheap and easy meal. Obviously I swapped out the duck for pork belly that was in the freezer. And the herbs came from the garden to make it more frugal

Bloody hell @Unescorted, was supposed to say I DID laugh at your description, it made me giggle but still sure it's not true ❤️x

Ps - what herbs grow well in this climate? Mine die over winter outside. They are expensive to buy at the supermarket.

need I had assumed you had. My ego would have been crushed and I would have had to cross you off the Christmas card list if you hadn't laughed... It is still a true and accurate description of where I was. I am now obviously catwalk thin with cheekbones so sharp that they are licensed as dangerous weapons.

Ystd was a nsd, today should be a lsd as may pick up a couple of small bits.

It's so cold 🥶 fed up with it, when's spring coming?

😂😂!!

Yesterday was an unexpected spend of €45 guides registration, this was dd's first night back since Christmas.

Also €30 to childminder for a cancelled booking a few weeks ago.

However exh sent me €75 yesterday unexpectedly. I asked him to contribute to ds's basketball as ds hasn't done any activity since Covid, and the agreement on separation was I pay for dd's activities and he pay for ds's. Dd continued with activities ds didn't. He said he would and then nothing materialised. I'd written it off! Now it's my fund to buy something for myself to wear for dd's confirmation.

Dd bought a dress from Shein, I got 3 sizes costing €25.20 less the postage for returns for the 2 extra dresses I'll get €12.30 back. I've stopped shopping on Shein due to the bad press but made the exception this time.

I use Asda for knickers, usually the short type. However the quality of the last pack not that good. Runderwear looks great! I also run in the better weather so may invest 🤔

A rosemary plant I got years ago is still green need everything else is sad and brown.

LSD so far. £1.49 coop for a can of pop and a Dime bar for work, brought my own lunch. DH has spent £5.55 in Greggs. We are at nearly empty fridge / empty snacks drawer stage so presume this was him and DS lunch who has day off college.

Big shop planned for tomorrow (DH pay day) nearly there! 😁

Hi everyone, hope you're keeping well.

I agree that COL is dreadful and for me it feels bit isolating, so nice to see that people also try to survive it with careful spending, not just me.

I bought few pairs from Primark knickers, but it's hit and miss really. Some are nice quality, some are horrible, but they're not expensive and they're cotton.

£110 in Ikea yesterday yikes. We went to use the voucher we got when husband bought Christmas tree. I haven't shop in Ikea for ages (except odd face towels or bathroom mat etc.), some things just broke over time and needed replacing, like glasses, small plates and wine glasses. Husband bought himself memorable foam pillow, desk lamp and I bought few gadgets for kitchen that I needed for a long time. No house decor etc. as we will be having life revolution in few months aka baby, so no space and no budget for nice, but not practical items. Just necessary stuff.

I saw this on another forum and thought it was worth posting here

A huge amount of adopting more frugal practices is subject to your circumstances. If you are on your own you can make decisions and changes fairly easily but it can be way more difficult if you have to make changes for a whole family. For example one of the best ways to save money is to bring your own lunch but that’s not always easy as some workplaces don’t offer suitable spaces for heating, preparing and eating. Doesn’t mean it can’t be done but it can be harder.
however what does work for everyone is knowing where your money is going. For a month track every expense, even the smallest ones and the end of the month add them up under categories. You would be surprised how much the €3 here and €2 there add up.
next look at your monthly bills. See if they can be reduced. Do you need the monthly bill phone or could a pay as you go work fine. Check bonkers.Ie and switcher to see if there are better deals on any of these.
add up your annual bills, car insurance etc and divide the amount by 12 and put that in a revolut vault or similar. Do similar for other irregular but recurring expenses, think gifts for family, Christmas etc. decide on a budget for these and stick to it. I’ve a load of birthdays in may/June and used to be broke buying presents until I did this
do a stocktake of your food and toiletries. From this make a menu plan. From this make a shopping list. Only buy what you need and if you are only missing one or 2 ingredients google for substitutions as maybe you don’t need those items. Check to see if the supermarket offers will compliment the menu plan. Make good use of your freezer if you have one.
budget bytes is a great website for cheap recipes and she naturally uses a smaller amount of meat than many would.

That’s a great post happier

Thanks kessie, I've got rosemary too but that's all that's survived it seems.

Somewhat spendy today as I envisioned.
£100 Sainsbury's (with a voucher), but that included toilet roll, washing powder and cleaning items, showers gel, plus a pair of joggers for DH at £18 (beautifully soft) and a cheap mug for our anniversary next week.
£10 - oat milk.

I stretched lasts nights veggie shepherds pie by adding chickpeas and lots of vegetables to the veggie mince, so I'm a meal 'up' I guess as we can have this tonight too.

That's great news re the finances @marthasmum and a great post @Happierwithouthim. Using no meat would be even more frugal but it isn't always doable I know.

Martin Lewis was on radio 5 talking about water rates today. It's on a podcast too. Worth a listen.

I’m still smiling at unescorted and her cheekbones like dangerous weapons. DP had those when I met him, along with a rather fetching facial scar (looked like he’d been on a duel, but actually from an accident as a kid). And now my babies have them ❤️

The cheekbones not the scar…just to clarify 😂

need - rosemary, bay both indestructible and thyme will struggle on if you have it in a pot and keep it in a fairly sheltered spot. Probably loses a lot of flavour though because the cold is not the volatile oils' friend. The other herbs I use regularly (parsley, coriander, basil) I have never had any success in growing anyway.

£16 in Sainsbury's - coffee, bit of green veg, cheap mozzarella and then bloody cut price fishcakes winking at me, luring me away from my plans for aubergine parmagiano tonight. Tomorrow, tomorrow. £6 in the bakery. Must, must, must have NSDs tomorrow and Friday - there is plenty to eat in the house, and now we have coffee too.

Ahh thank you Martha l am so pleased she is happy it's a weight off my mind lovely