Frugal Friends Fearlessly Facing February.

[needastrongoneagain]

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

Thanks for new thread

Hello, may I join in please?

I'm used to being frugal as neither DH nor I are working. He had to give up when he got cancer ( and brutal, permanent side effects treatment) and I had to give up to look after him PIP didn't last long!

We moved house recently to downsize, but the new( old) house has a lot more wrong with it than we envisaged so the spare cash is going on that. Ho hum.

Fuzzy being ill is so expensive. 🤗🫂 As are old houses. Welcome to the thread.

If you aren't already sign up to be a vulnerable customer with all of your utility companies. We found most of them were really good when my dad was ill. Some have reduced tariffs as well as not cutting you off. Also if there is a service disruption your address gets prioritised for reconnection.

Hello lovely Frugal and friendly people. I joined the last thread and then never really got into posting.... but apart from last week, I've been reading all the posts and they have been keeping me relatively on the straight and narrow, so thank you!
as a house hold I think we are generally quite frugal none of us like going "shopping" as a leisure activity...I particularly hate going cloths shopping and am not at all fashion conscious! My downfall is food shopping.... I justify my food snobbery (organic and ethical where possible, we are all veggies) by balancing it with the fact we very rarely go out to eat or get take aways, and we don't drink. (Blimey that makes us sound holier than thou, we aren't honestly!!) so I need to get a handle on the food spending!
just thought I should say hello and try and post more often to keep myself accountable and also because it's a lovely corner of the internet to hang out in!

Hello starpatch and. fuzzy and welcome.

Thanks for the new thread need good title.

Just placemarking for now. We also need a new roof or another repair. It's watertight but v old and failing.

Spends yesterday:
£15.00 eyebrow thread
£8 Costa while supervising DD and her friends while they were shopping
£10.75 poundstretcher

Thank you for the welcome.
Yes, we are on utility priority registers and it has been helpful in the past.

Today I have mostly been making red lentil and veg soup. Cheap, filling and healthy. Yum!

There were actual mermaids. 😀

$90 on a family ticket then the kids rinsed at the gift shop. But with their own money. So whatever

I spent $80 in supermarket on chocolate to bring home. Whitaker’s. Mmmmmm

ans have packed up all the bags. So win.

Hello everyone. I keep reading your thread, but post once in a blue moon.

I am mentally getting ready for February. Already budgeted on what I'm planning to spend. I don't think there will be much though except essentials. I have baby on the way, so currently saving like mad. I found out today husband is being promoted, so another money towards our savings yuppie. In January I spent £45 on vinted, but bought loads: 2 pairs of maternity trousers (too big now, but will be ok as things progress), two Freya bras (I know, I know 😁never bought second hand bra, but who knows how big my boobs are going to be and bras are expensive- cheapies don't fit me, as no size for busty ladies 😂), camouflage jacket (for summer/autumn walks with baby) and maxi dress in case I can't fit my work trousers anymore and maternity pants are too big yet.

Food got so expensive though, that I don't know how much should I realistically budget nowadays.

Actual mermaids is totes exciting
safe trip home em

welcome new people

Hi can I join please? we are on a very limited income, my husbands old age pension and my company pension. I had to take early retirement through ill health.

Welcome @Probablymagrat @xogossipgirlxo @FuzzyPuffling . All welcome here, it's a friendly and not at all judgmental corner of Mumsnet. There's a range of reasons for trying to be sensible on here and all are valid.

Great news re the promotion and the soup sounds lovely.

Post as often as you like @Captainladder, or not! Fellow foodie here, but not tee total 🤣

Brilliant budgeting @Taytocrisps, that is so sensible

@HalfWomanHalfChocolate I'm about £100 into DH's wage. I'm not sure what the future holds re care costs etc so I'm trying hard, but not to extend where life is even harder than it needs to when it's pretty crap anyway at the present 🤣

Spent £8 on coffees this pm in the hospital cafe, with the psychologist joining us.

In excellent frugal news I've sold DH's car (with his permission, he wanted me to!) and got nearly £2k more than the baseline value price that I'd have accepted. It's a stupid fast sports car, he loved driving. I'd rather he was still able to enjoy it as much as he did, but I'm pleased with the offer.

My wonderful cleaners have also left me a bottle of wine, plant, chocolate, a Colin the caterpillar and balloons as it's my birthday on Thursday. I cried when I came home. They have taken so much additional stress off my shoulders these last few months they are worth every penny (I'd rather cut back other areas than not have them here).

Folk are kind!

needs...what a great post. Hurrah for the car sale (and getting more ££).
And Happy Birthday for Thursday.

(It is my birthday on Wednesday and my daughter and grandchildren are treating me to a Colin Caterpillar cake as I have never had one. Happy days!)

Great news on the car need and your lovely cleaners,
happy birthday frugaleers

Happy Birthday back at 'ya @FuzzyPuffling, there's no turning back after your first Colin ... 😂

Should I fear the Cult of Colin?

Be afraid.... be very afraid... 😀

More new peeps and returners. Welcome everyone

need that is lovely of your cleaners.

I am more team Cuthbert... Soz.

need happy birthday!! I love a colin, I might get one for one of my small classes just so I can have a piece! 😂

Busy day at work, about to read some of my Georgette Heyer novel on the sofa with a hot chocolate, bliss!

Welcome fuzzy star captain probably and gossip
Grear drug along ^tayto*, I did similar a while ago and it’s so satisfying!
good news on the car need, I guess that was maybe quite emotional too?
em can’t believe you’re nearly on the way home, I hope it has been fab. No pictures of mermaids?
unescorted I am trying to picture you casually leaving your PPE lying around 😂 I thought you were a civil servant!
mrs we’ve been watching The light in the hall, great Welsh drama with some lovely scenery
gen good news job may still be a goer but o see what you mean
A bit of a windfall here as DP’s pension lump sum of £1349 had landed. I’m itching to get my hands on it for my holiday find but he is sensible and wants it to go in savings and not be touched unless emergency.

Sorry tayto, frugalling not drug along

Martha sometimes they let us out. And I am so not casual about it. They have to trip over it on the way in.

Great update need. Mmm, cake. We ate all the flapjack I made on Sunday inside 24 hours.

Power cut here this morning at shortly after 6am - was just surfacing with the Today programme, then nowt. UKPN have got it back up and running now. Made coffee on the gas hob by candlelight, then DH reminded me we have rechargeable lights, which are currently fully charged, and I could have used those. Oh well. Next time!

Another day, another clinic visit with DMum, this time for hearing aids. Chicken stew tonight and tomorrow, I will permit us a small top-up shop ahead of weekend splurge.

@needastrongoneagain and @FuzzyPuffling Happy Birthday to you both. I hope you'll have a lovely day ❤

I have two parcels in inpost locker, apparently one of them is bra. I hope it fits 😬Costed me 7 quid with postage.

Small shopping in Lidl on the list today. 😂Just top up items until end of this month, shouldn't be more than 15 quid. We have loads in freezer, 3 frozen chickens (husband bought them cheaply at work) Crazy! Since I'm pregnant I just can't eat poultry 😵

don't know why I added laughing emoji! Sorry