Frugal Friends Fearlessly Facing February.

[needastrongoneagain]

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

Have managed a couple of nsds and am working overtime today. Dds not well, sore throat and completely lost her voice.

Anyone else a nurse? Wondered what you thought of the new rcn offer? When I looked at it I actually thought it looked quite good tbh, two one of payments (can't remember how much but over a grand) and a 5% increase. We have to vote on it.

Thanks re the reassurance over council tax and child benefit, looks like I will be encouraging dd to stay in ft education for as long as poss then!!

Think you'd be in a stronger position if you had a firm alternative offer @ememem84, if they counter offer, then good, if not then you'll know exactly where you stand.

£30 fuel yesterday, so £20 left in the fuel pot and being paid tomorrow.

Today the dogs are at the groomers but that's been budgeted for too.

You’re probably right @needastrongoneagain however I don’t want to leave! And I’m scared they’ll call my bluff and not counter! that’s what they did last year to the juniors staff. Although given were short staffed as is I think I’d be in with a strong chance of getting what I want.

im prepared to do it though if needs be. But I want to avoid it at all costs.

im giving them until the end of this week so discuss. Then will see what next week brings. After that it’s Easter hols and I’m off with the kids for a week. So time to think.

Invoice for the plumber is £100 🤯 they were here 25 mins max for two small jobs.

I was feeling alright this month as still have £74 in the bank till payday on Monday - so frustrating!

I'm getting a smart meter fitted on Monday, anyone got one? Pros and cons?

em well done on standing your ground and not meekly saying ok then, Iike I did a number of years ago, they told me I was head of my division so I looked for a payrise and was refused on the grounds that we were getting a blanket rise shortly. I also do not want to leave my job and i've been here 15 years and would struggle to find similarly paid work locally with flexibility for dc, but I silently chose not to be head of my division and take zero responsibility for my colleagues work as I'm not being paid to do so. Since then they've taken on an extra person and my work load has lessened so I'm no longer in a position to look for an increase. Fingers crossed for you. Unfortunately as need says maybe you'll have to get a job offer in place to force their hand.

Brought dd to see oral surgeon yesterday €1070 is my bill to be paid over next few weeks, €375 paid yesterday.

I finally got my mobile number ported to new supplier so I cancelled my eir contract, unfortunately I've to give 30 days notice so I've overlapped by two months now, fingers crossed it'll be smooth sailing from now.

Just in case anyone in Ireland is interested I moved to bill pay with Clear Mobile and will now pay €12.99 per month for unlimited calls texts and data, this has since gone up to €14.99 a month, if I refer someone we will both get a €10 voucher for amazon/penneys/justeat!

I moved my broadband to Vodafone and got fibre broadband for €35 per month, Eir were charging me €48 for mobile broadband and same phone package but weren't very nice to me when I tried to haggle for a deal so I decided after approx 20 years of being a loyal customer to move.

I saw an offer to first 20 emails on a magazine for a financial review from a company called HerMoney so I'm doing that on Thurs.

I've had income protection and specified illness cover for past ten years and my circumstances have changed a lot in that time so I need to review that as well.

I got my first claim paid from VHI recently so I must gather receipts to claim more from them too.

Will do Med2 before holidays when I've dd's braces paid for and get 20% back from that, will help with holidays.

Need to do Med1 too, feeling the pinch after that whopper of a bill yesterday so going to try claw back money wherever I can!

Also I read somewhere that Tesco Clubcard Boost is reducing in value so I've converted €15 in Clubcard vouchers to €45 vouchers for Milanos

Hi all, I’ve fallen off the thread as work has been so busy. Very tired, we are still short staffed with a colleague off long term sick.

Following the discussion with interest em as I’ve only ever worked in public sector where wages are fixed. Fingers crossed it will turn out well.

girlie I’m glad the deal sounds good to you. Nurses deserve a lot more but at least you are getting something (the right bastards could have given it to you without a strike but that’s another story!!)

Finances are ticking over here, I’ve managed to rein in the food budget and not bought any more clothes for work 😂
But a bit stressed trying to sort car insurance for DD. She’s a new driver of 3 months plus I am trying to put DS1 on the insurance too. He turns 17 a week after her insurance needs to start so I just have to get a policy in place and hope o can then add him on - will have to cancel and start all over again if I can’t. Quotes for her are coming back around £1409 even with a black box 😳

Also, she is down as she got rejected yesterday from Leeds uni which is one of her first choices - she wants to stay near home. I’m gutted for her as she has A B already and on for another A, but due to various stuff she’s taken them over 3 years so maybe not the straightforward candidate the Russell groups like. Have to believe something better will come along though.

need thinking of you with DH, must be a big period of adjustment for you all. Did we hear how gen got on with her job?

Oh the bold has gone funny there! Was meant to be A stars

Sorry to hear about the pay thing em, I did have a little chuckle at you going into work dressed up/meeting ready though!

Not a lot happening here, but fell off the thread again. Moved some money into an isa before tax year end.

Just plodding along, paying the bills really! DH likes his new job and he’s not getting home too late either.

Keep falling off, and haven't read back really except sorry Em to hear work are being difficult about pay. Hope you can get the pay you deserve soon! Looking elsewhere might be a good idea as others have said but I guess only if you really would be prepared to leave if it came down to it.

Spends today just £2 bus fare to work. DH picked me up so that was frugal (for me at least!).

Having a shite time of it though tbh. More bad news about DM's cancer, more spread. 5 yr survival rate is now only 20 per cent. In a battle with work about a day off I took last week when DD was unwell, HR are refusing to let me take it as annual leave and instead insisting I have to take it as unpaid leave. Financially penalising me for no reason which is bleak when I still have to pay nursery fees on top of the no pay. I'm fighting it anyway, they haven't responded to my last email yet. I bet they will deliberately respond tomorrow when they know I won't be back at work til Tuesday now, watch...then on top of that DS is ill AGAIN, and I was due to work more in another job tomorrow and Friday, but now won't be able to, so again yet more nursery fees to pay and I won't get paid anything (sort of self-employed so no work no pay). Plus just worry about him, this is his 6th bout of bronchiolitis in 6 months.

That was a huge moan and I will try and engage more tomorrow. Hope you're all ok.

Weight ❤️ just pop by when you can. Sorry to hear what a pile of shite you have going on

and the other frugaleers who keep dropping off, it’s fine we are still here

£3 tgtg bag, £21 home bargains and £18 another bargain shop

Weight my ds used to suffer with bronciolitis to the point of being hospitalised and on oxygen on two occasions, I started him on halotherapy ie salt rooms and never looked back, it's very frightening because they go downhill so fast with it.

@WeightoftheWorld ❤️. So sorry re your DM. And all the other work and DS related additional stresses. Not fair the the unpaid leave, seems so petty😡. Moan away, not problem on this thread.

Sorry to hear about the lack of offer @CurlsandCurves. From my own DD's experience, and I absolutely know it doesn't feel like this at present, but things have a way of working out in the right way.

Re DH, I'd have gone under this week without DS being here and taking pretty much all of the load for a day or two. He's my rock at present.

Finance wise, used £10 of my left over fuel budget to get the car washed as it was filthy.

Taken the rest of last years dividend from the company loan account as we'd declared it last year but I left the money in the company just in case. Given we are still here and doing well, then I'm happy to take it now. So our bank account looks flush! There's always uses for it though.....definitely some decorating and bathroom updating are in the mix.

@WeightoftheWorld oh that’s a horrible situation.

my work are good in the sense that if one of the dc are off sick I can usually work from home with them here. Obviously depending on how severe the Illness - if minor poorly like colds or the like I can prop them up in front of the tv and do the bare minimum.

they are flexible. They understand. Which makes me more willing to stay! Aaah.

@Happierwithouthim ive usually stood my ground which is why it was time now to grow up and go for it. I said to DH I haven’t moaned about it (except to him). I’ve said my bit and told them what I could get elsewhere. I’ve presented my case (that’s the lawyer in me)

I wrote an email to no one yesterday to get my thoughts out. Which helped. I went into work my usual chirpy self. A bit more dressy dress and then sauntered off for an “appointment” at 11 (which when asked by the boss what it was for I just said it was private - it was. New nails. Yay)

so £46 nails. The nail tech did an amazing job and actually chose the colour for me. Because she said it’d look amazing and it was very “spring”. It’s like raspberry neon pink almost. So fun!

On the money side. I think my washing machine is broken. Ffs. So the laundry is piling up. May need to investigate laundrettes

My nails are super cute this month too
I've got dots of all the neon colours on the top and a nude pink on rest of nails 💅

I've asked repair guy to come to my washing machine too snap em

If its building up the laundrette is a great option & if not maybe a wash or two at parents/neighbours

@needastrongoneagain think your message to me was meant for @marthasmum . Thought I ought to flag it up so she gets to see it.

My week off is going so quick! Hair appointment today which was paid for last month when I booked it so I’ve just got to pay for parking. Need to pick up some yeast for DS2 for food tech, he’s making focaccia , yum.

1 more week till payday.

£15 for a service wash in laundry near work. Im taking all the bedding tomorrow. Win.

had a call with recruitment consultant today and I’ve been told that the figure I was offered is “insulting” and that I should be negotiating for at least 15k higher.

so I was right. Win. Now just to do some negotiating.

id accept £10k more plus some additional perks (wfh on my “short days” gym paid for….)

£68 cleaner today. Luxury? Yes. But does it help me stay sane and somewhat organised? Also yes.

£56 local natural skincare co on pressie for godmother for her birthday from dsis and me. Dsis Will send me half.

My cleaner is in the essential budget column

Quie right too Life 👏👏👏

I don't have a cleaner anymore but a friend does cleaning & I'm thinking of getting her in maybe once a month. I'm not a hoarder but time poor so house gets forgotten about!

I won a financial review & had my introductory call today & it turns out I'm doing pretty well, medium term savings for dc education must be introduced but I'd kinda planned that for once dds braces are paid for anyway

Evening everyone 😊
I have just bought a Cosori XXL Air fryer . It's on Amazon ATM with a £20 voucher until the 27th of March . We paid £95 for it instead of £115. Decided to go for it despite the worry over condensation because my DH said to me (& he is right for once lol) that the main oven releases a lot of condensation when it's cooking .
Spends today apart from the air fryer £8 in M&S for their 3 for £8 offer , bought 3 half cooked roast chickens . They are very good value imho .
Hope everyone is ok 😊

Weight l am so sorry lovely
Hugs galore 💐

That does sound a rubbish time weight. Sounds like work is being really tight and it must be a worry about your little boy.

thank you for the kind thoughts need glad to hear your DS is a big support.
Good for you with the air fryer mrs hope you enjoy it.

spent £7 on coffees today for me and colleague which is a total luxury - but was exhausted today and we both needed it.

em is there any balance to strike with staying at your work as they are quite accommodating? Would other places pay more but expect more eg in having to work long hours? As I said, I don’t know how private sector stuff works so maybe you can get the better wage and the good conditions (think I need to retrain if so 😂)