Advancing into April - Frugal Friends still being, er, Frugal.

[needastrongoneagain]

New thread.

All welcome.

belated happy birthday unescorted - that cake looks delicious.

Fairly uneventful bank holiday here so far. I did a 10K run yesterday in preparation for my race next week. Bought new trainers as mine are literally falling apart, and some other bits for the kids like water bottles jn Sports Direct. Tried to use DP’s blue light card but couldn’t without him being there which is fair enough. The lady at the till told me there was 20% off online with the card, so I was kicking myself and went home and put in my purchases online to check. However it actually only gave me 5% so that’s not so bad to have missed out on.

£120 at Tesco’s and have meal planned. Still (just) in food budget. Off to NT property tomorrow, using membership for me and voucher to let my friend in free.

did I say that DD got offered a place at Manchester?? So applying for student finance is now on my list for this weekend.

Nsd. Well over due

Spent £94 in Aldi, that will have to pretty much last us 2-3 weeks as I'm way over my food budget already this month 😩

Had a very industrious day, done loads of house work, food shop and been busy gardening.

Knackered now!!

The weather has been lovely here today, finally I am feeling as though summer is round the corner!

it rained loads here yesterday in London and we discovered that our TV signal disappears when it rains (this is a new problem, presumably caused by the newly erected scaffolding). So we only caught the drier bits of the coronation 😂. I was mostly packing boxes anyway so only keeping half an eye. I was planning to pack like a ninja all day yesterday but I ended up packing like a very creaky shuffling ninja, as I did ‘something’ in the morning and now have a lot of back pain. Sciatica I think. Not funny at all. DH and I packed pretty solidly until midnight, by which time we had packed over 50 boxes and were shattered, and decided that we’d done what we could. Removal men came at 9am and took stuff to the self-storage, it’s very expensive but needs to be done. £270 removals I think (as it took 3 hours) but worth it, they were so efficient and lovely! The house is much emptier, though far from empty we now probably have as much stuff as a normal family but it is so dusty and dirty!! I really need to vacuum everywhere but just can’t take the pain. And DH has done enough for today, he’s knackered too. We’re out tomorrow but if my back feels better I’ll try to run the vacuum round downstairs before we go.

We popped round to a nearby street this afternoon where my friend lives as they had a street party and he was playing live misc. As soon as we arrived he thrust champagne and snacks at us and we sat in the sun and just listened. it was a lovely interlude and just what we needed.

Lunch with friends tomorrow, need to pick up some flowers on the way.

I rang my home insurer to let them know about the building work and they won’t insure an empty house, so we need to take out special home renovation insurance. No doubt that will be much more expensive 🙄

In Colin news, he has been consumed in two enthusiastic sittings 🐛😋😅

Well done Martha dd

sounds like the packing went well. Don’t bother hovering around it will be mucky again soon.

nsd today whoop

Congratulations on the fell race Unescorted. You mentioned maps of the Alps a few days ago. Any suggestions for nice walks?

Hope you’re starting to feel better Tayto.

Todays spending came in at about £10. Two ice creams while out walking with a friend and then some yellow stickered bits on my way back.

Had an email about the Lulu Guinness sample sale but alas it’s while I am away. From a frugal point of view that’s probably a good thing.

Now have my feet up on the sofa and looking for something to watch on the television.

It will Life, but honestly it is too dusty and gritty to ignore. Even by my low standards 😉

One lovely thing I uncovered when tidying out a very high cupboard was a bone china tea set that belonged to DH’s grandma, and which was passed to us. I knew it was there but had forgotten how pretty it is. We have 6 sets of teacup, saucer and side plates. When we move back in I am determined to put it somewhere more accessible and use it from time to time. It would be lovely to have a matching teapot so I looked on eBay… £3-400 for a teapot! 😮. Needless to say I won’t be getting a teapot. Might stretch to a milk jug and a cake plate though.

Half that is such a pretty pattern. I would use it every day just because....

Rum It has been a while since we have been... Chamonix was where we stayed and everything around there is so beautiful. Apparently the signage has improved but you need to stay off the MTB tracks because people bomb down the routes.

I recreated our usual takeaway curry order for tea tonight. The verdict was the naan wasn't as good (they were a freezer fossic which normally means they are poor quality). The chickpea and spinach was good and the chicken tikka masala was "the best", mushroom pakora were inhaled.... A success and a saving of £25.

Hey hey! I’ve been missing for a bit. Life has caught up with me and I had to take a step back. That couples with being poorly (again…) and I’ve felt like I’m done this week.

anyhoo. Have rested as much as poss but also just carried on (just a cold nothing worse than that in reality but it knocked me for six).

coronation party at dsis’ yesterday. So fun. But I paid for it last night. Hands up who got over excited and mixed her drinks a lot?! Hands up who didn’t feel that drunk until she downed a cup of tea then went to bed at 9pm then spent the next couple of hours in the bathroom….?! Oopsy.

managed to get out of bed at 8 this morning. And have tried so hard to be chirpy.

kids swimming lessons almost finished me though. It was HOT in the pool area.

but roast chicken, curly fries, corn on the cobs and slaw for dinner. A homemade kfc if you will.

dsis also sent us home with mountains of leftovers. So I had party food for lunch. (And breakfast). Yum.

em hangover and hot pool was a brave move. Hopefully after a good night's sleep you're back on form today.

curles that sounds a lovely weekend away.

unescorted your fakeaway sounds lovely.

Good luck with the packing half and hope your back feels better soon. As a chronic sciatica sufferer (currently free from pain) I have lots of sympathy..

Yesterday was a spendy one. £462 on flights for DSs 18th trip for DH, DS and DSS they have a boys trip planned. £45 Amazon for framed print of Jaws for kitchen and ice skating dress for DD's competition in July, frugal in way as if was only £13. £9.45 for planter for DSD and DSS as we were visiting yesterday. £8 ish Coop.

A fair enough half and I guess it has to be cleaned one day. Hope the back is better.

opsy em, hope you feel better today.

the takeaways always sounds great

wet today so will be going to a garden center for a new pond pump and plants

possibly a pharmacy

Today is a DS bonding over F1 highlights with breakfast. I might go to the gym after that.

Morning.

Treat the lad @Wolfcub!

Hope you're feeling better @Taytocrisps.

Camping is frugal unless you develop a Go Outdoors obsession like my friend did @Bluegreen143 🤣. I bet you could pick up some great second hand bargains though, sort of thing folk try, then don't utilise the kit as much as they thought?

Brill stuff for your DD @marthasmum!

Boo to the extra insurance @HalfWomanHalfChocolate. It's the unexpected expenses that are a bugger isn't it? Poor Colin 🤣. Pattern is to pretty!

Love a homemade curry @Unescorted

NSD the last two days as DD bought the orange juice and bread yesterday.

Street party was great fun and no ill effects from mid afternoon Mojitos! In fact, up early to run with a mate at 7am, 10k in the bag. Got soaked.

Relatively easy day today apart from friends popping over later. Chores and little else. After two busy days, that's fine!

Frugal camping is my Mastermind specialist subject.

There is loads of camping things on eBay and also lots of people are willing to lend their stuff out. You can probably get a good few trips out of other people's camping kit....

If I am going car camping my must have is my camp kitchen from Decathlon. It keeps the food and "bits" off the floor.

Also more Aldi bàgs than you think you would ever need. They make great keep everything dry in the showers bags, dirty washing bags, take things to the sinks bags/ washing up holder, keep some logic in the tent bags,... I am sure there are other uses.
I also rate their cool bags with the silver linings. So much better than the hard shell cool boxes and a spare one can be used as a hay box cooker.

My other top tip is take a kitchen pan, saucepan, cutlery, utensils, sharp knife and chopping board. It is difficult enough cooking out side on a table that wants to tip over without making it even more difficult for yourself by trying to cook with really crap "camping" cookware. If I want shit lightweight cooking things I go to Poundland or Home Bargains and save a fortune. At least it is just shit not expensive and shit.

And before I bore myself ... Take a bathmat. Dry clean feet are sorely underrated.

If you are tempted by a tent heater or wood burner then get a carbon monoxide alarm also. Personally I would take hot water bottles and cheap fleece blankets to put under the sleeping mats.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/folding-camping-kitchen-unit/_/R-p-342247?mc=8750484&c=BLUE_TURQUOISE

This is the camp kitchen.... I have had mine for about 10 years and it is still as good as new.

Spendy.

£118 in dunelm. And then £20 in charity shop on a ton of plants and 4 board games. Win.

also no hot water today as the element in our heaters gone. Sad face.

I found this out mid shower. When it went from Luke warm to freezing. And it was hair wash day! Braved it out though.

have to see if the gym is open tomorrow….

I'm still not feeling great so I took a sick day today. Spent most of the day lazing on the sofa binge watching Emily in Paris. I should really dislike it because it's set around a very superficial industry (marketing) and is full of cliches. But I actually love it. Total escapism. And Gabriel is very hot. I'd love another trip to Paris. I wouldn't do any of the sights this time - I'd just swan around cafes and wine bars and look fabulous in my middle aged clothes.

Unescorted I'd love to see you on Mastermind answering questions on bargain camping gear

I just want to say I am so anger with myself I balanced all the books for us financially/ have done budgets have put money aside weekly for pension and emergencies I was doing so well then spoilt it because I got Amazon prime and an Alexa/ fire stick for upstairs and down. I always do well then do myself over!

Can you cancel them Bella?

Took dd to Exeter today, it's such a nice little city.

Bought some DMs, as I had dd with me I got student discount so got them for £148 in the end which I thought wasn't too bad. My
Mum has also kindly given me money today them.

Went halves on some trousers for dd on urban outfitters, also had student discount in there, think it was £26 each.

£20 on a couple of t.shirts in H&M as I'm really short on them.

£10 Greggs on lunch.

£4 parking.

Pic of my boots, I love them so much 😍

I love the look of dms and they are nice but they sadly shred my feet

Half that is a very handsome tea set pattern.

Thank you Unescorted. I had completely forgotten about bikers.

Beautiful colour for your boots Girlie.

Spent a bit today. £8.58 on yellow stickered bits in Marks that went into the freezer and £1.50 on chocolate milk. Think I should really cut down on the latter.

Having a quiet day and feeling a bit sorry for myself. Think I will try to spend a day in Grenoble while I am on holiday so have been trying to distract myself reading about what there is to do there. So far a have the cable car and two museums.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies love love love!

@lifelongfrugaleer you need to persevere until they mould to your feet.

They are brutal to start with but eventually they mould to your feet.

I woosed out.

lovely China pattern, but wow prices for tea pots