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

[needastrongoneagain]

New thread.

All welcome.

£140 (roughly) in Asda yesterday it was more but I've deducted the non food stuff. I'd like to think that will last me a full week but it probably won't. £3.20 on two plants today. Hoping for a nsd tomorrow.

need that's great news on the PIP you should get it backdated to your date of application. Also great re your friends and the cruise.

life sorry about your phone that's so frustrating for you. I hate losing things. It takes me so long to stop mentally searching.

Rum hope you get some closure no matter what you decide to do.

Mrs so glad your dm had a fabulous few days for the coronation. She looks so well.

Going for an early night tonight as feel absolutely exhausted. Wish I could sleep all night. Can't remember the last time that happened.

Hope you got to sleep well @Bornlazy.

Yum - mango!

That's so hard @RumBananaSunda. I'd say do what is best for your own mental health, but I'd be a liar if I practiced what I preached and can understand the anxiety.

@WeightoftheWorld, DD has many pairs for DM's, for years it was DH's present to her for Christmas each year. She does have sandals, they are gladiator style, but very chunky in truth. I seem to recall these do rub, while her shoes and boots don't. Unhelpful I know in your quest!

Pasta bake recipe here, pretty economical really,

www.houseandgarden.co.uk/recipe/aubergine-pasta-bake

Hoping to get to Sainsbury's later today or tomorrow.

@Bornlazy hope you slept well.

@RumBananaSundae hope you can come to decision that feels right.

Fairly low spend yesterday. DS2s school rucksack has broken beyond repair. DH tried but it broke again the next day. So £23 on a new one that should be arriving today. And £7.99 on a new Box Clever magnetic shopping list pad as I’m down to my last page.

@Happierwithouthim sorry been off the thread b/c my mum has broken her hip. Amazon is the best place. Search seam sealant. You can get tape but the tube stuff is easier if you can put the tent up in dry weather. The tape needs irons of just the right temperature and it crinkles which lets water in ...

My first tgtg €5.99 from a polish vegan cafe. Three scones 2 cheese, 1 fruit seeded le yum a sourdough loaf from their freezer just need to refresh in oven & an egg salad sandwich on sourdough, I detest egg mayonnaise but hopefully can scrape off & replace with ham at home.
First time in the cafe & it looked good, it's on a roundabout so parking is a nightmare!

Unescorted** thank you! I can put up tent in shed if necessary thank you, another job on my ever increasing list of things to do

Sorry to hear about dm unescorted
that tight bag sound lush
I’ve given up on them round here

trying to meal plan, bored with same old sane old

I HAVE HoT wATER!!!! Wahooo!

Bil came up with the goods. A new water tank. So now I can wash my hair!

I had a cold shower this morning as woke up too late for the gym. So braved the cold but no way was I staying there any longer than necessary so no hair wash.

but new tank today. He thinks the old wan was 40 ish years old. Which would fit with the age of the house.

so that’ll be ££££ when he sends me the bill. Which I’ve asked for. Because I made it quite clear I don’t want mates rates.

also £24 at the stationer (online) on some new fineliners.

and £118 cheeky winx on super cute beach towels and grippy socks. Towels for dm df dsis evil DH and me.

Wahoo to hot water

curls I love Box Clever
unescorted sorry to hear about your mum, wishing her a swift recovery
happier bakery food sounds lush. I was alone in my office yesterday with marking and leftover cake, I scoffed far too much
em you appreciate hot water so much if you’ve been without it!
mrs glad your mum had a great time
girlie lovely boots, I also noticed your lovely clean rug (mine is grubby from the dog)
need that’s fab news about the PIP, and rightly so

I’ve just been looking at another thread about spending money and reflecting. Does anyone else struggle to keep to a budget for social spends? I normally don’t go out loads and don’t think I spend loads…I have a budget for any social spends, presents etc which is £150 month and do quite often exceed it. It’s manageable because I claw it back elsewhere, but I always find I struggle to set limits because it would mean saying no to meeting people. And either that’s embarrassing because I’d have to say I’ve got no money, or I feel an obligation eg to buy a present, or I want to do it because I’ve not see that person for ages or want to buy them something. Does anyone else relate or am I just being a bit rubbish with boundaries?

I used to but most of my friends are looking to cut costs too so we are reverting to going to each others houses for our social lives. Food is on a pot luck buffet / BBQ or pizza oven basis so it is nice and cheap for everyone. There is a couple of projectors that a few people chipped in for and others have streaming subscriptions so we do tent cinema or nightclub in the tipi. At some point we will grow up.

That sounds lovely unescorted

I think your frugal social nights with friends sound great, unescorted.

Sorry about your mum's hip - does this mean an operation to replace it?

Em - you aren't drawn to cold water therapy permanently then?? the advocates are very convinced...

Yesterday's trip to Bluewater was extremely successful. One stop at floor one of John Lewis - DMum bought trousers x 2, shirts/tunics x 2, a cropped jacket. About £450 spent, which had her gasping a bit, but it's been so long since she bought anything, DSIL and I were loudly encouraging. It was very nice indeed to spend some time out with her which wasn't a hospital appointment. DSIL planned the outing immaculately (I've never been to Bluewater, and wouldn't have had a clue), down to the exact parking spot and entry point, and was just brilliant. We had lunch in the JL café, like proper ladies.

I also found a pair of white Adidas for £70, on my clothes purchase list for 2023, so the spending and shopping clearly went to my head too.

Good morning everyone 😊
Hope everyone is feeling ok 😊
EM thank God your Bil sorted the tank out for you bless him !
Gen thank you re Mum ❤️
I love Afternoon teas too they are my favourite treat 👏😋
Blue glad you and your family are all better 💐
Born every week the food bill gets more expensive it's crazy.
Hope your sleep improves too 💐
Thank you re Mum the home is absolutely fantastic, it's like a big family ❤️
Need so pleased that your work is doing well it's a great feeling for you l bet 👏😊
Girlie your Enchiladas sound delicious 😋
I can't even spell Enchiladas let😁 alone cook them
Weight the weather has been so miserable, hopefully it's on the turn now, at least they can't say we are going to have a drought surely? 🙄
Unescorted l so hope your Mum is doing well bless you both 💐
Martha thank you so much re Mum 😊
I am the same re presents for others , it's expensive and l don't know why l do it either. The people l buy for don't buy for me then again they don't ask me to. I just feel obliged to do it , how silly is that! 🙄
Happier the Polish TGTG sounds delicious 😋
Bruce Springsteen 🤗 you were so lucky to get tickets 👏😊
Rum love M&S groceries/food in general . Their 3 for £8 feli offer is excellent 👌
Hugs re the anxiety over the funeral, the sooner it's over with the better 💐
Time thank you re Mum 😊 she had a wonderful time. I was so grateful to them I bought the three staff a bottle of wine each to thank them and they were over the moon bless them.
Curls thank you re Mum enjoying the Corrie weekend 🤗
Am going to have a look at the Box clever shopping list 😀👏
Half thank you re Mum 😀
Re the afternoon teas she said the one in her care home was the best ! They do have an excellent chef to be fair, he used to runa local restaurant until he left to cook for the home. So the food there is excellent 👌😋
Big that's wonderful you are pleased with your sofa , hope the damp patch isn't too expensive. You can't go wrong with Nigel Slater lol 👌
Life. Thank you re Mum, they all had a blast!
Hope your phone is going ok 🤗
Off to see Mum now , sorry if l have missed anyone out .
Have a lovely day everyone 😊

Just back from library and Aldi, having some lunch while I work up the energy to take Ddog out in a cold and unpleasant afternoon. He's moaning and whining and generally being a PITA.

£18 in Aldi - butter has finally DROPPED in price! Down from 1.99 to £1.89. Is this the beginning of the end of the COL crisis???

today's offering from Nigel: White bean and tarragon soup, except I have basil in the house, so basil it is. The herb is summery, although the weather is not.

Is the butter definitely the same weight though Big? I have heard there is some shrinking happening in some brands, down from 250g to 200g

oh, back later, a tantrumming child is approaching…

Thank you Born, TheNewImproved, Need and Curls. Great idea Born I hadn’t thought about sneaking in and out. That is now my plan if I go. I’ve also checked the route to one bus stop further away so I don’t have to wait outside. Not seen most, if not all, of the extended family in decades and hoping to keep it that way.

Whoop whoop on the hot water Ememem. That must be a relief.

A bit of spending yesterday and today. Yesterday I put another £15.70 on my travel card to cover my unnecessary journey on Wednesday. A friend took me to Westminster Abbey so I paid for afternoon refreshments (£17). Had a slice of cake the size of my head. I’ve never been to the Abbey before. It’s quite something and I was surprised at how much I remembered about some of the people buried there.

Today I spent £11.60 in Boots and £2 in Poundland on laundry liquid. Had to take a second (and third) look at the price of toothpaste.

The butter was £1.89 in sainsburys and is defo still 250g

it is still 250g. Interesting that Sainsbury's still matching Aldi on butter.

Hahahaha cold water therapy in a shower?! No.

comd water therapy sea swimming? Yes. Vitamin sea. Good for the soul.

£55 at dr today. Repeat on prescription and then antibiotics (again). I have tonsilitis. Sigh.

£30 dentist. Teeth all good. Win.

I had the call from the care home yesterday, to inform me that Ddad had died. Although it was a relief that he didn’t go through the very end stages with the Dementia, it’s been tougher than I ever expected 💔

Oh time ❤️🤗

I’m so sorry to hear that time. It must indeed be very hard.
and rum, sorry, I had missed that you have had a bereavement too.

Aww Time so sorry for your loss ❤️x