Jumping into July: Frugal Friends Financial Fun

[needastrongoneagain]

New 'Fred.

Very low spend couple of days.

£12 AdBlue but that's expenses.

Will be back to post fully later.

£42 Sainsbury's when I go collect it
Taking boys swimming today ££
Bloody lovely sunshine yesterday

£17 Superdrug, needed to buy some canneston and nearly fainted at how much that is these days!!

£7 M&S on underwear.

£4 greggs

£64 tickets to a local concert for dd and I over BH August wend, thought it would be a nice way to end the summer.

Going out for dinner with friends tonight, it's £26 for two courses and whatever a lemonade costs!

Bank account looking a bit sad now though 😕 so need so reign it in a bit.

Hope the driving test went okay for your DS @CurlsandCurves

Great news re the bursary for your DD @Girliefriendlikespuppies

Used to love the library for the dc when they were little @MerryHen.

I'm loving the idea of the sourdough starters going on road trips 🤣🤣. Mines bubbling already so hopefully a good sign.

Hope the swimming goes okay @lifelongfrugalee

Not much spending here.
£32 fuel
£56 work expenses.
£22 annual subscription

Decided not to apply for universal credit, have been stressing over this for a while as tax credits are coming to an end. I started the application but it's very intrusive and then they wanted me to go to the job centre, it all felt like a lot of stress for very little money (I was only getting £25 a month TC).

Plus dd will be 18 soon so would lose it then anyway.

Actually feel relieved now the decision is made.

The swimming was rubbish. The area gives free swimming for kids, not entitled to it so it was rammed with kids.
140 people allowed in the pool. And it was sold out for every session

Great news about the bursary Girlie, a big load off you!

I love baking but have never dared to get competent at sourdough 🐷. once I have my new kitchen I might never be out of it though!

In Yorkshire and having a pretty good time. Fountains Abbey yesterday - I last went 18 years ago and the site was much bigger than I remembered, and more hilly. We roamed everywhere and were knackered, but NT members, and took a picnic, so just £12 for ice creams. Today we did a round walk to Falling Foss (a waterfall). Very pretty, half the walk was fine and a fairly busy route, the second half was quite hard going (DH swears we were on the right route but we didn’t see another soul and had to climb up very high and were pushing our way through ferns so I’m not convinced 🙄). He ‘helped’ DD over some mud and somehow threw her flat out into the very muddy puddle she was trying to avoid, complete with her comfort toys, so that was a drama. Then heading home we were about a mile from the turning to our village when the traffic stopped completely. Apparently an accident had closed the whole road - we could see our village across the fields but had to go on a 75min detour to get home 😭😭😭

kids now eating a very late dinner! we spent £15 today at the tea hut at the waterfall - mainly because I had made a messy Greek salad for my picnic lunch and then forgot to pack a fork 😭😭 so after a sulky packet of crisps instead, by the time we hiked there I was absolutely Hank Marvin. I had bread and houmous, kids ate cake to keep
me company. Am hoping my salad will still be okay for tomorrow.

the washing machine in the holiday house didn’t work this morning - it didn’t spin and then we had to use the emergency door release. It now won’t start at all. I will call them later - we defo can’t manage 10 days without a Washing machine, having packed fairly minimally, and we are miles from the nearest shop, never mind a launderette 😬

Yorkshire locals, are there any beaches in this area (anywhere accessible from Pickering) that still have some accessible sand at high tide AND are dog free? Tide times are not very convenient this week and I am not sure DS will tolerate us going to the beach and then having to evacuate after a couple of hours! tomorrow is meant to be sunny though so we have to seize the moment!

house is still stressful and the costs… 😳. Today I ordered my downdraft hob and ducting 💸💸💸. We need a very frugal year after this. Seriously, I will see you all HERE to stay on track.

Ooo dog free and accessible at high tide. Let me think on that

I love fountains and the Foss.

The only beach I can think is Scarborough South Bay that might have sand left and dog restrictions.
Or saltburn will be busy there is a pebble little bit when the tide is in but I think it's at the edge of the dog area. Saltburn does have a gardens and play park that is useful when the tide is in.

Hi, sorry, sorry, forgot to update. He passed! So pleased for him. Now he can go on the works insurance policy and eventually get his own van. In the meantime he can do a share of the driving and give his dad a break (they work together quite often).

Great news curls

congrats CurlsDS! That’s freedom right there!

thanks Life. We are at Scarborough now (North as it happens) - we drove past South on the way here and there was a teeny bit of sand but it was heaving so we thought we’d look at North, after conflicting opinions online about sand at high tide. But there was a bit so we camped out here, thank you! It’s a good find for future high tides too. DS seems a bit unsettled though so I’m not sure we’ll make it to fish supper o’clock. Might just have to hit coop on the way home.

£9 so far today for parking, I expect I’ll get mugged for ice creams later. Need to do a Big Shop online for next week too.

Washing machine in holiday house is definitely broken, and it’s practically brand new. Lady is trying to get a plumber. Nearest laundrette is pretty much a day trip away, I will be very pissed off if they can’t get it fixed!

Ah pleased you got sorted. South Bay is the busier as it's on the strip. The ice cream parlor is meant to be lovely.

I've always associated north bay with waves over the barriers but that could be winter tides. Sees life is a rip off btw

Congrats to DS, Curls! Can't see my DS prioritising driving test any time soon, although he has had quite a few lessons now.

Jealous of your coastal location, Half. Is Whitby too far? Robin Hood's Bay? I have fond memories of both from about a thousand years ago.

Life Sorry about the swimming. It’s frustrating when you’re looking forward to something and it doesn’t happen.

Half Eyes on the prize. Sometimes that works for me sometimes not so much. Your holiday sounds lovely.

Curls Congratulations to your son.

Spending has been £13.99 on a map and £28 on two books yesterday for holiday planning. Today was just under £10 in Lidl. It’s Latin American week. I got carried away with the plantain chips and taco rolls.

Meant to be meeting flakey friend tomorrow. She’s making noises about doing something else/making it another day. Trying to think of a diplomatic way of saying I can’t be bothered with your nonsense.

I n theory Whitby is about 30 minutes from Scarborough with Robin Hood's bay just before Whitby. However the road is a pain in the ass and takes longer.

Whitby isn’t too far - anywhere coastal is a drive over the moors from here and I love the moors, but I was there at high tide on Monday and… no beach. Hence looking for alternatives. I haven’t been to Robin Hood’s Bay - heard it’s gorgeous but it’s not dog-free so it’s a no-go for DS.

Is sea life really rubbish Life? That was a rainy day idea.

Spends today did go up. £62 for dinner for us all at a beachside cafe. We try to eat out once or twice in a holiday if we find something the kids will manage. Good fish, okay chips. I am still stuffed several hours later. Then petrol, £67.

I remember being very disappointed and felt quite ripped off. Maybe if you can get a 241 it's not so bad.
The deep in hull however is fab. But too far away.

Given your situation and the DC though don't rule it out but prepare to not be wowed

I prefer the Moors to the beach too. I was raised near there and love it. Dh prefers the beach.

Moors...beaches...I am crying here.

£52 in Aldi. £15 in Sainsbury's. £20 in Superdrug. Starting to build a going-away box, so buying extra toothpaste, shower gel, sunscreen, etc.

Low spend week this week, largely because I CBA to do very much, not even cook. Will rip through money faster next week once DS is here and eating like he does, and as I buy more stuff for holiday prep. Also, need to get my hair cut and colour, and DDog's. Between us we'll drop at least £200, eek.

More errands, then more gardening this afternoon.

Went shopping with DD and £££ even with as many discounts and points as possible. Though she does it once a year so can't complain

Trying to be frugal here but not too good.

We went to see the cricket earlier in the week, I think it ended up being about £100, tickets, parking, snacks and a McDs on the way home.
We also used our NT membership for a day out, but you have to pay for the boat to get there which was £32, and £11 on ice creams (the snack van wouldn’t take my gift voucher annoyingly).
Today was £5.50 on parking for two hours near the sea and I suspect we will spend similar tomorrow or maybe just go somewhere with NT.
Trying to make meals at home more interesting to make it less tempting to eat out as well which means the food costs are £££s.

Well done to the DS passing his driving test, and good news girlie (I think) about DDs college costs. Well done to taytoDD for getting her place too!

@Happierwithouthim is this the right thread? Can I re join please? Posted since 2012, A message to you rude, polly Shelby etc.
Just need my frugal ways back. Want to try qnd save a house deposit. Covid wiped us out. But we are getting there now. Waves to Madmrsevans in Cardiff:)

Well done @curls DS!

Did flakey friend flake @RumBananaSundae ?

@BigSkies2022 I read that as ddog getting their hair coloured 😂

All this talk of beaches is making me wish we lived closer to the sea.

We've had a lovely couple of days enjoying the good weather. DS and I had a picnic with friends yesterday and enjoyed that it's finally warm and dry enough to sit outside and not in a cafe, then today DH and DD went for a bike ride along the canal and DS and I joined them at their destination for (another) picnic lunch.

Yesterday's spends:
£7.50 baby group
£56 DD's next half term swimming lessons
£3.50 command strips. I stuck up one of DD'S new shelves this week and it hasn't fallen down yet so command strips seem to work.

Today:
£10ish ice creams.
£62 Hobbycraft, including a few bits in the sale for Christmas presents.

I've removed my sourdough from the fridge and fed it in preparation for making a
loaf this weekend 😀

Well, I was going to garden, but stepped in dog shit, (there were three dogs in our garden today) which I then trod over the stair carpet. So...I ripped up the stair carpet. I have been wanting to get rid of that disgusting carpet for years, and today's accident pushed me over the edge. So I spent the afternoon ripping it up, and if I do nothing else to the bare stripped stairs (I will sand, fill and paint the stairs, btw), they will still look better than the shitty, grubby, porridge-coloured carpet. Tomorrow, I'm going to rip up the carpet on the landing, the next staircase, and the top landing. I have cleaned that fucking carpet for the last time ever.

I shall garden on Sunday. And next week, we'll have a skip. And I shall put all this crap from the house and garden into it, and it will be taken away forever.

Good morning to you all. Hope you’re having good days whatever you’re doing.

Big Like the idea of a going away box. Think I’ll steal it. Lucky mishap with the carpet.

Time Days out really do add up don’t they.

Merry Flakey did flake. Part of it is work related so I’ve referred it to my manager as I’m tired of covering for them. Good luck with the bread endeavours.

Spending was 95p on a pint of milk yesterday. Today has been about £32 on a panic Waitrose shop. I looked back at some old receipts and the item I went specifically for was £2.80 in 2021 today it was £4.10. The last time I bought it, a few weeks ago, it was £3.90odd.

Today I’m going to see a friend as she has some walking bits I’d like to look at before I buy my own. Still deciding on a hotel for next year. Think I’ve narrowed it down to two. One is on a main road but in an easy location for the excursions I would like to do the other is across the town, I think it might be a bit nicer, but is owned by the same company that charged me twice in May and further from the mountains.

Meant to be at the showjumping tomorrow but not sure I want to go. Think if I’d paid less for the ticket I wouldn’t bother.