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.

It’s ridiculous.@Girliefriendlikespuppies I’m not happy about it. But thankfully it’s manageable. Ish. It’ll be tight. But I think we’ll be ok. We’re only “fixing” on a tracker rate for 2 years (not fixing but you know what I mean). And we hope the rates will come down.

I read something today where the BoE are concerned that people are taking mortgages out for 35 years. Yeah because it reduces monthly payments!

ours was 25 years I think. We bought at the top of our budget 5 years ago. Houses here like ours have gone up in value by around £350k so we have a very good ltv. But still. Not fun at the thought.

I have said to DH that I want to keep paying the 2300 each month even if rates go down. To chip away at the capital. Assuming we can.

Hi all,

had issues with my broadband but I'm happy to report that it's all sorted now.

I ordered a delivery of home heating oil but I didn't need as much as I expected, so I inadvertently saved a few hundred €. Wish I had a gauge to tell me how much oil I have left in the tank. Anyway, I can set the heating for the morning and evening now without being afraid the oil will run out. Will put the money I've saved towards my weekend in Dublin in December. I also need to order an electric blanket for my bed. I got DD one last year and she loves it. The temperature has really dropped tonight - it's currently 6 degrees.

I paid the balance of the legal fees for the separation. I was hoping thought the solicitor had forgotten about me, but she finally sent me a bill for the balance - I'd already paid her a hefty deposit. It's a relief to know it's all done and dusted.

As Happier said, some good news in the budget yesterday. My income tax should reduce (how much though?) and we'll receive 3 x €150 payments off energy bills, starting at the end of 2023. DD's college fees will be lower from 2024.

Not much news otherwise. Work has been mental. Friday night can't come quick enough - I'll be putting my feet up with a bottle of wine. Looking forward to the rugby on Saturday night, although NZ will be tough opponents.

DD is out somewhere but I can't remember where. I set up an online family calendar so we could keep track of each other, but she keeps forgetting to update it. I'll have to remind her.

DCat1 is out roaming the neigbourhood. DCat2 likes her creature comforts and is snuggled up on a blanket on top of an armchair.

I don't have a gauge either tayto but I do use a brush handle to check it every month or so.

I did think it was much colder last night. I don't have heating on regularly yet but had it on for an hour last night. Dc like cuddling under blanket too & house heats quickly because it's small/well insulated!

Wow em & girlie isn't that the beauty of this thread, we're all earning different amounts & have different expenses but similar values

I'm going to see if my cousin has a 3 presale code this morning & try buy Bryan Adams tickets for next May.

€179.80 on Bryan Adams tickets for May next year

Afternoon everyone 😊
Been to see Mum she was fine having her hair done so she was happy 😊
@ememem84 that's marvelous 350k you have made on your house, it's an investment and well worth the struggle well done to you 👏👏😊
@Tayto glad your Broadband is sorted 😊
Excellent saving on the oil ! Cold there with you , it's not fallen too far yet but it's on its way here.
Good news re your budget & a
great relief for you re the solicitor too 😊
Should be a brilliant match on Saturday 😊👏
@Happierwithouthim excellent you got your Bryan Adams Tickets yay !👏👏😊
Spends today, some Paul Smith eau de toilette for DH he has run out this morning and he always wears it 😊 £17 & the paper and magazine for Mum £2.70.
Rain stopped here at last but warnings of bad weather tonight for rain & wind . We shall see 🙄
Hope everyone is well 💐

Jealous. Where are you seeing him?!

Half and Happier - I'm glad you are getting some benefit from the budget. Here in UK, I haven't really experienced much joy from a budget in a good while, although my parents have benefited greatly from the triple lock on pensions, and the additional COL help for pensioners on lower incomes.

German ovens and quartz worktops, Half! sounds fabulous, and I hope you enjoy cooking there. I will be revving up my autumn/winter repertoire soon - we've had hot weather here, but I will be doing my confits and stews and cassoulets before too long, I'm sure.

Sainsbury's later, DS home tomorrow and I am treating us to Caribbean chicken takeaway. It was my birthday yesterday - nice gifts of photo album of holiday and a map of France from a 17th century print, and DH brought home loads of posh ice-cream which should last, ooh, until Saturday, I should think.

DParents gave us a very generous gift of money so DH and I can continue to celebrate our birthdays (both in October) in France, whither we go next weekend! I booked this over a year ago, and it's nearly here.

DParents are not faring too well in fact: health issues. lots of extra appointments, 9 hours in A&E with my dad last week, much to-ing and fro-ing, and a fair amount of depression and angry negativity. More assistance at home is going to be needed, but getting them to accept it is hard. Not gonna lie, being away and legitimately unavailable for a bit is looking very attractive right now.

Happy belated birthday @BigSkies2022 have a lovely meal tonight & a wonderful weekend
l am sorry to hear your parents are needing more help and their health is deteriorating, l hear you re the attractiveness of being away

Uggggg my almost complete post vanished. For some reason pages are deciding to reload themselves. I am not a fan of updates.

Spending Tuesday was £7.23 in Waitrose and Wednesday was about £25 on an attraction ticket for my break in December. It all went wrong today. I was walking past a cheese counter while the lady was putting things out. I left £120 lighter. On the bright side truffle Gorgonzola is delightful. I have cheese to last me a while.

Work are adding extra to our salary this month. It really does feel like bad things are coming. Was at the office today. There weren’t many others there but that was the general feeling. Gave up on the bus this evening and got the train back.

Em Dublin, bf loves Howth so I've booked a hotel there, last concert we stayed with his family but I think this will be a nice treat & it's mid week so will be a break from reality too.

Big enjoy hols & extra birthday celebrations

Rum I hope you got a lotta cheese for that

Spends today
JYSK €25 mirror, now I'm thinking I'll move my dressing table mirror into en-suite instead
€2.50 batteries
€67 two shaving lights
€65 paint for main bathroom & en-suite

Pouring with rain here at the moment!

Yes, we’re going on a cruise half. Not sure how much the upgraded balcony will be used though considering we’re going across the North Sea at the end of October. Hopefully weather won’t be like today.

Hope you enjoyed your birthday bigskies

Wow, a lot of cheese Rum

What was the cheese highlight in that amazing haul, Rum??

Had a few days away in West Cornwall last week which was really lovely and needed but spendy.
Have stuck to a meal plan since we've been back & tried to minimise extra spending. Have been trying to keep our fridge freezer going as long as possible but do need to get a new one sorted now.

Cold here tonight. Its the earliest we've had the heating on for years, but it was only 16 in the house

Morning everyone. It was verrrry cold last night. The temperature must have dropped to freezing - or close to it. I'm just back from my local shop - popped down to get some bread. It's a gorgeous Autumn day but very chilly. I could have done with a scarf. I've just ordered an electric blanket. DCats let me have a lie on until 8 which was very considerate of them .

I have my eye on a pair of boots in a local shop. Hoping they have them in my size. It's about six or seven years since I last bought winter boots, so I don't feel remotely guilty about buying them. I could really do with a proper winter coat but I can live without it for now. I might pick one up in the winter sales. I have a really warm jacket (kind of like a ski jacket) which is great for everyday wear and winter walks etc. But I'd like a smart coat for funerals more formal occasions. Did anyone read the thread in Style & Beauty where the poster was looking for advice on spending £1,000 on a capsule wardrobe? I thought it made for an interesting read. But obviously I don't have £1,000 to spend on clothes . Anyway, a pair of boots is a start. And maybe a good winter coat in the winter sales.

Looking forward to the rugby later. Come on Ireland!

Right, off to have a shower and hit the supermarket. Have a good day everyone.

Still mild here, and when the sun is out, (between downpours) feels great. But the windows are misted up in the mornings, so colder weather is not far off.

Planted hydrangeas and alliums today, made a cottage pie for an early dinner to send DS and DH off to theatre together, and now watching series 2 of Big Little Lies (again! Meryl Streep and Reese Witherspoon beyond fantastic). DDog also quite full of cottage pie (don't judge me) and snoozing beside me. Bliss.

Evening all.

Cheese has been lovely so far Happier, Time and Big. The display was various truffle cheeses so I didn’t get as much as I might have been able to otherwise. Favourite so far is the Gorgonzola. I’d not seen it before anywhere.

Sounds like a nice evening Big.

Had to Google capsule wardrobe Tayto. I* think I’ll try and hold out for most of the things on my list until Black *Friday and if that doesn’t work see what’s in the winter sales.

Echoing the comments re the turn in weather. Was wishing I had worn a sweater on my walk this morning.

Spending has been dreadful this week. Friday was £23.26 in Lidl on who knows what that I didn’t need. Today was about £42 on the water bill and £30 on dinner.

Dinner was with a friend today. It was lovely to see her. We had a nice evening and things seem a little brighter tonight. Didn’t watch any rugby today but am looking forward to the France game tomorrow. Will watch and eat cheese.

Think the plumbing in the bath might need to be looked at. Been putting it off for years but now the water is draining very very slowly. Don’t wash my hair there and barely use it so not sure what it might be. Have put some plug hole thing down and will see if that makes a difference. It used to make some sort of strange gurgling sound but that has stopped.

Need to get a handle on the grocery spending next week and stick to some sort of meal plan.

Another frosty morning here. Lovely to see the bright sunshine. Having my usual carvery dinner with Dad today - I visit him every second Sunday.

I got my boots - they're lovely. And quite reasonable at €80.

Gutted about the rugby but what can you do?

I need to root out all my winter stuff - cardigans and scarves etc. Feels like we've gone from summer (or what passes as summer in Ireland) to winter virtually overnight. I'll need to keep an eye on the weather forecast now, so I can leave extra time to defrost my car before I set out in the morning.

Evening everyone
Been sunny all day here beautiful but cold .
Bought shopping Tesco £130 but some Christmas stuff in there , 4 x cheese football boxes , shortbread box & nuts x 5 pkts for Christmas .
Just bought a new Kitchen blind from Argos £20 & ordered some sweater dresses for myself from Tu , £48 , l will be living and dying in them all Winter Hope everyone is ok

Hey all, hope your Sundays have gone well. Slept in this morning (after effects of a migraine kicking in last night), then planted more hydrangeas and headed off to DPs with DS and DH. Took advantage of DS' muscle to bring back a stone bench from DP's to ours, the garden renovation continues!

Chicken in the oven, Ddog won't leave my side until his share is carved and on. his plate.

The place we are staying in France from next weekend took the payment overnight, so now I know the exact size of the credit card repayment challenge we have until February, when the 0% deal expires. Here we go...

Tell me about those BOXES of cheese footballs Mrs Mary 👀😋. The stuff of dreams 😄

I. Am. So. Cold. Our central heating isn’t working as the brand new boiler has developed a fault and needs a new circuit board. Plumber says new models can be buggy. Sigh. Apparently it’s being fixed tomorrow and not moment too soon, it’s freezing and none of the laundry is drying (the tumble dryer is currently inaccessible). Quartz worktops are going in on Thursday and then the kitchen will be almost useable- I just need the plumber and electrician back to connect the taps and hob 🤞🏻.

I will be very relieved to get to the end of this stretch - the cost of ready meals is adding up and also our electricity bill is going to be horrific. The guys come 6 days a week and leave all the doors and windows open. Now it’s getting colder we’ll need to heat the house. And they’ve had to drain the water tank several times for one reason or another, and we’ve been on an electric immersion heating the whole tank for the last 7 weeks (while the gas boiler and thermostat is sorted) so it’ll be costing a fortune. Argh!

Apart from food and some gifts for the DC (who thankfully don’t have expensive tastes) we will be spending as little as possible this Christmas!

Ooo that’s very vexing about the boiler

spend day today £6663 as bathroom work started
£75 on Christmas meat order and same reservation of Sainsbury’s slot

Yikes life £££
I thought I was doing well booking a click & collect slot for next Sunday!

morning all - working from home today - teachers on strike over pay. luckily though our school is open although they're working to rule so no after school clubs etc.

enjoying the novelty of wfh. its rare that i do this now. Have taken full advantage though and dropped the kids off and then went or a run.

yesterday was a shocker - had my mortgage meeting with the bank. we opted for a 2 year tracker, with the ability to repay as much as we want at any time we want no penalties. so whilst the initial payment will be £2384 (being 5.84%) we hope that base rate will go down and salaries will go up.

in the mean time, we need to rejig our budget to make sure that we're all ok. to be fair though whilst we will be paying £800 more a month, there was a point a few years ago where we were paying £1500 for mortgage and £1800 for nursery fees....and our salaries were lower. so we managed that. we can do this.

dh is back on the meal planning train too. i'm on the using up things, and selling things on FB. have made £40 this week so far - sold some brio trains of ds'

i'm in london this weekend with sis (spending is likely) i'm taking a trip t Primark to stock up on basics (t-shirts/camis etc). and am going to have a wander round Liberty - specifically for a christmas decoration.

also on a mission to get to the lego store for the dc for Christmas. and also disney store. thankfully the flights, hotel and show (Mrs Doubtfire) have all been paid for earlier this year - i think we booked in March. so it's just spending money. Sis isn't as into food as i am so no fancy eating either - maybe some wine :)