Frugal Friends Facing Forward with Fortitude

[Happierwithouthim]

Here's a friendly space for new and existing frugal friends.

We have all different types of incomes and lifestyles but with a common goal of making the best of the money we have.

Many of us have experiences of becoming debt free or being in difficulty with money for one reason or another so there's no need for embarrassment, just join in, post as little or as often as you wish.

Some record daily spends, some record only spends that are unplanned, some don't record spends at all, the choice is yours!

Do you serve with a side or as it is?
it looks like something both bf & I would enjoy!

Probably on its own but I'd have Parmesan cheese too!

I don't think you can have prawns without it!
I got Eatstro(better than HelloFresh recipe & ingredients service) last week but my plan is to consult my recipe cards & books and when I'm ordering my shopping to do a meal plan.

It looks as if it would be good with a dipping baguette. I am saving the recipe and app for when number 2 child brings his gf over. I keep seeing nice looking recipes ( now I am looking) that when I have a partner in crime I am going to attempt.

No spends here today...but the BG person turned up to replace a circuit board in the boiler. I no longer smell like a rotting corpse (dd's description).

DH started a new job this morning... It is WFH and he is already eyeing up my work nook... Hmmmmm.

Maybe hide some of the clothes you just took off there, put him off

Thanks for the new thread happier. Just marking my spot, will post properly tomorrow

Complained about my squashed loaf of bread, when doing click & collect, he observed it was squashed but didn't offer to replace, I was in a hurry so I just left. I took pics and emailed customer service when I got home. They replied looking for more photos, but before I was home to do that I got an email saying I'd be refunded , the sandwiches out of squashed loaf taste even better now

Bought a dress and a leather skirt with 20% off, dress for Christmas party online today €103.90

3 smart plugs and a shower caddy from Amazon €44, tree is in a different location, awkward to get at plugs for lights.

Brought my lunch today, when I was tempted to go to deli counter.

€70 my share of dp's Christmas present, dsis figured out what to get, db and dsis discussed it further and all I did was a quick google, previously I've had to plague them to get this organised

Happier genius idea 😁

I have given him a quick lesson in how to make an edible lunch from a collection of fridge scrapings overlooked by the resident gannets.

Tomorrow are lessons in switching loads of washing over when a task takes 5 minutes less than expected.

Valuable skills unescorted

Morning all -

I need to do the same need with the sorting out. It’s on my to do list for over the holidays.

Sorry about the Christmas plans going down the pan Happier. Great saving on the hair and bread. Free always tastes better.

Hope you’re managing to hold onto your nook unescorted.

Last day in France today. Not sure how it’s gone so quickly. Feeling a tad melancholy about it (and too reflective). Back at work tomorrow. It’s the Christmas lunch so hoping that will soften the blow of being back.

@marthasmum so glad you had a good time at the neighbours party & well done on sticking to your budget! 😊
@Unescorted good luck to your Dh re DH new job.
Hope the surgery goes well & thank God the Boiler isn't stinky anymore 😂
@SingToTheSky glad you are in a positive frame of mind re your Dh 💐
Good luck with all your coursework!
@tuttifritti no plan as such but l try to pay everything by monthly Direct debit .
@RumBananaSundae well done on treating yourself to the museum and dinner 😊
Re your stbexh , well done on being alert to his shenanigans, they can be so sneaky . You can't trust him an inch and l don't think you can trust her either!
Hope you found your purse!
@Psychoticbreak am sure you will get it all sorted in the new year 😊
@needastrongoneagain
Your menu plan sounds as always fantastic ☺️
@Happierwithouthim l lol over the sarnies tasting better 😂
Sorry you can't spend Christmas day with your parents bless you 💐
Your hairdresser is a keeper!
@northender l haven't seen you much lately hope all is ok with you sweetheart 💐
Hope l haven't missed anyone out ☺️
Busy here with everything
As l am sure everyone is ☺️
Spends omg they don't seem to be stopping!
Aldi 33
Home bargains 40
Marks 38
Savers 5
Primark 16
Marks flower delivery
Lunch out with BF £25
Sainsbury's on Christmas food , used our nectar card points bill was only 13 on a 65 spend, took us years to get those lol
The range 6
Whsmiths 8
Post office stamps and parcel 15
Phew !
Hope everyone is ok ☺️
Take care all ❤️

Marks flowers were £25
I find Marks to be the most reliable/nicely packaged in my experience tbh so they are my go to ☺️
Have a good day everyone ☺️

My hairdresser is my aunt and godmother, she charges me full whack for every appointment, and charges me same price whether I get it cut or not
Twice in my life she's not charged me, when my bf passed away two years ago and last Saturday.

She knows my hair and does a great job, but sometimes it's a very long appointment. I stretched this one out from September to December

€68 in tesco yesterday, if I'd done a rough tot before I got to till I could've used €16 off €80 but I didn't. Treated myself to new slippers and ear pods, got a christmas present for babysitter, ream of a4 paper and a few groceries

Unescorted protect your work nook at all costs! 😁

I need to finish Christmas shopping. But I’m juggling work and Cagletini today so that isn’t happening!

Had a lovely day yesterday - work meeting followed by our staff Christmas lunch at a naice pub 💜 got vouchers from said pub - guaranteed 25% off next month but could be up 100% - might take my fabulous Work Wife for lunch as her DS was sick yesterday so she couldn’t make it.

I use my DD as my hair dresser. It is cheap if I don't factor in the cost of hats.

sing that is a kind thing to do. I am sure she will appreciate it.

He’s sneaky Mary. Nasty sneaky. Second you on the spends not stopping.

All in I spent £354.90 while away. I was doing well until I went to a grocery place yesterday. My bags were too small to carry it all back. On the plus side I now have enough Savoyard cheese to fill the bath. And some other bits for the holidays too. Not really counting it as spending as it was prepaid but I’m a bit surprised at how quickly one grocery shop racked up.

At the office today hopefully that will mean a no spend day. Will get fed too.

Parking was free yesterday while I was in town
€20 on a dog license was my only spend yesterday

rum it's your christmas party at work today isn't it? Enjoy. Do you live in London? Is that how you go to France so often on the Eurostar? Sorry if I'm being nosey!!

Mary I used to buy fresh flowers for my table when I did my shopping in Aldi, I no longer do, so I no longer have fresh flowers, must buy a nice display for Christmas to enjoy.

Enjoy the party @RumBananaSundae!

Also don't buy cut flowers anymore @MaryGreenhill but I was given a Christmas hyacinth that is very lovely and long lasting,

Spends don't seem to be stopping either but I had a nice prepaid craft evening with some friends and then back to mine afterwards for fizz. Cheaper than the pub!

Treated myself to a skirt from new look reduced to £15.

Made a soup from leftover chicken on Sunday and have brought it in for my lunch today.

Cut flowers are no longer a thing here either. I couldn't justify it anymore. I might get daffs when they are back ... I have a perfect vase for them.

It is official... I can't do anything that gets my hand wet before 27th Dec. Such a shame. 😜

Saturday is my buy all my presents day. It is going to be spendy but am prepared. I haven't been posting but I have been saving.

Unescorted** that's my day too but I've no list yet!
Bf is the only one sorted! Tickets to a gig, tickets to a comedy show & a bar of homemade chocolate

Awful pity not being able to wash up

Most of the Christmas present shopping is done now - helped by having saved with Park for the past year but am now going to direct the regular monthly payment to savings as there seem to be less and less shops I would spend it at. But even so, still got £150 left on the card which I can use in Iceland plus £25 on Iceland Bonus and £15 on Nectar. The biggest expense will be a huge gammon joint as it is our contribution to Christmas dinner along with crackers and couple of mini presents for a game!! So having had a meat pack delivered earlier this month - we are on track to fill up the freezer with treats and veg! Then eat our way through it all over Christmas through to January and hopefully some of Feb. I always look for the double ups to help DD and pass on some bits to the local church's food bank. Everywhere I look it seems as though all the food banks are struggling - one said they used to rely on public donations for 75% of their food they now have to buy in 75% of their food and cash donations are dropping off! 😟
Still have lots of debt which we are chipping away at - DH managed to get a new 0% to replace another who were upping their interest rate by 11.26% 😩so hopefully very few spends in January will help with our goals.
But no spends at all this week apart from posting a parcel at the Post Office which cost £19 which I'm told has arrived now so I can relax and crack open the mini Baileys I got in a gift bag when we had a Santa Express day out with GCs but couldn't drink as I was driving. Cheers all!!

Can I join you all please? I became extremely frugal in my 20s after leaving my abuse ex, all the bills were in my name and I was left with a lot of debt. Then things got better, I met my DH and we have been DINKs for the past 10 years. We have always been big savers but the grocery budget is our one downfall, we both love cooking.

And now I'm pregnant with our first (and last!) baby. I'm due to start my maternity leave in the new year. I know that we have enough money in savings, we began trying for this baby 8 years ago. But I'd really like to not dip into any of that money. I also don't know if I want to go back to my current job or if I would possibly take slightly longer off and see about taking a few refresher courses. Ultimately though the less money we spend the more options I have.

It was my Christmas party yesterday Happier. A good day/evening/night was had. I do live in London. Paris/France is easy on the Eurostar. Sometimes it takes me less time, door to door, to get to Paris than the office.

Thank you tutti. Hope you enjoyed your craft evening, What sort of crafts do you enjoy?

Hope your hand is OK Unescorted.

Welcome Ap24.

Spending yesterday was about £55. I bought myself a tichaniere and a Raclette heater. And a towel for my trek next year.

Have had the first of last three bills for the property management fees for this year. That’s about £1,200 in total. Am waiting to hear from the underwriters about holiday insurance. I’m crossing my fingers it won’t be too expensive. Hoping those things will be my big spends for December.

Have a five day weekend starting today. I have 11/2 working days until next year. I’ve lost 51/2 days holiday as I didn’t take them but not to worry. Not sure how I’ll keep busy. I have decluttering and paperwork to do but rewatching all the James Bond films seems more attractive at present.

Spent ££££ on food for us and a fund raiser