Familiar Friends in Frugality(Feb 24>)

[Happierwithouthim]

Frugal Friends Facing Forward with Fortitude http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/costoff_living/4957140-frugal-friends-facing-forward-with-fortitude

New thread

Hope you get something happier.

Not too bothered about Mother's Day life

€8.50 on lunch
Back massage paid for 3 weeks ago
€1.60 on walkers baked

€6.04 ds's pocket money & a pack of butter biscuits.
Roast chicken in the oven trying to hold out until that to eat after basketball 🏀

happier my DC are both slightly younger than your DC, but at this point they don’t shop by themselves. They would need some help from another adult really. I’m not sure if DH wasn’t around, anyone else in our family would offer to help them either. Although DD2 would probably make a card, as she likes to do that (but would leave me the mess to tidy up).

Not feeling great today, hoping to feel better after a good nights sleep.

@Chile1978 sorry for late response. But yea. We’re staying in the park at the New York marvel hotel. Ds will be so excited by this. I’m getting a princess breakfast for my birthday ….!!! So excited! it’s cost a small fortune but one only turns 40 once right?! And it’s something I’ve wanted to do for ages!!!

other spends since my last visit in:

present for lovely colleague who is leaving us. The bitch. But seriously happy for her. The traitor. I bought her a cover for her boring as spiral bound notepads. A pencil case and a couple of journels from papier. Don’t visit papier. They are naughty. And make you spend money! (https://www.papier.com/)

took catface to the V. E. T. Today (told the dc that’s how we had to say it because catface understands the word vet but can’t spell). £178!!!!!! Got her nails clipped. Her flea treatment and she was given a bit of a check over. We only needed the flea stuff but apparently the rules now are that vets can’t prescribe without actually seeing the animal. Since 1 jan this year. Going forwards we’ll be ok. But gah. But she’s perfect (purrfect?!). Same weight as before (5.3kg all muscle……) and super snuggly.

I’ve been having a bit of a sort out and discovered that mulberry will buy back bags. I’ve sent off the details of two of mine. Total of £450 to come back to me in gift cards. (I will use this to replace my old and battered “Alexa” bag which I’ve used to absolute death. But only if I get a seriously Chonk bonus) and will also maybe give the voucher to DH. So he can buy it for my birthday. Maybe. Im
alowly letting go of things.

Welcome back Donkey. Eeeekkk about the door.

Sorry about the lack of card Happier. Families can be difficult.

Hope you’re feeling a bit better today Time.

That’s great about the bags em. I wish I had known. I threw mine out.

Yesterday was a no spend day. I was fed at the office so saved a day’s groceries too. There was an early tea for International Women’s Day so had cake and scones as well.

A friend is here from abroad so am meeting them today. Already cringing at the train fare into London. I think I’ll accept I’ll reach the fare cap and travel on every bus and train possible. I’m remembering the pre-pandemic days when I had a season ticket and didn’t give public transport a second thought bar the moment once a year when I bought the ticket.

True Time but every year they want to go somewhere to buy for dh and they think of it by themselves, just miffed that the same didn't apply to me.

He has more of their weekday waking hours because of the hours he works so I guess that's had its impact.

Whoah, great birthday celebration, em! I have a bigger, round-number birthday coming up next year, and am mulling my options. I'd love to go back to Japan, but cannot see how we can combine this with Ddog, who has never had a dog-sitter, or gone to kennels. Apparently, you can take dogs of 8kg or less onto Air Japan flights, provided you keep them in a bag, on their own seat. Even if Ddog met the size restrictions (he very much doesn't), this must surely become distressing, smelly and downright anti-social on a long flight, and is very much not to be desired?

Nice party last night, celebrating a friend's NYE honour. Vair good fun, in Middle Temple, all looking wonderful. Tube in, Uber home (thank you DH) and a nice nostalgic ride through a neighbourhood of London where we did our early courting.

Vet today with Ddog, then sorting out a 'funny smell from the bathroom' at the rental flat. Haircut this evening, £64.

Is it possible they ask ex-DH to do the same for you though and he’s such a knob he says no or fobs them off though happier? Would your BF, if given a less than subtle nudge, be willing to check in with them and see if they need a bit of help? That is hurtful, especially as you facilitate helping them for him!

still feel bleurgh today. Washing on and going back to bed!

My dm was around on one occasion and didn't prompt it
I'm thinking that about exh, but it's the first time that it has happened so blatantly, other times I've gotten house plants which he knows I've no interest in, but nothing at all is extreme!

hooray for birthday celebrations!

i've been on flights with dogs as passengers (in the row next to me). they were amazing. i think it very much depends on the dog though.

Finally, a resolution to thr Barclaycard mess. I phoned yet again yesterday to ask why all online purchases were being declined. I think I must have sounded about the end of my tether. The customer service person put me on hold for several minuutes, then came back saying it was all sorted. Apparently the problem had been with the card issuer Visa. They coukd pribably have found this out sooner if they'd spent less time trying to convince me that I had repeatedly used the wrong pin.

Having fun tonight with my tesco order. The stress eating has to stop though.

Despite having roasted a chicken yesterday & having plans to eat that tonight we're having pasta & pizza here, not feeling the healthy dinner tonight.

Spends: a few euro in local shop on chocolate

I don't think flying long distance with a dog would be pleasant for dog or passenger. Can family come stay with dog?

Sounds like a great birthday celebration Em! Re catface, does your vet do a petplan? I pay £12 a month and that covers all her prescription flea and worm treatment, her yearly booster and a couple of check ups a year. It's definitely cheaper than not having one.

Happier I'd be upset about that, I've always prompted/reminded dd to get me a card/make me a card and small gift though. From a very young age I'd send her into a shop with a fiver and tell her to get me something! She's very good these days and I'm banned from her bedroom atm as I think my Mother's Day present is in there!

Works been manic this week the plus side being I've been too busy to spend much!

The only spends have been £12 window cleaner, £10 bacon butty and tea with a friend and £13 Mother's Day card and present.

girlie they do but we rarely take her and it’s £18 a month….

She goes every September for her boosters. I don’t really get her nails clipped because she does go outside. But did this time because they were getting too long.

vet thinks she’s a British short hair (fancy!) I just thought she was a regular cat!

but it fits. She is bigger than most cats. And bsh are typically larger. And her fur is thick!

First big tidy up day of spring in the garden today. Feeling virtuous and pleasantly sore in places. More weeding, feeding and mulching tomorrow (although the forecast is rubbish, so might be delayed until later in the week).

Have stumbled over some noodles in the cupboard, so might scratch an UPF itch and make a bowl of soupy noodles. And eat them in front of another episode of Mary and George, the new shag-fest, historical drama on Now TV. Julianne Moore and Nicola Walker good fun to watch.

Woke up feeling not up to much, nothing I can put my finger on, but generally down physically and mentally. But have resisted the call of the takeaways. We had fish from the freezer, and homemade oven chips with frozen veg for dinner (lunchtime) instead of a mercy dash to the chippy, and have a veggie stir fry planned for tea. So not only cheaper, but healthier and not gone off plan with the old fatbusters.

Feeling any better Time?

Glad the credit card issue has been resolved Short. I’m never surprised at how long these things take to sort out.

That’s one handsome cat you have em.

Spending yesterday was just under £100 on dinner with my friend. We went to my favourite tapas place. I’d not seen her for about 18 months. Today I’ve been to Aldi and Lidl, spent £5.24 mostly on cauliflowers as they’re on special in Lidl, and paid the credit card.

Have not done much today. I’ve drafted a letter about the leak and thought about starting to clear out old paperwork and my clothes. Reluctant about the former as there’s so much if it and about the latter as most of it is new and I might need it later on. Should really get over it. Still need to sort out the council tax too.

£200 balance on prom dress £54 converse to go with said dress, £19 food, £24 x 3 cinema tickets.

Today I’ve been to Aldi and Lidl, spent £5.24 mostly on cauliflowers as they’re on special in Lidl

I wanted the cauliflowers. I actually asked DH to drop into Lidl to get some while he was in the vicinity but he said they were useless, all leaves and a tiny centre. (I wanted to roast some for tomorrow's dinner and pickle the rest.)

Saved from myself. I have dried cauli I can rehydrate but really fancied some fresh cauli roasted.

The non-stop eating from stores and freezers continues.

Ok, first things first. Gosh, the mumsnet app is shocking. They need to spend some money, time, and effort on it.

Catching up on posts, sorry to anyone missed.
Welcome back @Donkeysdontdance
Sorry that is pretty rubbish @Happierwithouthim . Can you remind them the week before maybe or ask ex/your mum if they could? Otherwise, sit down with them and explain. Say you're disappointed this year and maybe give some suggestions for next year. Appreciate it's not the spontaneous burst of love and appreciation but sometimes we have to ask for what we want and set expectations.

@RumBananaSundae do you have a network railcard,? If you buy a travelcard with that, it can sometimes work out cheaper - not always though!
@BigSkies2022 can you start with a dogsitter or kennel now so that in say 2025 you could go as dog will have got a solid relationship now?
@ShortFatShambolicHouseElf glad it's sorted.
@Nellieinthebarn well done! It's not so much even the taste of a takeaway but more the thought of not having to cook that makes it so enticing.
@lifelongfrugaleer that's a well priced cinema. Tickets near us are £15 each. Exciting to have paid for the prom dress 👗
@2024Hackathon it must be years before you eat up the inherited pantry. Do you feel like you're making a dent yet?

It's been a busy week 🌪 ! Work, work, work! Easter can't come soon enough yet I also need another week to squeeze everything in.

The budget has gone wrong and I'm not sure why. 😕 I'll have to carve out some time next week to figure it out. In the meantime, hoping to keep spends low. Hosting a family party which will necessitate some extra spending but will do my best to look through the cupboards and freezer to see if I can at least do some side dishes from stores.

Spends (I'll have missed some, but best attempt)
110 food
20 mothers day
3 school
8 kids club
10 present
7 gym
60 cleaners
5 work snacks

Saved
£58 on insurance renewal (still 50 more expensive than last year)

Avoided spends
£70 on takeaway - cooked from freezer instead
£80 night out - too tired and busy and luckily friend was same so we postponed
£20 - took picnic and used our membership pass to farm.

Your cat is so cute em

nice avoided spends @Chile1978

We have almost cleared the loft now, had an offer on the house but it was low so DH pushed back and we are awaiting their response.

Sold Peloton on eBay which is great, very much looking forward to it being gone as it will create more space for viewings.

Sold the majority of my vintage children’s book collection- it was probably 5 large boxes full and now down to 1/2 a shelf. Whatever doesn’t sell will go to charity.

Listed some stuff on FB marketplace too - Lakeland heated airer, space heater and other things we can’t take due to different voltage.

Chile1978 it must be years before you eat up the inherited pantry. Do you feel like you're making a dent yet?

Not even slightly! I can see that we're a packet away from using up the (very enjoyable) Danish Aebleskiver but I still see the denizens of the deep (the octopus) every time I open the freezer.

The only things I am visibly denting are the nuts and the oats.

I still have kgs of dehydrated vegetables. It's so hard to justify buying them but it's feeling like quite a limited range. This sounds ungrateful because it's saving us a lot of money. We're eating well, just very differently.

@Gensola good work! And sounds positive you've had an offer even if it's not what you would like. Does the estate agent feel you'll be able to get the price you want?

@2024Hackathon it's not mutually exclusive to me - it can be both that you're grateful AND recognise it's not what you would have chosen if given the option.
Could you give some of the less liked options away on olio? Or maybe do a food swap with somebody who is a keen preserver? I admire your ability to keep on going - one of the things is I love variety. After a childhood of limited food, I like to mix it up.

March and April budgets causing me a bit of stress - stupid really. No point in worrying about it. Will try some mindfulness tonight. Concentrate on all the goals I have achieved. 🎯

Fakeaway Japanese tonight 🍣