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

Oh dear on the eaten at the weekend need. That would happen to me if I didn’t generally shop day to day.

90p today in Aldi on toilet cleaner.

Day two of cupboard eating was nice though not sure how healthy it is. Leftovers from yesterday. Think next on the list will be pancakes with various vegetables and cheese. Need to take the cheese out the freezer and grate it.

Think tomorrow will be spendy as am meeting a friend in town.

Another great meal plan, need. And thank you for the Mob recipe website recommendation - it looks amazing, but I couldn't work out how to access content without a subscription. And I have shelves of cookbooks, plus the whole of the internet and TV chefs, plus a library, at my disposal, so I can't argue that I'm short of inspiration for free. But I do love the idea of being able to plan around themes, say, high-protein veg - in fact, I might use that as a search term, and see what I get.

I may be ever so slightly closing my eyes to spending at present. Nothing terrible - I haven't suddenly taken up cocaine and rent boys, in the manner of Elton John in his reckless days. But I am steeling myself for a few weeks of watching my savings bleed through my fingers and after a few austere years, it's gonna be a shock to the system!

€31 on Udos Choice Super 8's to improve all of our digestive systems
€22.78 small topup shop including newspaper for dm
€200 on a small delivery of oil 161litres.

€62 on Dunnes shop, will click and collect this evening.

Going to get lunch from deli counter today because I didn't sleep well so didn't get up in time to make one today.

Ds's carpet gets fitted today so we cleared out his room yesterday evening.

Back to the dr I went today. Throat flared up again. Dr took a look and said “ewwww” (she’s profesh!!!)

so that’s me on more antibiotics to try and shift it.

I’m trying to resist Elton spending Big. I did it last month and haven’t checked my account since.

Sorry you’re down em. Hope the drugs kick in soon and you start to feel better.

Spending was £19.30 today on two drinks and two scones. Friend covered lunch.

Trying to resist two summer hiking t-shirts I’ve seen. I don’t need them but love the colour. Got this month’s VM bill. Much relief to see that I’m in credit this month. Was bracing myself to have to deal with them.

Things out the freezer for tomorrow’s dinner. Am at the office so hoping to keep busy and away from temptation. Will plonk myself in front of YouTube for the rest of the evening.

good wishes for a rapid recovery, em. I laughed at your GP's response - DH once took a case of allergic hives - real nasty welts - to his GP and the response was "Good Lord!' Which was not reassuring. (Turned out it was an allergic reaction to a change of washing powder, and once every item of bed linen, clothing and towels had been rewashed, the hives subsided. Still go on holiday with anti-histamines, just in case.)

I’m away with work. Lots of expenses. Can claim most back as subsidies doesn’t cover actual

love profesh drs. Gws em

Did the very grown up thing of starting a saving plan for dd's college fund yesterday, using the money I'm saving from not having morning childcare for ds, plus a bit. It won't earn much interest but it's a commitment to saving. Sept 2029 won't be long coming around

Frugal good news here- won £100 on premium bonds 🙂 I don’t hold many bonds now, so this was great!

I need to start doing that too happier, my DD could go to uni then too!

Ohhh Time - that’s nice. I’ve thought about buying premium bonds but never have done.

How are you doing em?

Today’s spending has been £19.28 paying the credit card.

Left the office early and got an off peak ticket. Another day of freezer/cupboard eating. It was rather nice. I threw in some dried jalapeños I found. Left overs tomorrow.

Should really do some sort of list making for next week. Doing nothing is far more appealing.

happier I wish we'd planned for uni rather than taking an ostrich approach! You're definitely doing the right thing
Get well soon Em
Dh always tells me civil service expenses aren't what they used to be life!
Good news on the premium bond time
Rum do the planning, you know it makes sense!

We've landed in Paris by some miracle. Dh works in finance so he's very lucky to have been given time off. It meant he had to work right to the wire today. He finished at one leaving himself 30 mins until the taxi was due to pack. It was very tight but he did it & the journey was good, train Lancashire to London (2 hours) then Eurostar 2.5 hours. No airport hassle. Packed some food but spent £30 on food & wine from M&S. Ds is marathon ready & off to register tomorrow
Any frugal tips for Paris? Or recommendations?We're in an Airbnb so have fridge, microwave, hob etc

Certainly not north. Im Not greedy I just want my actual costs covered
enjoy Paris. No tips I’m afraid

hope you are feeling better soon em

We found a trattoria restaurant which was reasonably priced near where we stayed years ago I'll see if I can find it. They eat their steak pretty rare I'd to send mine back twice for more cooking. We went to a different restaurant first day, three rubbish steak & chips was about €150

Ooh, April in Paris, north, how romantic. My Paris tips are out of date, years since I've been, but this article from the Grauniad might be helpful. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jan/09/paris-on-the-cheap-a-locals-guide-to-flea-markets-baguettes-and-funky-bistros

The museum tips are very good, and they are free, and in great neighbourhoods. You also have parks - Luxembourg, Buttes-Chaumont, Jardin des Plantes, - and I loved the Mosquee de Paris, which has a lovely tea-room as well.

DM's birthday yesterday, and their 65th wedding anniversary. DSIL did a lovely birthday tea and DH managed to get there from work. So a good time had by all. I am definitely all carbed-out now, and really must embrace the protein and veg plus exercise regime for the remainder of April!

It was an early start 🥱 but we're home. Had fantastic weather ⛱️ 🏊‍♂️ and lots of fun.
I'm going to dive straight back in and not catch up on posts!

Ooo la la Paris @northender my info would be out of date too, haven't been to Paris for 8yrs. I do remember walking along the Seine though was a nice free activity- baguette and some cheese for lunch on the go 🧀

Well done @Happierwithouthim and @Timetoswitch . Definitely something I need to do but have a big decision on schooling yet 😬

Spends
Around £300 on holiday- taxis/trips/Airport meal
£160 life insurance
£170 tv licence
£20 car tax
£400 car insurance (an almost 100% increase from last year) already dreading when the DDs start driving
£45 top up shop on way home

Annual round up
Acc2 -664 (from a total of -6k)
CC 0% -2649 (have a 2k in fixed term saver ending in July to pay this off)
SIPP +11360 (just missed my goal of 12k but very very pleased with this)
Mortgage overpayments +4600 approx

Feeling like we accomplished a lot financially this year and proud of some of the changes we've made.
This year's goals are to pay off the debt, build 5k medium term savings (for things like boiler etc. Or to replace fence which is on its last legs), 10k in SIPP, and set aside a budget for summer holiday.

Day one done & Big I read your post when we were sitting chilling in Jardins des plantes which I loved! Went to Jardins du Luxembourg this afternoon, Eiffel tower & did Pantheon and Emily in Paris landmarks in between. Mosquee de Paris was strange, police everywhere & a huge number of people arriving for prayers, felt edgy so we moved on very quickly.
Steak tartare for the first time at lunch & loved it. No late nights due to ds' marathon prep. I'm going to do a charity 4k run in the morning then food markets. Loving Paris so far.

Have a fabulous time in Paris north. Good luck to the marathon runner. Very sorry but no frugal tips though I do find being frugal easy there until I go to a cheese shop. I tend to spend more time than is probably healthy in the Orsay. The article Big posted mentions some nice places to visit. Have started some planning - have decided which bag I’ll use. Am also looking up how to buy a zone 5 bus ticket and put it on my pass.

Spendy day. About £600. I bought some currency for next week (and I think the summer), some packing cubes, stock cubes and two doughnuts. The doughnuts were not nice so I only ate one.

Sleeping beside ds in my parents tonight & he's snoring, he doesn't usually so perhaps he's under the weather & if he is that'll excuse his difficult behaviour earlier

€19.97 in smyths topping up dn's birthday present

€11.30 at motorway services on snacks
Dm treated us to dinner in my favourite local restaurant

North sounds like ye have got off to a great start in Paris enjoy

@RumBananaSundae annoying about the doughnuts; nothing worse than looking forward to a treat and it's disappointing
@Happierwithouthim there's some nasty bugs going around. Hopefully a good sleep for him, if not you, sorts him out

Spends
£25 specialty shop
£5 second hand scooter for dd2
£2 loo roll! 🤣
Off this afternoon to go and look at a second hand bike for dd1

€18 soft play
€14.35 icecream
€5.50 snacks
€72 diesel

Today must exchange runners & buy swimwear for ds he's going with school tomo €55

Must do top up shop for lunches too

Having some friends and their children over for a little Easter party. Mostly have the ingredients already so just out to top up on fresh veg and a bottle of bubbly 🍾
Having gochujang chicken cooked on the bbq 🔥 sesame broccoli, sticky rice, and a family recipe of mixed veg noodles 🍜

Think april is going to be tight as have dear friend's birthday, a few dinners out, and a physio assessment for dd1. Also need to buy some clothes - particularly trousers.

Spends
£25

Returned ds trainers to sportsdirect got him two pairs of swimming trunks & had €4 left towards a lunch bag for myself net cost €11

Ds wanted to go to cex shop so we did in other shopping centre & now they've spied Milanos(Pizza express) I've quickly converted €8 Tesco vouchers to €24 for there to ease the cost.

Kennels will be €30

Hope your morning charity run went well yesterday north. How did your son’s marathon go?

That's good on the vouchers Happier.

Not great spending this weekend. Yesterday was £6.15 on drain cleaners and £4 on a TGTO bag. Today has been just under £27 in Marks and Spencer on some trousers and a few grocery bits.

Very happy with the TGTO bag. I still have bits left for during the week. Most of the Marks money went on a pair of trousers. None of my clothes fit properly anymore and thought I’d like something that did for my holiday.

Have failed on the eat from the cupboards/freezer. Though I’ve frozen some vegetables from the fridge for later use. Hoping it sort of balances itself out. With the amount of money I’ve spent how can it only be seven days into April?

Spends £150 on food. £80 on clothes for fil but they woll
Go back as I now know what he wants. He will pay me back when I buy what he wants

£30 petrol. £30 ds for dog walking while i was away last week.

off work this week. I need to sort my anxiety out and get back onto losing weight

hope the runs went well north
pleased you got a good tgto bag. I fine they are a bit hit miss
well done on the swapsies and Tesco vouchers happier

Spent £94 in Aldi Ystd although £20 of that was garden stuff from the aisle of doom!

Also spent £45 on fuel.

I'm trying really hard not to fritter money by avoiding shops which is working to an extent.