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Cost of living

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Familiar Friends in Frugality(Feb 24>)

999 replies

Happierwithouthim · 13/02/2024 19:21

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

New thread

OP posts:
Thread gallery
25
2024Hackathon · 19/06/2024 22:24

We received a mortgage health check form today to fill out and return. We need to state and evidence how we intend to pay off the mortgage (e.g., savings (offset), stocks & shares, pension lump sum etc.).

Having to state and commit to these has, somehow, startled DH. I am just quietly grateful that it reinforces the things that I've been saying but he hasn't fully been accepting. Such as, our current savings are not savings in the way he thinks but specifically designated for the mortgage and mustn't be touched (extremis aside and even then, there'd need to be a cast iron restoration plan).

Since the first DH-initiated conversation in Feb., we've not been able to have the budget discussion. But, yes, this month, on schedule, we officially have enough to cover the full final payment. (DH's death in service covers the mortgage so although I'd been considering paying off the mortgage to pre-empt any fecklessness on his part, the risk-benefit is currently leaning towards not paying it off. I'm prepared to change my mind very quickly, if needs be.)

lifelongfrugaleer · 20/06/2024 07:46

Welcome new frugalleers

i too spend more if i do different shops. As i end up also stockings the panrty

pleased the statement of needs has jolted dh hack. And well
done on having mortgage savings. We paid off when then mortgage rates jumped last year do we were not making interest.

spend on food today as travelling for work. Will get some back but expenses don’t cover actual
food shop coming but not a full one. Teens in the house today

ememem84 · 20/06/2024 11:43

am going to try and keep up this time.

life has turned into a shit show. everything and everyone is so busy. aaah

it's been a spendy week. dm turns 70 this weekend and we're throwing her a surprise party.

i've bought her a lovely pair of earrings as a gift (£300).

ordered wine for the party (£320) - to include hiring of glasses.
ordered a cake (£130)
bought balloons and decorations (£150).
dsis is sorting food. and we'll total everything up and then split it 50/50.

i'm off to london next thursday evening to meet with a client for a private tour of the tate on friday morning. then the dc are flying over with dh and we're having a weekend. then i have more meetings on 1 july. am in birmingham the following week meeting a client.

house is a shit tip. work is busy, but i need to keep up here for sanity. haha

Happierwithouthim · 20/06/2024 20:47

My dm is also 70 this year, we're all having a weekend away next month together. In typical Irish fashion nothing has been discussed about who is paying for what.
I paid deposit for accommodation which dm yesterday sent me a cheque to reimburse me yet the balance will come out of my account in a couple of weeks.

It'll all come right and I'm not worried about it

OP posts:
Happierwithouthim · 20/06/2024 20:50

Planned out the size of my extension with builder yesterday evening and foundations will be dug first week of July.
I must literally go window shopping that week too. I'm reusing existing back door and one window so the plan is to buy two fairly large windows for light in kitchen and perhaps use velux for light also.

OP posts:
Nellieinthebarn · 20/06/2024 21:45

Ooh that's exciting Happier, sounds a lovely treat for your mum.

lifelongfrugaleer · 21/06/2024 06:31

70ths should be celebrated
exciting happier both on the ext and the weekend away

not much to report here. £22 on pizza for teens

ooo a private tate tour how exciting. Sorry things are tough em.

ememem84 · 21/06/2024 09:23

dd pushed my buttons this morning - so much so that after a horrendous morning i deposited her at school then took myself off for a coffee to wind down.

dh went off to play golf this morning with oil - which i have no issue with its a lovely morning here and why the hell not. dd however had issues with it."I want daddy i just want daddy i dont want you" she screamed for about 2 hours. she threw her cereal bowl on the floor (smashed - milk everywhere). tipped her yoghurt on the counter. refused to get dressed. refused to give me 5 minutes peace to have a shower so i didnt throttle her. refused to put shoes on. refused to walk. so i carried her to school. barefoot. and basically threw her in.

ds in all of this was really good. got himself dressed ready and walked to school nicely.

i was up at 3 with cat face who brought me a mouse. lovely.

working at home today though so am currently sat outside until such time as the sun moves around and i can't see my screen! haha.

Happierwithouthim · 21/06/2024 09:31

In other exciting news I've a uti Sad but luckily gp can see me while I've got dd at dentist in same building so that's a win. This is my third time taking time off work this week so if I'd to leave again later for gp that would be annoying!

€45.50 on running socks for me & sports items for ds, I'm keen to encourage this because he'd no interest before.

€7.95 soup at meeting will be reimbursed
€0.60 parking
€22 butchers
€19.45 underwear & socks dd
€22.65 centra
€47.40 nails & brows

Withdrew €2k from savings for my holidays, I'm due cash back from mortgage switch which will cover solicitors fees & replenish most of these savings. I'll set up a direct debit when I move jobs I to build them up again.

Last summer paying childcare

OP posts:
Happierwithouthim · 21/06/2024 09:36

Oh em she's fiesty isn't she?
I can say now that at 10 those incidents are few and far between now with ds, he has settled following separation & two house moves. He used to talk about hating our house and wanting me to buy our old house back, that hasn't been said in a while now.

Three years in my house tomorrow.

My colleagues terminally ill husband got more bad news, I feel very helpless. I know she's appreciated home made food that people drop off so I'm going to make scones & maybe jools Oliver's stew tomorrow for them

OP posts:
ememem84 · 21/06/2024 10:15

Happierwithouthim · 21/06/2024 09:36

Oh em she's fiesty isn't she?
I can say now that at 10 those incidents are few and far between now with ds, he has settled following separation & two house moves. He used to talk about hating our house and wanting me to buy our old house back, that hasn't been said in a while now.

Three years in my house tomorrow.

My colleagues terminally ill husband got more bad news, I feel very helpless. I know she's appreciated home made food that people drop off so I'm going to make scones & maybe jools Oliver's stew tomorrow for them

yes. yes she is. feisty isn't what i called her in my head this morning. began with an F though..... haha

cat face has just resurfaced (busy night for her) and has taken up residence on my lap between me and laptop. cosy.

£6 paid online today to release a parcel from customs. ffs. cross because it shouldn't have even got trapped by them as it was lower than the deminimis level we have here for tax. but hey ho. just pay it, get the parcel and then complain.

lifelongfrugaleer · 21/06/2024 11:48

Well done for survival em. I would have done the same. No doubt she was fine 5 minutes after being through the school door

3 years happier - fab

Happierwithouthim · 21/06/2024 15:17

One of our cats also had a mouse this morning dd said, I'm delighted because I never see them with mice. They're outdoors though Grin

OP posts:
Happierwithouthim · 21/06/2024 21:08

Visiting a friend who took one of our last batch of kittens(ours are all neutered now) and these are her babies ❤️

Familiar Friends in Frugality(Feb 24>)
Familiar Friends in Frugality(Feb 24>)
OP posts:
Nellieinthebarn · 21/06/2024 21:49

Oh they are lovely. I would love to have another cat, but my DH is allergic. When we met I had a dear cat, and DH just had to take piriton every day until she died. She lived until she was 21, mostly out of spite I think!

Donkeysdontdance · 22/06/2024 05:58

Love the cat cuddles one. N s d yesterday

Happierwithouthim · 22/06/2024 12:07

I don't know if I'm sad or organised. Ds finished school yesterday, I was in dunnes just now and picked up his T-shirts & shirts & two pairs of trousers for next year, the other bits need to be got in uniform shop and I'd need dd to try on her stuff.
Got highlighters yesterday in Lidl because they both need highlighters

Spends
€51 in dunnes including two toilet brushes because the Joseph Joseph ones I bought three years ago while they look good they don't clean the turn of the toilet.
Making my version of jools Oliver's beef stew for my colleague whose husband is terminally ill and scones so I bought the makings of them & a Baxter & green salmon and three salads lunch for myself

€105.50 on uniforms bits and a few holiday bits for me as my shein order won't arrive until I'm gone.

€31 in Lidl on mostly cat food
€13.48 antibiotic for UTI

Did my second parkrun this morning possibly not great with uti, 70 seconds faster than last week. It's a nicer course and same distance from my house it's a bit further from boyfriends which is where I was this morning. Fewer people.

OP posts:
lifelongfrugaleer · 22/06/2024 12:46

Hope the antibiotics kick in soon happier

Nellieinthebarn · 22/06/2024 12:52

£47 in Morrisons, we went for top up bits of milk, veg, fruit, and bread. But £14 was on 8 bottles of DH favourite beer, which he claims he will put back in the joint account, but I said not to. His kids did sod all for Fathers day so he deserves a treat. And £8 for 4 new mugs that we sort of need because a couple got broken last week.

Didn't go in the charity shop, didn't buy coffee and cake, didn't browse the make up counter in Boots while waiting for DHs prescription. So it could've been a lot worse.

RumBananaSundae · 22/06/2024 16:40

Glad there’s been a jolt for your husband Hack. Hope it’s onwards and upwards.

Sorry about the shit em. Sending solidarity your way.

Hope you’re feeling a bit better Happier. And that the drugs are doing their thing.

Spending hasn’t been too bad this week. £30 on some walking shorts. I changed my mind from the £120 pair I wanted as having to wait on the arrival of package filled me with dread. Spent £26 on two shopping bags and another £5ish sending one to my friend. £22.30 on getting a spare set of keys cut - now just have to see my friend to hand them over. £2.59 on a TGTG bag and £1.45 on some milk.

Have had to consult with an adviser re the thing that shall not be mentioned. Am bracing myself for the bill. Distracting myself by thinking about holiday packing. Starting to think about France in September too.

marthasmum · 22/06/2024 20:14

That sounds a very stressful morning em. If it helps DD was very fiesty at that sort of age and is a delight now.
Ouch happier running with a UTI. Well done for doing it. I ran today and was really pleased as the route was nearly 10k- longer than I’ve done for a while. I’m on some new tablets for raised BP and they’ve made me tired and slow.
Hope you can distract yourself with holiday thoughts rum.
Hope DH is going to have something of an epiphany hack always good when someone else says the things you’ve been saying…

Spendy day today
£60 on new to us second hand sofa - lighter than our old brown one and makes the living room look better, it’s been looking quite dingy
£15 sandwiches me and DP
£8.50 next dress in charity shop
£135 Lidl! (So not really cheaper than my usual Tesco with 10% off from Clubcard plus).
£31 home bargains on snacks, dog food
£28 home bargains on household stuff - some boxes for all DDs uni stuff and other bits.

then DD and I have just been for a walk which was free…

Donkeysdontdance · 22/06/2024 21:56

Just 3 ice creams today£9. Including one for the dog. 🐶🐶🐶

2024Hackathon · 23/06/2024 12:47

Spent £60 on the Lidl Tower fan. My MiL's partner gets breathless easily and I don't want him to get heat stressed next week. We have other air movers but this one is gentle enough to leave running near him.

Planning on buying more Really Useful 9L boxes. They're a handy size for storage and I need to be able to stack and move things in manageable sizes/weights.

This is a fair amount of spending. The first will pay dividends in reducing potential respiratory distress. The second, I could do without but they're a good price at present and will help me us to organise.

RumBananaSundae · 24/06/2024 16:37

Thank you martha. I was looking at some webcams today and the mountains looked beautiful so I’m excited.

Yesterday was spendier than I had planned:
£7.99 on a RFID Credit card holder
£70ish on four T-Shirts in TK Maxx
£12 on a bag
£1.45 on milk.

Today I went to buy noodles and found a host of other things so ended up spending £14.75. I’m going to try and return to cupboard/freezer eating - lentil mash up with odd vegetables and some goats cheese this afternoon.

workworkwork123 · 24/06/2024 20:14

@marthasmum £60 for a sofa is a bargain I bet you were pleased.

I had a nice a cheap weekend, stocked up on some ice lolly's for the DC and that's about it.

Met with a friend today and spent £12 on soft play and drinks then had to pop to the supermarket for top up of fruit so spent £20 in there but I done my huge shop last week and it's still going so I planned for top up shop in between trying to make it last. Hopefully tomorrow will be a NSD

I hope everyone is enjoying the lovely weather

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