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

Happy birthday happier.

no wonder you are excited then Spencer. That’s a big thing

That sounds amazing Spencer

Exciting news @Spencer0220 ! Everything crossed for your DH

Vinted going well - think people have migrated there from ebay. No big money but it's trickling in and nice to think of items getting use, especially unworn baby things. Wish I'd got on to it sooner, but hey ho. Once I've done this baby stuff though, doubt I'll do more as they get older they wear the clothes out more and get more use from them. I only like to sell stuff in excellent condition.

Spends
£30 food (I guessed bang on)

Thank you everyone.

@Chile1978, people are definitely migrating from eBay. My sister sells all sorts of things on there from her children and they are up to age 13. Kids stuff is really popular.

My husband and I only buy clothes on vinted now. The savings are stacking up.

But we are very picky what we buy.

Spencer, that's amazing. Were you given to expect it? - good luck, I hope it continues.

I sold masses of stuff on eBay back in the day - I'm talking around 2005-06, when I was doing a huge house clearout. It was quite satisfying, and for the most part I insisted on cash on collection, so I was able to sidestep delivery hassle. (Apart from one sale, where I crumbled and spent days trying to work out how to deliver a large push bike to a fella in Sunderland). I did lose a camera to the thieving bastard who came around to collect a sofa and chair, may his fingers drop off, but that aside, no bad experiences. I am tempted to have a go at Vinted, but wonder whether it is worth the effort and cost of posting and fees if I sell a pair of Converse trainers for a tenner? I don't have more than about 3 items I'd consider putting up for sale, having edited my wardrobe down to the stuff I love and wear.

@BigSkies2022 it depends what your threshold is for value. Maybe you could give it a go and see if they get snapped up. For me, I think it's less about the money and more about giving items a good home. My stuff I'm happy to donate to charity but our local baby charity has too much stuff and has paused donations. Maybe I'm too sentimental about the girls' clothing. It's also been a healthy reality check on the amounts I've bought them compared to what they actually needed. The nice thing with vinted is what you List for is what you get in your pocket - the buyer pays the fees and postage (although of course you need to factor that into your pricing).

@Spencer0220 yes, you have to be careful I think in what you buy especially as there's no returns so it has to be worth the chance. I really don't need any clothes but I do like to physically try on. My body has changed a lot and I think I still don't feel fully comfortable with it so find buying clothes quite a stressful and emotional experience truthfully.

Is it finally a NSD??

Ins
+200 natwest switch. Will go straight to paying off acc2

Yes, vinted is really good because buyers pay fees and postage. The seller can turn off any postage options that wouldn't work for them. It's just a matter of packaging and printing a label. I personally prefer to print at home, as not all shops can print a label. That way no mistakes between multiple items.

The 2 times I've asked vinted to help with a dispute they've been quick and fair.

Spends today: Uber for DH - £9.95 including tip because driver went out of his way to assist.

Glasses, eye tests and necessary extras: £224. They tried to push him into more expensive frames because of a deal, but the deal wouldn't have worked out so he stood firm.

Train home: £2.

That's it for today.

And re: his vision, we were told it would never improve. But he's getting tiny bits now. Which is amazing. But sadly not enough to be useable. But optician was pleased to see him and they'll keep an eye on it. For now, it's not worth referring him for further evaluation as more sight suddenly could actually cause double vision issues. So if it happens we'll go with it. But we don't want to push it, if that makes sense??

I’m a bit jealous of your apple pie Happier. Sometimes I do miss having an oven.

No spend day today. Glad it’s over. Hoping the rest of the week won’t be so stress inducing. The hotel I wanted to book for April is full. I have stayed there before, had a coupon and I really liked it. Will have to look for somewhere else. Uggg.

Happy birthday @Happierwithouthim hope you’ve had a fabulous time

that’s so great about your DH @Spencer0220 it made me think of the end of Jane Eyre, which was my favourite novel as a teen.

off to London for work for 2 days, DH acting like I’m off on a gap year without him 😂

Happy birthday Happier!

Spent £50 in pets at home stocking up on cat and dog food plus another £30 in Jollies on other pets related bits. Should be enough to last 5-6 weeks hopefully.

Have booked myself a haircut tomorrow, can't even remember when I last had it cut and I am starting to resemble Hagrid 🙈😂

@Gensola what happened at the end of that book? Didn't his eyesight return?

Extra spending for today: £37.44 on annual password management.

And another unexpected spend, with a frugal win.

Bought our next batch of PPE that we need early, with £10 off.

Not going to complain!

Payday thank fuck.
it’s been a challenging month

Hugs @lifelongfrugaleer

Payday for DH too. I hope your March is easier.

@RumBananaSundae how annoying. Will they extend the coupon so you can use for another trip?

This February has felt very January @lifelongfrugaleer

Acc2 -1032 (so close to the 1000 marker!)

One of my DDs in my switch hasn't come out today. Hopefully it's just a delay and goes out soon - don't want to have a late payment in my record.

Have done a £100 float for this month - let's hope I don't see it as usable money. Must keep reminding myself.
Had an underspend in one of my pots so need to decide whether to use that to help pay for outings planned for March or put towards acc2. 🤔

Home insurance renewal has come in - an increase of £200 so will need to compare for new quotes. Life admin is tedious and never ending.

Could it possibly be another NSD? 😲

That’s an excellent description chilli

@Spencer0220 he started to see shapes and then light and colours and eventually was able to see his baby son 😭💗

On way to London for work trip. Going to be dining alone in Bill’s with a book, love a dinner on my own.

Charlotte Bronte was convinced she was going blind, but thankfully did not. She was just very short-sighted. And her father (very bravely for the time) had successful cataract surgery, which restored his good sight.

Miserable wet weather here! Ddog and I have only had short outings on the dull pavements today, as I cannot face the mud. I've played hide-and-seek with treats to keep him entertained, poor thing. Coconut and spiced sweet potato with rice for dinner tonight, spinach salad on the side. Might bake some bananas for pudding to cheer us up.

Trying to generate sufficient enthusiasm to get my workout gear on and do a barre session. What I really want to do is drink tea, eat chocolate and watch Boarders.

Spends today: £8 on insoles and heel grippers to make new walking shoes bought online fit better.

@BigSkies2022 I didn’t know that about Charlotte Brontë - is there a book about her you’d recommend?

Just one spend today: £211.12 on some of my care related items. Should last a good while though.

Sometimes not being entitled on nhs is a pain, but honestly I'd rather buy better quality stuff.

Miscalculated acc2 was -1072, now hopefully -1002. (Put part of my council tax break towards it)

On that note, has anyone else had problems with the premium bonds website. Made a payment, received email receipt but no update on my dashboard which is usually instant and transaction history won't open either. Wouldn't normally worry but if payment doesn't go through today then bonds won't be valid until the May draw. Not the end of the world, but a bit of a pain.

@Gensola can't think of a book on the top of my head but a while ago there was an interesting documentary about her - she lived a sad, hard life all told.

@BigSkies2022 watch Boarders or Hoarders??!! 🤣 Boarders meant to be very funny and Hoarders is always morbidly/tragically curious

@Gensola - well, Elizabeth Gaskell's near-contemporaneous Life of Charlotte Bronte is brilliant, and an early example of Bronte myth-building. It established Patrick as the glowering, oppressive Victorian father. Juliet Barker's and Claire Harman's biographies are more scholarly and focus on Charlotte's literary ambition and how she managed her own career and that of her sisters. Kate Barton's graphic strips Get Me Off This Freaking Moor are a joy!

While we are on the subject, I'm going to put in a claim for Anne being the best Brontë! Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the best, most inward account of the psychology of an abused wife that I can recall - better than George Eliot IMO.

Still biblical rain here. New higher DD to E.On gone out today which, combined with our much lower usage through Feb and henceforth, plus lower unit price, should bring down our winter debit balance. Need to contact DWP to help DMum with some financial admin. Tomorrow DH and I will be checking out dimensions of the rise and recliner chair my Ddad badly needs, but my DM is resisting. 'I'm not blocking it,' she insisted yesterday. Well, you're. not not blocking either, DMum. Sigh.

Hello - i keep falling off.

update from me. We have a new car. hoorah. it arrived and i've been getting used to driving it (automatic which i'm not used to, electric - very powerful! and all the gadgets...)

i've also just booked a trip for my birthday in october. to disney paris. have been wanting to take the kids for ages so bit the bullet and booked it. it's my big birthday this year so figured it was worth celebrating. :)

also found out that i am definitely getting a promotion this month. although when it will be announced is anybody's guess. this will come with a pay rise (effective as of 1 January) and hopefully a chunky bonus too. (although i've always said i'd much rather have a chunky pay rise as opposed to a bonus.)

went to ds' class assembly this morning. super lovely to see the class show off a bout their animal topic. i went to the zoo with them a couple of weeks ago and they were super enthused about the animals

happy March everyone!

@BigSkies2022 good luck! Parents can be quite awkward sometimes can't they? My DM always says she's fine when she isn't.

Benefit money in today. Yay!!

Fallen off the thread again!

Pay day has been and now moved at the money to the various pots.

£20 DD2s Girl guiding trip to the zoo
£28 tesco
£1.49 deodorant
£62.20 on a Fitbit for DD1s birthday- chuffed with this as it was meant to be £69.99 plus £10 Boots points, but then found a 10% off voucher too on my app.
£5 gift card, but got the £2 cashback from TopCashback

About to make the next payment for DDs residential- £29

In good news, DD1 got our first choice of school. In good frugal news, she can keep walking to school 🤣