Amigos actively attempting austere actions August 24>

[Happierwithouthim]

Link to last thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/cost_of_living/5007277-familiar-friends-in-frugalityfeb-24?latest=1

All welcome, the vibe is frugal life to make the things that matter possible, which is different for everyone, some of us have overcome debt, separations etc. All are friendly and we're sometimes chatty, sometimes quiet.

Don't lurk, join in

Morning.

Sensible way to tell the children Em.

Welcome twitchy. All welcome here, you don't have to be on the breadline.

Say your post early this morning happier when I was awake. We are a bit of a snot fest in this family at present so not sleeping brilliantly. Glad you got to go running.

Sleep if you need it life

I quite the cash only approach too, it's a powerful inhibitor of spending.

Well done on saving every month nellie, not always some months.

Lots going on in your life north. Good luck to you and DH on the work front. And completely understand family caring challenges on a number of fronts.

Good luck re your DH's procedure hack, good to have the financial buffer to ease the stress.

Hello kessie.

Bloody family rum. Empathise and sympathise.

In terms of spending Bank Holidays were always quiet for us after the kids got older as we all hated crowded shops and tourist places etc. So not much change

£11 local shop
£15 Amazon.
£20 veg box (delivers Monday even through BH).
£30 present for DB.

Bigger spend was £105 on dog food but that's budgeted for and covers both spaniels for 2 months. I have.a Dog Pot 🤣

Morning all
Dh car passed its mot and as he bought some kind of plan when he got it we didn't have to pay for the mot
Saturday was Spendy as dd birthday so a meal and cocktails cost around £120 but it was a lovely evening
Spends yesterday £18 on car seat covers as dh picking ds up from Leeds and didn't want my car filthy and £30 on petrol

Today should be nsd as I have no plans but doing a few jobs round the house

I now have money anxiety due to the family situation I mentioned it is ridiculous as for the first time ever we have some savings and are able to save something each month but it doesn't seem to stop me being anxious about it at times

@2024Hackathon absolutely. Because I paid off a lot of the holiday anyway I need to speak to the bank about getting the excess which will go to the card moved to my savings.

work have been great and are continuing to pay me in full for 6m. They have told me in no uncertain terms to not even think about coming back or doing any work until such time as I’ve finished chemo. They want me back. But want me back better.

taken the dc to a sports fest today. 20 or so different sports available to try out for free. They’re knackered. My legs got a battering from dd and the squash racket…..

Payday tomorrow which is just as well as I've just had to borrow £100 from my savings to tide me over. Annoyingly I didn't get my millage this month as my boss was on holiday so it didn't get authorised, that would have been about £300!

We're off to Paris next Monday which I'm expecting to be spendy but it's our main holiday this year.

Today I've spent £40 on fuel and £20 ish at a dog show although ddog didn't win anything!

Sorry about the losses Kessie.

Hope you manage to work out the logistics Hack. And that it all goes OK.

Good luck with the application north. I’m sharing your sick of it feelings. Hope things work out for your husband and that your father will be OK.

That’s good re treatment start em and work’s understanding.

Welcome Twitchy.

Spending has been £27 on dinner out last night. I brought back left overs so will have them during the week. Spend £7 on rubbish in Sainsbury. Today was £14.40 in Marks and Spencer (gift card) on a splash out dinner. Have leftovers for two days I think.

Had a pity party yesterday. Have tried to make a start on the legal bits but haven’t got far. Still ruminating on next month’s trip though I’m not sure how swapping ticket dates works.

Thanks for the welcome back 🙂 and hello to Twitchy

Good you had that on a CC and got your refund em and that it can be used for a lovely treat in the future.

Good luck with the job application north I did a sideways move 6 months ago and I'm like another person! I still socialize with the old team outside of work and love them but couldn't work like that any longer!.

That sounds a great day out with the GC rainbow and I love a cheap treat Nellie we had plenty of those when mine were little, the best days!

Sorry I've missed loads of people as on my phone.

Spends have been £105 for Sunday roast. Bit of a treat and was lovely.

£12 and £4 at coop.

£15 Bubble Tea. DD had friend for the day so I took them out for that. Not too spendy for a day with two teenage girls!

DH brought a huge bag in from his friends allotment so I've been cooking with free food today. Potato gratin, some pasta sauce and rhubarb crumble. All went down very well but I'm back to work tomorrow so said don't get used to it!

Thank you for the welcome everyone. Had a bit of a spendy day today as we went out with friends and our annual membership at the location was due - £217 😬It is worth it over the year as we go 4-5 times minimum and a day ticket is over £60 plus it gives early access for Christmas booking which is worth it's weight in gold! Plus £7 ice creams for the kids.

Still have to get a few last minute bits for DC1 who is starting secondary school. Thought the old trainers still fit but put them on yesterday and are too small! Plus rucksack/PE bag and football boots and a laptop protective case which will all likely be the best deal I can get on Amazon (and I have vouchers to use). Hopefully the spending will all settle again when they go back to school!

Hello twitchy and welcome. Use the thread as you want
yy to the pp who said money is tighter at the end of the month
I need to get our budgets back in shape for
college.

went to Whitby today got parking cheaper as a farmer had opened a couple of fields next to the abbey and under cut all the car parks.
£22 chipper, £11 crab stuff as ours didn’t survive, £11 ice cream, £40
petrol. £8 pop, £48 Sainsbury’s top up

Back to school tomorrow for my DC, horse riding cancelled tonight so that's €25 saved. So think we'll be labelling books & packing bags & having an early night

€6.94 yesterday on buns for visiting a friend, a wham bar & a pepper

€4 on pint of milk & protein bar this morning.

Welcome twitchy

Has she given up now happier

Nope cancelled by stables. I've said to her keep going until Halloween and we will see then.

Sounds fair

Win on the allotment bag Kessie. Rhubarb is fabulous.

Spending today has been 75p on yogurt and £5 on an event ticket for October.

Hello
Back to work today, I'm so ready to be constructively occupied after not the best summer and all was well.

£5.71 Lidl, saved £3.77 on free products on the Lidl Plus app - bakery items and fruit juice cartons. Included lunch for work so no other spends today.

Sold an item of DDs on Vinted for £4.80. I'll give her the money and use the credit towards something for me 🙂

Three days till payday, NS weekend, we took a picnic lunch out yesterday and enjoyed a simple day out in the woods with the dog.

Sandwiches and crisps, and a flask of tea, are so much nicer when eaten sitting on the ground looking at a view. Dog also seemed to enjoy the crusts, but he is hardly Gordon Ramsey.

The rest of the weekend was spent pottering about in the garden, not really achieving much tbh.

Frugal activity, apart from the picnic day out, made a litre of yogurt, and cleaned the bathroom with a vinegar, water and essential oil mixture as I had run out of cleaning spray. Seemed to work, smelled unusual though. I think I will replace my cleaning spray when I do the big monthly shop, I don't think I trust the germ killing abilities of vinegar.

The weekend carried on the way it started with lots of time in hospital visiting dad & supporting mum. Dad has come home today & is being stubborn & awkward already [sigh]. He's had a thorough MOT but obviously he knows better than the consultant who reviewed his meds. I'm exhausted but otherwise okay. I'm taking carers leave tomorrow to help mum out.
All the upheaval hasn't helped spending or my eating so I need to get back on track tomorrow, a clean eating day & serious meal planning.

Oh north hope your get some rest last night and (hugs)

£39 dd hair cut, £9 coop, £1.30 bread, £25 Holland and Barrett

I've been approved for another mystery shop, a book shop purchase of €10 plus €18 expenses bringing my earnings for August to €133, I won't be able to keep up that level because of work but it's nice to do one now and again. Free book is right up my street. Dc gone back to school happily

North** sorry to hear that your parents and as a result you are going through a tough time

I've fallen off the wagon in true style thanks to the summer holidays but really need to get back on top of things again in the run up to Christmas! My food shopping has been out of control for the past 6 weeks but starting Monday back to batch cooking and routine thank god! I'm working this weekend so will be more organised with meals and won't take any cash to work so hopefully minimal spending but I'm taking the DC to get last minute uniform bits tomorrow for school and nursery which I'm dreading

The rhubarb crumble was fabulous rum 😋

Good news about the mystery shop earnings happier

Sorry to hear your parents are having a rough time north it's really hard. Hope today was a better day.

Nellie love the frugal cleaner, remember doing that under lock down! Think I'd buy a one too 😁

Work best time of year to do it. Summer hols are hard to stay on track.

Spends today have been
£10.50 DD activity
£5 from cafe at activity. I was working in the cafe so had to buy something too.
£75 chimney sweep

Sorry about your summer Kessie.

Hope today was a better one for you north.

Goodo on the mystery shop Happier. I really should look it up.

Spending today was £13 on TGTG. Completely unnecessary. Another off the wagon here. Need to get it together. Rather disappointed in myself.

Rum I'm quite rural so not a lot of mystery shops suit me.
Book I purchased was €10.99 and reimbursement will be €10 plus €18 fee. Bonus was staff member was really enthusiastic so i'll go there again

€14.71 on makings of tonight's dinner centra I didn't do a great weekly skip this week & I must fix that next week.
€4 Lidl on 2litre water & 3 pastries for the office