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

Payday tomorrow, first monthly pay but I only started on the 12th so not full amount. I've been paying myself a wage out of money I got gifted when I left last job so I'm hoping I can fund Sept in YNAB & get monthly budgeting off to a good start

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.

This might not be relevant to you but I sometimes wonder about the impact of different 'strengths' of vinegar in cleaning. Some people use supermarket food grade vinegar in the UK which is <5%. But the vinegar used in cleaning in other countries is substantially more effective in my experience. B&Q has 40% vinegar for cleaning and this can be used neat for paving and limescale and diluted down for other purposes.

Vinegar can be very effective at killing germs at appropriate concentrations. Even used medically for this.

Thank you for that, I just used some white vinegar I had in. I was aware that pickling vinegar was stronger to stop you getting botulism, but didnt know you could get special cleaning vinegar. I will research further.

Spent another £43 in Asda today. Long work day tomorrow, plus I get the bus there and back as it's so much cheaper than parking in a city centre. Which means no calling into the supermarket on the way to or from work. So I did a quick food shop earlier and made a curry for tomorrow night.

Payday yesterday. Hoorah.

had my port popped in the treatment yesterday. Hurts now. Well I say hurt but more uncomfy.

the big day is Friday. Eeep.

I went into the oncology dept for the first time yesterday. The staff I met were absolute angels. So wonderful. I didn’t realise it would be a lot of sitting around and waiting. So need to make sure I pack a bag

Just back from a couple of days visiting family, dd did all the driving which was nice although I'm not sure I'm the best passenger seat driver 🙈😂

Didn't spend much while we were away, stopped at services on way home yesterday and spent £15 on lunch for both of us.

This morning I booked transport to take us from the airport in Paris to the hotel, it was £58 and I felt this would be worth it for saving on stress.

I popped into town and spent £4 on a coffee (😳) £40 in mountain warehouse on a bag to take to Paris and a hat, £11 in Superdrug on clear bottles and travel toiletries. I also popped to a fruit and veg place and got a few bits to tide us over til Monday £9.

Does anyone know if you can take things like roll on deodorant, toothpaste or suncream on the plane or does everything have to be in clear bottles? Annoying if so as I have travel sized toothpaste and suncream! Xx

Take layers em and a blanket as you can go hot or cold during treatment apparently, some take slippers, Also hand cream, lip balm etc as the hospital wards can be drying, book and snacks too

varies from
airport to airport girlie. Depends if they have the advance scanners but most are still 100m in a clear bag in hand luggage. Doesn’t matter in cases. I can be the original container if less then 100m

Think I’ll look up vinegar Hack.

Hope tomorrow goes as well as it can em.

Today was a no spend. Feeling a bit nervous about what arsehole will do next week. Think I’ll wait and see what happens before I think anymore about my (potential) break next month.

Hope tomorrow is okay em

I'm the worst person to ask about toiletries at airports girlie I seem to get something checked every time! Last time we took luggage in the hold so I felt less stressed about packing liquids. Even then customs officers tested my perfume. maybe I have a guilty face 🫣

£4 bus fare
£4.25 snacks from Poundland
£36.24 Amazon (household things)
£1.87 coop

em - I didn’t realise it would be a lot of sitting around and waiting. So need to make sure I pack a bag

Good luck for Friday, em. Judging by one of my sisters and a cousin, it's a lot of waiting around. Particularly if you need to have blood tests first and the results back before the drugs are released.

You've had good advice above about what to take with you. I'd add in a powerbank or so if you're going to be on your phone or using a tablet.

Em best of luck with tomorrow, bottle of water & some snacks too?

Girlie once stuff is under 100ml size & in the clear plastic bag you're ok, you'll be able to buy stuff in France if you need it, maybe cheaper that buying travel size & leave it behind you when coming home?

€1.50 can of Pepsi
€58 diesel
€34.36 Lidl reduced by €2.20 return deposit

I need to do a list & get a decent shop in

Good luck em

do a click and collect at boots airside girlie. Then you are paying high street prices and don’t have the security atress

Got logged out, so catching up on the most recent page. Apologies to anyone I've missed
@ememem84 sorry to hear, glad you're being treated quickly and sounds like you've got what you need for today. Good luck 🍀
@Girliefriendlikespuppies 100ml or less containers are fine (clear or opaque). Watch out for toothpaste - pulled over for a recent flight not realising my toothpaste was 125ml
@RumBananaSundae hope ah doesn't live up to his name too much next week. Hope you get to go on your France trip
@Happierwithouthim sounds like you've for everything under control especially with the job switch 👏
@kessiebird bus sounds a good plan - saving money and the 🌎

Payday today thank goodness. August has been long, especially this last week. Have managed to squeak through the summer holidays - went over normal budget by 128 which is not bad at all, and had 16 left in the holiday budget. Scraped a few pennies from other pots to reduce overspend as much as possible so 107 in the deficit overall. Have had a lovely summer though so don't regret the trips and activities we did 😀

Am trying to think of ways to simplify my finances. Have recently stopped one long term savings pot and am concentrating on another target first and then once that is done will then divert back to the original savings pot. It's an experiment so we'll see how it goes.
I think my real issue is I have too many things to save for - car, 3 x house/garden projects and I don't know which one I want/need to do first.

Woo-hoo Pension payday! so, I ended up with £180 left over from August, not the hoped for £200. I have a subscription for a supplement for the money pit that is our dog (totally worth it) that I forgot about.

So, I put £100 in the savings, and £80 in the electricity account. I know this was daft, I wont get any interest on it, and it would be better off in the savings. But, I like having surplus going into winter, I once had a winter when the kids were small when I was dragging home fallen boughs from the woods for the fire, because I couldn't afford proper logs or coal. It kind of sticks with you. My kids thought it was great fun at the time though.

Sorry to hear about your Dad north, that sounds so difficult.

All this talk of rhubarb has reminded me I have some in the freezer so I think I'll be making crumble this weekend too!

I had to buy a few last minute bits this week for DC1 who's starting secondary school next week. Fortunately the school are quite sensible about uniform and limit the amount of branded stuff you have to get so we are luckier than other parents from our old Year 6 class (one told me the uniform for her daughter cost almost £500 😯) but it's still been an extra expense getting everything and my bank balance is suffering considerably!

Also have a bit of a tricky dilemma. Months ago FIL said to us (unsolicited) that he would pay for the new uniform for DC1. However despite mentioning in passing a couple of times that we'd been shopping for it (as in he asks what we've been up to at the weekend and we say oh, we went to get DC's blazer and jumpers then did x,y,z) he hasn't offered again. The money would be SO useful atm but DH and I feel uncomfortable asking straight out if this is still his intention. Seems horribly grabby 😔

Thanks for the airport advice, I'm trying not to stress too much about it (I hate flying!) as I want to enjoy this trip but can feel my anxiety starting to creep in.

Today I've spent £6 on tea and cake at a cafe abs £9 on a couple of small houseplants. I seem to be very hit and miss with house plants, some seem to thrive and some die no matter what I do 🙈🫤

Have been gardening this pm and am now knackered.

what I didn’t realise was there is a charity here called friends of jersey oncology. I’ve been given a goody bag which includes:

fuzzy socks
blanket
water bottle
hand cream
body lotion
nail file
cotton gloves
a crap ton of leaflets
A ton of other goodies.

im home and resting between waves of nausea. I have anti sick meds but the nausea. Ick. I’m wearing sea sick bands too. These helped me so much when I was pregnant.

I’ve had a cry. I’ve eaten. But the main thing is I did it. I am now done with one cycle of the drugs. Phew.

Well done em. One cycle down. Sorry about the nausea.

Spent £7.90 in Lidl today. Went for peppers as they are on special and ended up buying pistachio spread, soup and hot sauce too. The hot sauce was cheaper than where I’d bought it before so maybe not so bad.

Can’t believe it’s nearly September already. This year is going rather quickly. Not sure if that’s good or bad.

Well done Em. Sending hugs

Super proud of you em.
all the emotions will be going on and that’s ok.
the goody bag sounds ace (for the circumstances obvs)

honestly I would just say. The uniform cost x did you mean west you said about paying for it. If not then fine.

Deep breathe girlie. You got this

roll on September. Stuff has been £££££ in aug

Thanks guys. I’m proud of me too. I am currently dealing with all the emotions.

we’ve just watched night at the museum with the dc. I forgot how fun that movie was.

I managed some dinner. Not as much as I’d usually eat. But some. So that’s a start. I just now need to listen and be kind to myself.

plus side. The plasters are off the port site. It’s healing really well. The nurses were suprised at how well it’s done <smug>

I had a cry whilst the meds were being administered. Lovely nurse wrote me a note asking if I was ok. I shook my head. He brought me tea tissues and biscuits. Sat with me for a bit and held my hand. Honestly he’s an angel. He told me it was ok to feel overwhelmed and all the feelings. “But I’m not overwhelmed I’m ok I promise” came wailing out of me.

maybe I was overwhelmed……🤪

Also got logged out but back in and caught up
@ememem84 so sorry you are going through this. X

I am currently dealing with all the emotions.

Oh em - this has all happened in less than 3 weeks hasn't it? There may be so many emotions and, "What!?!" moments that are still waiting to catch-up with you, events have moved so fast.

It's good to read that the nurses are so supportive and kind.

Rum - Went for peppers as they are on special and ended up buying pistachio spread

I've read about that pistachio spread and DH is going to look for so today when he goes to look at the vegetables. He's buying some pizzas to take to a gathering of friends when they're watching something tonight.

If the pepper are decent, we'll make some stuffed peppers for him to take with him. I'll keep some for us as we've mostly eaten dried vegetables this year and this would make a good change.

Altogether, this will probably be around £25-30.

@RumBananaSundae yep. All in less than 3 weeks. Initial consultation august 14. Diagnosis 19. Treatment 30 august. This is all thanks to my health insurance.

without it I’d still be waiting for the consultation. Apparently wait times are 8-10 weeks. My scan results would have come back within 3 weeks. I got them within 24 hours.

I am so so lucky to have this through work. The treatment I’m getting is no different to anyone else. It’s just timings. And for a lot of conditions that makes all the difference.