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

Hope you had a good night rest hack.

that’s annoying girlie on both counts

Spending today has been just under £17 on lunch with a friend. That was three gingers beers and a cheese and onion sandwich.

Starting to get some numbers together for next year’s holiday. Need to read about ETIAS. Considering next month’s trip. Travel is booked but not the hotel. I really only want to go for the day but not sure which day and it’s not usually announced until two/three days before so I don’t think there will be time for me to shift my tickets.

Not had a great week after we went strawberry picking. Car broke down on Wednesday. It literally wouldn’t accelerate and just died. We were so lucky we weren’t on a motorway. Luckily a few people stopped and I have breakdown cover. I picked it up from the garage today. It cost £350 so we have taken it out of savings. Went bowling today and spent £15 so not too bad.

DH was a bit restless. It's all come as a bit of a shock to him. He now has an appointment to repeat it all again in early September but this time with removal of the polyps etc.

I need to see if I can book a hotel with a cancellation policy (appointment may be brought forward depending on the biopsy results but DH didn't ask when they'd be available nor how he'd be notified about them).

No point borrowing worry from a future that might never happen. For now, I can just do practical stuff like book accommodation with a cancellation policy.

Hack he was probably overwhelmed with it all
Starlight car trouble glad you got sorted out
I've just been away for a night camping with my friend and her children, I got the use of someone's mobile home to sleep in on my camp bed so I was very fortunate

The campsite isn't too far from my parents but is set on a lake and there's a music festival there too. A number of families from my friends area gather there so I'm going to try book in for next year.

Ate lunch out €12.90 and bought a bottle of water & crisps later €3.65
€1 for a lovely hot shower after my very first swim in a lake yesterday

Sounds heavenly happier.
sorry you have to go again hack

gym renewal has come up £514 for the year.
will sort that next week
dh finally got his expenses from june - into savings

We've booked a comfortable looking place, with a cancellation policy. I'll be looking to check on the day that both the personnel and equipment are available. (That said, everything was fine when we checked last time.)

DH spent money on some of his favourite foods to get him through yesterday but that's understandable.

The money that I'd mentally been setting aside for a 2 day break later this year might be spent on this instead.

Happier - that sounds like a very convivial site.

Hack** it looks good, I did have a little crush on a tiny caravan there so maybe I'll upgrade from a tent looked online there's two for sale €4k & €6k. I emailed about booking in, they're not taking 2025 bookings until Sept so I've put a reminder in my phone

€16 ingredients for dinner last night
€16 ingredients for lunch today
€7.50 snacks on the road

Must organise a click & collect for tomo eve and get back to normality

Just spent £550 on an oven and getting it fitted and the old one taken away <sigh>

Rest of the month will be tight and that's a chunk of savings gone 🫤

Oh well, also spent £25 in B&M, mostly on snacks and dog bits.

Girlie - If you need an oven there's not much else you can do, is there? Inconvenient as it is. I use an oven all the time so I know I'd need to buy one if anything happened to mine. Do you like this oven? Does it have any features you've always wanted?

Happier - a little caravan sounds good. I'm not someone who'd happily camp so a caravan sounds like a welcome upgrade.

Sorry about your car Star. Glad it’s sorted out now.

Sounds like a good plan Happier.

Spending today has been £48 on another gift card and £1 on a note book. I’m hoping my splurge on gift cards will see me through for a while. Bought some milk using the Asda one today. Feel I might spend the lot on milk. Exchanged my leftover CHFs. Have put the sterling in a drawer. Will hold onto the euros.

Thanks hack no ideas re features, went for a Bosch one as the British Gas bloke said they're really reliable. We use it daily usually so yes not much choice.

I have to remind myself that this is why I have savings.

I have a list of appliances that need replacing but they'll have to wait as they work okay ish at the moment!

Previously donkeys don’t dance
unfortunately bad month car and vet wise .always something as see @Girliefriendlikespuppies will agree with
need to tighten everything

I fantasise about a self-cleaning oven. If we're talking complete fantasy, I'd like one of those Neff-type ovens where the door slides away when you open it so you don't burn your arms and I'd like a steam injection (keen bread baker).

The dishwasher is > 20 years old. We could do with replacing it but it's still working adequately enough that I don't want to spend the money until it worsens.

I keep telling myself the same thing. We havent really had savings before so I’m really pleased that we could use them on the car. Going to keep adding to the savings to pay 2x car insurance that is due in December and hopefully pay off my son’s phone contract.

I have a Bosch oven. It’s grand. No features though and i pay £60 a year for cleaning. Though every 2 years since I got the air fryer.

spending continues unabated on holiday. All from the savings.

its very satisfying having savings to prop you up a bit. Even if it’s not much.

Hack my mum has one of those ovens, they are twice the price of all the other ones!! It is nice though 😁

My list of things to replace (work okay ish but not great) includes;

The telly (won't play iplayer or any of the other free channels, Netflix works though!)

The hoover (really want a shark one!)

The sofa (it's about 20 years old and at some point will collapse!)

All of dds bedroom furniture, it was all cheap and second hand when I bought it.

The coffee table, it was a cheap B&M one when I bought it 8 years ago.

I will keep chipping in to the savings and get there one day.

Spent £3.70 in Lidl on yogurt and cottage cheese. And then a stress induced £5 on a TGTG bag.

Been drafting emails to arse and the solicitor. Still not heard anything and the deadline is approaching. Someone posted earlier (so sorry I went back to look but couldn’t find the post) in the thread about not borrowing worry. Trying to take that approach but failing. When I got the email I thought that’s ok there’s time but now with a MIA solicitor I’m starting to panic.

2 NSD this weekend so I’m happy about that as it has been an expensive week.

Hack my mum has one of those ovens, they are twice the price of all the other ones!! It is nice though

I burn my arms on the door and shelves on an embarrassingly regular basis. I would adore one of those ovens. I can dream.

I hear you on the list of, "We will replace if we have to but would really appreciate being able to do it now or soon".

Rum - so sorry the ex is being such a pain. Some people seem to thrive on it and treat being able to obstruct others as a source of life energy. The worry thing has been attributed to many people (including Mark Twain). The version that I know is: Worrying is the interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe and trouble that may never come due.

Thank you Hack. It’s very true.

Spending has been £1.45 on some milk but I used a gift card so I’m not counting it. I sent off the booking form for next year’s holiday so will be invoiced for that soon I imagine.

Found some tinned fruit under the kitchen counter. I’m starting in date order (BBE 2012) and will work my way forward. There was also two cans of coconut milk and a can of soup. Might look up some tofu recipes for the coconut milk.

A teen miracle! @MrsTartanTeacosy
@Girliefriendlikespuppies that's a great idea and a useful tip to keep a to-replace list going

We're now back home! Was a nice trip and we were lucky with the weather. Just so many miscellaneous spends - some bad luck, some will come in handy for future trips, and food spending was much higher than anticipated (both treats like ice cream but also main meals). Next year I will increase the summer budget.
40th was such a fab night too - socialising budget is now zero! And will have to go into the minus as we still have 4 events left this month.

Frugajobs: keep purse buttoned up and try and spend very minimally - pack lunches, etc.etc. Freezer supper tonight and tomorrow.

Hack maybe an oven glove would be a cheaper option than a fancy oven
Chile sounds like ye enjoyed your time away

I used my fuel card this morning using my app saved 99c and when it is billed I'll save another 4c per litre which will be approx €1.30, glad I figured out that by paying at the till rather than self service I can avail of extra savings

Paid €775 off credit card
Paid for our trip to aqua park for Sat using this months treat money from child benefit.

Dc want to go to Mr Price this evening. Dd will buy back to school stuff & she also doesn't have horse riding which will save me €25

New job isn't close to shop so it forces me to bring my lunch which will save my waistline too

Glad you had a good break Chile.

I worked one contract on a campus Happier. I got off the train, walked to my office (with my lunch) and then walked back to the station. I spent next to nothing.

Quiet day today spending wise.

Realised the time I have booked in France next month covers European Heritage Days. I had decided to not go but am now reconsidering.