Is your March miserly or munificent? Join the frugaleers sharing news and tips.

[BigSkies2022]

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polly - have you come across Back Market for refurbished phones? I got my last/current iPhone from them, big savings, excellent condition. My brother does all his family's phones from there.

Pennies - congrats on taking control!

Planning a peaceful, LSD day today: change beds, roast a chicken, buy some eggs and bread for the weekend, Pilates workout, get my steps in going to the library, write some emails, read my book, do a home mani=pedi! Been quite a busy week with DParents, and next week will be the same, so looking forward to a weekend doing our stuff only.

Had a list of things I needed from B&m and used my work discount for 8% bringing it to £26. Yay! I love a discount. Shampoo, handwash, fairy liquid etc. Resisted everything else except a very cute, half price, Easter jar that’ll be put away til next year. I’ve had my eye on it for a while so I’m glad I found it cheap now! It’ll look so cute with mini eggs in.

ioutlet is another good one for refurbished phones!
I never but brand new now, only refurbished!

Yesterday was my last day at work and I’ve been out shopping today to treat myself. Spent about £150 but about £50 worth is going back. Out tonight at a friends for takeaway and wine and will Uber home.

Hey y’all.

checking in. Another week in London. Another week of radiotherapy done. 4 more sessions to go!

this week has been nice.

we met an ex colleague for coffee yesterday morning, went to Kew on Wednesday (also stopped there for afternoon tea!), nice steaky dinner on Tuesday. Dinner in Chinatown yesterday. I had dragged DH to a stationery shop (choosing keeping on tower street off of Shaftesbury ave if you’re interested) and treated myself to some new stuff.

im back at work on 19 may. From home initially but BIG news on the work front - have been offered a “new” job. Same company I’ve been with for the last 10 years but they’ve asked me (specifically me) to look after our major shareholders family office and affairs. Obviously have negotiated a payrise. But it’s a super opportunity for me.

also cannot wait to go back. I miss it.

So glad to hear this week’s been a good one @ememem84. You’re so close to the finish line now, just four more sessions! Huge congrats on the new role, that’s such an amazing recognition of your work. Sounds like it’s all lining up beautifully. Wishing you continued strength and calm as you wrap up treatment you're doing brilliantly sweetheart 💐
That jar sounds gorgeous @PenniesButton and a great bargain . l must go in B&M and have a look 😊
Have a lovely time tonight@chimichangaz 😊
Enjoy your weekend off @BigSkies2022 😊
Have a great night @PeenaM 😊
Expensive haircuts for you both but needs must and l bet you both feel great @lifelongfrugaleer 😃
Well done on paying up your CC too @SockHop 😁
NSD for me today , still looking for an oven 🙄
Have a lovely weekend 🤗

Nice one em. It’s good to feel valued

Well happy weekend one and all hope it's kind to you all.
We're going to xscape tomorrow in Castleford for my husband's nephew's Birthday, hopefully it'll be reasonably cheap!
Sunday we've got some shopping to get done for bits and bobs they need for nursery suncream etc and husband needs a few bits of clothes snacks will be packed for my little one though and we will take drinks for her to avoid some little expenses.
What's everybody's plans?

Glad to hear such a positive update @ememem84

Well done on paying off the credit card @SockHop i think losing a card is a genius idea.

keep up the good work @PenniesButton i love picking up end of season bargains.

today is payday thank god. April was a very long expensive month. I’m hoping to reset a bit this month.

todays I went grocery shopping and spent €150 across 3 shops. Though some of this was party supplies. Then €9 in Penneys foe bits for small child.

we had a very frugal clean out the fridge dinner of random leftovers with each of us eating a different meal. It’s nicely cleared it out now.

ive a very busy week next week with work and other commitments so I must do a sensible meal plan to avoid takeout

I’m glad this week was nice @ememem84

i didn't manage a no spend day today as I had to pay my mobile bill due to mucking up when I set up the direct debit last month. Anyway it’s sorted now and it was only £14 so not too much of a spend.

Im looking forward to payday on Wednesday, but I'm confident that I’ve got enough money left for now to enjoy my planned activities this weekend without going into my savings or overdraft. Considering I’ve had extra bills and one off payments this month I’m very happy with that. Although I’m hoping to do better next month…

Congratulations on your new job @ememem84 ! Well deserved.
Yay @SockHop well done!!
Happy Friday all!
A NSD here. And hoping for a no spend weekend also. A birthday party for DD to attend but present already bought. Food and drink for weekend already bought so, unless something crops up, I'm all set which gives me a very calm glow on a Friday evening.

Amazon £7.67
Coop £5.76

Tomorrow will be spendier but kept it down all week.

@ememem84 good to hear a positive update and congrats on the new role!

Sometimes those leftover meals are the best @pistachiosanscream my fridge is very nearly empty ready for my 10% off shop at Lidl tomorrow.

Enjoy Castleford @ChipshopPickledEgg

Quiet weekend here. I'll take DD out for food tomorrow lunchtime at a local Acai Bowl place that she loves. I've visited DM today as was WFH so leaves Sunday free. Weather is getting better so perhaps the garden or a local walk 🌤️

Congrats Em on the new job.

Thanks for the refurbished phone selections. I usually buy new but will definitely check out the refurbished phone shops.

I had a NSD yesterday.

Today is utilities day. I have to get a food shop, fuel for my car. Dsis family are coming over for dinner today. I have no idea what I'm going to cook yet though!

Thanks guys!

on Tuesday of next week we’re heading to Greenwich to the maritime museums and cutty sark. I’ve never been to either but saw that there a pirates exhibition on which looks amazing.

dh has been emailing someone at the museums archive dept as his great great grandad was a captain on the cutty sark for a few months and wants to see if there’s any info about him.

Hopefully another LSD today - can't get away with not spending today as GD's show today - ticket already paid for. Another item sold on Vinted - will be able to declutter some plastic hangers if these keeps up.
Been trying to do some free activities so have got back on with Ancestry - a cousin contacted me recently and is preparing for a move so is packing and found a load of family photos/news cuttings. So now waiting for the postman in the next few days so I can upload things to family members and add in historical references. Must dig out my scanner too as there's a load of stuff in boxes in the loft to scan then make the decision whether to bin or pass on to younger family members.

Morning.

Lovely news @ememem84. Well done on the job!

Had a bit of an admin morning so far. Also walked the dogs for an hour and cleaned the kitchen floor! Booked an opticians appointment and an appointment with the menopause specialist at our GP practice.

I've also downloaded a form from our local council website. I read on MSE that I can get our council tax band reduced by one band if we have a bathroom that is required due to disability that would not otherwise be required. We converted one of our bathrooms (sounds posh, isn't) to a wet-room to enable him to be able to shower so we qualify under that stipulation. It's £480 a year difference so a good saving.

It'll be a low spend weekend. We are going down to watch the local cricket team in their first game later, so will have a drink in their (cheap) bar. Well, I'll be driving so it'll be a soft one for me. Probably a tenner max. I also need a few small pizza toppings for some super market margarita ones I've bought ages ago (in freezer) to eat tonight. We don't tend to get in from cricket until after 6pm so it's an easy meal like this or a slow cooker meal. I should have planned the toppings to arrive in yesterday's super market delivery really.

Tomorrow will be long run day while dc around to help and then tidying a bit in the garden. DH tires easily so only an hour max.

Menu plan.

Pizza
Beef in slow cooker (with batch cook to cover 2 days)
Sweet potato dhal.
Salmon and Mediterranean vegetables
Vegetarian chilli/mexican/lasagne/pasta or similar.
Leek and potato broth.
Moroccan chicken tagine.

Love your meal plan @needastrongoneagain , I may nab some of these for my next week's plan.
So for the past two years I haven't had a hygiene appointment at the dentist (I know I know) as I was so bad with money I couldn't afford it. I can now I'm being frugal so went to book it up and they had no appointments until August! I kept the money aside in case a cancellation came up and it has, so off there today and think it will be around £70. Very much needed so I shall sparkle afterwards! Other than that, no planned spending.

Sold some bits on vinted. Nothing Earth shattering but clutter out and pennies in
£47 farm shop on bark

Afternoon everyone 😁
Tesco £87
Asda £48
Should see us through for a few days . Coming out nice here now so putting the washing out 😁
Have a wonderful weekend everyone 😊

Lovely news Em and so inspiring to me to hear someone who loves their job (I fell out of love with mine).
I had a bacon sandwich and coffee bought for me this morning on my weekly walk with my bestie as a celebration of leaving my job. Then dropped some stuff at the charity shop and picked up a brand new budget planner for £1!

Another spendy evening coming up as I’m out for a meal but I was treated to my takeaway last night 😊

Dental costs are huge @Frugal25, it’s completely understandable that you haven’t been recently.

£4 at the shop, friend bought drinks at cricket club - we are just thawing out!. That will be the sum total of our spends this weekend.

Pennies make pounds @lifelongfrugaleer, that’s a decent amount of money earned.

It was a LSD - Newspaper for work and £13.50 for a chippy tea!!

LSD here too. I spent £9 on an end of sports season activity for dd and £2 on some chewing gum and a can of coke.

Im going into town tomorrow to cheer on a friend who’s running the london marathon. I’ll be taking snacks etc for dd and me, but we might join friend for a drink after - although I’m aiming for £25 maximum spend.

Not too bad today. €7.30 on more paper plates for the party. €9 on food on the road. €33.50 on apache pizza as nephew is staying tonight.

went for a cycle in the greenway today as the weather was lovely and DH paid for the ice cream after