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

[BigSkies2022]

New thread

That's such a lovely thing for your DM to look forward to 😊. It's good of you to be so patient to help her with deciding it's a huge decision bless her 😊
Waitrose £19 for 2x Tony Chocoloney
Ben & Jerry's which are on offer
@£3.75and 2 x extra virgin Olive oil 500mls @£5.50on offer.

Thanks @DotCottonsSocks I hadn't thought of Vinted, my only concern would be if we bought something and she didn't like it then it's not returnable. DD thinks she has found the perfect dress, made to order and within budget so we are both happy, but will put that spend off until next weekend.

@BigSkies2022 Thank you for the recipe suggestions, I really like the look of some of these and have added the ingredients to my list. I though the guardian was paywalled so I'm pleased to have a good browse.

Unfortunately, going forward I'll be losing £90 a month in income, the price of self employment. I'm really unsure how I'm going to replace the income, yet. This month should be ok if I don't spend anything else, i'll stick my old clothes on vinted to hopefully cover this months loss. Need to get a plan together.

No spend week so far. I did purchase two pairs of jeans but I had a credit for a return to use against the purchase, which covered it exactly. It was the last few bits I needed for a basic capsule wardrobe. I need to buy supplements, I have amazon vouchers to cover the majority, and a Mothers Day gift which will just be some flowers and chocolate, I have a £5 voucher for Waitrose.

Isn't it funny that when I need a glass of wine, it's usually because I can't afford a glass of wine!

£3.50 on a 2T2G bag. Did quite well actually - one dozen eggs, four apples, Pack of six tomatoes, large tub of coleslaw, loaf of bread, Indian Snack pack with dip and a large sharing bag of crisps.
We had poached eggs on toast for tea and DD had given us a cake each from from her 2T2G bag from Starbucks. So I had a Blueberry muffin for dessert and DH some sort of cinnamon and chocolate pastry. Can live with that!! 😋

€249 Apple Watch but used €240 birthday cash towards it. Only about 9 months after my birthday.
€17 for a strap for the Apple Watch. The upgraded strap from apple cost €50 more so I skipped and bought one off amazon.
€3 on snacks at work
Groceries were €52.

long weekend here and it looks to be dry so work will be done in the garden. We need to get compost and a few other things but otherwise I’m hoping it will be a frugal weekend as my socialising is all in family homes

£11.65 lunch with a friend
£15.99 Amazon birthday present for DSD.

That's it for today and quiet weekend planned. Two good friends turned 50 in the last few weeks and all the celebrating is done for now. DSC are coming up next weekend for their birthday celebration (they are adult DSC) and the presents are almost bought. Need to do batch cooking this weekend and try not to do food shop until Friday.

Enjoy the Apple watch pistachio nice choice for a present
I love a TGTG bag rainbow
Good luck on Vinted psuedo

Have you had an Apple Watch before, Pistachio? I only got mine a few weeks ago but I'm so so glad I did. I mainly got it because I can't have my phone out at work for security reasons, so I can still be contactable if my DS with mental health problems needs me. And I like the other features.

Nope! First timer and a bit of an impulse. I’ve always disavowed fitbits etc but I’m now aware of my need to move more and I also like being able to track my sleep. Overall I’m trying to be a little more health conscious and as a bit of a data nerd I like that I can track a few key metrics.

im also hoping it will be compatible with borrowbox so it will be easier to keep listening to my books without walking out of range as happens all the time to me!

£200 for new glasses but I got two pairs and I'll get £100 back from the insurance
£19 on stuff for work, but that'll be on expenses.
I need to put fuel in the car today.
Meeting a friend for a walk on the beach but I'll take an insulated mug with a hot drink and out to lunch at a friend's house so I'll take a bottle of wine that I've got left over from Christmas.

£6 park run
need to go to matalan as need bigger clothes
and then Aldi

Birthday card and cheque for my great nephew £40
Nothing else hopefully 😁
Hope everyone has a great weekend ☺️

Took myself out for breakfast - got brioche French toast asked to swap the banana for berries, she said she’d have to charge me for a portion of fruit. I agreed €18 breakfast cost me with tap water. It was soaked in maple syrup. I didn’t enjoy, felt lonely there by myself instead of empowered.

went shopping for a dishwasher the one which will match my kitchen best is 50% more expensive than the next brand my repair guy recommended. I’ve asked my cousin to talk to her friend who’s a salesperson there to see what’s the best he can do

bank holiday weekend in ireland, My children are with their dad. Went to ds’s first basketball game of blitz this morning
tomorrow going to a yoga & hike event with my friend
Monday we’re meant to be going to a tourist town for st Patrick’s day but I can see that changing. I’m not bothered either way.

forgot to edit my click and collect order so I’m getting dog nuts milk winalot and cocoa powder

I have found Borrowbox disappointing so far, pistachio - even blockbusters like Morgan Housel's Psychology of Money don't seem to be available.

Top-up shop at Sainsbury's yesterday, £25 for fruit, protein kefir things, yoghurt, salmon fillets. We are otherwise eating down the pantry this weekend: big vegetable and lentil soups; sweet potato and coconut with rice; a coffee and walnut cake (I found a great FT article on a base recipe for 'anything cake' during my recent clear-out of recipe books and cards); baked plums with ginger and cinnamon.

Have done cleaning chores, a workout, walked dog and put a couple of washes on and hung out. Plan to potter around the kitchen this afternoon, listening to podcasts. Ignoring the mega-dusting operation that is the bookshelves - definitely one for the spring-cleaning agenda though. Soon, soon, soon...

Oooh can I join? I love this. Need to be better and more accountable!
spent €7 on two coffees today and that will be it. NSD otherwise
I have exactly €400 left in my current account until payday on the 24th. I want to have at least 100 leftover to pop into savings!

Spent the food money on clothes for me & DS. I’ve gone up a size so have no summer clothes £200

Sorry it didn't feel good, @Happierwithouthim well done you for getting out on your own.

£125 on Temptation Gifts. That website CALLS to me. On Jellycat keyrings for my work bag, a big yankee candle, and lots of bamboo socks for me and DW- they're our fave brand and on 20% off. Will be glad to bin all the current ones. Expensive treats but it's bonus month so rolling with it.

£105 Nike trainers for DS, much needed for him.

A shameful £70 on Shein. I swear I'm never going to shop there again but always do. Mostly on diamond art bits and bobs, some clothes, lots of pin badges again for my work bag.

£50 lunch out- amazing food, beautiful place near Perth (Scotland one!) we hadn't been to before, a gorgeous drive in the sunshine up to there. Really lovely.

And cinema tonight (free as have unlimited card) and we'll take our own snacks/drinks.

Expensive day!

@BigSkies2022 i only use borrowbox for fiction so find it good for that. Presume it does depend on your local library though on content.

@Happierwithouthim thats annoying about the brunch. I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend

welcome @Loveduppenguin are you in Ireland by any chance? Noticed you used the €

€30 to pay my nephew to valet my car. I’ve the NCT this week so it had to be done. so took advantage when visiting my sister to get it done.

did some work in the garden today staining picnic benches but more to be done tomorrow. Weather was glorious so lovely to be out

Have just looked up Jellycat keyrings Pennies - are you five????

Yesterday was pretty good for a Saturday- had to fill up the car to go and visit family and then bought flowers to take. Today we’re meeting friends for a walk then out to lunch (nowhere fancy) so just a lovely weekend and not too expensive.

Ah sorry your breakfast out wasn't as good as you'd hoped happier and enjoy St Patrick's Day. Same to all the other Irish Frugaleers, if there are any here 😊

Yesterday was £9.84 in Asda.

DH has been flagged up as high cholesterol and we have a holiday this summer that we could both do with losing weight for and just to be healthy in general as we seem to hurtle through our 50s. Hopefully the healthy eating will also keep the food costs down!

Spent yesterday at a Body Pump class which I do most Saturdays and then 2.5 hours with the Karcher pressure washer on the patio and decking. I was going out running this morning but so achy I think I'll do paperwork and ironing instead. Visit to DM then cooking and prep for the week ahead. Pretty boring day but I do love Sundays like this too.

Had a fairly low cost few days all in all - explored a local town yesterday and ended up in a food market which isn't great for the waistline! Samples are calorie free, right?

😂😁

(Yes! Or a near 40 year old autistic woman who can't resist soft cute things)

Pennies - the heart wants what the heart wants! I have an unreasonable number of items with our Ddog's image on it - mousemats, cereal bowls, keyrings...no judgement here!

Having planned a miserly weekend of eating down the pantry, and made big soups, storecupboard cake and baked plums for the purpose, DH decided he actually wanted Thai takeaway last night and treated us to chicken satays and nasi fried rice. Ddog very pleased about this development!

Side note: DH now back into all his suits, so the PT course has paid for itself.

NSD today but we had a takeaway last night 🙄
£40 that we will never see again but it was lovely. DH and the Dds were disappointed re the rugby and there is nothing better than a bit of comfort food 😁

NSD today but only by default, went for a walk and we went to grab a coffee on the way home but it was closed so we just came home and made one…not going anywhere or spending anything now 🙌

Was hoping for a LSD but not to be!
Coop £6.80 and £5.57 (get partner discount so works out well)
Amazon £52.33 - I needed a few essentials and DD asked for new make up which was £30 for six things. She only asks for a small amount of pocket money to go out with friends once per week and she works so hard at school so it was justified.