Pumpkins, Pies… and Prudence! Autumn Frugal Saving Shenanigans here 🍂🌰All Welcome 🌰🍁

[MaryGreenhill]

Making a new thread!
Please check in regular posters and welcome new people.
This is a super friendly thread to contribute to. We are all wanting to be as efficient as possible re spending but all have different budgets and priorities. No judgement here we are all friends 😊

I think the home made cakes & pudding are much nicer though
get well soon chips
well done on the cooking

we went to Whitby today £35 chips, £65 dd birthday present from gran, nothing from us and we looked in every just shop open

£4.29 to post a birthday present
£30.45 IKEA £24 of that was storage the rest was the Swedish Food Shop 😋

Haven't been listing everything but spent another £137 on groceries and essentials Thurs and Friday. Hopefully a few NSDs in the week ahead by taking lunch to work.

Also spent £269 on a lovely cottage in Northumberland for DHs birthday in December. It's a big birthday. Got a 4% discount with work scheme so saved £24 on that.

@chimichangaz well worth it for Take That. I loved seeing them in The Circus Tour, think that was around 2009. Time flies!

Hello and welcome @GameOfJones homemade Christmas cake and pudding are the best!

@MaryGreenhill your mums Christmas dress sounds gorgeous and yes, well done to the Red Roses 🌹

@BigSkies2022 enjoy the film and hope the venue is nice.

Enjoyed reading about nice days on here like walks out and TKMaxx candles. I've been cooking and sorting with a trip to IKEA. Said to my sister earlier normal days are sometimes underrated.

@ChipshopPickledEgg not me on the lottery! Hope you feel better soon 🤞

I didn't win the lottery either, sorry not me @chimichangaz 🤣

Cheese and wine for a night in by self is what I do too! @GameOfJones I used to do takeaways (as I'm the same, OH doesn't leave the house much) but cheese boards are just more delicious tbh!

The dress is gorgeous for your mum for Christmas! You're doing well on vinted @MaryGreenhill

How was the film @BigSkies2022 ?

I sold another three things on vinted. Another £18 coming my way.
£6 on batteries for DD toy.
£6.99 on an online learning game for DD.

We had an afternoon tea today for a friend's 60th and it was amazing. Saw so many old friends that I haven't seen for many years. Even DD behaved (she is 3 so sitting for a couple of hours is quite a lot) and I got told she is a credit to me. Made me very proud. Now chilled with a glass of wine and a cheese board, very much needed. We have all been unwell this week with what feels like flu and DD has had thread worms which I found quite stressful (first time at dealing with it and a mad dash to a pharmacy at 11.30pm was "exciting") all better and enjoying the chilled weekend.

AHH bless your little girl @Frugal25, for being so good bless her heart . The afternoon tea sounds gorgeous!
Hope you are all feeling better now .
My Dds had threadworms and it's so horrible for them ❤️
Ah thank you so much for the dress love @Frugal25 😁
And yes the stuff for my Mum off Vinted has been absolutely brilliant l am thrilled by it all .
I have 4 dresses , a twinset and a pr of shoes for her and all for £30 delivered and the quality is amazing. I am looking for more twinsets now 😁
Well done on your Vinted sales brilliant!

Aw thank you @Mochi1fudge re Mum's dress 👗 😁
And yes! Brilliant result for the Red Roses so pleased for them all 🤗
What a lovely birthday your DH will have bless you for doing that for him , he , you will love it l am sure ❤️

Love Whitby @lifelongfrugaleer what a lovely day you have had
Happy birthday to your Dd
🎁 🥳

Oh I remember the horror of the first dose of worms. I had a couple of bits for vinted but sent them to the charity. This time of year overwhelmes me a bit so no headspace . nothing bad just a super busy month

sounda lovely for birthdays. Afternoon tea is yummy and well
done dd
plus Northumberland in Nov will be lovely

I've been good at not buying food out this week. I've also got £20 Asda points from the credit card I signed up to in the summer. We use Asda for most of our groceries and petrol and have direct debit set up to pay it off in full so it's working well. Also got a £10 voucher from swagbucks but it's not good for my mental health/ I'm spending too much time on my phone with it so I won't recommend that.

Had a good evening on Friday, picked up the socks and hair ties I needed from Primark and used the gift card, Dh wanted some clothes from Uniqlo which is why we made the trip, they didn’t have the coat that he wanted but he did get a nice shirt and treated me to a knitted jumper ☺️ we then walked back and stopped for Pizza at an Italian restaurant in Leytonstone which was lovely.

Most Saturdays we drive to the coast and have a nice long walk together, we did this yesterday and it was lovely and cool so perfect walking weather, at the recommendations of everyone here I took a look in TX Max in a nearby town and picked up some Arkive hair oil bargains that I’ll stash for one of my dd/dil for Christmas, also got both dds some underwear that they like in there which was £12 for 5 pairs. Total spend was £58 in TK Max which I’ve taken from my Christmas pot in my Monzo account.

WH Smith had tons of academic diaries and planners on sale at really good prices, most were £3, I picked a page per day diary up to jot down expenditure and to make general notes.

Off out to a concert tonight and having dinner at Flat Iron, this was all booked and paid for a long time ago so I don’t feel too guilty.

Hope everyone is is enjoying the weekend!

We managed to swerve both worms and headlice when DS was little. But he did have scabies at university, so there are still infestations ahead, hurrah!

£8 in Sainsbury's on a few ingredients for tonight's chicken dhansak, and some birthday present packaging and a card for DS' GF.

£23 yesterday on a large free range chicken from the local butcher/deli. The price made me wince a bit, but if I want good independent shops on my high street, and I do, I have to spend some money in them from time to time. Roasted it yesterday, ate some after the film, putting the rest into tonight's curry and will freeze the carcass for stock.

One Battle After Another was great! And the seats in Picture House are very comfortable, and the cinema is clean. I suppose if I am treating fam to a film night, it needs to be in a cinema they like visiting, and which isn't an endurance test for the taller person.

£35 on the application fee for my 60+ Oyster card. All being well, I should get my card in about a week or so.

Very much enjoying the talk of cheeseboards but I can't manage the wine these days - disrupts sleep, drives anxiety and saps motivation sadly. The person who can come up with a properly good AF wine will make a killing.

Been to Motorpoint looking for a car for Dd2, ruled out several makes , she likes the Vauxhall Mokka and the Suzuki Vitara .
None in that she wanted to buy though . Popped into Tesco for a few bits we had forgotten.
£11 , home now for some tea .
DH is going to watch the Ryder Cup ☺️

Oh my god. Children can get WORMS? I am going to put DD in the bin.
£8 on stuff for a Sunday dinner
£4 on the McDonald's I was going to get DD yesterday and didn't.

NSD here. Park visit in the morning and OH treated us to lunch on the way back. Played in the garden until it rained and now DD and I are discussing dinner plans. I want roast (on meal plan) she wants ice cream (we don't have any) I shall win. She shall sulk.

Def put children in the bin. Especially if the bugs don't stop.... Scabies?? @ChipshopPickledEgg the medicine is called ovex and you can buy on Amazon. The symptoms for worms come on at night which is when most pharmacies are shut so be more prepped than me, get some in now and then if you need it, you have it.

I had a Suzuki when I was younger. Amazing car! Hope she gets one @MaryGreenhill

Yes @ChipshopPickledEgg they are very irritating for the poor DC too bless them .
One lot of medication and it was sorted 😊
@Frugal25 sounds like a lovely day for you and very good of your OH to buy lunch 😋
Dd2 has a Suzuki Swift and wants a slightly bigger car she's very keen on the Vitara but there aren't many for sale around here but we shall keep looking @Frugal25 😁

Oooohhhh vitaras are amazing. I hope she eventually finds one. Xx

Greetings, Comrades!

Spending this weekend has been minimal
£13 bulk buy of toothpaste
£16 Boots (including chocolate milk and chocolate dipped almonds as I was starving after my long run and didn't fancy the somewhat still green banana and cordial I had in the car...).
£54 Mother Root drink (it's a fancy non alcoholic cordial with ginger, ACV, honey and chilli). This was a bulk buy and a lot cheaper than wine. I plan on Sober October. I drank too much after DH's stroke to self medicate and have cut back vastly anyway this year so it shouldn't be an issue.

Yep - children can get worms! And agree re getting the treatment in, just in case and being prepared to wash all towels and bedding etc.

@BigSkies2022 - I am hoping to make my first and likely only attempt at a Christmas cake before Stir-Up Sunday! I am a reasonable cook, but not a baker by any means I am happy to admit.

@chimichangaz I would absolutely go to the wrong store too!! I'm going to batch cook soup this week also.

The dress looks lovely @MaryGreenhill. DH is watching the golf too.

Hope you are feeling a little matter @ChipshopPickledEgg

Sorry to hear about the legal situation @RumBananaSundae, 5 years sounds like an inordinate amount of time....

Welcome @GameOfJones

Love Northumberland @Mochi1fudge

Hope you're okay @lifelongfrugaleer

Enjoy the concert @Johaanah

Basa fillets (cheaper than cod) and Middle Eastern couscous for supper. Meal plan to do yet.

Oh thank you @Frugal25 it's good to hear that from you sweetheart 😘😁

What candle did you get @chimichangaz ? I am a big fan of candles.

That’s lovely about your daughter @Frugal25. And glad you enjoyed your afternoon tea.

I am a big Uniqlo fan @Johaanah. I have my not very frugal eye on their velvet trousers.

The talk of scabies made me laugh it’s come up quite a bit in one of my current work projects and appears to be rather common when people are in … ahem… confined spaces.

Was hoping today would be a NSD but I spend £30 on Amazon buying various tapes to try on my leg once the brace comes off.

I’m hanging in there need. Just so busy and extra ILs tomorrow. What joy

queens of cake are Mary or Delia tbh. I always go Mary. If you can’t find a recipe remind me and I’ll photo the book

@needastrongoneagain l can't get into Basa l don't know what it is l suppose l just don't like it.
Thank you re Mum's dress 😊
I don't know if your DH is the same but mine is disgusted by the crowds behaviour . He couldn't watch it on Friday or yesterday. That Mother Root drink sounds gorgeous 🤩

@MaryGreenhill I used to have a Vauxhall Mokka and absolutely loved it. They're great cars.

@Johaanah I'm also a big fan of Uniqlo!

LSD today. Spent most of the day at home and got the Christmas baking done. I had some spare flour and margarine so ended up making two trays of spiced biscuits as I thought I may as well while the oven was already on for the Christmas cake. So we're all stocked up for sweet treats.

I took DD1 to her karate lesson and then spent £12 in M&S on a few bits.

@GameOfJones what Christmas baking have you done , pray tell and well done 👍? And thank you for the reassurance for the Mokka , Dd2 is quite taken with the Mokka and the Vitara

Would have been a NSD other than a donation to Cancer Research for someone who is doing the Shine Night Walk.

Spent most of the day listing on Market Place and eBay from late PILs house. I am selling for DH and his siblings to put into a family pot for meals out.

Think I've made the Mary Christmas Cake before. I haven't made it the last few years as only DH and I like it so feels like a lot. I do like baking though so 🤔

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend 😊

Quiet morning planning next week (going to be busy….) and then this afternoon out with friends for a meal. £37.50 including a contribution to one of the guys birthday present, plus £6 on parking. Will need to buy some petrol before my new budget starts on weds which is a PITA.

@BigSkies2022 I am totally with you that whoever invents a decent AF wine will absolutely clean up. I think I’m looking for the holy grail - a nice dry rosé.

@RumBananaSundae it was just a small candle by the till actually - called mushroom forest which doesn’t sound too appealing (to me) but it has an earthy woody smell - and this time of year I do love a good foresty candle!

@GameOfJones we need your spicy biscuit recipe please!!

@MaryGreenhill I made the Christmas cake today. I use the As You Like It recipe from BBC Good Food. It's never failed me and it just gives amounts for nuts, fruit and alcohol (or black tea) but leaves you free to choose what you like to include. I tend to make it around the end of September/start of October each year to give it plenty of time to mature and for a few feeds.

I also made two Christmas puddings, one for us and one for my aunt and uncle as they request one each year. They are actually really easy to make.....the hardest bit is waiting 4 hours for them to finish steaming 🤣.

Plus then some honey oat cookies (Nigella recipe) with some of the Christmas cake spices added because I had some odds and ends of ingredients left to use up.

All in all a good day and the bonus was the house smelled lovely while everything was cooking! 🤣