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'm the same with the TGTG bags @MaryGreenhill got a few good ones around 3pm from a cafe but that's about it.

@Mochi1fudge have a lovely day karting it sounds great fun 😁. Re the bags of tgtg , l think others must need it more than us to make that effort and good luck to them 🤗

Frugal is busy noting down go karting for when DD is big enough.... How much fun does that sound?! Have a brilliant time @Mochi1fudge
Oh I love the Bayeaux too @MaryGreenhill how amazing that you can copy it I bet it's beautiful when you're done. I remember seeing a copy of it when I was little and it's Def left an impression. It's coming to England next year though for the first time. Obviously will have to book that up!

@Frugal25 l know l can't believe it's going to be here.
I am torn though because l don't want it to get damaged .
But try stopping me from. seeing it when it comes . We will have to look out for tickets 🤗

Morning.

@MaryGreenhillwhat an earth were you doing up so early? Hope you’re okay x

@Mochi1fudge- I get my car valeted too. Until recently I have a company car, so it was on expenses, but I still pay for my own car to be done. It gives me so much (shallow!!!) pleasure. It’s a local guy that comes to the house, and I’m on a membership scheme thing, so it’s an awful lot cheaper than these national firms that offer the same. Still an expense I could cut if needed though.

Spends in the last few days have been pretty standard, apart from having to pay £140 for a new charging cable for the car. I’m a bit peeved about that as the old one isn’t that old, but probably just a bit too old to raise a complaint about with the manufacturer. That’ll teach me to buy cheap initially, as it’s not served me well. What’s that saying buy cheap, pay twice or something? This will come from my bills pot as I’ve some spare this month.

£100 Ocado
£24 veg box and a dozen eggs from a local green grocer.
£27 annual subscription to Deliciously Ella App - which I think is good value for the content on there, helps me plan using said veg box and reduces my random and all too frequent purchases of recipe books.
£3.10 parking at hospital for routine mammogram.
£60 Asda on 3 jumpers and some groceries. One jumper is being returned so more like £40. Two people asked me where I’d got my jumper from while I was in the waiting room at the hospital and I remembered how good the knitwear is at George (the jumper I had on is 3 years old and was about £15!!) and how long it is since I’ve bought any at all, so I called in on the way home as Dsil was sitting with DH and I had time.

Menu Plan
Kimchi fried rice with greens and tofu.
White bean chilli
Veggie stew and jacket potatoes
Cauliflower and sweet potato traybake and salmon
Olive tomato and garlic pasta
Sri Lankan veggie curry with added prawns (for DH!)

Haha yes thank you @needastrongoneagain1l just couldn't sleep so l got up and finished my book 😁
Lovely meal plan from you and l am so sorry about the cable 🤗
Popped into Aldis £42 and bought the DC next door their Christmas presents.
I can see why they are being snapped up .

You were lucky to grab those gifts! Sure they’ll be well appreciated Mary

We’re at Costco. We have a list and cannot afford at all to go off it. Wish me luck, it’s like crack to me in here!

Ohh @PearlsPearl have a great time 😁
We love Costco but do stick to a list too it's so easy to pick stuff up in there 🤗
I think l was lucky to get them you are right the cashier was telling me how manic it has been there the past couple of days with everyone buying the wooden toys 😁

@MaryGreenhill my kids both love those sorts of toys. My sister gets wooden, but I don't think I would actively look out for wooden toys myself anymore because my son likes to throw things, plastic and fabric toys hurt less!

Makes me so mad people buying and selling for so much on vinted. Allthough i love a good deal I would not go shopping at busy times. I have had panic attacks in shops under normal circumstances, I might be autistic.

@Alwayslearning25 these wooden toys are so good and really sturdy . I agree re Vinted but l just look for what l want to pay . Very often if you heart something the seller will offer you a reduction as well. I have had that happen a few times .
I never go shopping at busy times . When the children are off school in the holidays we avoid the shops like the plague and go really early before they get up . I don't think l am Autistic l just don't like the crowds although my Dd1 is Autistic bless her . She wears her noise cancelling headphones and it really helps her a lot . I had panic attacks after having my Dd2 . It was a traumatic birth and left me with PTSD. I am absolutely fine now . I learned how to breathe my way through them and l can control them but they are terrifying and l am sorry you have experienced them bless you 🤗

I had the panic attacks when I was pregnant for the first time. I think I'd read too many birth horror stories. Also didn't feel ready to be a mum. But yes, I also do deep breathing

As a child, I used to stay in the car if I was allowed we stopped in a supermarket on the way back from something. We had a rescue dog who winned horribly at being left in the car alone so I'd keep him company. 😊 Also I did exactly the same on vinted. My daughter wants the interactive mario figure so we hearted a few and the cheapest one (new and sealed) immediately dropped price.

AHH bless you staying with the dog , l cried when we were going on holiday without our dog ,when l was little girl , and my Dad turned the car around and we took her with us .
If you can master the breathing method to control the panic attacks that's the key to it in my mind .
Aw that's excellent they reduced the price for your DD toy. 👏👏👏😊

£8.88 spend today in Waitrose on two rolls some cheese and yellow stickered crisps. Had a roll with cheese for supper. Prunes are no longer on special so I was disappointed.

Thank you @MaryGreenhill and @Frugal25 . I’m hoping no surgery too.

Good result re the school visits @Frugal25. And hope the Vinted parcels work out OK.

Rather happy with all this Bayeaux tapestry talk @Frugal25 and @MaryGreenhill. I am eagerly awaiting its arrival. Am planning on British Museum membership while it’s here.

Thank you @Mochi1fudge and hope the carting was fun and that you’re on the other side of your rough time.

What’s your tofu fried rice like @needastrongoneagain1? I have egg fried rice and tofu in the freezer so it looks promising. Sorry about your car cable.

@Alwayslearning25 sorry about the panic attacks. I sympathise. Will read up on breathing. I had one a few months ago in a work meeting and ended up vomiting. Was surprised at how understanding the external stakeholders were.

Nothing exciting today. Had a chat with my friend in the Netherlands. She might be coming over for a few days in January. It will be nice to see her. Having a rather boring evening watching Person of Interest.

@RumBananaSundaeit’ll be well worth it l can't wait to see it 😊. How nice that your friend might visit in January too, it’ll give you something pleasant to plan for. Sorry to hear about that panic attack, that must’ve been awful, but how good that people were understanding. Person of Interest isn’t a bad choice for a quiet evening , l must confess l really liked it 😊

@MaryGreenhill love wooden toys and I think they will be much appreciated 🎄

Sorry to hear of the panic attacks @Alwayslearning25 I found Primark one Sunday afternoon over the summer was very overwhelming, just too much choice hot and busy. I prefer smaller shops these days.

I do like Costco mind, enjoy @PearlsPearl

Great menu @needastrongoneagain

Thanks @RumBananaSundae getting there. Was good to blow off some steam and chat to my friend today.

Have more things for Vinted having sorted out my jumpers for the winter, I have a few to sell 🤞

Go Karting was great fun, me and friend were the only women there - lots of groups of men racing in the go karts! DC (age 14) loved it and I reckon were impressed that we took part. We got much faster on the 2nd race, would do again. Food afterwards £43. Home Bargains this morning £22.78.

Have a lovely evening all 😊

Ah thank you .I hope they like them @Mochi1fudge l have no idea what to buy little ones now but l thought they were something l would have bought for my 2 years ago 😁
So glad you had a great time go karting well done ! 💯

£6 today on plants in the reduced section of the garden centre. Very excited as they are plants I've wanted for the garden for a while.

Very excited about the tapestry coming here! Can't wait to buy tickets!! We shall have to all go and compare notes

Happy Saturday!!

Well done on rescuing the plants @Frugal25 .
I think we are all going to see the Bayeaux Tapestry by the looks of it 😁🤞

Morning.

Glad you are okay @MaryGreenhill

Thank you re the menu plan - it’s all from the Deliciously Ella website/App. Not sure how many recipes are accessible without the annual subscription of £27, which I paid yesterday. I’ll get the value from it, but will have to add some meat and fish as DH would starve otherwise!

Glad you enjoyed the go karting @Mochi1fudge😊

@RumBananaSundaephoto attached of rice, and link to recipe, which I hope works! I marinated the tofu in tamari, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce and fried for 5 minutes in the air fryer before adding to add a bit of flavour as tofu can be quite bland I find. We do kimchi rice quite a lot - such an easy healthy win. Makes loads, it’s hard not to make too much, I’ll use the spare for some form of salad for lunch. That portion looks huge but we use salad plates for our meals!

I really hate super busy shops too - I fail to understand the joy of taking your kids to the local shopping complex on a heaving Saturday afternoon!

Had a quiet short walk down a county lane with DH yesterday as the weather was glorious. Today will be tidying of the garden. Should be a NSD.

https://deliciouslyella.com/recipes/tofu-and-kimchi-fried-rice

Hello i would like to join. Marking my place

my local park is having a quince and medlar day today. I will probably go and get some free fruits and maybe a few tips on techniques. I tried yesterday to do some quince fruit paste but it still hasnt set.. not sure if i cooked it long emough, or maybe i didnt put enough sugar? (I ran out of granulated sugar so added icing sugar for the last 70gr - that may be the issue??)

Also, i have a little obsession with Freecycle and i spend far too mich time at the weekend in their website hunting for bargains.

Been a bit of a spendy week, mostly things that were needed. DP and I were at a gig on Friday and had a couple of drinks each there.
Off to see my parents for a few days tomorrow so that should be low spend. Actually, I'm hoping for a low spend couple of weeks as it's still a way to the end of the month....

An OK week here. We will be tight until half term now but I think OK, I got dd some new school cardigans (I got some in the next size up which she said were too big, i think they fit perfect but I finally relented and got her some new ones in the same size she already has.) She definitely needed them.
I ended up being poorly last week so I bit spent on takeaway food for ease, although the McDonald's for the kids was stone cold so I'm expecting my money back for that one. My lunch out was so lovely, haven't seen those friends in a long time. Unfortunately next week's lunch is likely to be cancelled for good reason but hopefully it will be rearranged soon. Taking the boys swimming this morning. Other than that we have £40 spending money until half term, which I think is manageable as the kids all have birthday parties next weekend to attend which the presents have already been bought! And I can't think of anything that will crop up.

We have decided to have a bit more of an even split between overpaying the mortgage and saving for the decorating otherwise it will take too long. But we are OK with that. We started saving for the mortgage as soon as dh got a job and that account is about to end its rate of 7%. So the majority of it will now go into the mortgage, we are taking a small part of it to get a games console for dh and the kids (dh has been saving for one for a while so we are going to top up the rest as all three kids need controllers - about £40 each!) a new phase of parenting is about to begin and I'm not looking forward to it to be honest! Dd is 10 so I'm happy for her to play for while on it but the boys are 5 and 3 so I will have to restrict them loads more.

Good morning everyone 🌻
Thank you @needastrongoneagain1😊
Your walk sounds absolutely lovely 🤗
My Dd2 eats a lot of Tofu and marinades it in Ginger , Garlic, chilli and Soy sauce , just had a conversation with her about Tamari , she is going to give that a try because your Kimchi fried rice looks delicious 😋 😁
So thank you for the link 🤗
Welcome @Placestogo join in everyone is lovely here 🤗
@Vinorosso74 have a wonderful time with your family 😊
Hope you are fully recovered @HP87 💐
Going to the shops this morning will regale you with my wares later 😁
Have a lovely day everyone 😊

Just getting back from shopping , spent £14 in Marks on yellow sticker bargains namely Marmite Macaroni cheese 🧀 😁 and £52 in Home Bargains , bought quite a few nice Christmas presents in that . I need to sort it all out now though 🙄🤣