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 😊

@BigSkies2022 enjoy the card,you've earned it!

@MaryGreenhill hope you can find a solution for DH that sounds hard..

@RumBananaSundae good news on the job front.

Hope everyone who has been feeling tired / ill has a restful weekend.

Welcome @FurForksSake

I've been off work for two days having a big catch up. Been a bit spendy but keeping frugal in mind..
£1.29 McDonald's used points for a burger and fries and only paid for a drink..
£32 hair cut
£14 eyebrow tint and wax
£19.18 Asda

Today:
£81.87 Lidl
£48.48 Asda for 5 bags of logs and 10 bags of kindling. Discount via work
£62.16 Morrisons including a winter coat..
£34.40 lunch with DH at a farm shop cafe.

Also sold a Christmas tree for £15. £16 for an eBay item although that's going into the family pot..

Frigging exhausted!
£29 for a autumnal dress I have a conference to go to for work in December and fancied getting a bit dressy this year.
£20 for a top that accidentally also fell into my basket.
£5 in the works for some educational bits for half term.
£5 Søstrene Grene brought some cinnamon to go in my overnight oats some really cute mug hugs biscuits accidentally fell in and some sour cherry sweets.
£5 in 200 degrees coffee there isn't one in my closest town and I really enjoy their white mocha.
£18 treated husband to a Greek takeaway.
£5.90 parking 🤢
Think that's about it.

I swear by Tart Cherry Capsules. They are brilliant for joint pains which are an unfortunate side effect of long term cancer medication/treatment.
They are a supplement often prescribed for gout sufferers - I'm not a gout sufferer but these are great. I struggled getting in and out of the bath but this is no longer an issue. I noticed the benefits after a week or so of taking these - now I wouldn't be without them.

I'm trying to be a tight mare this week as we are off on holiday at the end of this week - so am using everything up in the fridge and living off the freezer. Chips anyone?
That said - out for tea tonight - neighbours treat! Out for a birthday lunch tomorrow so will need to pay for that!
Still have a couple of odds and ends to pick up for the holiday. DD and I have decided to take all the open suncreams we have opened and used for the GCs this summer and use them to avoid buying new and bringing back yet more half bottles. I have bought one new one anyway for DH who prefers the spray version but I'm okay with whatever is available. So that will help with a bit of decluttering too.
I need to catch up with the washing - get it all ironed and then choose what we are taking and pack!!
Must try and get out in the garden for some more tidying - DH said he will mow the lawn today and hopefully that will be the last mow of the season. Rain is forecast but I can see me being out in the garden in my wellies and wet weather gear this week trying to get it all done!! 🌂

Morning.

@Rainbow1901one of the challenges I do each year with DD is not to buy anything other than essentials re cosmetics and toiletries. So we use all the things we’ve been gifted and have in the cupboard just sitting there etc. I think it really makes you think how much waste we generate, I’m as guilty as the next person of throwing away half bottles of unused product that I don’t like or doesn’t suit or isn’t my norm.

Must remember cinnamon on oats @ChipshopPickledEgg- I love it and always forget to add!

@MaryGreenhillI agree with @BigSkies2022. I do take Omega supplements and a specific one from a company called Previnex, but the best ‘cure’ I’ve found for aching joints and muscles, which for me is the only thing HRT hasn’t helped with is strength work and conditioning. It genuinely doesn’t have to be lifting heavy weights, starting where you are at is so important but that said - it really is important. My general motivation is longevity, but the stats around falls in later life are frightening. Also - finding a physio that really knows you and can identify your weaknesses and work within that can be incredibly beneficial. I have one re running weaknesses and DH one that specialises in changes to the body due to neuropathic injury.

Welcome @FurForksSake, good company here.

@RumBananaSundaehope you’re okay.

Spends
Investing more sale money.
£30 Amazon - store cupboard items and flea treatment for the dog as he won’t eat the ones I get from the vet, then they special order them in, then I forget to collect….
£12 birthday card, and reduced items
£50 cash for my goddaughters 18th. More than we usually spend but it’s her big birthday and we stop presents after that. Not many we buy for now to be fair.
£120 main present DH’s birthday between myself and the dc so obviously £40 each (they need to pay me back.

Otherwise no other planned spends.

@needastrongoneagain I do this every year - I just love Christmas for all the lovely smellies that come my way as long as it's not bath salts - can't stand them. Only recently had to start buying shower gel as I had a Christmas stash and DD passed on a couple that she didn't like the smell of!! DS usually uses Christmas to give me a full set of moisturisers for ancient skin 😆- but that's a useful gift and I like those better than useless tat!

£8.20 in Sainsbury today. I went for some evening television watching snacks and left with I’m not sure what but it included chocolate milk and Kit Kats. And I don’t like chocolate.

What was your Greek takeaway @ChipshopPickledEgg it sounds very nice.

Would you mind mentioning the brand of sour cherry capsules you take @Rainbow1901? I think I’d like to give them a try. Hope you enjoyed your tea today and have a fab lunch out tomorrow.

Thank you @needastrongoneagain. Taking it a day at a time.

Was thinking of buying a radio today to use in place of always having the television on as background noise. Jury is still out as I’m not sure it’s worth the initial outlay and will probably hold my attention for about three days. I did work out how much my boiler costs an hour. Think that was the most productive thing I did today. Should do some meal planning for the week.

The spending continues (we are getting a new roof this week which is another budget but there are associated costs)

£28 Christmas lights that the roofer will fit on the gutter.
£28 DH went to the chippy
£5.97 Lidl.

On a plus I paid £425 into the bank on eBay and Marketplace sales (mostly from PIL house that SIL asked me to sell so that's family money) but still good going.

I do Bodypump 2 x per week @MaryGreenhill it focuses me on weight training for an hour, I need that kind of structure. I'm 53 so thinking about muscle density and impending menopause as I get older. Mixed age range, men and women. One of the class members had his first great grandchild this week...

@Rainbow1901 snap! I use mini toiletries for swimming and weekends away and I spent some of today decanting the small bits of product left in the bottle into each other. So I’ll have some interesting smell combinations but will still be clean after a swim. It was very satisfying.

today was a NSD. Yay, though I also realised I don’t have any bread in the freezer for small child’s lunches next week so most likely I’ll have to get done tomorrow.

Ah yes yoga and weightlifting are so good for joints. Yoga Def works for me, I ache when I skip it.
I did read today about krill omega 3. Will try and attach a photo, apparently it's the best you can buy and the gold standard .

I'm love it when things "fall into the basket". Happens a lot with me.

I also don't buy anything unless I've used it up, make up and toiletries wise. I actually enjoy it. And when you have used something up, researching and buying the next is so exciting. For me anyway but I'm a saddo.

Spends today.
£68 hygienist. Money well spent.
£5 make up remover as I'd run out and was starting to sleep in it where I didn't have any. Whoops.
£60 for pre school supplements. OH have me £30 back for his half.
£4.50 on miffy hairbands as a small stocking filler for DD.

Hopefully this isn't too dark to read...

I’ve just read the thread, so I am someone up to date. I’ve been in here at different points over the years under different guises.

im on long term sick and about to go to half pay and hoping to get back to work in January after an operation mid November.

Today’s spending £150 ocado, included 5 packs of flash sale 5% mince. £30 on Amazon, Halloween sweets and uv resin to seal some trinket dishes dh and I are going to make from air dried clay. I hope it works!

impulse spending is my big issue, I’m trying to add things to a wish list or leaving things in my Amazon basket rather than buying immediately.

We are going to Scotland for half term, to a cabin we’ve been to twice before and that’s been booked for a year. I’ll be spending most of my time either in bed or on the sofa, but the kids and dh will have some outings and long walks. I’ve done a Sainsbury order and it feels very expensive! Lots of nectar prices but that just takes things to the normal price and no bargains to be seen.

it’s my birthday in a week and I’ve asked people for nice candles, I have bought 100 plain long burn tea lights as I can get through a lot and I can then burn one nice scented candle for a while for the scent and then the relights for the nice glow.

https://amzn.eu/d/gYPjuO7 I use this for joints, glucosamine and some other supplements that supposedly work well together. I’m going to look at the tart cherry now!

Welcome fur. Sorry forgot to say that the other day

happy birthday for next week. I agree nectar prices are just old “normal” prices

£200 on food between Sainsbury’s & Lidl
£6 snacks as to unwell to go out
£40 to teens as both out for dinner last night. I was meant to be at one

£1500 bathroom deposit. Rest in Jan but that’s saved for
out laws owe me £400 ish so will get that today

For the first time in probably forever I have made a three month budget I have an expansive time coming up and feel in control of my destiny 😆.

Morning! Hoping for a no spend day here, dh has gone to karate and the only thing the rest of us have planned is cooking, homework and some gentle crafting.

I’ve started an online shop for when we come home from holiday, I’m having surgery in November so need to get Christmas largely done by then. I make all the bits for Christmas from scratch and freeze ahead so I’ll be doing all those jobs. If I can, this week I’m going to make the Christmas cake and a Christmas pudding. I think I’ve got lots of dried fruit in the cupboards and will use the as you like it recipe I’ve seen on another thread.

I also need to do a freezer audit (or oversee one) and eat it down through November. I’ll try and do a meal plan based on the stock take.

id like to if possible make some delicious batch cooking to see us through between Christmas and new year. I might investigate farm foods for some bits and pieces.

Good afternoon everyone 🤗
Been to see Mum who was fine A NSD for me hopefully 😁
Was Mia yesterday , had a busy day , visiting Mum , flu jabs for the 4 of us, tip run, tree man came to finish off and then we had to go and collect Dd2's new car and give it the once over and test drive etc .
Fingers crossed it's fine .
We did help her out , we gave her £350 to pay for her car insurance. So that was my spends yesterday. Oh and Omega 3 fish oils for DH .
They were £17 for 2 pots .
Which leads me on to my thanks to everyone for their input and kindness in replying to my post about my Dh's bones and aching .

@MaryGreenhill the other thing to consider is vitamin d, low vitamin d can cause pains apparently.

Thank you @BigSkies2022 for mentioning Testosterone in particular. l am debating whether we both need to start Testosterone tbh , he is definitely starting Omega 3 though . I will look further into the Testosterone 😊
@Rainbow1901thank you so much , l am definitely going to start DH on Cherry Tart it sounds amazing 😊
Thank you @Mochi1fudge
Body Pump sounds brilliant and l am doing my best to get my DH to try it fingers crossed 😁
Thank you @needastrongoneagain1
That is such great advice re the physio . I think it would be worth having an appointment at least for him .
@Frugal25 thank you for the tip about the Krill oil and the yoga , l have never heard of Krill oil before. I can't see DH agreeing to Yoga unfortunately because l think it would do him the world of good . 🤗
@FurForksSake
Thank you re the Glucosamine and Chondroitin l am getting some sent tomorrow from Amazon. Hope you feel better soon and wishing you a very Happy birthday next week sweetheart 💐
Forgive me if l have missed anyone or it , l never thought that l would get such a wonderful response thank you all again so much 💐🤗👏

Thank you for saying about Vit D @FurForksSake, l have got the lot of us on a daily vit D tablet and we did take it religiously. I am a huge fan of Vit D . It's so good for us 😁

Good luck with the batch cooking and freezer audit @FurForksSake good plan if you have surgery coming up. I have a freezer drawer of rhubarb to turn into ginger and rhubarb jam - was going to do today but I'm far too full of food. I'll hunt out the jam jars at least! Good luck with the Christmas cake and pudding - one year I'll do them!

£82 Sunday lunch out for four of us. Plus £14 drinks. Brought some meat home in a carton so that's work sandwich sorted tomorrow.
£15 black leather boots from Vinted. They were £15 so I made an offer to cover the postage.
Made £2.50 on a jumper bundle on Vinted - just posted them.

I was getting a bit overwhelmed with all the spends coming at once before Christmas, as we have home improvements and DHs big birthday too. So at least the boots are bought frugally as I needed those for work.

I'm gonna try to celebrate a few NSDs this week 🙏

Half term I paid for two Halloween events over the summer and hopefully DD is doing some volunteering for a charity so think I could make that a cheaper week than normal 🙏

I’ve had some lovely branch cooking / make ahead suggestion on the Christmas board. I just need to choose!

I’ve now spent £8.99 on tart cherry capsules, I try all of the supplements!

My issue with the freezer is that I stick things in and then can’t identify them. I need to get much better at labelling!

Sunday lunch sounds good, and good value for these times! Great to have sandwiches from it too. And also brilliant vinted finds!

Late edition to the day £88.45 DH new glasses. That was one of the urgent things on my overwhelming list as he relies on eyesight for work and driving and he's got a new prescription. I got the Kodak Varifocal Lenses as there was 50% off all lenses at Glasses Direct. Saving of £74.50. Me I just need readers, so my wish for nicer frames after trying them all on in Specsavers can wait a few months until I'm due an eye test!

Spent £15.10 in Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. A pepper was 88p. 88p for a pepper. When did that happen? Will place an order with Mr Amazon later so today’s spending will go up (my basket is at £24.78).

I am also a member of the things fall into my basket club.

A new roof sounds like it might hurt @Mochi1fudge. Quite a saving on the lenses.

I was looking at Miffy things yesterday. @Frugal25. Where did you find the hair bands? I am quite a fan. Primark have pyjamas and slippers. I don’t need slippers and don’t wear pyjamas so hopefully my cash is safe.

Sorry you’re sick @FurForksSake. I hope surgery does the trick and all works itself out. And that you have a grand break and a great birthday (and get some candles you love). I wish you better buck than me with the freezer audit and cooking.

Seconding thanks for all the joint recommendations I’m going to try a few. Will see how things go but might try some gym classes too. Might help a bit on the social side as well. Was looking forward to a meeting of my hobby type group tomorrow evening but they’ve changed location and I can’t make it with my leg. Bit bummed about that.

All the Vinted talk is making me think I should give it a try.

Great saving on the glasses @Mochi1fudge well done 👍
@FurForksSake l have bought the cherry tart supplements too 😁 good luck with the cooking 🤗
Give Vinted a try @RumBananaSundae l think you will enjoy it 😁
Hope you like the gym classes and they help you get more in your social circle 🤗

NSD today. OH treated us to lunch which was lovely. A park trip this morning and a chilled one this afternoon.

The kiddy hairbands were vinted @RumBananaSundae so many beautiful things miffy wise on there. Have a peek!

Ooohhh all this talk of batch cooking for Christmas and freezing it has made me rethink my "just buy it ready prepped and shove in oven". I may make a list and clear some freezer space.

Pay day tomorrow. Thank god. My credit card hates me this month.