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 😊

@Rainbow1901good luck with the car and well done getting ready for the holiday , you are very organised 👏😁

Afternoon.

Re weight training. Both my parents are 93, which is brilliant. My DM is fully and totally independent. Try ask her if she wants anything doing and you get told politely, to bugger off, she can do it herself. This includes all her cleaning, shopping, gardening and appointments . DDad is in a home (they divorced when we were young). It’s a lovely home and the staff are super, but it’s a home. Their quality of life is so vastly different. It’s the starkest motivation (if ever I need it) to get my sorry ass out of bed every morning and do a kettlebell workout or go for a run before folk wake up.

Hope your mum is okay @MaryGreenhill, UTI’s are grim. My Dad doesn’t drink much either and I don’t think they encourage him to drink in the way a family member does.

I love lamb curry @FurForksSake

Will read the thread fully now!

Aw thank you @needastrongoneagain1my sister visited her and told me she was ok and sent me pictures of her and l think Mum has improved from my sister being there and making her eat and drink tbh .
The home has a lot of residents to deal with l know but it should be routine to get them all drinking at the same time of the day so they know they HAVE to drink . My Mum has been dreadful all her life with fluids but we make sure she drinks a lot when we are there and we always monitor the colour of her wee to make sure she is well hydrated . Sorry if tmi .
That's is wonderful re your DMum and it really bodes well for you too 😁. I get you making sure you get about and look after yourself.
We all need to take note and do our older selfs a massive favour 🤗😊

Good afternoon! I’m not very good at replying but I have read everything.

I went to hydrotherapy and have paid for today and the next two, so £264 ouch! But then none in November as they are already paid.

No spend day today. I decided to return some of my Amazon purchases. Got the codes. Packed my bag. Hopped/hobbled/dragged myself to the Post Office (in the rain) and Amazon returns are down. Well I wasn’t impressed.

Will look at Vinted thank you @Frugal25. Though I should be saving my pennies.

Sorry about your mum @MaryGreenhill. I hope she is starting to recover. UTIs aren’t pleasant. I hope you are OK too.

Glad you’re doing OK @ememem84.

Hope your mum is OK too @pistachiosanscream. I’m liking the idea of a rhubarb lunch.

Good to hear you had a nice holiday @Johaanah.

Supplements have arrived and they have been taken. Will see how it goes. I did the osteoporosis quiz and I’m OK. But best to be prepared.

Any one have any suggestions for some kind of silicone window sealant? It is a temporary fix for windows where the putty is no longer there. Any other ideas for a patch up job welcome.

Have the news on and there’s a feature about chestnuts. It’s all a bit autumnal.

Dsis had her baby this morning. I’m so so so excited and happy. She face timed me while I was at work. So I cried.

@FurForksSake so pleased you had your hydrotherapy l am sure it will help you so much 💐
@ememem84Congratulations to you all,especially your Dsis and partner, bless her, wonderful news for you all 💐
@RumBananaSundae
Grr that's so annoying when that happens re the parcel 🙄
My DH said for you to get a tin of linseed putty and smooth it on with your finger and smooth it off with a knife it's so easy .
He said it's really cheap and so easy to do . Hth sweetheart.
Glad you are ok from he risk of Osteoporosis 😁
I have started my DH on Omega 3 fish oils and Cherry Tart tablets 😁 he's already on Vit D and Magnesium and Zinc. He will be rattling 😁
Thank you all again for your support 😁

Thank you @RumBananaSundae and @MaryGreenhill mum came through it in flying form. Is now back in her own place and I’ll see her tomorrow night.

@RumBananaSundae i second getting the linseed potty. It’s very easy job to do. Used to do it on my parents teak windows. I’ve also started selling on vinted. It’s very straightforward and I let my balance build up and then used that for buying. It’s a bit addictive really.

So pleased for you and your Mum @pistachiosanscream
Wonderful news 🤗👏

Aww nana Pumpkin make sure you drink lots my mother is absolutely awful at drinking so solidarity on that one mothers are so worrying.

Hi everyone. I've ended up in hospital, sectioned 😔been here a week and don't know when I'll get home. I had no idea but I have been absolutely manic and managed to blow around a grand on who knows what in 2 weeks. Parcels just flooding through the door. It doesn't matter, it's done now, but it means we no longer have an emergency credit card.

Coupled with quitting my job with no job to go to, financially we are back up shit creek and it feels terrible. I also won't get my PIP while I'm in hospital. I somehow managed to get a new job a few weeks ago while I was bouncing off the walls but they can't hold it for me understandably.

Feel in such a mess.

@PearlsPearl hugs from me. It’s very hard to mind finances when you are dealing with your mental health. It sounds like you are now in a low stage. I know we are all just strangers on the internet but you are so brave to be posting at this time and being so honest about the impact your health has on you.

Can some of the purchases be sent back or sold? you may not be in a position to do this yourself but could you authorise your family to do it for you?

@PearlsPearl I'm so sorry to hear that. You are on a couple of the same threads as me and have always been so kind. Look after yourself and as @pistachiosanscream says perhaps someone can look into returning some of the parcels for you.

@PearlsPearl I am glad you are getting support and I hope they are able to stabilise you and get you into a better place.

Whilst some things can’t be undone, they can be dealt with and forgiven. Try not to think of what is done, you were unwell.

I’m really sorry to hear that @PearlsPearl 😔. It sounds like it’s been such a tough time for you, but please try not to be too hard on yourself. You’ve done the right thing by getting the help you need, and being somewhere safe where they can support you properly is the most important thing right now. The rest the money, the job can be sorted in time, even if it feels overwhelming at the moment. You’ve already taken the hardest step by facing it and being honest about what’s happened. Sending you lots of love and strength 💛
One day at a time , the most important thing is you look after yourself.

Good morning everyone 🤗
Hope everyone is feeling ok.
AHH thank you @ChipshopPickledEggthats so kind of you. l am just going to see my Mum Nana Pumpkin and l will try get the fluids into her as best l can 🤗
I know! It's so difficult to get them to drink ! I am there with you the frustration is real 😊
Take care everyone and let's look after ourselves as best we can ❤️

I have just come across some absolute bargains in the M&S freezer section as they are clearing their stock out to make room for Christmas items.....so it may be worth a look.

I got frozen garlic and herb flatbreads (pizza sized ones) for 18p each and they had some packets of dark chocolate dipped ice cream bars down from £5 to 50p a box!

@PearlsPearl. My SIL was sectioned once, and her mania also manifested in part around spending. She’s lucky that she hasn’t had to work, as I’m sure that would have been overwhelming. You are getting the help you need. You are safe. You are loved. I’m sure practically some items can be returned, and if they can’t be returned, they can be sold on Vinted again. One step forward, baby steps is all that is required.

Great news re your mum @pistachiosanscream.

One thing I did want to mention re supplements is that they can be contraindicative with some medications so it might be best to check with a health professional before taking them.

Spends are low at the minute
£6 Amazon. Porcini mushrooms (yep - I’m a middle class twat!!!).

Meal plan has creamy mushroom orzo on it for today, hence the above!

Nice bargains there @GameOfJones- I went to M&S one Monday morning and got a real haul of meat on yellow sticker. I froze all of it and it’s lasted ages, we’ve still got lots left.

Sorry to hear that @PearlsPearl. Maybe someone in your family could return some packages for you while you're in hospital? And could a full detox from the internet help while your recovering?

On a lighter note, the algorithms are paying attention to my interests, and after writing on here about hot chocolate, as I decided I was wasting money buying drinks out, I'd bought and buying a couple of melt on the spoon pumpkin marshmallows from a charity shop with ds (3) because he really wanted to buy something. I have had advertised to me cocoa company hot chocolate beads I ordered a free taster of for £1.98 postage and packaging.

Congratulations auntie Em

Recent spends:

£71 food shopping for the week.

£2 on a birthday card for my Aunt.

£5 or so treating myself to a coffee and a chicken wrap at McDonald's for lunch today.

I also won a £50 Amazon voucher yesterday on an online competition which I was delighted with! I spent it on some new underwear, a big bag of coffee beans (not very exciting) and then a pack of Pokémon cards for each of my DDs and a new book that's been on my "to read" list for ages. So it felt like a nice mix of getting practical things I needed and also a couple of treats.

Afternoon everyone 😊
Mum was much better today thankfully. I managed to get her to drink a lot for me and a banana for potassium and a pkt of crisps for sodium 🤣.
I left her with a drink , a handbag stuffed with sweets , mints, hankies and crisps , also bought her the woman's weekly mag and the Daily Mail.
She was tired when we left though so l put her comfy bless her ❤️
I think she is over the worst because she wasn't at all emotional or asking for my Dad 😊.Such a huge relief for me and l just want to thank you for being so lovely, kind and supportive to me . Honestly this must be one of the nicest threads on MN.
Spends today £4 for Mum 😊

Oh well done @GameOfJones on the £50 win and the M&S bargains, brilliant!
@needastrongoneagain thank you for the contraindications warning ⚠️ 😊.l took it on board and fro what l can tell it's not good to take them with blood thinning meds . Luckily my DH isn't on blood thinners and he seems to be ok on them so 🤞 creamy Mushroom Orzo sounds delicious 😋 enjoy 😁.
Well done finding that offer and the charity shop finds they all sound delicious @Alwayslearning25😊

Congratulations auntie @ememem84 !! Enjoy the new baby stage ☺️
Oh @PearlsPearl , be kind to yourself, these things can always be put right, as others have said you can send back or sell. The main thing is your health and being looked after. I was thinking the other day you had been quiet and was going to reach out to you this week so I'm glad you're back posting where we can all send love and support.
I am so glad your mum is doing better @MaryGreenhill such a worry and I think they do get so upset when they have a UTI. I remember my mum being the same.

A NSD here, we went to the park and picked leaves and twigs up for DD homework (long may homework be this fun) and then I had a friend over for a coffee. Just making some chocolate cookies from what I had in the cupboard.

I Def need to get myself some magnesium tablets, my sleep is awful at the mo and I've heard they can help.

May have to pop into m&s just to have a mooch at the deals. I love a bargain!!