January Jingles, Valentine Capers, Frugal Fun Shenanigans & Looking Forward to Spring!

[DirtyGertiefromno30]

Welcome to the New thread everyone 😊
Here's to everyone of us and hoping 2026 brings us all health happiness and frugal finances 🤗

He did exactly that ! Such a big pot of it too. He’s only had 21 years to notice what Greek yoghurt I buy, so you know, your Honour, let the man off!

Quite right too @BigSkies2022 we pick our moments 😂
Shovels at the ready @MushyPeasAndMintSauce 😂

Right...got to get a better hold of my money, am slowly eating into savings... I should post some more items on vinted probably... I have taken on an extra shift at work, but for march, and it's mostly because I was rotad one instead of two that month, but the shift I picked up is a few hours longer.....

Maybe I'll get the budgetting app suggested. I have recently signed up to £29 a month excersice dance classes....so I need them?....

We also really need a new boiler, I'd love a tumble dryer, our washing machine is old...

Your list for new house things sounds like mine @Alwayslearning25 I have put mine in a spreadsheet in order of urgency. I'm that sad.

@MushyPeasAndMintSauceyou make me giggle with that Yule log and the shovels. I have three shovels so happy to help!

@BigSkies2022bless your DH for going shopping. Does he give lessons to other DHs?? Your plan for a clean home will Def help this week. Good luck for tomorrow my darling xx

NSD today yippee. Going to make some bread rolls in a bit for lunches and dinner is leftover pastry with leftover veggies and leftover feta on top all from the freezer to make a kinda of tart. In my head is sounds nice. Im starving the family until later so they are all so hungry they eat it whatever...

Today's spends
£12 soft play including a packet of crisps and a jug of fruit juice.
@Frugal25 just don't let your husband take the yoghurt training module. Greek .. style.

Ah yes point taken. Plus I quite like food shopping so happy to keep it as well as the proper greek!
That's not a bad price for soft play is it? Hope you had fun!

How are they all getting the Greek yoghurt wrong. DH got me the wrong one in Lidl too!

hope everything goes as smoothly as it can with your dad @BigSkies2022

yesterday I spent €32.50, slightly over budget but I covered a few bits for another mum who offered to drive small child and me so that saved petrol.

today I’ve spent €2.76 on milk and peppers.

hope your son had a nice birthday party @Lockin26 it seems very reasonable shopping for a party and a weeks food.

dinner tonight is roast chicken and DH parents will come too. I raided the freezer for the chicken, stuffing, potato gratin and an apple tart. Also roasting some veg for lunches and to make a pasta sauce later this week.

in the office Monday and Tuesday so need to get organised today.

Apparently if you stick biwxoff biscuits into a tub of Greek and stick it in the fridge for a few hours it tastes just like cheesecake///

@Alwayslearning25You’re doing the right thing spotting it now. Picking up the extra shift will help as well and Vinted is a good shout , even small bits add up.
A budgeting app could help you save towards the big things like central heating and renewing the white goods too 🤞.
That actually sounds really good to me @Frugal25 , very artisan tart vibes 😋! Fresh bread rolls too, you’re spoiling them. NSD is a win too well done 🥳
Not bad at all @MushyPeasAndMintSauce £12 sounds very reasonable for soft play and snacks.
My DH gets in a right pickle when he has to shop bless him. l have to talk him down when he comes home 😂

At least dinner’s all sorted @pistachiosanscream 👍Freezer raids can be such a lifesaver . Greek yoghurt seems to be everyone’s tricky one lately! Great move covering bits for that Mum and saving on petrol too.
Sounds like l might have to give that a go @FurForksSake 😋😂

I joined this thread as I decided to drop a weekday as I have small children and mostly for my older school age children so I could pick her up from school 2 days rather than 1. I did ask my manager about doing 3.5 days a few months before deciding to go from 4 to 3 as that would be the best balence for me, if I could finish by 3 one day, but he declined. I have offered to do more overtime.

I work in the NHS and I did think carefully about dropping a day as colleges have said they are always happy to let people go more part time but not to get them back again.

I am loving my extra day off, but yes budgeting is nessersary, or change of career. Lol .

Evening all. Hope everyone had a good weekend. I had a lovely time with my friends, and had a most unexpected NSD yesterday. My friends bought the drinks in the pub and I’d already bought wine on Friday for the house.
So I’ve allowed myself to go a little bit mad and ordered Chinese via JustEat (via a Jam Doughnut gift card, so £1.15 has
gone into my JD account which I’m inordinately pleased about).

Afternoon.

The Marks and Spencer Greek Yogurt with vanilla is worth committing a crime for - #justsaying #enabling

Sorry, done a half marathon today. First race in two years. Enjoyed it. Tired - it was a strong field as it’s a fast race. Not as fit as I was but still half decent, especially given the lack of killer sessions and hard training that I used to do, building back will give me focus and structure.

£300 roof cleaning and repairs, was already quoted and budgeted for.
£8 huge pot of peanut butter.

Mmmmm I agree - M&S Greek Yogurt with Vanilla is absolutely lush.

£9.99 today on a cinema ticket for dd.

Yesterday’s chicken stew was a success. I used up a lot of veggies which were at the end of their life too so felt very frugal. Got 4 5 good sized portions out of it so by no means a mumsnet record - but works out as just over £1 per portion so still good.
I made a stock with the carcass - just a quickish one on the hob. Not as rich as the ones I do in the slow cooker but still fairly decent.

A card in Waterstones for £2.59 and £1.89 in Sainsbury and 89p in Asda.

Hope you all had a good party today @Lockin26.

That’s awful about your friend’s daughter @DirtyGertiefromno30. Life stinks sometimes.

Hope your father’s procedure goes well tomorrow @BigSkies2022.

I get the home spending @Alwayslearning25. Everything here was bought at the same time so no doubt they’ll need replacing at the same time. Not looking forward to that.

I’m imaging what a Greek style yogurt making module would be like @MushyPeasAndMintSauce. I’m picturing lots of dancing, cheese and ouzo.

Well done on the race @needastrongoneagain.

Quiet day today. Managed some chores but the list appears to be getting longer not shorter. My leg isn’t happy at all so think I might try eating more protein and seeing if that helps. Have enjoyed my freezer/cupboard couscous and have managed to stretch it until tomorrow. Now need to think about what to do with two eggs on Wednesday. Not sure where this weekend has gone. Can’t believe it’s work already tomorrow.

Well done @needastrongoneagain what an achievement for a miserable day in January.

Oh @needastrongoneagain what an achievement- congratulations on the half marathon, as a literal non runner I’m proud of you 👏

Low spend day today, walked into town, it’s around 3.5 miles each way, as I needed to buy two t-shirts for ds2’s birthday in a couple of weeks - he requested two plain white Uniqlo tops. Dh paid which was good news 😊 he also treated us to a cake from M&S bakery, I had a cinnamon bun and I’m not sure if it was because I was so hungry but it tasted great. I paid £3 for a loaf of bread to eat with today’s soup - butternut and red pepper, and a fiver for a top lip wax 😣

I had a Monzo spending report which claims I’m spending less this month but only by 21% I would have thought it would be more as I’ve really cut back and obviously spending is on the higher side during December. Made another sale on vinted which is a bonus.

Made the toad in the hole for dinner and it was well received.

I also feel that weekends go too quickly- I’m counting down to the next one…

I have had a Morrisons delivery but otherwise no actual spending. Snoop is showing my spending well down on last month. I’ve managed to pull things back a bit, I definitely was feeling a bit sod it at points.

im excited for pay day so I can fund my YNAB categories.

DH has a sandwich made for London tomorrow. I bought some turkey breast steaks and cooked him a couple. Hoping he likes it!

I used Monzo too @Johaanahans it says my spending is down too. I hope you understand it better than me. I spend the same every single month from that account and yet my spending is down. Baffles me 😂

Well done @needastrongoneagainthats amazing!!!!

Morning.

Thanks for the kindness re the half marathon. Pre DH stroke, I did a huge amount of running and was pretty decent at it (very much not at school, so a happy post children life discovery - I started running because it was really all I could do for fitness round family life when they were tiny), so it was good to stick a number on and race. Legs feel it today, but not too bad (thank you strength and conditioning work), but there will be residual fatigue so some stretching and a gentle half hour on the treadmill today only.

I don’t use Monzo - I use Emma, which sounds similar. I must investigate Monzo - is it good? Is it free?!!

I’ve pulled a lot of spending back too this month @FurForksSake - it really was miserable yesterday wasn’t it?!!

Sounds like a decent amount of steps @Johaanahwhether run or walked! I love a really good quality bread to go with home made soup - it feels justified somehow for being virtuous enough to make soup. I’m doing butternut squash soup (not sure with what yet) this week as I’ve two to use.

Hope things go well for your DF today @BigSkies2022. Definitely walking back into a calm and clear house is worth the effort over the weekend.

Spends
£18 electric tooth brushes supply.
£35 later for the dog groomer (I have a pot for the dog expenses).

I’ve also cancelled (after much deliberation) to cancel the dogs insurance. The premium shot up for this months renewal, there’s a restriction on what they now pay out anyway due to his age, which pretty much amounts to the annual premium - I’ll take my chances. We’ve the money if anything should happen anyway.

@needastrongoneagain
How did I miss this on your post yesterday?!
Congratulations!

Thanks for good wishes re dad. Just waiting for a call to confirm where exactly I need to go to meet him! Didn’t sleep well and I am not looking forward to the drive or anything about today.

congratulations on your run need! I am full of admiration for your fitness and determination ! Enjoy the validation of the muscle soreness today.

Thinking of you today @BigSkies2022snd your lovely dad. I hope it all goes well and you have support with you. In a few hours it will all be over and you can walk back into your lovely clean calm home.

So inspired by you @needastrongoneagain I bet you felt amazing afterwards and it's well deserved. Monzo if free yes, unless you opt for the swanky show off card which I don't. I really like them tbh. OH loves them so much he now only banks with them and has the swanky show off card but that does get me a vegan sausage roll from Greg's each week so I'm all for it.

Should be a NSD today. My bread rolls came out ok but I Def need practice. I'll add more yeast and bread flour to my shopping list this week.

Off to work I go. Singing all the way!! 😂😊

Well done Need on the half. Enjoy your recovery today
good luck for hospital today. Hope the system is flowing

stitches out for me today. It’s been 2 weeks isn’t that mad
sorry the rehab isn’t going as well run
mmmm nice bread. I tried cinnamon rolls yesterday and they are too le yum

I’m not sure there is much between Monzo chase Emma et al
my spending is down on groceries but go up as he’s been doing it

Well done Ned on the half. Enjoy your recovery today
good luck for hospital today. Hope the system is flowing

stitches out for me today. It’s been 2 weeks isn’t that mad
sorry the rehab isn’t going as well run
mmmm nice bread. I tried cinnamon rolls yesterday and they are too le yum

I’m not sure there is much between Monzo chase Emma et al
my spending is down on groceries but go up as he’s been doing it