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 🤗

Hi everyone, sorry I’m terrible at keeping track of the posts but relating a lot to managing days out and treats for kids and @BigSkies2022 with all those extra bits that add up over the year.

last year we had a major reduction in income after I left a job that was making me miserable to have a career break. I wasn’t in a great headspace for a while but over Christmas did a full spreadsheet analysis of all the bank statements and so much seemed to be going on the random snacks and coffees out and about with the kids and unnecessary purchases so really trying to cut down on those this year and get back into the habit of taking a flask with us to the park etc, teaching the kids that eating in a cafe is a great and not to be expected every time we go to the local museum.

a bit disappointed that we’ve gone over our monthly groceries budget this month but I think being such a long month and our regular big shop day falling on a Thursday means we’ve got stuff in for February so hopefully next month will be less. We’re under budget on other things though so that’s a positive.

low spend day today with £5 on toddler group, £2.50 on vending machine hot chocolate (will take a flask next time as wasn’t worth it!) and £10 on mini groceries top-up.

No spend day for me today.

Pottery sounds exciting @FurForksSake. What are you thinking of making first?

One handed anything isn’t easy @Thanksforyourlackofthought. Do the vegetables need to be peeled? Hope your arm is on the mend. Know exactly what you mean about £50 on nothing.

Lentil ragu sounds lovely @BigSkies2022. I think I’ll give it a go.

Glad your mum is doing OK @DirtyGertiefromno30.

Thank you guys. Took it easy today. Not sure what I’m thinking but I’m working on my LinkedIn and will move the job search forward. Watched The Wrecking Crew on Amazon. Sure I can pass it off as work related.

Hi Guys,

Today has a been a good day budget wise, as it’s payday I would usually have a bit of a splurge and buy things, either in town or online, Sometimes things I really wanted or needed but frequently impulse purchases, especially things I’d see influencers showing off. Today I did go into town but I had a small list of things to do/buy and I stuck to it.

Payday Spends:

£13 eyebrow wax & thread
£10 on birthday chocolate for ds2
£1 birthday card
£18 Asda groceries that I can’t get in Aldi - mainly quorn and other veggie stuff for dd2. Still seems like quite a lot of money for not much stuff.

I halved one of my gym/fitness memberships today as I’m not using it enough so that’s a good saving for next month, I also forgot that there is no council tax to pay in Feb/Mar so that’s an extra £223 in the bank, which should make up the shortfall.

If anyone here isn’t aware of it I’d love to recommend the de influencing thread on S&B it’s like the antidote to the Christmas bargains thread, it’s great!!

Tomorrow will not be a NSD, weekends never are, but I’ll still be conscious of my spending. I’m going to aim for 12 NAD in Feb as it’s a short month and that seems manageable, hopefully it’ll be more.

Hope everyone is well and looking forward to the weekend.

Nsd except paying some bills as it my pay day. Work has been mad busy and I am shattered so I am scrolling on my phone and watching tv trying to resist the urge to do some online shopping

@Johaanahl will have a look at that de influencing thread, thank you for the heads up sweetheart.
Glad you had a good day budget wise. Happy birthday to your Ds when his birthday is bless him . Asda have the cheapest Quorn mince and Tofu ATM l think so you did well going there for a top up 👏🤗.
@RumBananaSundae so glad you had a quiet day and looked after yourself bless you ❤️.
Not seem The wrecking Crew but will investigate 🤗.
@EmbracingUncertainty I know losing your income was hard but honestly your health comes first . You cannot work on empty . Your family need you and when things are easier you can get another job . It won't be forever and in the meantime you are right it's the little everyday spends that add up to a lot when you count it all up . You enjoy this time with your lovely family , they are only tiny for such a short time.
@Thanksforyourlackofthought a hamper for a friend, especially when you’re injured is a really thoughtful gift l am sure they will love it 😁.
Also a month off work is a good to get into a cheap lunch routine. We very often have something on toast , eggs, sardines , mackerel , cheese , beans , spaghetti or Jacket potatoes with beans, tuna or chilli, omelette, or wraps.
Pasta salad with whatever’s in the fridge or a picky plate .
Love that you’re reading the old posts that’s how I learned. For replying, most people just pop the person’s name at the start with an @ . Don't feel under pressure to reply though.. You’ll get the hang of it in no time 🤗
You have a good old rest tonight Alfiemoon, bless you, it sounds hectic in your work .

I did end up taking him to the park to feed the ducks, because he asked to and im no good at staying at home with him, we'd played with toys, done painting had lunch. I thought he'd crash out in the buggy as he looked exhausted. But I brought the scooter he wanted and we fed the ducks and he stayed awake even on the way home, went on the playground and wanted to be spun around on a spinny playground chair, which is the last thing I'd want if I'd not got my appetite back after a sicky bug, but kids....lol. He did end up having a 45 minute nap later. Still managed to not spend any money, allthough DS did ask to go in a shop we passed on the way back from the park.

I hope your lovely one is better soon @Alwayslearning25 it's horrid when little people aren't well :(
So glad your mum is having a great day @BigSkies2022 and her birthday weekend too! Any plans?
Ooohhh I shall have a look for the delivery influencing thread too!
So glad your day was calmer @RumBananaSundae I was thinking of you today and wondering if you were ok xx
We do toast and jackets a lot here too. Delicious 😋
I shall try for 12 NSD days too in Feb
I did pottery when I was little and absolutely loved it, so calming and creative. Are you enjoying @FurForksSake?

I've been reading the de influencer thread @Johaanahand @Frugal25
I liked it very much . Amusing and supportive from everyone there . I saw you helped to stop someone buying something , the poster said you hoped to talk her down from buying it @Johaanah so well done for doing that sweetheart 🤗

Payday here too. Moved what was left I to savings and will do my pots Monday when direct debits go out

A good frugal day here. We have gone to OHs house and as his eldest children won't come back again to stay over night (one lives in Paris and the other is travelling in Australia) we have turned one of their rooms into a room for DD. She is thrilled. She was in with us when we stayed here so she is very excited about bedtime now.
Found some beauty products the eldest left, so OH said I could have them. A beautiful candle, so I'll give that to my friend as her birthday present. And some beautiful photo frames that I gave eldest and she didn't use so I'll print off some photos for DD and she can use them.
Then went shopping and bought a pair of jeans and two bras and three pairs of knickers. All using vouchers from Christmas.
The icing on the cake was finding a beautiful bracelet making set that hasn't been opened in a charity shop for £2.50 which I'll save for DD as a Christmas or birthday present or maybe just a gift for starting school to say well done in September. I used cash so I haven't touched my bank account but done very well today.

A funny story for you all. I was having a hot chocolate with my friend yesterday chatting away when I felt a PING. I looked down thinking a button had gone on my shirt. Nope. All still there. My bra had busted open and broken at the front. So there I am pretending everything is ok at work when inside my shirt everything is hanging loose and fancy free. A quick sprint home with coat done up tightly and grabbed another bra. I shall try and mend the other as it's one of my faves and fits really nicely. But yes. New bras were needed today.

Well done on transferring the balance to your savings @lifelongfrugaleer 🤗
NSD here today, been to see Mum who was fine thankfully.
Weather is better here the sun actually showed it's face 😁
Hope everyone is having a lovely day ❤️

What a lovely day @Frugal25! DD must be over the moon having her own little space now, it’s so sweet that she’s excited about bedtime in her new room. Great idea to rescue those beauty products and the photo frames such a clever way to repurpose them for DD, and that candle will make a lovely birthday gift for your friend.
Well done on the shopping too, getting jeans, bras, and knickers all with Christmas vouchers is such a win, and that bracelet making set from the charity shop sounds like a perfect little treasure for DD , what a bargain!
The hot chocolate story made me laugh l can just picture the panic and the mad dash 😂Hopefully you can mend the old bra without too much trouble 🤗 .

So glad your lovely mum is having a good day @DirtyGertiefromno30and the sun is shining can't ask for more.
Found the deinfluncing thread. Looks amazing!!

Ah thank you so much ❤️
You are right , l really can't ask for more, my cup runneth over 😊
I loved reading the de influencing thread @Frugal25 🤗 .

I can sympathise as this happened to me once, well it was the little bit of plastic that holds the strap to the back of the bra if you know what I mean, I was on the tube on the way to work and I felt the ping, only one side had gone so I spent the next 8 hours with one boob much lower than the other- pretty sure I kept my coat on in the office all day, was difficult but at the time I was working for an organisation with a very strict dress code, there was no opportunity to pop out and buy a new bra either. What a day lol.

Sounds like you’ve had a great Saturday 😊😊

I’ve spent £22 in at the supermarket ( Morrisons) today I don’t often go there so it made a change. Pulled pork with baked potatoes and coleslaw for dinner tonight, it’s just Dh and I home so nice and quiet. Ds has gone away for his birthday weekend and dd’s are both out and about for the day/evening.

it’s been a pleasant day here too @DirtyGertiefromno30 cold but fresh and sunny. Glad to hear mum is doing well 😊

@lifelongfrugaleer I quite enjoy moving money into pots and working out what needs to go where - makes me feel like I’m organised for the month ahead, I’m also happier once all direct debits have been taken as I fell like I know where I am and can see a clearer picture of what’s left.

Jolly day out in Greenwich and Blackheath today. Park, walking through the Naval College estate (mental note to come back minus dog one day so we could go inside every thing), pasta lunch at a pub(DH paid) and visit to the sausage butcher (£7 that’s dinner tonight with mash), then the pet shop in Blackheath to buy a new bed for dog. About £60. He’d better like it! He jumped into it in the shop and scratched and circled enthusiastically so the signs are good.

Home to change beds, sort laundry and DS’ drawers (perpetually need tidying and sorting because of lack of space) and now the curtains are closed and I am settling down with cup of tea before I start on dinner. DS at the football and then north London so I can use the snug.

Very expensive day here. Went skiing. €40 for my pass (probably my only ski ofbthe season), €50 gor my sons lesson. €20 on suncream and €50 in the supermarket which I hope will get us through the week with no more top ups.
Pay day not until the 5th so trying yo make the €123 in the bank account last util then. Should be very manageable but somehow it never is.

Sounds fabulous frugal Except the bra snapping of course

the de influence thread has made me. Chuckle

£67.50 new tyre. Bloody puncture

Spent quite a bit today. £4.75 on an apple strudel in Sainsbury and my ticket and insurance for April. Saved £9 on the ticket as I used a voucher. I’ve reserved the hotel but not paid given the last couple of months. I’m now feeling nervous as I owe people money.

Good luck for your 12 day plan @Frugal25. What a save with the wardrobe malfunction.

Glad your mum is doing ok @DirtyGertiefromno30.

Sorry about the puncture @lifelongfrugaleer.

Was planning on no spending until all my direct debits had come out but decided to book things as I had a last look at flights for next month and they were over £1,000 so am going with April and crossing my fingers instead.

Will have to look for the de influencer thread. Nothing on my todo list for today has been done. There’s always tomorrow. Might spend this evening looking at exhibitions to visit when I’m away.

Ouch to the tyre @lifelongfrugaleer, that is such an annoying expense, especially when it is just a puncture and not even something exciting. Still, at least it is sorted and you are safe on the road, that is the main thing, even if the wallet is sulking a bit 🙄.
@RumBananaSundael think you’ve been quite sensible to be honest. Nine pounds saved is still a saving and it all helps. April sounds a much better idea than paying those daft flight prices now too .
It is bound to make you feel uneasy owing people, that sort of thing always weighs on us, but you are thinking it through and not just spending for the sake of it. Leaving the hotel to pay later was also a good move. Tbh with you,I wouldn’t worry about your to do list, some days just go like that it's just life 🤗. Looking at exhibitions is a nice thing to do and gives you something to look forward to without costing a penny. You are doing just fine sweetheart 🤗
@5humpedcamel that's such a lovely day for you despite the cost, skiing must be wonderful. I hope you really enjoyed it 🤗
@BigSkies2022Sounds like such a lovely, full day out. Greenwich and Blackheath are gorgeous and the Naval College is definitely one to go back and explore properly. Bonus points for DH buying lunch and seven quid sausages for dinner is a bargain.Sixty pounds on a dog bed is a lot but if he was straight in there doing the spin and scratch routine, then that is a very good sign. He is clearly living his best life 😂

Thanks frugal, yes he seems all better now.
Again a nsd day so far but it's the last day of some sales, may buy tickets for family days out in the future. I feel a bit down as I left booking annual leave a bit late this year, and he school holidays are all booked up, right up to April 2027!. I thought it through and realised a few of the new starters have school children, plus one colleges has a kid in reception now. And 2 children free colleges left. But I will speak to my manager, because I can't have no time off in the summer holidays.

Just checking in with an hello.
Will update properly later.
Had a day at home today we did some sorting out my Dd did some playing with a old box.
Take care all x

Glad your Ds is better today @Alwayslearning25 🤗
@Johaanah ah thank you re my Mum l am so thankful she is more stable the last few days .
I like Morrisons to shop in they have a lovely clothes dept and not badly priced TBF .
Glad you have had a better day
Weather wise it makes everything so much nicer 🤗
Your dinner sounded lovely too l hope you and your DH are having a lovely evening 🤗
AHH Mushy 😁 those old boxes are just wonderful for the DC they love them 😁

Sounds like you got some great bargains @Frugal25 ive never had my bra go but this year I didn’t nut new black tights so im currently working through what I have and I e had more than one day with them slipping as the elastics gone. I’m determined not to buy more until I’ve used up all the ones I have.

@Johaanah im the same, love organising mt money. I recently listened to the latest money for couples podcast which had an Irish couple and really resonated with the woman who admitted how anxiety affected her spending. Buying loads of tomatoes to preserve etc.

sounds like you both had lovely days out @BigSkies2022 and @5humpedcamel

that is crap about the holidays @Alwayslearning25 i can never understand organisations that let this happen.

glad you booked your hotel @RumBananaSundae as you needed something nice to focus on.

DH did well again in Lidl on Friday snd spent €50. While he sometimes makes different decisions to me I’ve decided to let it go. The extra € or 2 I’d have saved is easily balanced out by me not putting more just in case items into the trolley. This is hard for my controlling nature to admit😜

yesterday spent €25 on birthday gift for my nephew. Otherwise free day at his party being wined snd dined by my sister. Lovely day as I’d watched the tennis in the morning.

today we are going to a local greenway for a cycle and then have tickets to a free st. Brigid day event. I’ll bring some food and tea but I expect we will still buy something’s. Later we have dinner at my in laws and I’ll bring a bottle of wine I already have on hand. So a LSD is on the cards.

Good morning 😊 weather looks good today which is always a bonus. And it’s finally February- how long did it take to get here?

@pistachiosanscream it’s good to feel organised, I think it helps a lot because you know exactly where you are rather than taking pot luck, crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, especially where finances are concerned.

Today I am collecting ds2 birthday cake- £40 to pay for that, and that should be everything - hopefully 🤞 I might spend a couple of quid in the Turkish shop on bread and tzatziki but that’s well worth it and I don’t go there too often, so…. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hope everyone has a great day.