Frugal Summer shenanigans, sunburnt silliness, ice cream indulgence, paddling pool chaos, picnic pandemonium, bank holiday bonkersness, sunshine mischief and all the rest of it.

[DirtyGertiefromno30]

Welcome to our lovely, friendly,frugal thread everyone 🤗

Under £4 in Aldi is bloody good @RumBananaSundae! I really hope something comes up job wise for you sweetheart. The no income bit is so worrying l know 🤗 . I think you should definitely think about the holiday though, you haven’t had one since your accident and maybe getting away would do you good and give you something nice to look forward to. Maybe just not the Orient Express knowing how expensive it is 😂.
I loved Beth's beautiful clothes she was just so brilliant, more of a fashion designer than a seamstress in my eyes 🤗. Strictly is so good we watch it every year ever since the early Bruce Forsyth days 🤗.

Sounds like you’ve had a lovely couple of days @Twogingercats😊 . Beamish sounds great but definitely two flasks next time though 😂 £5 for two teas!
Mind you l think that's cheaper than here, they charged me £5.75 for a pot of tea for 2 in my local cafe last time l went .
The vintage cafe sounds right up my street, I’d have had a good mooch too! Aw lovely you celebrated your 3rd wedding anniversary bless you ❤️👏😁. Roast beef sounds lovely too! 😺
Aw bless your Mum l bet she enjoyed having a bit of a shop 😁. Glad you have had a lovely weekend 😊. From Costco I will buy a 1 kg bag of Werther's for my Mum , Passata, Tofu , Alpro Almond milk, cheese , Turkey bacon , Galaxy drinking chocolate, Olive oil, cleaning wipes, waters , blue rolls, boxes of gloves, Lucozade ,fruit shoots and J2O's 😁 that will be over £100 l bet 😁

I love that you've kept your dress all this time @Frugal25 it means you must really love it and it is the one . Don't be too hard on yourself though, a bit of chocolate isn't going to hurt now again sweetheart . You'll get back into it l am sure 😊👏.

@RumBananaSundae I was probably in a slightly different position to you as I had several options open to me. I did look around for another job but it wasn't essential as under the local education authority once you hit over a certain age you were basically launched into receiving your pension - so I wasn't really applying myself properly to job hunting. As it happened at the time my DD had been on maternity leave and was returning to part time work - so for a trial period I took on looking after GS. We were also caught up with taking other GC to and from school so it just didn't happen. But I wasn't ready for retirement and found it really hard as I missed the whole thing of getting up for work, office camaraderie - everything. A friend got me a little job working in a tanning shop and that has got me out meeting and greeting people and DD had me taking GS to play groups and swimming where I met other GPs which really helped. It does seem a waste of my qualifications in Finance and H&S but I've got used to it now. I've still not reached state retirement age - that will happen next year but the redundancy payment, extra remuneration pay for working while the college closed as well as final salary benefits got me through the 5 month period before my work pension kicked in. We were also fortunate that a lucky win finished our mortgage off so didn't have the worries like that which many other people have to deal with.
I'm sure you'll manage to find a new job and if it's less toxic than where you are now then that can only be a bonus. Has your accident had any effect on your day to day living? As applying for PIP may be worth a pop if this is the case. Good luck.

Good afternoon everyone 😊
Waitrose £37 for their essentials Pasattas , it's excellent and only £1 a jar👌.
10 Alpro Almond milks , it's on offer at £1.60 atm there , 6 lots of Tofu which is also in offer £2.77 for the large box .
Beautiful day here sunny and blue skies 🤗. Mum fine there thankfully 😊
Hope everyone has a lovely day 🤗

Oh l forgot l made 3 wreaths this morning. only Mistletoe wreaths very plain but l have 11 graves to do at Christmas so l thought l would crack on. I am full of self doubt but here's one of them .

Oh that's beautiful @DirtyGertiefromno30 well done you. You're so clever 😁 wouldn't say it's plain, it's classy.

£2.80 on a croissant this morning. Monday and fed up. Think I have a cold

@Frugal25 , what about a tour of the highlands on The Royal Scotsman? Mind you. I expect that is expensive too. The Belmond Pullman from Victoria to Chatsworth for the day?
Have just got back from taking Mum to the hospital to see the physio. He telephoned the consultant while she was there, to inform him Mum should have had a date for her knee replacement a long time ago. He reassured her that she is not too old, nor has she any serious health problems, and it may afford her much benefit. She is i to see consultant in clinic soon and will consider it, she has been rather dubious. She called for a drink of Lucozade as soon as we got back, so I may have a look for it at Costco @DirtyGertiefromno30 😺we may need quite a few bottles! I hope she will behave herself. When she had the other knee done she kept sending me to the hospital shop for things to eat, especially salt and vinegar crisps!

Aw thank you sweetheart that's so kind of you. Hope you are ok bless you blinking miserable having a cold in this lovely weather 🙄.

Glad you got your Mum home safely@Twogingercats. That sounds really positive about her knee, especially the consultant reassuring her she’s not too old and could really benefit from it bless her. Hopefully when she sees him she’ll feel a bit more confident about it 🤗.
And definitely stock up on the Lucozade at Costco! 😂 Sounds like you’re going to need industrial quantities, she clearly knows how to recover in style and she knows what she likes ! Just a heads up for you , something l have discovered with my Mum . When we get older our taste buds can only pick up on strong flavours and textures . My Mum has gone from never having sugar in her hot drinks to taking sugar in everything. Apparently they can taste the sweetness and saltiness in food . My Mum doesn't eat a lot nowadays so l make sure she has full fat milk and butter and the energy Lucozade not the sugar free one . I also give my Mum a replacement Fluid sachet like Dioralyte in her cold drinks if she hasn't drunk much , and we use straws so she can drink easily out of the bottles . I know your Mum is probably nothing like my Mum but just in case l thought l would mention it 🤗

Can't go wrong with salt and vinegar crisps @Twogingercats your mum has good taste. I'm glad another Dr is chasing up and looking after her.

Spent £3.99 on a Waterstones TGTG that went in the bin.

That’s a lovely wreath @DirtyGertiefromno30. Very talented.

Second your Monday and fed up @Frugal25.

Hope it all works out for your mum @Twogingercats.

Thank you @Rainbow1961. That’s the thing for me. Needing another job. If I could afford to I’d happily retire but I’m far from it. The accident didn’t affect day to day living so to a PIP application.

Work stank today. Am still jam tart free.

Well done on no jamus tarticles @RumBananaSundae you are doing brilliantly 🤗👏. Aw thank you re the wreath l have never done them before but l thought let's give them a go 😁.
I am so sorry you are in this position sweetheart it does stink 😔.
Got everything crossed for you sweetheart ❤️

Just a quick update from me by memory so I don't drop off the thread again!

@RumBananaSundae well done on avoiding the jam tarts! Still holding out for you - a much happier job will come along l, just tough at the moment..

@Frugal25 that's lovely to hear you already have your wedding dress! No pressure though - beautiful as you are. Hope you feel better soon.

Hope both DMs okay @DirtyGertiefromno30 and @Twogingercats I love hearing their stories.

£17.81 coop top up as no time to get to Lidl
£1.80 diet coke
£3.99 Boots meal deal but this came from a slush pot

Need to make lunch these next four days!

I need to make lunches for the week too @Lockin26 also need to batch cook for dinners. Sigh. I'll do at lunchtime.

So I've gone from debt to having credit on my credit card! I cleared the balance and then the direct debit went out! They won't let me take the money back so I'll have to put something on the card to bring it down to £0. Bonkers.

£37 on birthday gifts for people. that was budgeted for though.

@RumBananaSundaei hope today is better for you. Have you considered a local job to tide you over? My friend did that, got a job at a florist and hairdresses as she knew the owners just to tide her over until something else came along.

Work ok today but I could happily retire and just swan about for the rest of my life. Sigh.

Spent about £8 in Aldi and Sainsbury.

Thank you @DirtyGertiefromno30. Not feeling too bad today. Am consoling myself with travel books.

I have my fingers crossed @Lockin26. Thank you.

I have been looking and not seen anything @Frugal25.

Another jam tart free day but I bought some mince pies. From Sainsbury’s. I saw a story about there being a milk shortage due the warm summer affecting grazing. I hope they are exaggerating.

Evening everyone 😊
Been to see Mum who was fine thankfully, popped to Morrisons, only for a few bits but they had 20% off their Gluten free range so l picked up a few things for me as well ,so it came to £33. Had to go and see the Optician today, no charge because it was an emergency to check that my eye was ok , last night l had lights and a huge floater appearrd, anyway it was something a Partial Vitreal Detachment and it's fine quite common when you get older unfortunately, just scary 🤗.
£17.81 at the Co op @Lockin26never mind, needs must when you’ve got no time to get to Lidl . And the Boots meal deal coming out of the slush pot makes it much less painful! AHH thank you sweetheart my Mum was fine today 🤗.
Wow that's amazing you are in credit with your CC @Frugal25well done sweetheart 🤗 👏😁.
I know re working 🙄 , it's hard when you just want to be at home with Dd and very soon to be Dh sweetheart 🤗

Omg @RumBananaSundae, l bloody love mince pies 😁👏🤤.
I always buy loads of boxes every week before Christmas and taste test them 😂😋. Glad you are not feeling too bad today sweetheart 😘.
Nothing would surprise me re food and drink now so l would believe that about the cows milk tbh with you 🙄.

Good evening all,
£30 Sainsburys top up. I must get me to Aldi.
Thank you all for kind words about Mum. She’s very dear to me. I could write a book about her little ways.😺
Cat a bit poorly, coughing and honking in the night. We will give her inhaler before bed tonight. she is known asthmatic so this is not too hard. she is then given a kitty treat.
thank you for wise advice re hydration @DirtyGertiefromno30 . I had not considered rehydration sachets but noted now. She’s pretty good on the whole eats little and often, although won’t drink much when out unless she’s sure there is a loo nearby.Your wreaths are very pretty, so simple and delicate. love the Costco list, I’m so nosy! glad your eye is ok.
I have had two tries at Yorkshire pudding, it is a bit doughy in the centre. I will try in individual tins net time.
hoping you all, especially those stressed or worried have a peaceful night and a good Wednesday tomorow. x😺

Aww bless your little fur baby @Twogingercats, hope the inhaler does the trick tonight. And obviously she deserves her kitty treat afterwards 😂😺.
I don't mind you being nosy about the Costco list , l would be too 😂 .I love seeing what other people buy! Hope the Yorkshire puds work better in the individual tins next time. I’d probably eat the doughy bit anyway l am so greedy 😂.
Your Mum sounds so lovely, I bet you could fill a book with all her little ways bless her ❤️. Hope you have a lovely peaceful evening and a good Wednesday tomorrow as well sweetheart 😘

£6.74 Amazon for hair colour
£24.82 in Lidl. I had four things on my list. Came out of gym hungry and they had their lovely Chinese and Japanese specials on.
£40 candles - came from birthday pot as one is a present. The others for us as they are gorgeous.

Car passed it's MOT but with advisories. I'd already paid for that. Needs new tyres, brakes, coils and also they said there's a knock on the gear box that I can't hear. All advisories but I will have to get them fixed. It's 18 years old so expected.

I'm going to be giving up my eye wateringly expensive coffee buying habit this month. I will however say yes if invited out by friends.
I am going to be close to giving up the little bits and bobs my DD wants this month I've put £20 to one side that's to cover bits of toys/a super market ride etc.
Thoughts of Christmas is coming to mind- noooo.

@Lockin26 I brought some of the Japanese food it looks lovely going to have it for tea. Not As bag unfortunately so only brought a little to try.

Ah sorry @RumBananaSundaei didn't mean to sound patronizing or rude. I'm sure you have looked everywhere. Was just a thought in case it helped xxx
@DirtyGertiefromno30so glad your eye is ok. What a panic though.
@Twogingercatshow is your fluffy baby today? Hope a bit better....
@Ovoemconserva I need to do the same. DD gets so many toys and things. It all adds up.

£4.25 on sending a birthday present by post.
Got a free lunch though as got a Greggs sausage roll from octopus this week. Yum. Sat by a pond in London watching the fish, eating it and enjoying the sunshine.

Work seems better. Calmer anyway. Yesterday was just awful and I sat and cried. Yoga in the evening helped
About to present to the team so fingers crossed it goes ok.

Hope everyone is ok xx

There's always something they are after frugal 😆 and it's so difficult too because often it's like a quid or two but you know you can't let them have everything but equally giving in to that couple of quid could buy you an easy hour or two Well, two minutes