Keeping away from the Jones and leading my frugal life diary

miemie

Having a good day today so far, won £10 on BB this morning:j, went to work and had a nice easy morning and the children were all well behaved which is a bonus, got home to find a parcel had been left with a neighbour, it was a lovely burt bees gift set i vaguely remember signing up to something a while ago to do with burt bees, anyway have recieved this from them really want to keep it for moi, but think i will give it to my sis for christmas.

Took a survey and i'm going to test some soap, also ordered a £10 amazon voucher from another survey site, which i hope arrives quickly as need to buy a book for FIL for christmas and this will bring the cost down.

Shopping has been delivered, lots of christmas bargains and came in at £45 after using £10 off voucher, also have had a phone call from Asda customer service asking me if there is a problem as i have not used there online shopping site for ages, told them they don't offer enough codes and that sainsbury's and tesco do, she then said if we send you a £10 off a £50 spend would you use us again, woo hooo of course .

postie also brought a pony book for dd and i'm not sure where thats come from as there was no note with it, anyway have put it away for her christmas stocking.

On the spending front £20 petrol and £5.22 in tesco as needed cat food, bleach and eggs and had forgot to addd the to order, remebered to take snack to work and had yummy hm leek and bacon soup for lunch.

Roast pork for tea, need to make some yorky puds, not sure what to make for dessert, feel that a banoffi pie might be in the making as bananas are looking a bit mank.

Take care all and have a good day.

Kittikins

Hi MieMie, I've just read your diary and want to say hello and I think you sound like a great mum My DD started school in September and some of the mummies in the playground do seem rather pretentious to me too, one told me that she thought the PTA and school fund-raising events were a complete waste of time and she would rather we were just told how much is needed per child and she'd just write a cheque!

Hmm...some of us don't quite have the cash to do that and like the community feel of contributing time and/or money to events, well I do anyway!

Stick to your guns

miemie

Hi kittikins and welcome, yes we have one of those mummys, won't help on a stall or help to walk the children around to church at christmas time, she would say can't they hire some one from an agency:rolleyes:, she is also the one on the last day of term that turns up with half a florist for the teachers, lots of gushing etc. I would rather go into school for a few hours and help with reading or getting little ones ready for nativity and as i work in a school i know thats what teachers appreciate.

Been through dd clothes drawers this afternoon found 2 pairs of leggings, one pair have a small hole in leg which i will stitch and one pale pink pair have a mark on the bum, so have matched them up with t shirts and she can wear them as Pyjamas, they still fit and seems daft to throw them.

Emma285

Hi there, i've just been reading your diary and like everyone else think you're doing much better for both yourself and your kids than any of these others!

Don't know if it helps, but i find that if i have to go and mingle with said people, going in with a positive attitude helps, so i try and feel good about the fact that my child is far better off, not growing up to be superficial etc... and at least i'm not in loads of debt (well i am, but i'm addressing that!). It helps me to feel a bit more smug then they are less able to get to me IYKWIM.

I've also tried explaining to people we can't afford to spend xyz on this and that, or that i prefer to save my money for more worthwhile things - it often shuts them up! I would never have dared a few years ago, but once you've done it and nothing bad happens...

Anyway, best of luck with everything.

miemie

Hi Emma285 and thanks for posting at least i now know i'm not rambling on at myself:D.

At the moment i'm just smiling and nodding, i like nice things and doing nice things its people that go on and on about what they have done that drives me nuts or what they are buying little Tarquin(iykwim), my children do after school activites,we go on holiday/days out to nice places i just don't think its polite to go on and on and i suppose brag about it, i suppose i'm quite aware of others that are in situations where they don't know if they are going to have a job after christmas or are worried about paying their mortgage and i suppose i'm quite a private person and can't stand people wanting to know the ins and outs of a ducks a*se to put it bluntly:rotfl:.

toolittletime

Wow - have just found your diary and it sounds like you're living in a parrallel universe!! The village we live in is very similar with lots of 'orange' mums (as OH calls them)! Who spend all their time at the beauty therapist, having a spray tan and shopping! I know we got looked down on for taking the kids camping in the summer and not jetting off somewhere exotic. I also work in a school (part time) and have to listen to how some people spend their holidays spoiling their kids rotten. We're struggling at the mo as I've just gone back to work after baby No 3 so have been on maternity pay and OH has just had his hours cut. I've found that when I got talking to the mums there are a few in a similar situation. I haven't confessed that we're got some debts but there are a few that are starting to find things a bit tight. I'll be interested to hear how you get on and share ideas for coping with awkward situations!

miemie

Hi toolittletime and thanks for posting, orange mums:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:, they look like the've been tango'd.

Scratchies done this morning 10p and £1:D, no win on bingo this morning.

Work this morning, need to buy matches and dog food today, also need to pick contact lenses up from opticians.

Have a good day everyone.

debtfreesomeday

Hi miemie,

Have been lurking, reading your diary for a couple of days now so thought it was about time to say hi.

You sound like a wonderful parent and the sort of Mum I aim to be in a few years time (when we can afford to start having little 'uns ).

The things I remember in my childhood (and still talk about now in my 30's:o) are activities like sitting and making crafty things with my Mum, or going looking for chestnuts in the forests with my family - stuff that was free but oh so enjoyable. I also remember the amazing things my Grandad used to make me out of bits of old wood and days making dens in the garden or under the stairs - we'd play for hours in them and Mum would let us have our lunch in the dens or make us a mini picnic - we felt so special!

My parents didn't have a lot of money when us kids were growing up, but I never felt like I missed out or went without, in fact I felt much more fortunate than many of my childhood chums whose parents were 'too manicured' to get messy with them. I bet, secretly, many of those 'orange' Mums are envious of the close relationship you have with your Children and the fun you all have together.

Keep up the good work
DFSD
X

miemie

hi debtfree:hello:, thankyou for your kind words, they mean alot.

Another hectic morning at work, why oh why do boys have to fight and i don't mean pushing,this was proper fist flying, anyway they now know what Mrs miemie looks like when she's cross.

Not a lot to report, met up with my cool eco warrior friend and she treated me to lunch, hav'nt seen her for ages so had a good gossip, i love being around her and always feel on a high after meeting up with her, we can laugh about anything, talk about anything, i just love her to bits and she is a top mum too.

Spent £3.50 at Tesco on dog food, matches and a little box of chocolate they were on offer and will do for a stocking filler for someone.

Came home to a little parcel that contains 2 tins of cat food and a little photo frame from gourmet, will give the frame dd when she gets in from school.

miemie

Just a quick update,been a nsd today:D have been at work all day today so thats a couple of hours overtime and took snack and lunch with me and stayed in the staff room at lunch as weather was too yak to go anywhere, so no looking around shops:D.

On the money front 10p and 25p from scratchies, but no win on BB today flying fresien beat me to it, but £10 from a previous win has hit bank account.

Recieved some sainsburys vouchers from Nectar 8 weeks worth of £12 off a £60 spend:j, guess where i'm shopping the next few weeks, had a look online and they have some nice christmas things that are 3 for 2:D.

Off noe to make a quiche for tea and wait for hubby to get in from work, better light a fire as well.