Frugal Frump to Fab-u-lous Spring Equinox to Summer Solstice

Teacher2b

lessonlearned- sorry to hear that! Milk it for all it's worth and make sure everyone looks after you. Hope you've got some good painkillers- feel better soon!

maman- that sounds like a good plan- is this a healthy eating plan? Love a bit of food shopping- life is always better with a nice full fridge and food choices

Podperson- the dreaded dentist I can't think of a worse way to spend alot of money Hope you're feeling a bit more with it today! We're all allowed to have off days. How did the writing go last night?

My bathroom fabbing is going well although i'm desperate to have a massive hoover round and get rid of all the dust! Hopefully should be finished today so i can admire lovely new tiles.
I am seriously struggling with being off work with limited cash... on the plus it is forcing me to go to the gym every day out of sheer boredom. Not feeling too clever today initially thought it might have been on to many beers last night but think I may be coming down with something as is customary during extended time off work!

lizzie157

Oh dear LL sorry to hear you've hurt your back. Very frustrating isn't it? Take it easy.

I hate the dentist PP, just lately they send me to the hygenist which is £32 :eek: for about 10 mins work, they don't do it on the NHS because they say it's not viable. I'm looking at changing my dentist. Sorry you're out of sorts -look after yourself.

Maman- It's very difficult to stand back but I have loaned money in the past and tbh am fed up of having no life myself while her priorities aren't what I believe they shoud be. I've given her advice, helped her with forms etc but because she's young she feels she should be able to go and enjoy herself and sometimes this seems to take over from everything else but whilst I sympathize, -I wish I'd spent more time enjoying myself, I had 2 children by the time I was her age- unfortunately that's life. As she's on anti- depressants though I feel like I'm treading a fine line all the time - she was saying she felt like ending it all earlier, so I have to temper myself when I could really give her a talking to.
I've been looking at midi or maxi dresses for the wedding but I want something that shows of my waist a bit, now it's a bit slimmer, not too lowcut though. I'm afraid I don't wear nice things v. often (something I need to sort out ). When I've saved a bit I'll go and try a few on with DD1 and maybe DD2.

Feeling a bit under the weather myself today. My stomach feels awful probably stress but it does start to worry me after a bit about it being something more than that. I'm going to go in the bath and have a pamper session and re-do my nails and then I'll get on with my website later.
Take care everyone.

Ps: forgot to say welcome to the new members.:hello:

WelshWoofer

Teacher2b - I'm filling my time redecorating and doing a mammoth spring clean. I'm knackered! Still have quite a bit of schoolwork to do too but will leave the big stuff for a few days.

Had a very busy and tiring day but the house looks lovely and clean and smells all freshly done.:)
Called in to the second hand shop that I sold a bookcase to ages ago and the man wants to have a look at the bedroom furniture to buy it from me. He's coming tomorrow and will hopefully leave with most of the stuff and give me some dosh.
Anything is better than nothing and, more importantly, he'll get it all downstairs and out of the way.:T

I also answered an ad on Gumtree for unwanted paving slabs - I have 9 just cluttering up the garden from when the conservatory was built (about 8 years ago!). The bloke has been in touch and is coming to collect them too - don't think its for any money but they will be out of the way

Feel like I've really acheived quite a bit today - lots of niggly jobs that have needed doing for ages and a mega clean. Its harder than going to the gym.:rotfl:

Off to write tomorrow's list of things to do - it helps keep me on track.

lessonlearned

I feel quite envious today reading about all your projects and achievements. It has taken me all my time to shuffle from the sofa to the kitchen. I couldn't stand for long so made do with sandwiches for lunch. Wished I hadn't because now my tummy is sulking.

Actually I often find that backaches and tummy upsets seem to go together.

Hopefully the rest will have helped and the worst will soon be over. I hate being unable to get on with stuff.

I have managed to do an on-line ASDA shop. I already do the splitting the bags thing but I think from now it will be an on-line shop for the heavy stuff.

One of the other things I've been doing is having a good old money sort out. I have been on the phone to brokers finalising all the info they need for the boys' mortgages. Hopefully a mortgage in principle will be available tomorrow ready for Saturday's second house viewing. We can then be ready to put an offer in if we still like it.

Time to get the dinner on. A naughty fattening Korma curry. The healthy eating plan isn't going too well. It takes me all my time to lift the kettle at the moment, never mind heavy cookware, so I'm eating from the freezer for now.

Toodle pip. Don't forget Fab Friday tomorrow.

Yes the water is definitely softer "oop north" - my hair is fine and flyaway at the best of times. It was much easier to manage when I lived in Cheltenham.

lessonlearned

Lizzie - try not to torture yourself about your daughter's financial difficulties. If you don't have money to spare then you don't have money to spare. I also agree there is an argument for making children stand on their on two feet - a bit of tough love.

I'm sure you wouldn't stand by and see her starve......

Helping someone in this situation only really works when they are ready to help themselves by taking some responsibility.

My youngest son used to be a shocking spendthrift and I used to despair of him ever learning any money sense. To be fair I couldn't be too judgemental because when I was a young thing I was pretty foolish with money too.

It took me a long time to be a bit money savvy.

As you know I am now helping my boys get onto the property ladder. I'm not rich and I am stretching myself a little to do it but I figure I will be leaving everything I have to them when I pop my clogs - they may as well have some of it now when they really need it.

I admit they are lucky boys, no-one ever gave me any money for a deposit. :rotfl::rotfl: Here's the thing they are both really very appreciative and they don't take it for granted.

I had a very sobering conversation with my sister the other day. She is now 50 but they are really struggling for money and she has asked dad for some help. She said to him how embarrassed she was to ask him because she is in her 50's and surely she could cope without running to the bank of mum and dad.

Here was his reply

"Why do you think I continued to work 3 jobs all through my 40's and 50's". He told her that even when he was well over 50 money was still tight. He understood perfectly why she was struggling and was happy to help her out.

It is grim and tough for many of our young people. Whilst I do believe that families should help and support each other through thick and thin, sometimes you do have to step back a little - especially when the little darlings are still frittering money on foolish things.

Perhaps this little blip will set her on the path to better money management in the future. If she can get through this on her own without you continuing support it will work wonders for her self esteem. A little pride in herself and her achievements might even help with the depression.

Not helping her could be doing her a bigger favour in the long run than dipping your hand in your pocket again.

Just give her the odd food parcel as and when. My mum used to do this when I was skint - we called it the Red Cross parcel and turned it into a joke.

maman

Sounds good getting all those little jobs sorted ww.

I haven't managed as much as I'd hoped today. Shopping took longer than anticipated but I did clean out and wash the kitchen cupboard where I keep veg. Stocks were so low that it seemed like a good time to do it.

Yes t2b it is a healthy eating plan. When I started on here I managed to lose 3.5 stone on Slimming World and I've kept it off ever since(20 months so far). It's not really like a diet and I can relax a bit now I'm at my target. Basically, it's common sense: lean meat, plenty of fruit and veg, potatoes/pasta/rice (but not cooked in loads of oil and butter) and go easy on all the things we know should be treats (cakes, crisps, wine, cheese).

I agree about the helping out with money where you can LL but I don't think that's the same as asking when you've been ignoring bills which is why, like you, I suggested helping out with food. My DDs are like chalk and cheese with finances: DD1 is very thrifty indeed but with DD2, money burns a hole in her pocket. Fortunately my SIL (DD2's DH) keeps a tight rein on the family finances so they don't get into any debt but she's always wasting money (IMO) on cheap clothes and buying bits of food shopping.

I had planned fish, cauli and new potatoes for tonight's supper but it's so cold here I've made a Lancashire Hotpot instead. April!!:eek: It's colder than Christmas.

sweetcheeks33

Teacher to be .... I feel your pain too! We have both been on holiday this week and been no where! I am lucky that I'm going on holiday therefore paying this up as well as my small bit of debt... But once I have holiday paid I will be a little better
It is rubbish not doing anything tho. Bit I'm going on holiday & I have my own house etc so I can't complain really lol

LL I hope your feeling better that really is rubbish!! Be gentle with yourself

As for pampering I have my hair cut & highlights done today a gift for my birthday. So feeling much better ...

Happy pampering ..

Everhopeful09

Evening All,

Went to a gym class straight from work, cooked a healthy stirfry, now to shower, moisturise and chill in pj's.

Eh xx

Bitsy_Beans

Evening ladies, newbies and those returning to the fold

LL I am coming out in sympathy with you. My back has been bad on and off for a month and its been dire again overnight. Will get H to massage it tonight as what with car tax, car repairs, new school shoes for kids I can't afford to find an osteopath home nursing it is.
Every time I have a blip I swear I am going to get back to yoga and I don't this has got to stop.

Have been in a funk for months now and I gave myself a good talking to this morning. For the sake of my patience and sanity I need to stop looking to future and just take each day as it comes and live more in the present. Might help me get through living in this limbo.
5:2 starts with a vengeance from next week, likewise getting back into proper cooking. H can either eat when he gets in or I will save excess for meals for freezer or lunches.
Not loads of fabbing, hormones have been awful last week and a half, sore b00bs and spot city coil has its advantages but this is not one of them

Anyway a gentle boot up the butt for Lizzie, an ice pack for LL and her poor back, hugs and high fives for everyone else xx

WelshWoofer

Morning all!
Hope those with aches and pains are feeling a bit better today?
I had a rubbish sleep last night but had a little lie in this morning so hopefully today will be ok.

Going to carry on with the house fabbing (spring cleaning) today - window cleaning (yuk), tidying out the bathroom cabinet and cleaning the kitchen cupboards are amongst today's lovely activities!
The house clearance man should be coming today too to look at te bedroom stuff and hopefully take it away, so I need to take everything out of the wardrobe. I did take a load of suits to the charity shop yesterday so this shouldn't take too long.

It looks like another nice but cold day again so a long dog walk and a bit of exercise will be done too. Add in some schoolwork and that's today sorted.
Will see what I find in the bathroom cabinet and maybe do a bit of extra fabbing to use things up.
Happy Fab Friday!:)