I have lost my OS ways, help!

CyclingLondonSaver

Evening all! Just a very quick check in for me.

Quick rant about banks. I'm trying to get a new bank account opened and want to find out a bit more about what some can offer me. I am having an absolute nightmare of a time trying to book appointments with the banks :mad: All 0845 numbers, no online appointment booking, none of them seem interested in trying to get my custom! Even my own bank, HSBC, aren't fussed about getting me an appointment. The earliest Natwest could offer me was March!

Grrrr. Any suggestions for decent banks that don't want to give me an appointment in six weeks time?

On a more positive note, it's the weekend. And Valentine's Day tomorrow. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend

Caterina

I swear by the Nationwide Building Society, never had any problems with them, got the traditional Flex account and am very happy. I recommended it to my builder, who was having problems with being accepted by a bank for his account and they accepted him immediately.

villagelife

I tend to put my heating on for about an hour or so in the morning and then perhaps at lunchtime and then tend to leave it off until early evening.
I've noticed that in past couple of years - since we got new neighbours who don't light their fire that the house is colder.

Yesterday I did some decluttering and not too much else but hoping to be more productive today.

amandaatnumber7

:wave:Hi everyone
I'm still here life has just got in the way lol

Thanks for your words of encouragement in regards to Christmas, as far as I know there is no savings scheme at either of our main supermarkets but one of them does have a rewards point system which you can 'cash' in the points and I have started doing the majority of my shopping there.

The garage sale wasn't a great success, it was 40 degrees here last Sunday so we only had about half a dozen people come in 8 hrs:(
But I've spent the last week selling it on FB and have gotten rid of most of it :T

Unfortunately even with all our scrimping and stretching our $$ isn't quite stretching far enough and it doesn't look like hubby's hours are going to increase anytime soon so I've started to look for some part time work _pale_ it's not ideal and certainly wasn't what I'd planned as DS3 is only 7 months but I'll just have to put my big panties on and deal with it

Hope those of you that celebrate had a lovely Valentines Day yesterday :happyhear

Some baking is on the cards today stock up the freezer for school and work lunches

moments_of_sanity

Evening All,

Amandaatnumber7, sorry to hear you are having to look for part time work. I worked full time when I had my girls and switched to part time for a couple of years but when their Dad left they were 7 & 9 and the only way I could support us all was to go back full time, i can't tell you how much it broke my heart to not be able to take them to school and pick them up afterwards so I completely understand how you feel .

I had to give up work 2 years ago due to ill health and my girls were 17 & 16 but whilst having a conversation with my eldest DD a couple of days ago she said to me 'Mum, I don't wish your illness on you but I have really loved having you around at home for the last 2 years'...I think I got so caught up in having to work full time and everything else that went with it (and if I am honest, I assumed they really didn't need me to be around) that I never really stopped and thought about how they felt. Eldest DD has been away for a week and won't be back until next Friday but she rang earlier to tell me that she can't wait to come home and have 'Mum hugs' :j

We don't celebrate Valentine's Day but we did have a lovely dinner of sticky, chilli pork belly with noodles, it was so spicy both me and DH had runny noses at the end of the meal :rotfl: I am so surprised at the price of pork belly now though, it used to be a cheap cut of meat but is horrendously priced for the amount of meat you actually get.

I hope everyone who celebrates Valentine's Day had a wonderful day and Caterina, I hope you are thoroughly enjoying your weekend away.

villagelife

I have rarely worked full time since having DS1 and 2. At times I've done extra days to cover long term sick etc and both sons disliked it as I couldn't get housework and shopping done when they were at school and had to do more when they had got home from school. My normal hours of 4 days a week (which I started to do when they were 11 and 13) they were happier with as they could cope with coming home to an empty house for 1/2 hour or so but I was more organised and had more time for them.
Financially I wasn't much better off with working an additional day as I tended to buy more convience foods and cooked less from scratch.

Yesterday I planted seeds and dug more of my vegetable garden but the soil was very heavy and wet. My cold frame is starting to look full and begining to become excited about the garden.

When watching the rugby I did some sewing and repaired a couple of t shirts both with holes in them. A year ago I would have probably thrown them out but are both fine and can be worn for a few more times.

Icey77

Morning Peeps,

I'm back from deepest darkest Wiltshire we had to vacate the house for a week to allow the flooring to be done downstairs. As it involved pouring a screed over 80% of the downstairs we were advised to move out. We came back and loved it so all is good

DH has a lurgy, always the way when we have a few days away. His shifts are appalling and the moment he sits back and relaxes a bit he comes down with something so I took the kids out to Aldi yesterday to give him a couple of hours peace. I treated myself to a valentines orchid as DH had forgotten to get me a card, he felt bad (so I should think!!) and then even worse when I had to buy my own flowers! £7 on a lovely white orchid is good value in my book :T

Today we are housebound as DH will be taking the car to work. I could walk into town with the buggy but Frog is likely to throw a wobbly about walking or going on the buggy board that far and it's a bit grey here so I think a Sunday afternoon with a movie will be planned. I have piles and piles of washing to do from our week away so will get started on that, oh the excitement!

CyclingLondonSaver

Evening everyone. Hope you are all well!

I have definitely fallen off the MSE and OS wagon over the last week. Particularly this weekend. The boyfriend cooked me a fantastic three course meal for Valentine's Day. He asked if I could pick up a cheese course. I discovered a fantastic independent cheese shop in Greenwich and ended up spending waaaaay too much on cheese. I suppose it was for a special occasion but still annoyed at myself

I do think though that I have come so far from only three months ago, when I would have been spending that much on cheese (or other random food products!) each week. I am now much more in control of my spending and keep a track of where my money is going. I'm focusing on that rather than my spending oops this weekend!

Anyway as of this evening I am back on MSE and OS track. I've just put some pork in the slow cooker - there's enough for at least three lunches at work this week. I have dinner planned for tomorrow too, so hoping it will be a No Spend Day (haven't had any of them recently!). :j

Was also wondering - what's a good price to get a tie dry cleaned? There's a place directly opposite my house that said they'd do it for £3.95. Seems a bit expensive to me but I haven't really got anything to compare it to. Don't really want to trek to others if they'll only quote me the same price!

villagelife

Yesterday went out for a meal with DH cousin and cost more than we had anticipated but it was very enjoyable and the food was good. We went after watching England v Italy women rugby so started eating at about 4.15 so the only other meal we had was a late breakfast.
The tickets for the rugby were free so the day could have been more expensive.
I don't dry clean ties - I tend to hand wash them and they have survived quite happily.

moments_of_sanity

Good Morning All,

Caterina, I hope you had a lovely time away in York.

Not much going on here apart from the usual OS stuff we do, managed a NSD yesterday despite my DD2 asking me to take her to the local shopping centre as she needed to return an item she purchased on-line, it was quite hard as there is an M&S so close! :rotfl:

We have a lot of pets here including 2 cats which we have had for the last 8 years but the last year I have noticed I have become more and more allergic to them (never used to be) and yesterday was the worst day, my eyes were streaming, nose running and constant sneezing but I got up today and took an anti histamine which will hopefully help. One of the cats has gone out for his morning wander and the other is fast asleep on the table! I do wonder if the allergy is because they bring spores of something in on their fur and when they want a cuddle of a fuss they come and rub against us, including wanting to sit on our shoulders and rub our faces meaning it transfers to my skin. Love them far too much to part with them though so will have to stock up on more anti histamines.

The stewing beef is defrosting as I have decided on comfort food today, it is all being thrown in my slow cooker so I will prep the veg at lunch time and put in on then as DH won't be home until about 6.30/7 tonight.

School holidays here this week so must go and shake DD2 out of her pit as she has a lot of revision to do for her A levels so will wish you all a lovely OS day and catch up soon.