Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

enthusiasticsaver

It has turned chilly all of a sudden. Don't feel too bad about missing the wedding. My DD and her husband travelled around 500 miles to her BILs wedding the other side of the country at a massive expense to them in the middle of her maternity leave with a toddler and a 3 month baby. Awful journey, extortionate expense and they did not even get a thank you. She felt they couldn't say no as it was her DHs brother but could have done without it and bitterly regrets going now. I think you made the right decision not to go and if lots of other relatives are not going too at least it is not just you.

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

It's wedding day today. I hope it all goes well for them, I'm sure they will all have a lovely time. Bit sad that I'm missing out on all the fun but never mind. I shall have to avoid Facebook for a while.

It felt cold in the night so I need to put our winter duvet on for tonight. I'm definitely going to need my gloves today.

Have a good Saturday everyone.

I agree about it being cold in the night. It was really cold when I got up at 6 this morning although I'd been waking a lot during a very restless night anyway. There's been snow in the far northern counties of England, some really pretty photos on BBC Breakfast weather this morning. Seems really early in the year for the first snowfall doesn't it?:eek:. I hope the wedding has better weather, it's such a shame when outdoor photos aren't possible.


My friend's husband died on Thursday night. He had been in a coma for several days and they decided the best thing was to switch off his life support and let him drift away. My friend's son is still over here (he lives in Canada now) but her brother is giving lots of cause for alarm. He wandered off from the hospital during the week in search of his car which isn't even parked there as my friend's brother has been driving them all there. He'd supposedly just gone to the toilet but instead, unbeknown to my friend, asked a nurse the way out to the car park. When he was a long time coming back my friend assumed he'd popped into the cafe for a drink or snack but after an hour people started looking for him. It was early evening and dark and he'd wandered right away from the carpark, scrambled up a steeply sloping garden area with lots of big rocks on it, slipped/stumbled and badly injured his head. He must have been lying there for ages semi-conscious, he was so cold and wet when discovered. A&E had to attend to him and he needed sutures on the head wound and now has bruises and abrasions all over his face. He's now insisting on going back to his own home and is getting into an agitated state because his nephew has hidden his car keys.


I'm wondering what I can do to help as all this anxiety is the last thing my friend needs at the moment. Her son will be staying until after the funeral and his wife and children will be flying over when the date is finalised. My friend is worried about letting her brother out of her sight but her son is helping her take care of making arrangements. Sad and stressful days for all concerned.

HairyHandofDartmoor

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

It has turned chilly all of a sudden. Don't feel too bad about missing the wedding. My DD and her husband travelled around 500 miles to her BILs wedding the other side of the country at a massive expense to them in the middle of her maternity leave with a toddler and a 3 month baby. Awful journey, extortionate expense and they did not even get a thank you. She felt they couldn't say no as it was her DHs brother but could have done without it and bitterly regrets going now. I think you made the right decision not to go and if lots of other relatives are not going too at least it is not just you.

It would certainly have been a very expensive party as the bride and groom chose a remote rural location on the Norfolk coast (despite living in London) and as many of the guests are from Scotland and Devon, it was a very long way for them to travel. Combined with the hotels being very expensive boutique types, it's not a very guest friendly wedding in that sense.

So yes I am glad really that we didn't go. Even if we'd had the money, it wouldn't have been the best use for it. We did send a very nice present though, which was cheap to us as it was 70% off in a sale .

So we did save a fortune overall :eek:.

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I agree about it being cold in the night. It was really cold when I got up at 6 this morning although I'd been waking a lot during a very restless night anyway. There's been snow in the far northern counties of England, some really pretty photos on BBC Breakfast weather this morning. Seems really early in the year for the first snowfall doesn't it?:eek:. I hope the wedding has better weather, it's such a shame when outdoor photos aren't possible.


My friend's husband died on Thursday night. He had been in a coma for several days and they decided the best thing was to switch off his life support and let him drift away. My friend's son is still over here (he lives in Canada now) but her brother is giving lots of cause for alarm. He wandered off from the hospital during the week in search of his car which isn't even parked there as my friend's brother has been driving them all there. He'd supposedly just gone to the toilet but instead, unbeknown to my friend, asked a nurse the way out to the car park. When he was a long time coming back my friend assumed he'd popped into the cafe for a drink or snack but after an hour people started looking for him. It was early evening and dark and he'd wandered right away from the carpark, scrambled up a steeply sloping garden area with lots of big rocks on it, slipped/stumbled and badly injured his head. He must have been lying there for ages semi-conscious, he was so cold and wet when discovered. A&E had to attend to him and he needed sutures on the head wound and now has bruises and abrasions all over his face. He's now insisting on going back to his own home and is getting into an agitated state because his nephew has hidden his car keys.


I'm wondering what I can do to help as all this anxiety is the last thing my friend needs at the moment. Her son will be staying until after the funeral and his wife and children will be flying over when the date is finalised. My friend is worried about letting her brother out of her sight but her son is helping her take care of making arrangements. Sad and stressful days for all concerned.

I'm sorry about your friend's husband Carboot. It's a very upsetting and distressing time for her.

With regard to her brother I'm not sure what you can do to help. He's certainly being a liability at the moment :eek:. At least your friend's son is there to help at the moment. Has your friend expressed her concerns about her brother to the doctors at the hospital?

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've had a very low budget Saturday today.

I spent £2.20 on a return bus ticket. Then walked to the coast and had a brisk walk by the sea. At the halfway point I found a bench at a good vantage point where I could sit and look out to sea. The sun was shining and I could see people scurrying about below. I drank my milky coffee from my travel mug and it was still hot. It was quite peaceful sitting there looking at the boats and the suntrails on the water. Then I sneaked into the cafe toilet and walked back to my bus stop.

I had to nip into Mr T before I came home but only spent £3.62 on eight bananas, satsumas and four bars of soap. So the whole day cost £5.82. A bit over my £5 budget because of the soap :mad: but still a lot less than I normally spend on a Saturday :T.

I've done 10,345 steps, 4.82 miles, 36 floors and 53 active minutes so far today.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I need to go to the pet shop and buy sawdust now :mad:, one expense after another . But the furry moron has a stinky cage so needs must. He also has a tendency to wee on the carpet when his cage is dirty :mad:.

After I've cleaned him out I need to wash some warm clothes and gloves, and fold up the crispy towels which are finally dry. Then I need to change our duvet for the winter one.

I just need to detach myself from under a warm throw on the sofa and get on with it!

HairyHandofDartmoor

I bought the sawdust (£1.20) and cleaned out the furry moron, sprayed and scrubbed three patches on the carpet where he'd wee'd :mad:, put some warm clothes on to wash and put the dishwasher on. Now all I need to do is change the duvet.

It's chilly and my weather app says eight degrees, but it must be warmer than that indoors. We're sitting under blankets, so no heating has gone on yet :A.

Onebrokelady

Hi Hairy,it's chilly in my corner of Devon today too,Im going to be wearing a hat scarf and gloves when I take the dog out later :eek:

Sugarcandy

Hi all, a lurker here. I've not had time to catch up on diaries this week, but as it's such an awful day, I thought I would do it this afternoon. Who would have thought reading a money saving diary would cost me £20 :rotfl: I had to buy those cashmere gloves you are all so pleased with x

HairyHandofDartmoor

I think you'll need them OBL.