From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

themadvix

The positive to take from LG’s ‘last-minuteness’ is that at least they weren’t thinking about Christmas in September! 😊. Hope list and delivery tally sufficiently!

Greying_Pilgrim

I'm back (proverbial bad penny and all that..... 🤣)

And visitors - how wonderful.  👋 to Cherryfudge, Ladywithaplan and tmv.

Nowt too drastic Cherryfudge, although I think we were very lucky really that nowt bad happened to anyone.  Let's just say that the storm coincided with LG's club weekend stopover activity, and the club didn't cancel 😱 Anyhoo.  Everyone is safe and well, and in the end, a good time was had by all.  Risk assessment interpretation only works when you all start on the same page, or you're all located in the same county or whatever.  But all's well that ends well, so I'll shut up about it now.

LaPlan - I am not looking forward to the ticky-tocky, influencer, Utoob years...... we're on the cusp, we really are, but not quite there yet.  But a Christmas Jumper that was deemed 'ok' a couple of weeks ago was far too babyish to be seen in by this weekend, so it's coming........ 🙁

tmv - I'm feverently holding on to the fact that LG's Christmas "obsession" is still centered around the tree, decorations and activities. Presents are "there", but not front, back and centre.  They enjoyed today's advent activity, and have kept their chocolate treat for later on - to eat on the way back from activity, so I am very, very blessed with my kiddo's nature.  It could be so much worse.  I know it will change, and I know that I'm not going to like those changes, but I really am grateful that we've had "this long" of experiencing 'simple' pleasures, we're incredibly fortunate.  

I've had a lovely morning sipping coffee and munching toast, and having a good auld laugh with my chum.  To think we only met when our kiddos were in nursery together, we get on like a house on fire.  Such a tonic.  We went to the same community cafe as I went to last week, but we're both happy to support the charity and the food and drink is great.  And yes, dear reader, I DID put my hand in my pocket and pay for us both, this time - I benefitted last week, so got to keep the flow going.  

Everything is out on the line.  I don't think it is as breezy as forecast, but fingers crossed it is a bit better than when it was pegged out.  

Bums.  I have just remembered I haven't got enough milk for today.  Other than the c0-op, there isn't anywhere en-route that I could have got it.  I don't have the c0-op card, so milk is expensive.  But may be better off getting some from there than spending money whizzing to MrL or whatever.  I shall consult my list of 'other things required', see if I can do any trip combining.  

DH did manage a bit of DIY at the weekend.  Not as much as he'd hoped to complete, but he was thwarted in his efforts bless him.  I bought some - quite frankly - rubbish paint from beeandem.  It was the brand sTaN1ey, which I've always thought of as 'reasonable' quality for tools etc.  But my goodness, I think they must have forgotten to put the pigment in this paint, it was more like varnish!  DH went out and got some of the paint beloved by that shaggy old English Shepherd dog - completely different quality, y'know, like turned the wood being painted a totally different colour and everything........ 🙄

Right, I had better crack on.  Fingers crossed no body at school/club/activity dreams up any "whizzobang" additional activities "because it's Christmas". I'm currently just about holding on by my fingernails at the mo...... 😉

Greying X

rtandon27

@Greying_Pilgrim - hello my dear - have you thought about perhaps using the app for your co-op card? If I'm not mistaken you can sign up for one via their web-site & even the app directly - these days, most loyalty cards can be both used via app and downloaded to your g00gle wallet - I was well pleased not to have to carry around my several day-to-day cards 'just in case' there was a bargain to be had & also have now taken them off my keychain, further lightening the load!  A lovely young thing at water-rocks bookstore reminded me to load my card onto the phone when for the second time, i had to go back to have small receipts credited to my account. They are so handy in fact, that I added MrL & Coldland to OH's phone so we could benifit from his purchases of cheap wine & cheap eggs! 

Greying_Pilgrim

Ah, blessing in disguise.  Activity cancelled this week due to technical issues beyond anyone's control.  No-one's fault and at least we've been informed in advance, so no-one is having to navigate tricky rural back roads in the dark.  Phew.

I will get milk from the c0-op now, as there will be no reason to fire up the jalopy again.  That's assuming they have milk in stock/have had a delivery of course.

Greying X

in_need_of_direction

i avoid the use of apps - i need my smart phone for work so keep it relatively free from other stuff.  i do have a co-op loyalty card linked to my email account (also not on my phone).  approx every fortnight, i get 20p off milk so i've easily covered the £1 cost.  also, it's a small key ring type card so takes up little space.

additionally, i can't reconcile companies claiming to be environmentally friendly while insisting on apps that drain battery life more quickly. A$da - i'm looking at you!

Greying_Pilgrim

INOD - I'm not a fan of c0-op at the best of times, their loyalty card has never been useful to me.  When I had one, they mysteriously stopped communicating and "munched" a load of points/credit we had on it, so I'd binned the card. 

But I have just paid 75p more for some milk than I do at MrL's 😱 It wasn't even organic, but it was the only blue top I could see.  The person on the till, who is also a relative of one of LG's chums, couldn't say why it was so expensive - but thought it may be because it wasn't cO0p branded.  I did ask if it was 'local', but they didn't know.  But I have just looked, and for sure, it is produced in at least the same county as us - just.  If DH makes the other milk last until after breakfast tomorrow, now.........  £2.20 to add to the grocery budget 🙄

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

rt - soz,  I missed your comment.  I'm going to stick with not bothering with a c0op card.  I know I have moaned twice about the cost of their milk (i think their regular blue top is about 25p dearer than MrL), but I have only bought milk..... twice? in the year or so since we've been here, so realistically, it isn't a card/app I will use.

I used to shop at the c0op local to the rental house a little bit more, but that was before they changed their YSing policy, so I got some real bargains there.  And when there used to be a c0op in Greying Town centre, that was really worth popping into as they used to YS the most random things, including "out of date" (😉) wine.  But that closed down many moons ago.

Greying X

rtandon27

@Greying_Pilgrim 🤣🤣🤣 - I'd not for a moment thought you'd ignored me 🤣🤣🤣 - I do however realize you might be sick of me banging on about the wonders of technology - really can't help myself as it's ingrained to embrace new ways of doing business (life) & I spend a lot of my day convincing our long-term staff of it!  Last Thursday one of my work chums brought me his phone and said - 'Look I installed the XYZ app, now what?' - I love him dearly so stifled my laughter and replied - 'You make the coffees and we'll go sit in the kitchen and figure this out together!'

Greying_Pilgrim

Aw, rt - I don't mind you talking about technology.  I'm not dyed in the wool, anti technology, but I'm reluctant to embrace it for everything. I really don't use the c0op enough to sign up to the loyalty card again - especially as I **think** the benefits have (much the same as all other stores), been somewhat watered down.  I would probably sign up for the MrL app before anything else, but I am not sure their scheme is as generous as it was....

Tea made and munched.  Omlette, mash, baked beans and cauliflower.  Brown sauce as we were having eggs - red was on the table, but I've indoctrinated converted Team Greying to be Team Brown on 'omlette for tea nights' 😉  i'm also pleased that because I had time to make tea from scratch, we were able to have a relatively low cost meal.  Helped balance out costs and expenditure today 😁👍

The washing did well considering we're in December.  DH's work clothes had the most time, and they were quite dry to the touch.  LG's clothes didn't fair so well - I'm not sure they got such a good spin, but i decided to peg out rather than spin again.  I put the dehu on for 1hr when I brought the clothes in and now they are in front of the radiator.  

Bit of a funny day in terms of spending money - but a small bit of social spending once in a while won't derail us, and the milk probably did still work out cheaper, although I clearly won't make a habit of buying it from there.  Hopefully I will be able to get another load of washing done tomorrow.  

Today i am grateful for a hook-up with a chum and a right larf.  

Ta for popping by and chatting.  Appreciated.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Wash out on the line.  3 bits of LG's stuff and then the rest of the load was my clothes, so fingers crossed I'll be nudging towards being a little more 'up to date' if this load dries well. Although it doesn't seem as breezy as yesterday at the mo......

You can have 3 guesses whether the new milk needed to be opened this morning before any shops that sell milk were open......................... 🙄😠

I can't currently think of anything that is MSE/Mortgage minded, so I'll push off and do something, and report back if any of it has saved me money, or made us a step closer to being millionaires...... 😉

I do need to make a list tho.  That will help.

Greying X