From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

badmemory

I used to keep 27 tins of tomatoes but I only keep 18 now & of red kidney beans too.

Blackcats

So pleased that you are less stressed.  Will be good to see you shaking your Pom poms to celebrate getting YOUR money back!
when we had 3 lots of cash withdrawals show on our account instead of the one cash withdrawal we had made I was super impressed with ch^se bank.  There's a button on the app that says "something not right?" Tapped this, did a short summary and received a phone call from a human being who said they would follow up with the cash machine provider.  Received an update after 5 days and the money back within 7 days. 

greenbee

This is one of those occasions when online banking really helps - you can deal with it day or night, and as @Blackcats says, some banks have the ability for you to log the problem in an app. If you're not comfortable with online banking (and honestly, it's probably more secure than banking in person now), then consider getting one credit card with a low limit that you have online facilities for and use for online banking. I like the fact that my CC's flash up a notification on my phone when a transaction goes through (online, in person, subscriptions) so I can confirm that what I think I've paid is what's been taken... and when people say it hasn't gone through I can check the app before I try the transaction again. 

It may not be TL who are at fault, it could well be the payment processor.

Greying_Pilgrim

LotsOfTea - it was nice 'second time around', so well worth making.  I would 'love' to do the proper hot pot topping, as per the recipe, but I know I would be disappointed.  I paired it with baked beans.  We're very low on broccoli and I didn't realise that we don't have any green beans.  All a bit 'studenty bedsit' vibes, but you've got to take your giggles where you can find them 🤣

Blackcats - That's a useful service.  I think I've been a bit surprised at how much is in the hands of the retailer/seller.  You could potentially be out of pocket, because of someone elses mistake, computer glitch or keying error or something.

badmemory - that's an impressive inventory 😁 Tinned tomatoes are so expensive now ☹️(even the valoo sort).

I did do a little bowl of brown rice and lentil dhal for LG before they went out.  I don't think they'll starve, but there may have been a bit of a wait before refreshments.  

The school tops dried and I folded them and put them away.  Tea for everyone was out of the freezer and a storecupboard tin of beans.  Perhaps you shouldn't eat like that all the time, but it filled a hole, had more vegetable content than expected, and was cheap and cheerful.  

I didn't do any baking, but I did finalise the accommodation for the holiday, and got LG through their homework - quite quickly tonight, less than an hour.......

I got me steps in, wandering into Greying Town, and by default, did (eventually) get everything on my shopping list.  

Driving back from dropping LG off tonight, I went through a built up/retail area and flying probably about 30ft over the main road was a heron.  I'm not totally sure which type, but it was quite big.  They really do look pre-historic, don't they.  

All in all, it's been a good day.  I have much to be grateful for.  Thank you for dropping by.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

greenbee said:

It may not be TL who are at fault, it could well be the payment processor.

That's the thing - the screen that went from 'we're processing your transaction' to 'oops sorry, there's been an error - we're looking into it' had no identifier at all.  My bank authentification page that popped up was the normal, branded page, and responded when I had completed the authorisation tasks, but the error page could have been anyone.  Funnily enough, the 'old fashioned' way I paid the balance for the week's accommodation this afternoon, was much quicker.  I spoke to a real live person, gave my details and the invoice email was with me before I said goodbye and put the phone down 🤣

Greying X

Humdinger1

badmemory said:

I used to keep 27 tins of tomatoes but I only keep 18 now & of red kidney beans too.

People used to point and laugh at my pantry - tins of tomatoes, beans stacked by type, pesto, tuna etc.  They started to see the point when Brexit hit, and as for the pandemic...I was a central distribution hub, all fully remote of course.  Then when Ukraine was invaded and Odessa port was blockaded, I stocked up on flour as lots comes from there.  I know it might sound uptight, but I love having plentiful stocks.  If I can't get to the shops, the pantry plus home grown produce and freezer diving will keep us well fed for quite a while.  Im sure I'll have plenty of empathy here. 

Good luck with your rebate @Greying_Pilgrim.  I feel the immortal phrase 'we need to discuss a large goodwill gesture' hovering in the wings.  Love Humdinger xx 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Damp, foggy and cold start with us today.  

I've just checked and I have just passed the £15 threshold with my n*ctar points, so that will come in handy for the October budget (I'm currently thinking).  I won't be able to save the points for the holiday food expenditure - whilst actually away, as I checked and the MrS supermercados are extremely limited in the vicinity - pretty much limited to express shops as far as I can see.  My experience (call me out if I'm wrong) of the localised express daily sized stores is that they (obviously) have limited stock/range, and are usually higher priced. However, I shall be - at times - in the vicinity of at least one, and possibly two MrW's 🥰👏 Even if I only get to have a look around, I'll be in heaven 🥰🤣

So, my plan is to use the points where i can "at home" and then use the cash "saved" for holiday food spends.  I've decided to have another 'lean' month for October, but set the grocery budget at £200 for 'home spends' which is 3.5 weeks, and the week away will be a full week at the end of the month.  By tagging on a PI stay at the start, and end of the holiday, I may have shot myself in the foot for budget grub on the first night/sandwiches on the way home.  If we were staying in self-catering from the first night, I would have made/frozen some sort of meal to take with us for the first night's tea, but obviously we will be in a PI with no facilities, so it's not impossible, but slightly more difficult.  Also, I will try to see if, from 'home spends' I can buy anything that we can take with us for meals on holiday.  Clearly I'm limited on 'fresh' stuff, but tinned tomatoes (!), or beans or pasta or whatever, will be useful.  I wish i had room for a holiday 'box' to start collecting things - I have a bottle of oil already.  But we've not room, and also - as yet, I've not let on to LG that we're having a holiday, so they would only go picking, poking and asking questions if they saw the box - and it's not like it's things we would give for Harvest Festival, so that guise is out! 🤣  But with the exception of MrW "tourism", I do want to try to avoid using valuable 'fun' time to schlep around supermercados.  

I have put a wash on of DH's workwear, but there is no point in pegging out yet, it'd just get damper 🙄

I'm not too sure what to make for tea today.  I still haven't come up with a solution for tomorrow night's tea in front of the rugger.  

I had better go and peg the washing out - there is sunlight trying to poke through, so I'm risking missing valuable 'warming' time.  

Like Arnie, "I'll bee back".

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Dearest MFW'rs, forgive me.  I have something to confess, since I was here last..........

So, I needed to pop to pick summat up near to MrS...... and I just thought I would pop in (stoopid idea as it was really busy) to just check if there was still school uniform available.... and I went in past the veg aisle......... and I happened to notice that there was a F&V box on the £2 stand........ and I looked in it....... and I thought it looked very good............. and, well it came home with me, dear reader 😔

I am now £2.18 over my grocery budget target for September.  But it was a 'good enough' box to warrant purchase - even the till operative looked it over with approval...... 😯

And I still have no idea if MrS still has school uniform in stock....... 🙄

Anyhoo, chore completed, and I got a veg box too.  Win.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Win win indeed!

beanielou

Definatly a win.