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From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future
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Oh, in terms of fuel, we have seen a variety of prices - naturally the motorway services were the highest price 😱 and there was 16p difference with the lowest prices we've seen. However, there have been quite a few places with locked up pumps. We took the decision to top up from the service station across the road from the purpley hotel. It wasn't the absolute-li-est lowest price, but it was actually the modal price we've seen, round and about, and 14p cheaper than the motorway prices.
Greying X
Grocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends8 -
£2.80 spent in MrW on plant-based balls and a pack of salad tomatoes.
We also had a lunch out, in a Fish & Chip shop with a sit down restaurant. £33 for 3 cooked veggie lunches, not too bad.
I'm away to update my siggie figgie.
Greying X
Grocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends10 -
Have a wonderful time, it looks like you will be lucky with the weather 😊
MFW 67 - Finally mortgage free! 💙😁4 -
I was looking at the breakfast costs for the purple hotel the other day and was surprised at how much it is, even when it's allegedly an "all you can eat". I suspect our family would only really get value for money if we also several pieces of fruit each to have as snacks through the day and also took a pastry for DS's morning snack. Perhaps they assume that's what you do and price accordingly?
"You won't bloom until you're planted" - Graffiti spotted in Newcastle.
Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind - Doctor Who
Total mortgage overpayments 2017 - 2024 - £8945.62!6 -
I think VintageHistorian that it's that……2? children can eat free with an adult paying for their meal? I've never thought it vfm for us, as whilst we can be big eaters when we try, technically we would be paying for 3 other children to have breakfast, which could - potentially - be a whole heap more food. I'm sure for families with multiple kids, it's a good deal, but much like 'family' tickets rarely save us anything, I haven't yet bothered with a purpley breakfast.
So I bought more groceries today from MrL. We called in on the way back from a museum and NT visit, so I'm really not touring MrL's for our hols……. hadn't actually been to this store before though 😉😂 I spent £16.49, but £10+ of that is alcohol. Note to self, don't bother with the 'former prime minister's name' 0% cider, as it tastes just like fizzy apple juice…. which is cheaper. I did also buy some pre grated grana padano, as I didn't want to buy a block, but it will go nice with tonight's tea (plantballs, tommie sauce & pasta).
I have also bought some of the kimchi from MrL - not sure i've seen it at our branches, so wanted to try it, especially after an anti-B course. Tastes nice. Too hot for LG, and DH pulled a sort of face, but I like it.
We've had brilliant sunshine here today, and ate our picnic lunch underneath the most wonderful in blossom cherry trees - which gave some lovely shade.
Away to check on tea, and update my siggie figgie. I must have broken the £100 mark now 😱 EDIT: not quite - just under £94…….
Greying X
Grocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends10 -
lunch in the shade of a blossom tree sounds idyllic. Happy holidays
5 -
It sounds like you’re having a lovely time!
On the kimchee, unfortunately unless it is refrigerated (and unpasteurised) it’s unlikely to be that good for the gut. Still tasty though!
Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway4 -
The kimchi was from the fridge section tmv - so I assumed (possibly erroneously) that it was on a par with the vAdSz brand? It was £1.99 for 200g, and it says it has probiotics in it, and it is to be kept refrigerated. It is supposed to be an authentic Korean recipe (?), but I accept your point regarding the jarred stuff - kimchi or sauerkraut. I had not seen this in any MrL's locally to home before, but I think I shall look out for it now. And whilst I would love to do kefir, sauerkraut or kimchi, I still lack the confidence to do it myself ☹️
Edit: the brand name is bibigo - I don't know if that is a 'made up' brand, or they've been at it yonks.
Greying X
Grocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends7 -
Bibigo Kimchi is lovely! A Korean friend of mine swears by it as a standby to homemade! It's what I keep in the fridge at work to bulk out meal deals & bought mine at the Korean grocery near the office, though it is available through online shopping as well.
4 YEARS 10 MONTHS DEBT FREE!!! (24 OCT 2016)(With heartfelt thanks to those who have gone before us & their indubitable generosity.)...and now I have a mortgage! (23 AUG 2021)Original End Date - Sept 2041 New projection - Sep 2038 (reduced by 3 years)7 -
Oh rt - that is useful to know. But I am now wondering whether MrL gives their store managers any flexibility to stock some products. Mind, I haven't actively looked for kimchi in our local MrL, so it could have been sitting there all along. I'm glad it tasted nice, and having looked it up on the bibigo site, it seems like it is a 'useful' product for the gut biome.
Greying X
Grocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends6
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