Dec--k--(ember) the halls with discount holly,

[economymode]

New thread, complete with tenuous title, to help us keep track of finances this month. Come be a Scrooge with me!

Rogue thanks, that was what I needed , so it's not just our school then?

Fluffy nope, one dress was altered to fit and the shoes and dresses have been worn in rehersals. Otherwise I could have exchanged them for more practical things.

Lot's of countries here are cheap to live in, but we picked the one that boomed. It's a toss up really, do you live in a dirt cheap country with poor education and medical care, or go for the sparkly one with all the bells and whistles. The clinic we use is consistently voted 2nd best in Latin America, and the area we moved to, semi rural, small towns but within reach of the capital has become the place for footballers and TV types. Which has pushed prices of everything up. I now use the supermarket on the wrong side of the road. It literally is the other side of the motorway, but it's definitely over there as opposed to this side. Still need to go to the city for meat/fish as there's only one place that uses reliable refrigeration.

Anyway, another NSD here as DD2 is still in bed, again. She only has a cold so I don't need to spend good money take her to the Dr.

I was tempted to get Crimbo decorations at 70% off at the weekend, but we have more than enough already, so I saved my pennies.

Just butter, milk and gravy powder today.

Im so in agreement with posts on regretting historic frivolity in terms if finances. When I left exP it was with some debt, but I worked hard and got it all paid off. I then had 5 years if well paid singledom which with hindsight I regret most...holidays, cars, gadgets...stupid, but didnt feel like it at the time. Now, with DP we have a good joint income, with Id say average outgoings, but we still manage to fritter it away. The last 3 months (since being told rental property going up for sale) have been a real eye opener.

By being more frugal and accounting for the pennies Ive been able to save the last of a house deposit without too much of a challenge. We honestly dont feel as if we're doing without...definitely set a new foundation for our approach to things going forward.

On the house front, initial (and cheeky) offer declined. We've since met in the middle and offer has been accepted subject to satisfactory gas safety report, which is lined up for next week...woohoo!

Had to post some Ebay sales today, and one large item being picked up/paid for tonight. Other than postage, NSD here. Hope everyone is having a great week!

£7.76 today on fruit and treats to try to tempt DS1's appetite. He has barely eaten for a week and isn't very well covered to start with. Starting to think he isn't going to be well for his nativity on Friday :(

Mum2 - I think I remember your thread about your rental being put up for sale. You were wondering about buying it IIRC?

Hopefully the conveyancers wont be too busy in January and the sale will go through quickly. It's always worth a cheeky offer.

I think there is a £5 off voucher in the mirror tomorrow for aldi.

There is indeed a £5 off Aldi voucher tomorrow, fluffy. Happy days! Still waiting for my mince pies from them to turn up.

Haven't had a chance to have a proper read through all the recent posts, but seems like you've had a good few days, mum2fergus.

Ali, I know how you feel re poorly kids. EconomyBoy came down with chicken pox Saturday night (after we'd been at a 1st birthday party in the afternoon, so dread to think how many people will be having spotty Christmases...) so I've been stuck dealing with him whining and crawling the walls. On the plus side, I can't really take him to any shops in case we spread the love, so my spend has been mimimal this week. But my sanity is barely intact.

Annoyingly, the 99p changer I got from ebay is too big - turns out our cot is super-tiny (or space saving, as they like to call it) so anything meant to fit a standard cot is too big. So, back to the drawing board there.

You remember rightly AliBaba! We're not buying the rental (we have first refusal on it) ... the place we are already has us on our 2nd choice of school for DS, and planning permission for another 450 houses has just been granted which is likely to put us into 3rd choice. So cutting our losses and moving to a village nearer Edinburgh. The Primary School there has Breakfast/Aftershool/Summer clubs and is literally at the end of our path, so no issues in terms of catchment!

Really minimal spending here - just the Oyster bus/tube fares. Everything else is carefully considered. Took some 'rash' purchases back to John Lewis and returned them so that was £123.00 back on the card. (It was three items of clothing and, to be honest, I can make do, so returned them).

Off to the Royal Albert Hall tonight. DS is singing there . Tickets were massively expensive (£42.50 each + booking fee by the time I got details from the school ... and we needed two) but I figure that it is not often that you get to see your son sing there so I considered it money well spent.

Have reading the above posts and totally agree that when you put your mind to it and really examine what you need, rather than what you want, you can save so much money. We spend without thinking so often that it is a really useful exercise to spend consciously - the savings are immense.

economy, sorry your ebay bargain was not suitable. Is this something you can alter to make smaller?

Anyway, well done to everyone. There are some truly amazing savings going on here and you are all inspirational.

Am I right in assuming we are going to carry this on into 2013?????

Afternoon all...few bits n pieces today, milk, bread etc but bill was just over £12 as needed camera battery too. On the upside I had an Ebay sale paid for and collected, it was £21 so £9 better off than I was this morning. Spendy day tomorrow...petrol and works Xmas lunch but that is paid for up to £35 each, return train fare to Edinburgh.

rogue wow that is amazing for your DS, have a fabulous time!

Mum that sounds like a good move re. schools and so on, really pleased that things are working out for you :)

Spent £35 today on nappies, milk, bread, and a few other groceries.

Checked bank accounts again this morning and went through spending for the month. I think we should be able to save closer to £800 than £600 provided nothing unexpected turns up.

Just wanted to wish your DS well, rogue. What an amazing opportunity!

Ali, hope your DCs are on the mend? My DS came down with a tummy bug yesterday :(. He hasn't been sick since last night, so fingers crossed. I'm keeping him off school tomorrow anyway.

£22 posting a box of pressies to my family in the Rep.of Ireland! . But I bet it would cost more than that if I'd chanced adding them to my 15kg luggage allowance when we fly over on the 27th...

Rogue wow, I am impressed. I'm sure you'll enjoy it, hope DS enjoys performing. It really is an amazing venue, not surprising that you're proud of him.

Ali hope DCs feel better very soon, and Cremeegg hope your's gets over his stomach bug quickly.

Bit of a spendy day here, a few odd Xmas gifts, ironing lady - hand cream set and choc selection boxes on special offer-. £60 total in the supermarket, £13 on three birthday gifts for 3 classmates- hurray for the likes of Claire's, and £2.40 on the roads.

Another £102 spend today for the gas safety inspection on new house...its being done Tuesday am. I think I might be getting paid tomorrow...jeez, its really early this month, usually 20th. Need to try to forget its there...on the plus side ir will include the bonus of money Ive been setting aside for past year

Thank you ladies, he is an amazing boy in all ways but he is a truly excellent singer. When he joined his school he decided to audition for their Chamber Choir all by himself (he was in his Primary School Choir) and got accepted. He loves singing and so enjoys himself. He had a wonderful time last night and got to sing with Michael Ball (very nice man, DS tells me) and a variety of other singers. I am so proud of him - he really does commit to it. He has rehearsals all day tomorrow. as well, for the School Christmas concert - Haydn etc etc, which is tomorrow night. After that he can relax until next term!!

Sorry - thread hijack to bore you all with not so stealthy boasting >

Spend yesterday was bus and tube fares, £4.95 in Pauls (yes, I know, too expensive but I needed a coffee and had to have a bun too . Another £3.50 on programme so DS has memento and £5.00 donation in aid of Comic Relief (which was the Charity benefiting from last night's concert.

rogue I love Pauls I'm glad your DS enjoyed his evening. I did a lot of music when I was younger and had some great opportunities to rehearse and perform with amazing musicians. It is incredibly life-enhancing and so good for self-confidence.

DS1 is much better today, the antibiotics he was prescribed yesterday are kicking in.
I'm so relieved, because DH and I are going out tonight to see The Hobbit and I didn't want to lose the £28 that the tickets cost, but we couldn't leave a poorly child with a babysitter.
We are also off to see SIL, BIL and the DNs tomorrow for the weekend and we've got a hotel booked and paid for so we would have been seriously out of pocket if we had had to cancel.

So today will be £30 for babysitter, £10 for snacks and drinks at the cinema. We may need more milk, so £1.20ish for that, more Calpol and I want to get some nice chocolates and other Christmassy snacks to take to SILs with us.
Tomorrow we will need to fill the car up which will be about £35 - it is only half empty. Not sure what else, but I've allowed £30 for incidental expenses while we're away because you never know what will crop up.

So a spendy weekend, but it is all budgeted for

That's great that your DS is on the mend, ali. Enjoy your weekend away :).

Hi all, been a bad week this week. Garage roof leaking so that's £900 I've flushed down toilet as the cowboys who did it are nowhere to be seen :( Fridge broke down Monday, just fixed today, kicked off at British Gas who are sending me a £70 cheque for the spoiled food as they failed to fix it within 24 hours. Oh and the dishwasher leaked. Hopefully that's my 3 things. I've had 3 no spend days as I've been waiting in for British Gas to turn up (a lot!) But hey ho, DM and DMIL have both offered to help us out but luckily we have savings so nothing but my pride and my wallet hurt from being ripped off

That's awful elf, I wouldnt know where to start choosing builders and there seems to be so many dodgy ones around too.

£6.99 on a bottle of Prosecco from aldi (needed it)
£8 on petrol.

I will be washing with gloop this weekend.

I'm going to buy a spin dryer in the new year, I'm going to wait for a catalogue code for money off a spend over however many £ then go through quidco too. Some of the catalogues are fairly reasonable if you do it that way and pay by cash. Fed up of washing taking 3 days to dry.

If I had a tumble drier it would save me money but I dont use it.

All the good codes dried up just in time for christmas.

Yipee, DDs off school for our summer, no moré daily road tolls - will read later, have To run now.

Got a £5 off voucher from Waitrose as I have their loyalty card (never actually shopped there since I got the card) but it will pay for some frozen veg or something.

Fitted my shower regulator, it has reduced the flow from power shower to normal shower so I will have to take it out for DH's showers or he will notice and have an opinion about it.

Laundry gloop working well, didnt get turmeric out of 2 Ecloths so they will go through again with bleach on them. Only thing I've found to shift turmeric and I have a big pack of ariel stain remover I got for free I can try as a last resort.

You must be so relieved Adora, I honestly dont know how anyone in this country could cope if they had to pay to use the roads for the school run.

elf are there any trusted trader schemes near you? Often Age Concern run them but it's a good way of finding out who the good guys are.

Apart from our Saturday papers planning a NSD today. Although the outlaws are coming do I may need to replenish the Aldi rip off Baileys when they leave as I'll have drunk it all.

Oh buggery bollocks, Spark plug misfired in DH's car and has destroyed the catalytic convertor, that's £720 when will our run of bad luck end?

Oh elf :(. Nightmare! Wish I could offer more than sympathy.

Great to hear about the gloop working well, fluffy :), and that must be a relief, adora. How long do you get for summer holidays?

£3.80 total for today, on the paper and sending a parcel, but that should be it for today. Spent £15.50 yesterday.on a top-up shop.

Thanks cremeegg, just watched the news and have slightly more perspective after watching that poor town in conneticut mourning for those poor children, teachers and their families :(

Just got a quote from someone else (guy we used to drink with) they can do it for led than £500.

Also the bloke who did my roof was on one of those rated websites, so don't trust them people!