Don't Panic, December is frugal this year.

[Fluffycloudland77]

NSD = no spend day
LSD = Low spend day

Italian, that is so sad

for you and your friend Italian. How awful.

Waves at Spotty

Trying to get my cards done, but been mega busy and I feel absolutely shocking. Full of cold. DS was off yesterday with it and DH has had it too.

Expecting my fruit and veg delivery later. Don't really want to go out but have to walk dogs and post some stuff.

And buy stamps, so will look into taking another mortgage out for that!

Frugal fail - boiler breakdown, only it wasn't, as DH had tried to fix but not closed down all the valves properly, so £100 so absolutely no reason.

Frugal win - Had £30 of my M&S vouchers left, bought all my cards and wrapping (plus lots of other reduced items) for 38p

Going to be tight this month I think.

We get two weeks off our rent over Christmas because we pay weekly rather than pcm so that always really helps.

My food shop this week is ridiculous. Tesco have definitely upped their prices this month. So need cheap meal ideas.

I'm thinking tuna stir fry (have tuna already)
Meatballs with pitta and salad (have mince already)
Roast chicken with rice and peas
Left over chicken with salad and rolls
Fish cakes and mash
Cauliflower, spinach and pea korma (already have sauce)
That's all I have so far. Might do beans on toast one night.

I've put on loads of weight I'm at my heaviest so need to try and eat less crap. That should reduce the food bill...

Hmmm I have added a few Christmas bits so maybe that's it.

Phew! Dsis and BIL not coming up till next week so I have a weeks grace to find a gift, plus she's going to text me a few ideas, so I have time to prepare.

Looking forward to DS's play tomorrow 'Whoops-a-daisy-angel' which sounds as if it is going to be comedy. DS will probably pick his nose or do something else embarassing, but it should be lovely all the same!

Went to use my orchard party food tokens but they didn't seem to have much of the food in at the moment, but I wonder if that's because it is still some way till Christmas or ours is a Tesco Metro? Do you use the friend tokens as well on the 3 for 2?

So it is going to be a fairly LSD today, just need to figure out a nice tea...

Thanks all... He has a very rare condition and already been trough 7 operations in his 7 months life. He's the happiest little boy when not in pain and he's a strong fighter. On top of his condition he fell and hit his head on a concrete floor so that's why he's in coma now. Hope he's brain is not damaged.
Trying our best to help put where we can, I'm bringing food to my friends at the hospital a couple of days a week because hospital food is not fun to eat. And checking their flat for mall ect. But really wish we could do more
Going grocery shopping today. Need my own bits and bops and promised to bring some Christmas snacks...

It sounds like you're doing a great job of supporting them Italian will keep their little boy in my thoughts, poor baby :(

Yesterday:
10/12
£2 bus
£8 M&S including some walnut whips for DH for Xmas - he thinks they all have gluten in (he's coeliac) so he will be really excited!)
£10.50 lily o brian chocolate in lightning deal I'm not even going to pretend it's for a present :o

Was nearly a much more expensive day though - collected some Xmas present parcels and left them in M&S! thankfully I remembered quickly. Was also expensive as I felt really unwell last night so DH got a taxi home to deal with the DCs rather than waiting for 2 buses.

Nothing wrong with that collie

Just the veg delivery, the guy that runs the business gave me a fresh curry sauce to try too

Meant to say (and didn't preview), LSD, just the veg delivery....

Your friend's lucky to have a supportive friend in you Italian. Hope the little one picks up soon.

Frugality seems to have gone out of the window here and we've had a bit of a spending splurge

However, I don't feel like the money's been wasted as it has been spent on things which will be well used. Quite a chunk has gone on new clothes for dh as he hadn't had anything new for a couple of years and it really was showing! I don't work on a Thursday and had planned to finalise all Christmas plans, lists etc but woke up feeling lousy so have spent the day feeling sorry for myself on the sofa. I'll try to do the lists tonight instead.

My pil are now coming to us for Christmas for the first time and have offered to contribute food/money (they'll be here for 4 days) so will plan what to ask them to bring. I think I'd rather do that than ask for money.

Right went on Christmas shopping mission!!

Have done quite well I think..

£21 in Boots, got a dress for my niece £8 and some toiletry sets which were 3 for 2.

£7 in m&s on a nice wash bag and smellies for my dad - it was half price.

£7 on Christmas cards, charity ones.

£3 on face wipes - for me!

£4 on a 2015 diary, wrapping paper and sellotape in Card warehouse - love that shop!

£7 on socks for sil

£15 in a book for my dad (had £4 off)

Another £11 on toiletry sets in Superdrug for dd, her class teacher and my mum.

Also took some bits back to Sainsburys so £10 up.

Quite pleased as more or less done now!

LSD here. £1.60 on three mirror papers for me and two friends. £4 on a cookery magazine but I really shouldn't have.
Nothing else but out christmAs shopping tomorrow and aldi so need plans and lists for that tonight.

So nsd today because I went grocery shopping with my mom who paid for all before I had a chance to pay. Very sweet of her...
Bought some Christmas snacks for friends but had already got money for it and been out to deliver it, he's been having a brain scan today but no result yet
Thanks to those who have him in their thoughts. All I want for Christmas is him being out of coma...

Itakian you're helping them already, that poor child. I hope he comes out of this.

How did I miss an Aldi voucher?. I have an ocado one to use, we are away over Christmas so I won't need much anyway.

£1.20 on cat food. He doesn't get Christmas presents due to never expressing strong religious beliefs. Could be agnostic for all I know.

Such sad news Italian, really hope he turns a corner soon.

£22 in Waitrose as got sucked into buying a nice cheese selection and posh crackers for Christmas when all I really needed was sausagemeat . Oh, and a Christmas Radio Times!

BTW, made an executive decision to not give DS tomatoes for sausage rolls, weird school!

NSD today, but v v expensive day yesterday - dinner with a former colleague who felt like splashing out somewhere posh, which was lovely but £££.

, Italian. your poor friend and poor baby.

That's so sad Italian. You sound like a lovely friend to have.

Nsd, still off sick and managed to avoid amazon. ..

So sad Italian

How is your dd now? I know you had some problems before.

I need to buy some lunch today as working until one thirty then dd's nativity at two thirty so will be a rush

11/12
£1 charity donation
£9.50 present for dad (Venice recipe book on amazon lightning deal)
£6.99 DVD for me (accounted for)
£25 lego treehouse - on eBay but free click and collect to local Entertainer shop :) glad I checked as I was about to pay more than that on amazon. A lego house is the only thing DD really mentioned wanting so she will love it!
£35.99 ticket to ride Europe. Getting this with my birthday/Xmas money from grandma but will wrap it as a family present I think :)

NSD yesterday, might manage it today too though we've started to run out of stuff. We have a lot of food in freezers and cupboards so I'm planning to try and run all that down next week and avoid a "big shop" until c.20th.
But we still need laundry powder etc. Sigh. We have booked tickets to a play in London on Monday (booked them before I got sick, so ages ago!) and we are so looking forward to it, hoping for a nice meal too.