The friendly frugaleers natter on through November...

[blueteapot]

Hope you dont mind me starting a shiny new thread

Thanks for all your kindness and advice. That story about the road sign made me wince! DD has been so brave, much more so than me! We are going back to the plastics dept next week for a check up and they are going to talk to us about massaging it. In the meantime we've just put "Mr Tumble's magic cream" on it (antibiotic!) and she has gone to bed. Going to have a shower and watch tv in my pjs with cake and hot chocolate!

Oh pointless your poor little DD. And to be stuck in a stuffy noisy hospital for that long with a little'un. You definitely deserve cake and a hot choc.

Pointless now awful for you all, thank goodness they don't want to operate. My one piece of advice for scars is sunscreen. Use plenty on the area and it will help it not form a keloid. Enjoy your cake xx

I have an eye test booked for Wednesday. So it won't be a no spend week after all but I successfully had a no spend day today.

I'm actually excited about my eye test and getting new glasses I've seen some bargainous frames that aren't too pricey. Very pleased!

Gosh, Pointless , you poor thing. That must have been terrifying for you and your DD. I hope you can all have a quiet few days now .

Great result on the dishwasher, ipsos. It just goes to show it's worth keeping on at them. What a difference between this and their first offer!

Today's spends: £20 on gas. Still had over £2 left from when I topped up £20 last Monday, so that's about £18 for 7 hours heating a day and my gas cooker. Not too bad at all.
£7.50 on extra travel. DS didn't take enough for his return bus fare, so I had to go and meet him at the bus station. Also spent £1 on 2 chocolate bars. I could have done without that today!

I hope all the poorly posters and DCs get well soon.

Good news on the dishwasher
Big hugs pointless and dd. My brother has a childhood scar which I may or may not have given him and you can hardly see it now

Evening.

Oh Pointless, your poor DD What a long time to wait too, you must be exhausted.

Great result re the dishwasher ipsos.

Big spends lila.

LSD. £2.60 on sawdust for the chickens. A fox got in the run today and nearly caused havoc, luckily I saw and sent the dog hurtling after it. Poor things were pretty stressed though.

Veg chilli for tea, as I forgot to defrost anything, but it was actually lovely.

Hope the hot choc and cake did the trick Pointless for you and for DD. One of mine did something similar years ago, swinging betweens sofas and one slipped. Split her chin right open and I passed out while the Dr was stitching her up, the scar has faded considerably over the years.

Slightly spendy day here, £8 in WHSmiths, £7 posting docs, £9 in Sainsbo's and a separate £10 in there on a Christmas present and £3 on coffees. Cold here and I was out longer than intended.

I got a cheque from the LA school bus people, refund as we haven't used the service, which is very handy because the trip to the US emptied the account and I was about groceries but have now booked a delivery don't tell DH the cheque hasn't gone back to the joint account

Thanks all, feeling much better than this time yesterday and just got into bed, it has never felt so comfy!

Sleep well, Pointless.

babs

Off to work should be nsd no 3!

I got a refund yesterday from aliexpress as buyer hadn't responded to my message to know where item was, it arrived last night I did put money back into joint account.

Had a poor nights sleep ds woke as I was putting dd to bed so just brought him in with me.

Finally got a decision from my siblings regarding Christmas so I will order today for my parents & 2 of them will give me their share on Thursday other it'll probably be Christmas.
Decided to do gifts for each other €20 budget thinking boots 3 for 2 maybe.

Never did tesco order as went to bed with ds at 9pm. It appears dh is not working today as he hasn't left yet so he might go to aldi instead.

Nsd planned today

I've gone and woken up with an upset stomach today on the very day that the carpenter was meant to be replacing the skirting boards in our one toilet. How's that for timing? No carpenter for me then.

Eek, ipsos - hope you feel better soon. At least you found out this morning though, rather than when the carpenter was already here :o

I'm quite proud of myself, I'm keeping my Christmas spreadsheet up to date. It's definitely helping me think more carefully about what I'm buying. Literally the first time EVER that I've kept track of my spending

Good point Fuzz. :-)

That's great that you've got that spreadsheet. I have one for the first time too this year and I was quite surprised about how it all mounted up. It's helping me to now overspend though. Everything I feel like having some little Christmas indulgence I can just look back at the list and remind myself that I have already had quite enough of those.

I wasn't really expecting it to help me cut back this year really so the fact it has is a bit of a bonus. My plan really was to just add up the total this year, and then use that as a maximum for next year but round it down a bit. Trying to do the same with DH but he refuses to tell me what he spent on me sure it's not a massive amount but he's just being stubborn! :o

I am feeling a bit less smug now than I was before though, since I've started properly shopping (rather than just picking up a bargain now and then) - it really does mount up fast

I think it might be different this year though because there isn't a big main present. We've done the big sets of Playmobil for a few years now but there's no more room. A bit worried about the lack of 'wow factor' (especially as this may well be the last year of DD believing - she's already twigged about the tooth fairy).

Oh no, ipsos, hope you feel better soon.
DD is a bit subdued today but it hasn't slowed her down, she's still running round and climbing on everything. I can't keep up with her!
A Xmas spreadsheet is a great idea. I might start one.
Just spent £62 in Asda, a tenner of that was on 3 packs of vitamin D tablets, cheaper than another prescription.

I have a Xmas spreadsheet too. I love it. [santa]

NSD today but I'm browsing online for remainder present ideas. I haven't got anything for DH yet. I'm really slacking! And I'm crowdphobic so I'm definitely not going out christmas shopping.

Vision Express phoned up and said they couldn't do my eye test tomorrow after all. I'll find another optician as my local branch don't seem particularly reliable. This is second time they've double booked me.

Get well soon ipsos.

Ditto on the crowd phobia Collie I am hoping to avoid town for the rest of the year - or the mall at least as that's the worst bit.

I quite like crowds but I went to town at the weekend and it honestly wasn't worth the hassle. Enjoy being not-in-town for the coming few weeks. It's a good decision.

I WILL finish the Christmas shopping this weekend.

Have no clue what to buy dh, we have our weekend away in January so I've got brownie points for that anyhow.

Then any trip to town is for fun not essential.

This year our Christmas bonus can be taken in vouchers and none through our wages which is taxable, tax usually takes away about half of it so this is brilliant. We can split between Dunnes Stores and One 4 All vouchers. I'm thinking new glasses with a one 4 all voucher as Specsavers have offered me glasses through my lensmail anyhow and then remainder in Dunnes Stores vouchers to revamp my wardrobe. Spent 2015 mostly avoiding buying clothes because I was going to lose this 2st, think it's time to just do it now. But might get more sensible as the week goes on I've a week to decide on the split for the vouchers.

Nsd. Fever etc seems to have calmed down but my chest is really painful.

Have to get dd from the bus in a bit and ds is in his room having a strop so I'm watching paw patrol on my own...

Caesar salad with chicken goujons for dinner.

Hope you feel better very quickly ipsos

NSD.

Most Christmas shopping is done although I still don't know what to get for DD2. She loves drawing and painting but I feel that art materials could become the " default gift" if I do it again. Having worked in stores in Oxford St I've seen enough Christmas/Sale mania, don't need to join in.