The friendly frugaleers natter on through November...

[blueteapot]

Hope you dont mind me starting a shiny new thread

Spotty that's hilarious that you're watching paw patrol on your own. I know that situation well.

I still have loads of Xmas shopping to do, have totally failed in my attempt to have it all done by November! Might see how much I can do online this week. DH has been to the butcher on his way to work to order turkey, sausages and bacon so at least that's one job ticked off. He didn't ask how much it would cost though!
Meals for this week (all DD's faves to cheer her up!):
Tonight - frittata
Tomorrow - cauliflower cheese
Thurs - chicken curry with DH, I'm going out with friends.
Fri - pasta with tomato sauce
Sat - take away with friends
Sun - roast dinner
Mon - bubble and squeak.
Will also make sweet potato soup for lunches this week and squash soup for the weekend.

lila Very surprised that the vouchers are not taxable to be honest. If we gave our guys vouchers, to my limited knowledge, they would still be classed as a benefit in kind and therefore declarable?

NSD today.

Just in from work but only for an hour as we have a sixth form open evening to go to tonight for the DC.

I put moroccan lamb into the SC this morning and it smells lovely, so we will have this when I get in. I can't remember if someone wanted the recipe, I will post later.

Hope you feel better soon ipsos

Really weird. Just got my amazon delivery (well one of them anyway and it had an extra item in it. A CD. I double checked that I hadn't ordered something by mistake, and I hadn't.

My ds has started peeling skin off his finger tips and I asked why and he says because he's stressed about trying to get enough house points at a school. Oh dear. Must ask the teacher what he needs to do to get house points.

Dd gets house points for good handwriting being really good and helping people apparently. She also gets two house points each time she reads at home. Sorry to hear he's stressed about it it's unfair for them to have so much pressure at such a young age.

ipsos Your poor DS. Do you think it's wise though to 'buy' into achieving house points? Seems to inextricably linked to self esteem to me, with additional pressure for him to achieve them? I'm not a mad fan of such things. I would be telling my DC, in age appropriate terms obviously, that they are perfectly fantastic individuals regardless of how many bloody house points they got.

I find these things are never balanced anyway. The 'naughty' kids (and I mean this in the loosest possible way, to illustrate a point) were given a house point for something small and insignificant, whereas the good kids had to move mountains. And my own DS, who was a quiet individual by nature hardly got any at all, despite being a really good, lovely kid.

Spotty that's good to know. If it's very structured like that they we can easily work on getting him more. Poor lad though. It seems they all have their names written on a board with the number of house points written up too and he feels he's in competition with the bad boy in the class.

Oh I think that's unfair dd's school doesn't do that, they only know each time they get one, not how many they have all together.

Balls to that ipsos, I would have to say something about that I am afraid.

Furthermore ipsos My DS could have easily bought into such a thing. He's a much more sensitive individual than DD, and possible more competitive too. Feels the pressure to achieve. I wouldn't let him buy into it. He would be conforming to someone elses opinion of behaviours or actions that validated him as an individual, and that's not healthy for anyone.

Bloody schools!

I emailed the teacher to ask.

My nieces school gave certificates to all the dc who hadn't been late all half term. How ridiculous!! As if it's up to a four year old as to whether or not they're late?!

It does sound awful doesn't it need. I would hate it. Imagine having one's personal ratings written up on the wall all day every day comparing self to peers. How awful.

I've sent a first mail asking how we earn these points. If that doesn't help then I might go in and have words. The problem is that there's this boy who's a bully and is obviously making remarks to ds about his points. We've had trouble with him before. Having said that, ds is very resistant to self-improvement so these points could be a useful motivator.

Does anybody else buy special frugal Christmas presents for themselves so as to have lots of little things to unwrap, but no buyer's remorse after the fact? I just came up with the idea last year, but found it worked a treat.

Last year I bought things like a few new small sharp kitchen knives for £1.50 each in tesco, and a new potato peeler, and things like that. I bought only things that I would have bought for the house anyway, but which I knew I would use really intensively day-to-day. It means that it gives me a little bit of Christmas pleasure every time I use them.

I wondered if anyone else does that, and if they have any more good idea? I always feel guilty if I buy a big expensive thing that I then don't use. (which isn't to say that I don't also do that sometimes.)

I'm having money to buy things in the sales instead of a present and a stocking with a minimum of six items in for £25 from DH. That will satisfy my shopping in the sales love and make sure my husband partakes in the frugal challenge.

I would never buy myself stuff! Ipsos that makes me sad for you! Can't your dh do it? Dh and I aren't doing any presents this year as we can't afford it really.

Nsd today. Went to a seminar at lunchtime. They provided food. Sandwiches quiches and buffet. And wine. might have had a glass or two before wobbling back to work

Flame grilled fish finger sandwich for me for tea forgot about poor fishy fingers and they caught fire. Oopsy

Hope all of yous guys who are I'll feel better soon.

I'm hitting the shops big time next week for Christmas. Haven't really thought through what I'm buying yet. Must make a list. And/order online. I think I'll still be ok for things to get here...

I have actually asked for a decent veg peeler for Xmas as ours is rubbish. I got a garlic press last year. I know how to enjoy myself!!

Good scheme What.

Spotty that's what my dh thinks, but I have funny preferences for presents. I get very frustrated if people buy me surprises as I am very particular about what I like and often would find no use of the things. I don't like smelly soaps or smelly flowers, I don't drink wine or eat chocolate, and I don't like pretty nick nacks or anything like that. So I'm quite challenging to buy things for. I do like having things to unwrap on Christmas morning though. For some reason, by the time January comes I never want anything, even though it all looked super-cool a week before.

The net result is that a nice cheap kitchen knife and maybe a good new tin opened would really hit the spot for me.

I'm sorry to hear that you don't have money for presents. Do you have some good plans alternative ways to celebrate?

Emem :o I had a surprisingly unburnt fish finger sandwich today.

I have bought oven gloves out of Christmas money from my parents before (Wallace and Gromit ones :o) and wrapped them.

But I hope you get something fun and frivolous for Christmas too ipsos

My GM has given some money to use for Christmas and my birthday (7th) and I'm trying to decide what to use it for. Most of the Christmas portion will be on some percussion instruments for the DCs (did the same a couple of years ago, and we are now adding to it with some more bizarre instruments) and on one of the DCs' clubs (ie Great Grandma got you dance lessons type thing) but I might use my bit for something.

Pointless - yes I see you have the same taste as me then. I'm thinking a new tin opener might be nice. I've had my current one since I left home 17 years ago and it was my Mum's old one at that point. It's a very nice one though.

Ah x post ipsos that makes sense.

Thanks Fuzz. I get some money to spend on myself for Christmas and birthdays every year and I've been gradually accumulating the equipment needed to set up a small photography business, so I'm definitely not deprived at all. I don't like to mention that as I know there are a lot of people with less money here. But definitely no need to worry about me being short of things.

Hello all, think i have managed a NSD today

Ipsos my dd gets house points for reading 5 times a week, helping at playtime and doing jobs according to my dd!

I am seriously behind in the Christmas shopping dept as well, am still waiting for inspiration for my mum, no clue what to get her.

The Boden trousers I got dd last week arrived today and I am ecstatic as she likes them she now is the proud owner of at least one pair of warm winter trousers!! Some of you may remember due to sensory issues she is incredibly hard to buy clothes for esp trousers. I may look into getting her another pair as thinking the the two week Christmas hols are coming up and one pair of trousers may be stretching them a bit!!

My Morrisons shop turned up this morning, all good. Had a nice dinner of chicken and rice tonight

My day off toms, plan to meet a friend for coffee and do a bit of Christmas shopping....