O come all ye festive frugaleers, gather round for festive chat and frugaleering

[northender]

Haven't been on the old thread for a few days so thought I'd start a new thread as it's nearly full.

Should be a nsd today as I'm working 8-1:30 then 5-6:45 so the afternoon people can get off to the Christmas do.

Hoping my post arrives today. Have ordered a dress for Christmas party next week and a new jumper from joules. Both ordered on Sunday. Both say they arrived on island on the 8th. Hmm.

If they don't arrive...I'm going to have to buy a new dress. Sigh. Fingers crossed.

Christmas shopping is basically done. Still need to think about getting a board game for Christmas Day. But have time for that. Any suggestions welcome. We'll be 7 adults. Apparently trivial pursuit isn't allowed this year

Em what about Pictionary or Taboo, we always laugh a lot playing either of them.

Now that I'm at home and not in a horrid hospital I'll add a bit more. Yesterday morning I went to change Gabriel's nappy to find it had blood in it. Instant flash back to changing the nappy of my elder son at a similar age. Although I was 90% certain it was CMPA as he's been havjng a lot of reflux symptoms and is showing signs of eczema etc I also was aware it's a sign of other things too. As I'm a HCP they always work out quite quickly that I'm fairly savvy to what could be wrong etc. Consultant wanted to keep him for a prolonged period for observations and I told him I didn't feel it was necessary to do that on the ward. He agreed luckily and let me leave. Thankfully aside from havjng a very upset and over tired baby he's been fine. Luckily we have a few tins of the special milk still in dare from my son so can use that whilst we wait for the GP to sort it out on prescription. They did take stool samples in case it's a gastro bug but we are all fairly sure he just is sensitive to milk. I'm hoping it'll be fairly mild and post 12 months we can wean him back on. We managed that with my older son but he still has some issues so we may reverse it.

Spending at the moment is haywire. I think I've now finished the shopping aside from photo frames. Food shopping still needs to happen, we have friends for the weekend next week and I have to contribute to a Christmas party and my parents will come to us New Year's Day so I have to plan and shop for those. I'd really, really like to buy the soap and glory staff gift today but I just can't justify it. Bah.

NSD today.

Well done what. That's quite a week. What is HCP? I tried googling but no luck.

I photographed a local event as a volunteer on Saturday and yesterday my photos took up about half of a double page spread in our local newspaper. I was really quite chuffed about that. I didn't even know it was in but a friends spotted my name and emailed me. :-) Yay!

I have just dug out all the wrapping paper and tags I bought on Boxing Day last year! 10p a roll and gift labels, 10p for a pack of 3 sheets so that's me sorted for some frugal wrapping!!

I really have to join and stick at these threads as I am on a strict budget and struggle to stick to it like to have nice things and am hopeless when I see stuff the kids will like

HCP is health care professional. I'm a qualified Radiographer but not practicing currently.

Well done on the photography, have you done any courses or are you self taught? I'd love to be able to take beautiful photographs.

Thank you North

Ipsos you could always leave it "to settle" and then never get round to painting it.

Hi all, I have been reading but no time to post.
£30 in Morrison yesterday on top up
£30 in boots on s&g gift (sorry what but I think you deserve it)
£4 beavers tonight
£24 on Christmas do
Oh and £3.05 on lunch as mine is sat on the worktop

Weekend will be spendy as dh needs to get my presents, the kids want to get their friends and I need more food but need to plan first

I earnt £180 today by freelancing. Frugal win

Well done Collie! £21 on lunch from five guys. I wish it didn't taste so good.

Mmm I love five guys!

I'm going back to work in a bit. Wish I hadn't said I would I'm so tired! Might pick up a pizza for dinner afterwards as I won't be home until seven at the earliest.

Well done Collie
Well done ipsos I wish I could take better pictures but it's usually hit and miss
£56 at Tesco this morning, plus £29 on fuel and £6 on couple pasties for lunch for dss and me and a shortbread and marshmallow snowman for dd after she did her piano exam
Had to collect dss from Devonport at midday after he came back from his deployment so no paid work for me today just the usual housework, cooking and "Mum taxi" for dc

Well done Collie and ipsos .

What, I hope having a dignosis makes it easier. Glad you're back home now.

My friend and I just had a lovely Christmas dinner in a pub. Absolutely stuffed now! I spent about £12.50, including tip, as I'd already paid a deposit.

There's a new thread? when did that happen?

Thanks for the new thread North

NSD today, yesterday I spent far too much, bought Christmas sweaters and pajamas for DDs. Today I found shoes on Shoeaholics, but haven't bought any, yet.

£75 on dress today for Christmas party. The exact same one I ordered online. Email from warehouse today telling me they've received my return and issued me with a refund. Nice of them. But I didn't even receive the dress

Pictionary! Good shout.

Collie

Morrisons are doing a 5.5L slow cooker for £15 if it's any use to you?.

£2.58 on two mugs in homebargains and 79p on baking paper, it's £1.50 everywhere else .

£8 yesterday on dh's prescription and some crisps but they were free on clicksnap.

Good news and bad news here today. Bad ££ news - DSD needs another eye test and it sounds like she will need new glasses eeeek! Good ££ news, DH's employees insisted on him (and by extension, us) using a large giftcard he'd been awarded a while back and was planning to use on the team, because he's worked so hard for them :) So we have a £50 restaurant voucher that we will use on DH's birthday next month yay :)

Fluffy - bargain baking paper, I think I need some so good to know!

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/penne_and_sausage_pasta_30949 I made this for dinner, it says it serves four but I'd say six, very cheap and filling dinner!

£10 on sponsorship for a friend, I almost always do this when asked, I do wonder if I should add it up but I don't.

Hello all

Never heard of Five Guys, is that a restaurant chain? Our backwards sleepy little town will probably get one in about 10 years if so

Ipsos i think it would look a little odd with no paint on the walls - sorry! Can you not just paint it a similar colour to the plaster?

Whata that must have been scary! I'm a nurse but find when it comes to dd all health care knowledge seems to go out of the window

Mrs welcome, I find i have to log in pretty much daily to keep up with this thread!

Fuzz thats great re the voucher, do you get any nhs help towards the glasses?

I have had a work day, am bloody knackered was stupidly busy did 11 visits! Worked an hour over so will claim for that, paid the after school club £53 which is actually really good as thats for half a term. 50p on sweets for dd.

Can't believe there is only one more week of term - its flown by!

Am now in my pjs watching Arthur Christmas with dd

Oh and £8 on a new ipad cover. I want an iphone 6S but hesitating. It feels odd to spend £35 a month on a phone. My phones a cheap sony and 3 years old. It's dog slow.

What I have a cows milk allergy, you do feel much better when it's out of your system. Poor boy's had a rough ride of it so far hasn't he?.

Oh and £350 on the christmas hotel balance. Dh will pay for the food while we are away.

I will take a packed lunch for when we get there, local shops are pricey and not that good.