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.

Safely in bed. Fell asleep on the couch.

Dh a bit angry as I totally forgot it was his works do tonight. And promised him a lift home. Oops.

I adore mulled wine. I only had 3 large glasses. Usually 3 glasses of wine don't make me feel drunk. I guess it's the heat.

Should hasten to add I planned on nursing one small wine. And then driving home. The mulledness got the better of me.

Chips were worth every penny of their extortionate £3.50 !!! Salty. Vinegary. Greasy. Delicious. And in a squeaky poly box too.

Tomorrow might see a hangover (though I've eaten drunk a lot of water and have had a cups and a multi vitamin) and its nails day. Then going to see Star Wars after work. Yippee.

spotty I watched EWFL and was truly. I cannot understand how they spend so much, throw away so much and are so unaware of their behaviour. I felt suitably smug but wasn't convinced by Greg's leftover veg scones though.

Need to menu plan and go food shopping today but have no inspiration. Have woken up with a headache and my work is a nightmare with a headache so should be fun. God knows what time dh will be back .

Working Christmas is good and bad.

Babs I'm uninspired this week too so we have pasta and sauce micro curry and beans on toast

I think it's the prospect of thinking about lunch and tea for a fortnight as well as Christmas stress.

I'm starting my meal planning from Jan 4th. as am busy eating leftovers on the 1,2&3

Next year=organisation and another chunky payment off of my mortgage.

It's difficult though. Last night I had chips for dinner. Which while delicious at the time were a bad idea now.

I'm watching Star Wars tonight which won't finish until 9.30. So won't be having dinner until really late. So will probably be some sort of take away. On Saturday it's works do. So am having a proper meal.

Sunday will be whatever we have at home then all next week I'm out with work/clients/friends. Then it's Christmas.

Might go veggie for a while in January (and deff off the booze am so fed up of drinking now - everything I've been to recently has been a boozy do).

Totally agree there. My meal plan is boring and samey. Can't think beyond jacket potatoes

My new Nectar balance is already £19.75. We redeemed £20 a few weeks ago and were left with 50p ish. So I'm really pleased.

Basically we listed an item on eBay and received £10 worth of Nectar Points (it was a special offer at the time. We listed a dress which sold for £5 something). Then we took advantage of the 10 x Nectar Point weekend on our fuel and big food shop. And we also used MyCoupons to earn a few extra pounds. Can't believe we made £19 so easily!

Does Mr Collie have a nectar card? you could double up. You'll have hundreds on that card by next year.

We've passed the halfway mark for filling this thread already!

collie I hope you're feeling better today
girlie I hope that you don't have to work long on Christmas Day or that you have ample time off otherwise during Christmas to make up for it

I'm twitching ladies - Dh spent a lot on groceries two weeks ago & then last week I spent €135 to use 2 €10 off €50 vouchers and had planned on no more groceries for rest of this year(spending Christmas at my parents) However aldi now have vouchers for €20 off €100 spends in newspaper on Sunday, I'm going between buying two and get all storecupboard items for January and not buying them at all...it's a big saving though

collie, I think maybe it can be time with meal planning? Having the time to cook something that doesn't take over half and hour or whatever can restrict your choices. Re jacket potatoes, have you thought of slicing them up, sprinkling with season, touch of oil and sticking in the over for 40 minutes to make wedges maybe?

I used to use the local market delivery service, and a box of veggies used to appear every week that I had no control over, which made me research new recipes. I just used to Google 'recipes with spinach', 'recipes with celeriac' or whatever.

Or, I use whatever veg looks the saddest in the fridge, I did sweet potato wedges last night, as they were on the edge of being edible. Today I've had a beetroot, banana and ginger Nutribullet for the same reason...!

Must watch EWFL and get cross...

em, your posts do make me laugh , I love the word 'mulledness'!

I am now going to town to finish off the Christmas shopping.

I'm feeling Christmassy and optimistic!

That's such a good idea need! And a very good point.

fluffy yep he has a Nectar card. We only started using it properly in August 2015 so can't imagine how many Nectar Points we will have by next Christmas if we keep this up. It will be interesting to see!

Being a bit of a pleb. I didn't realise I could spend my Next gift card online until just now so have just bought DS vests and long sleeve tops. For free to collect in store.

Also, we managed to save £105 last month. So that's been saved and put aside.

I officially need some mulledness

Small win yesterday - was walking through town after my blood test (just routine!) and saw people asking passers-by to take a survey. Lots of people just said no straight away, but I guessed from the location that they were from the market research place above the coffee shop, and you usually get a freebie as a thank you after going up to do the survey. So I spent 20 mins sniffing fabric conditioners and got a fiver for it

Got the last bits for the DCs yesterday, hit H&M and Asda for their clothes. Didn't see much in Primark though so I didn't bother.

I need to go back to H&M though, as I got a pair of sparkly tights there for a fiver, but then saw a set of 2 for £4 in Asda so bought them and I'll take the more expensive ones back. I think in the past I wouldn't have bothered so that's something.

All that needs buying now is a prize for the quiz (family tradition with DSCs! My turn to write it next year and I'm already planning it ) and some nice edibles for 2 sets of family members.

I love the sound of a Christmas quiz! An idea for the future for sure. Good win on the market research. Wrt the tigjts I'm still awful at this. I bought the wrong size pudding basins but not bothered returning the one I don't need and is taking up space in my cupboard. I might look for the receipt.

Hi everyone! I'm also in need of mulledness

I've been really productive today, got two loads of washing done and on the line, done all my housework and looked after my friends dd! All the kids are home now so all my hard work will probably be trashed

Hoping for and for me but dh is going out tonight so who knows how much he'll spend

The quiz is great, it's become a much loved tradition. It started a few years ago when DSD was looking after the DCs while DH and I went to my nan's funeral... she made a little quiz for when we got home, which really cheered me up. She and DH made one for that Christmas, and then everyone started taking turns. We do it all fancy with embedded song clips and stuff (I have no idea how to do it yet!), on PowerPoint, which we then link up to the TV screen. Prize is usually sweets (giant gummy bear last year). I'm planning on doing a piano round where I play a tune from a film or something.

I love our Christmas with DSCs (it's never the 25th as they spend the day itself with their mum each year) - really I look forward to it more than the 25th, we always have fun and play lots of games.

Fuzz that sounds fantastical. So jealous!

That sounds great fuzz.

Luxy what did you do differently that made so much of a difference?

I'm feeling a bit down in the dumps. Broke up for Xmas at lunchtime, had a quick drink with colleagues then came home to empty house. Will pick DD up from nursery later but DH has his Xmas party tonight so won't be home until much later. Feels like an anti climax as I'll be spending the evening watching tv on my own.
Also annoyed to learn that I missed the EWFL Xmas episode, I'd been looking forward to that!
Had my own work party last night but I think we were all too tired. Home by 11.30 and spent under a tenner which is good I suppose but I was looking forward to something more "festive".
Sorry, am being self-indulgent and grumpy. Will try to snap out of it!

Have a big drink tonight and watch the special on I player. I know what you mean about not feeling festive, I'm ok in November but the closer it gets the less festive I feel!

I'm sure you'll feel better for a quiet afternoon, Pointless.

Wow, Luxy, what a difference in your energy usage!

£6.28 in the local shop; on washing powder, deodorant and chocolate. All essential!

Thanks, have had tea and toast and am watching Jamie's Xmas. I also get excited in November and then less so closer to the day. I always forget how stressful it can all be!
Looking forward to tomorrow night, we're going to have a take away and watch the Strictly final.

Well done for all the good work thought pointless. Shame to be too tired to enjoy it but I think a lot of people feel the same.

My ds finished today. That was a long complicated week and he did well. I feel quite proud of him for managing it all.

NSD for me today, and selling stuff on ebay, which is good.

Spotty i watched that as well last night in floods the poor guy was my age. Puts my trivial moans in perspective.

Am feeling knackered and hormonal today, think much be due on!

Spent £40 on petrol plus biscuits and tea for work. Couldn't believe i could fill the car up for £36 - petrol is so cheap at the moment

This mild weather is officially weird now, I saw a butterfly out today and daffodils thats not right is it?? Is this global warming or just a one off? Odd.