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.

Spotty right with you there. zantac not quite enough this year

Zaze I know what you mean. secondhand car springs to mind

I'm walking around cos I am practically giddy! I just checked my account and have been refunded packaged account fees going back over 10 years.

My account hasn't had that much money in it in years

Gonna treat me, mum and the kids to a proper nice Christmas treat tomorrow

Had to share with someone!

Well done MrsRats.

Wow that's fab!

MrsR that's fabulous news! I reclaimed all
My bank charges a few years back and the feeling is incredible. Have a lovely lovely treat.

Amazing news!

I just had something weird (not money related). The therapist I have phone sessions with just popped up on my fb news feed as we have a mutual friend! I know my friend works for the service so I shouldn't be surprised, still a bit weird though!

Probably weird for her too Spotty. No idea what either of you do about it.

I wish I could think of a way to feel upbeat about the next two weeks. This coming week is all school stress, and then next week is likely to be ds saying "Is it Christmas eve yet?" every 15 seconds and then headbutting me to make it come sooner, and the shops too full to go anywhere, and I just realised that the fairly dull Christmas present that I ordered for myself is due to be delivered on the 9th January.

Is anyone else looking forward to anything in particular during the next two weeks? Maybe I could do that too?

Also this is prime virus season and what I really want for Christmas is for the whole family to be healthy but don't tell anyone I said that or it won't happen.

I know what you mean Ipsos the last week of term is always so hectic, dd has 3 Christmas shows, a football tournament, Christmas dinner and a class party!

That said dd still looking very peaky so she may not been in all of next week anyway!

MrsD thats amazing!

Spotty that is weird, I am still seeing a counsellor and i would find that weird even though i know she obviously has a life outside listening to me!!

I'm most excited about going to visit my best friend and having cuddles with her new baby but I love work in the run up as everyone is cheery. Christmas Eve we're going to go to the cinema a think then, as is tradition, to Costa for a hot chocolate and to see the lights. Father Christmas the space station is going to be flying over again so we will wave to him that. Tbh we are pretty busy but not in a stressful way.

Ipsos I think just take one day at a time, do you doing anything to relax? I got myself a mindfulness cd and when feeling stressed stick that on. It does help, as does exercise and limiting caffeine!

I really struggle with over tiredness, last night I tried to stay up to watch Graham Norton and was nearly vomiting with tiredness!! I have to make myself go to bed earlier I think.

Girlie I hope dd feels better after a good nights sleep

Girlie Do you feel like that with tiredness too? I don't like that feeling. Ds keeps trying to get me up at 5am and then I end up feeling rotten at the end of the day. He doesn't mean to do it but he was on his knees with tiredness this week to I put him to bed early and then he wakes up early.

I find that ironing to whale music helps, but it's not exactly a thrilling way to spend time. I might buy some paint and start painting the hall. That would get rid of some of the time.

I quite like your hope of keeping DD off. A nasty cold or a nice thick snow storm would sort this week out a treat.

Maybe I should just get a bunch of paint and then I could spend the week alternating between painting things, and coming on here and saying "I've just painted x." That would be jolly wouldn't it?

btw ds keeps changing what he wants for Christmas, which is a favourite sport of his. Eventually I said to him today:

me: Who do you think Santa is?
ds: [Puzzled look.]
Me: Do you think he might be Dad?
ds: [light bulb goes on above head]
me: Do you think he might already have bought the presents?
ds:[knowing look]
me: if there's something else you would like do you think we should perhaps do some writing in return for 50 pences?
ds: That depends how many 50 pences a bionicle is.
Me: Why don't you go and look up the price?
ds: [gone]

How is it that some other children still believe in santa at the age of 8? We have never yet got through a whole calendar year believing in santa.

Hey ipsos, try to think positive . I am looking forward to DH having an op next week, to hopefully remove his cancerous growth/lump/whatever, so that's our Christmas!! These are wonderful, fabulous, special times with your DS, they go too soon. Try to enjoy the chaos. You have 51 weeks of the year to be calm and peaceful and normal, honest.

I am on my own again, DH in Dubai. Today I have walked the dogs for 2 hours in the pouring rain, driven 2 hours to collect DD, ironed for 2 hours, cooked, cleaned etc. But hey, that's life. I am healthy, my house isn't flooded, my DC are happy and confident and lovely, I have some money in the bank and lovely friends. It's busy. It's good, not bad xx

to everyone on here, in celebration of MrsRats getting her bank fees back.

MrsR That is fab news.

I'm pleased that lesions coming off next week need. I saw your low carb thread. Low carb is booze free, your username suggests otherwise

The pudding turned out well, not brick like. Dh never lets me forget that parkin that didnt go well 11 years ago.

That's a very good point need. I'd forgotten that you had all that going on.

OOOOOPPPS MrsRats, I did mean to to congratulate you, apologies, that was remiss of me.

I won't be doing low carb fluffy, I think I am too sceptical of diets per se, but the response was interesting and informative. If I gave up drink any wine belly I do have pretty quickly, but have no will power anyway

Doesn't stop a person feeling low though ipsos, hope you feel ok soon. Christmas is full on.

Thanks all for all!

Now the dilemma... Spend it or invest it for when times are harder?!?

Ipsos you sound low

I have a plan. I'm going to ignore Christmas and go back to choosing paint colours. I'm also going to buy wood filler and fill all the tiny holes that the nail gun made when sticking up the woodwork, so I can get on and start painting. Excellent.

Do you think it is acceptable to have light-yellowy-brown oak floorboards, an orangey-dark-brown piano, a chocolate brown stair carpet and light-pinky-brown walls using this paint colour:

www.farrow-ball.com/setting%20plaster/colours/farrow-ball/fcp-product/100231

It's meant to be the same colour as the plaster already is in this photo.