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.

LOL! We get hoards of neighbours in our garden spotty and if we don't let them use the loo then some of the boys poo in the garden. Small boys are a breed apart I think.

Gross ipsos!! This one only wanted to come in to be nosy.

ipsos i am having a nightmare with amazon at the moment too. They have sent a book for my dad for christmas. it was supposed to arrive on wednesday. Still not arrived. the tracker says its been delivered.

I've called up postoffice today (christmas opening hours) and have asked them if they have it. Nothing for me there.

So i have gone back to amazon. they have refunded me for the book. and sent another one. which may/may not arrive before christmas.

so i'm probably going to have to go and reserve said book in waterstones to make sure i can have it for him for christmas if the amazon ones don't arrive.

(i could end up with three books, or no books...)

warehouse have also let me down big style. but have just received my refund from them. I complained on twitter and they have said that someone will look into my issue today. I can't see how i returned the dress i ordered if I haven't received it.... but hey ho.

and am waiting for a christmas jumper from Joules. stupid christmas post....

Major spendy day £23 in pets at home, £35 each in aldi and lidl, £20 ish in home bargain and £80 something asda online when it comes.
Pleased DD is feeling better girlie

Hi all! Just popping in, I havent forgotten you, just v busy now I'm back at work.

Lots of spending and not much frugaleering going on here - xmas and otherwise. Its definitely expensive working (limited free time to cook etc) but I am still doing my best - did some batch cooking for the freezer on my day off last week so hopefully shouldnt need to do much cooking this week at work. Looking forward to the xmas break.

Christmas party last night which was in a lovely local hotel and all free.

DH and DS away to a softplay birthday party this afternoon so I am enjoying the peace and quiet while I get on with some work stuff on the laptop :D

Nice to hear from you, Blue.

Sorry your DD was so ill, Girlie. Hope it's all out of her system now and fingers crossed that you don't get it.

Online shopping nightmare, Em and ipsos. All sounds very confusing! For the first time in years, I managed to avoid it for Christmas.

NSD here. Our roads and paths are horrendous. I wonder how long it'll take for the slush to clear. The pretty snow in the gardens can stay though! Off to make a veggie Sunday dinner now.

Dartmoor was beautiful! And sunny ish. Back home now after a successful NSD! Hot chocolate in the flask and packed lunch.

We put loads of fuel in the car yesterday and we used less than we thought we would.

Really wish I hadn't read about boys crapping in gardens.

Nice to hear from you blue Working makes everything a lot harder. Sometimes, being frugal means having time to plan, which is in short supply when working and at this time of the year.

Hope your DD eats a little bit girlie, washing still on then?!

Confusion re Amazon, sorry about your troubles guys but glad you enjoyed the nativity ipsos.

I had to be mega organised here today with DH being away as we trained for most of the day, so I was up early walking dogs and putting something in the slow cooker for tea, tidying away washing, putting on washing, getting to farm, sorting pony etc. So glad I did it though as this evening is now much easier.

Need to menu plan, but really hoping to get an extra day off work this week, which will help enormously.

Well done for all the organisation need.

Ds and I just had a great trip out to John Lewis and enjoyed the lights and the pottering. I was extra careful to slow down and let him enjoy it all and we both had a good time. We were only buying a doormat, a duvet and some paint, but it was nice.

£65 on sainsbury online shop. Seemed very expensive this week, lots of things that are usually on an offer weren't. I feel like they are putting the prices up on everything ahead of Christmas.

How is DD now Girlie?.

Hello Blue. Work does get in the way of frugal, cookings a chore when you've been up since 6am and we just want to order takeaway

NSD.

Girlie hoping your dd is over it now

£7 on Christmas tat decorative things while out today.

Oh I have a question. Dh found an old loan agreement from years ago. It had PPI (slightly different name though) it was £15/month over 36 months. Is that the sort of thing you can pay back? Actually it was car finance not a loan.

It's worth a shot, check on mse and see what they advise.

R4 Said Gap insurance will be the next scandal but it's not happened yet.

Hi blue. I struggle with work,being frugal and fitting everything in.
Do you think you were missold it spotty? I'm not sure, does martin money saver cover it?

X post fluffy

It was dh's I have no idea. It's also in his mums name so she would have to claim in back... Will check out mse thanks

NSD - I did it!!!
Bit fed up though, I've been looking forward to Xmas for ages but I'm getting a bit stressed about it now, it's going to be impossible to see everyone and do all the things we want to do and have a rest. I'm exhausted already.

Pfft I don't stress about seeing everyone pointless. I probably won't see my dad but I see him twice a week anyway. He understands, they're just as busy as us anyway.

The thing is most of our relatives live far away and travel up to the Midlands for Xmas, some are coming from overseas. We really want to see them all but we both have divorced parents, step-families etc so we have to see them all separately and then it takes up all of DH's precious time off.

NSD

Pointless I know what you mean, DH's family always have a big gathering on Boxing Day that we can never attend, it's the day we go and see my mum and these days we have to try and fit in a quick visit with my dad's mum and family as she no longer joins us with my dad on Christmas Eve. Just makes it all a bit fraught but I won't be forced into a corner over it.

Hi all, thanks for asking after dd. She hasn't been sick again which is good but only eaten toast, small amount of melon and a small yogurt all day. She has gone off to bed early as was clearly flagging so fingers crossed she is better again tomorrow. Will keep her off school anyway as think its 1 48 hour rule.

Luckily for me this has fallen on my wend and day off.

Hello Blue nice to see you, i had a medical question about 10 pages ago for you!! Tis all fine now though, dd had a nasty bee sting and was wondering at what point to get worried re swelling and redness! How is work? Busy I bet, we seem to get a lot of very poorly patients this time of the year

Ipsos that sounds lovely, wish we had a John Lewis near by.

Tomorrow going to have to venture out for supplies, will probably go to Morrisons. Am also going to get my duvet cleaned at Johnsons as not convinced it doesn't smell of sick - sick face!

On the plus side of being home all day I have made a start of the wrapping and finished the Christmas cards, have been fairly strict about who I send one to this year given the price of stamps. Watched Its a Wonderful Life in colour whilst wrapping which was lovely, I seemed to cry through quite a lot of it though - dds face was

Aw, I love It's A Wonderful Life! I've not watched it in colour yet though. My other favourite 'classic' festive film is White Christmas I'm not sure we'll watch either this year though as I reckon it's time to introduce DD to the Vicar of Dibley special (the one with all the lunches) instead! And I want her to see the talent show one with Darcey Bussell as she loves watching Strictly.

Lovely afternoon at the St John Ambulance carol service. They had home made chutneys for sale so put some money in for that as well as the collection. Don't like chutney myself but my parents will love the apple and ginger one we got.

Fuzz I love your Christmas name!

Christmas used to be so chaotic for us until loads of family (mine & DH's) passed away during the last 2 years. Our Christmas present & Christmas card list is so short these days. And instead of rushing between 10 houses we now only need to visit 3. I'll make the most of quiet beach walks with DH & DS this year. Time is a precious gift.

Q: What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck? A: A Christmas quacker!