Marvellous Frugaleers - Chatting and saving through November, and into December.

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Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from an old thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/1324074-For-those-who-cant-afford-to-use-central-heating-this-year-How-are-you-going-to-cope

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1543785-your-top-tips-for-money-saving-and-a-more-frugal-life

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1600030-Small-money-saving-habits-petty-even

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1628874-Gas-Elec-Bills-monthly-and-SKY-so-angry

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1911061-NO-MORE-COLD-MUMSNETTERS

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2209167-Slow-Cookers-are-shit

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2224969-saving-money

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/2258202-Debt-mutual-support-thread-number-6-start-the-new-year-with-a-clear-purpose-and-keep-moving-forwards-even-by-tiny-steps?

orchard.tesco.com/ Sign up to this.

www.topcashback.co.uk/home And this.

www.quidco.com/home/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

www.hotukdeals.com/all/deals/new?page=3 Check this daily.

I am awake too - pregnancy insomnia is doing me in!

Cag I got DS far too much stuff last year and don't seem to be learning my lesson this year, unlike you! I buy him lots of sensory stuff that he loves, and then I try other toys that I hope he will like but he is sometimes just not interested in (toy kitchen and wooden cutting fruit and veg, for example). That is just trial and error so it is a slightly wasteful process. As are books as, broadly speaking, he only likes the ones he is already familiar with. But that restricted interest saddens me so I keep trying to tempt him with new ones! I don't tend to dump too much new stuff on him at Christmas but introduce small toys and games as and when throuout the year, as he is easily overwhelmed.

I think you are right though, we want our kids to be excited and delighted on Christmas Day but it doesn't take much stuff to achieve that if it is well thought out (as I know from my own childhood!). I am sure they will be delighted with what you have chosen.

Sorry to hear you can't sleep either Cag and Christmas.

I'm just awake because I'm a bit wrong in the inards so am sitting up downstairs. There's sorts of virusy stuff going round my friends at the moment, and I can never quite tell whether it's my turn or whether my insides are just knotted about about worrying if it's my turn. Silly really. I've got lots of washing folded though, and booked loads of Tesco slots, so that's good.

I hope you both got back to sleep.

I'm awake now cos dhs alarm has been going of since 5am, I hadn't mine set until 5.45am loads of time, we're leaving at 7am!

I've decided to gift my kindle to his dgd who's 9 & an avid reader 😀

Dd had my up at 4:30 I should have joined the chat.

Ds is four today

Need to go food shopping then we're going to the ice cream parlour.

I should have 'popped in', I was up at 4 too!! I have a bad cold.
I'm going to work soon, I'm doing an extra shift. But I am off tomorrow and I plan to relax and sleep to my heart content.
I ordered my christmas present yesterday, a watch. Thought it appropriate, as this is 'my time', it'll be the first Christmas on our own.
Need to do a massive shop though, we need some food.

Oh, happy 4th birthday to your son, wreck!

Shopping today, click and collect ordrs,

Happy birthday little wreck.

I was awake at 5. Catface was nudging me with her nose. Turns out she'd done a massive stinky poop and I guess wanted me to scoop it.

Then she wanted feeding. I've just woken up again.

Riding today - looks dry so that's a bonus! £25.

adora dh knows I won't bail him out. He did this one year. We agreed we'd each do our respective families. Two days before Christmas my gifts are wrapped and looking pretty. He looks at them and asks "what did you get my mum/dad/brothers". I said nothing. He thought I was joking. I told him nothing. He got really arsed off. Then angry st himself. Then annoyed. Then stropped into town to buy some stuff.

He knows I don't buy for his family. I do mine. Last years comment was the gifts for my family are nicer than his. True. I put thought into it. Not just a last minute that'll do.

He says now he's going to send his bro money to buy things.

If you are having a hug from Collie then I am too Girlie and we can make it a group one.

Life has settled down a touch, so I'll keep up from now.

I have sat for an hour this morning and worked out all our finances, where we can up the savings or where we could increase the 'pot' for certain items, or decrease.

DC's main presents are sorted, we've got them tablets.

Financial job of the week will be to sort the phone contracts for them, as they are due to expire.

Sounds a lot my DH em you have my sympathies. Hope the weather stays good for you today.

Sorry some have too little sleep, hope that improves.

Tomorrow we are going to a Christmas Market so I anticipate spending some money. I've never been to a Christmas Market before.
Hope DS has a great birthday Wreck 🍫🍭🍰🍦 and 🍷

Morning all.

I've been offline this week as we had problems with installing our new Virgin wireless hub. The tech came last night & sorted it, much to my relief but also obviously 15yo DS who felt his world had ended without access to online Fifa17 with his friends!
It was dd's birthday on Thursday & she had a lovely day. Lots of smallish presents which she was very happy with (cd, dvd, jigsaw, art supplies, hairdryer,from us & grandparents) she also got money so a shooping trip is looming. 1 year until she's a teen, how did that happen?
Very unfrugal yesterday as I went to Harrogate with my mum to the Knitting and Stitching show & spent too much money on fabrics for quilting. It was fun though! Mum paid for the ticket for my birthday and for a 2 hour crochet workshop which was good (I really know how to live!!). SIL is pregnant again (woohoo!!)so I'm going to try to crochet a blanket this time.
PIL are with us for a few days at the moment, they leave on Monday. They are staying in our new loft room so that's working out well.

Have a lovely weekend everyone, I'll catch up properly & read back later.

north I want to learn to crochet. It looks really hard though.

Should really get out of bed...

Thanks everyone

£62 lidl
£19 wilko but that included bil and sisters Christmas presents.

Off to a local ice cream parlour in a sec (it's a dog friendly one so the dc like seeing all the dogs too) then after lunch my parents are coming round. Ds wants them to bring their dog as he loves her. Will see how biscuit reacts to that.

Big group hug girlie and need

Happy birthday to your DS wreck ice cream parlour sounds amazing!

We went to the beach for a morning walk and now it's bacon sarnie time. At home. We need to do a food shop though. Arghh! It's going to be hellish in store. Maybe we can wait until tomorrow early morning.

We have lots of chores and odd jobs to do around the house today. hoping to pop out to the garden centre too. Need a plant or two to brighten up the Winter garden. It's bare and bleak.

My family in Australia are organising a huge Christmas party together and I really wish we could fly over to join in.

Welcome back North

Happy birthday mini wreck 🍰

The switches are coming early, maybe Dh will fit the ones not affected by the tiles going up.

Happy birthday to the DD's of North and Wrecked.

£60 in M&S as we have friends coming over for dinner tonight.
£40 DS driving lesson.
£10 DD riding lesson.

Lots of food in the house to stretch out.

Back from riding. It's grey and cold. But dry. So was actually quite nice to be outside. Come home to find dh making leek and potato soup. He's my hero!

Achievement of the day: cantered a loop around the sand school no stirrups no reins arms out to the side. And stayed on.

I'm taking dictation while ds composes his first novel. Lego-based, since he has becoming really keen on lego after writing his Santa letter. Cheap activity at least.

NSD & Dh fixed the gap in the French doors. I'm hoping we can silicone around the trickle vents tomorrow.

My front teeth are crooked and over crowded I never smile because I hate them. My dad said he would pay for me to have braces (I would feel guilty) should I do it??

Just sitting down, been a busy morning as I totally over slept (unlike you lot being up with the larks!) woke up at 10.15 dd had to be at riding 20mins away for 11am!! Some how threw ourselves together and shot out of the door, mum paid this week which was nice.

Then home for lunch and back out again as dd was singing carols with her drama group this afternoon at a craft fair. Was nice and Christmassy although I still think its a bit early to get in the Christmas spirit! I managed to spend £23 at the craft fair, got a few Christmas presents and bought tea and cake.

Home again now and need to straighten my hair and generally posh myself up a bit as am going out tonight! Just out with friends to a Chinese all you can eat buffet place, bloody love Chinese food so can't wait

Wreck i would love for someone to sort my teeth out so yes go for it!!

wreck I worked with lady who had braces top and bottom, her teeth were bad but she actually said the braces gave her confidence because they made her talk about it and everyone said well done for getting the done. Really worth it, I think.
Spent £33 on wine but got 8 bottles as had a £8 off Waitrose voucher, plus Waitrose had another discount if you buy 6 bottles. Anyway dh is pleased.
Went to a friends school fair and managed to only spend a £1 phew.
I did a tutor session so that's an extra £20 to me, but git paid with an irish pound note.....hmmm not sure its accepted over here.

:o

YES do it Wreck that's amazing! What a lovely offer. I sympathise re: smiling. Was with some friends recently, we were laughing a lot and my friend said how cute it was that I always covered my mouth when I laughed! But I changed the subject because it's not cute, it's because I'm really embarrassed of my teeth.

DH found my premium bonds. Now I can presumably find out if I won anything but I forget how to do it properly.

Landlords aren't coming til December 9th, so we will try and get a visit to the housing office before that.

Scratch that penultimate bit, I looked on the nsandi site and it looks like I can even do it by phone. And I might cash them in after perhaps.