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.

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www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

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

How are all the frugaleers getting on with the Christmas present shopping? I think I'm about 80% there. DH is paid monthly (I'm paid fortnightly but I earn less as I work part time) so we did the Santa shopping with his October pay and I did/am doing DH's presents and family kriskindle presents with his November pay. I got a lot of bargains in the Black Friday sales. Once the 'present' money runs out, I'll stop and pick up the last few bits after pay day on the 22nd December. All going well, that should be just a handful of things. I'm a lot more organized this year than in previous years. I got some wrapping paper so I plan to start wrapping today. DD wants to wrap her own which will stress me out immensely as I'm very particular about neat wrapping - I'll have to bite my tongue and leave her to it .

Cag I saw your post about the Build-A-Bear present on the other thread. DD has two cuddly BAB toys - a rabbit and a bear. We funded the first one and she got a cuddly toy and an outfit/shoes. I think she used birthday money for the second one. It helps if you manage expectations in advance. We told DD she could get a cuddly toy and a fabric heart (the hearts are free iirc) but no scents or sounds which cost extra. Although it's an expensive business, DD just loved the whole experience. She spent aaaages picking out the cuddly toy and outfit and totally fell for the heart and birth certificate bit. She's a little old for it now but still loves to go into the shop and look around and ooh and aah over all the little outfits. She has a better understanding of cost now and she knows her pocket money will go a lot further buying Penneys tat .

I have to go put on a washload now but I'll be back shortly for a read and catch up.

Spending so far today: €25.90 for this candle holder (+ postage) for SIL

Cag Yes it's the clutter really that's the problem really and managing expectations.

I'm finding increasingly that ds will have a good old chat with me about these things, so that I don't actually have to be all hard line about things any more. I think the chat is much more useful than any of the lego.

I have finished the Christmas shopping and have most of the food bought too. I'll just have sprouts and carrots needed for Christmas Day and the turkey. I've got a buffet in a couple of weeks I need some bits for.

Dh and I need to do each other, I've done his stocking but still need his main present and a book.

Do any of you have a problem of too much lego but dc wants different/new lego for Christmas? I kind of feel that we have reached saturation point for lego, but maybe we should sell the old lego to buy new. Not sure.

All the stuff we have is lego city, and ds is really keen on Ninjago and Avengers now. The days of building a square house and not having quite enough roof tiles seems to have passed (about 40 years ago).

I'm usually finished by now but still have quite a bit to do. I have an aunt and uncle who I'm not sure what to get and two siblings still to buy for too. Plus I need some frames for the photos I ordered but wilko is good for that.

:) definitely CRT!

Thanks Tayto we are giving her a voucher (well technically mum is, she's giving us money which we are to use as we wish) I'm thinking £30 on a BaB voucher and £10 cash, because as there's no workshop near us (and we can't get to mum's as often now that they've given up the car) it'll make sense to spend the lot, and then she can make up any excess with the cash if she wants. I've chosen DS a couple of toys that total £20ish and he's having £20 cash so it's fair (think that's the most cash he's ever had!). I have prepared DD about what it might be better to spend on - she's not interested in scents/sounds as she knows they won't last forever. She's more excited about the costumes TBH. :o

Re: Christmas shopping, I am ecstatic to say we are basically finished now! :o :o I just have to get 2 small things for DSS' GF, as I got suggestions here, and I also need to get the Caglets to choose something for DH, but that's for his birthday (it's in January but I like to have it sorted before Christmas).

I will covertly get some knickers for DD's stocking in town tomorrow and send back the ridiculously huge ones . I know this sounds ridiculous but I'm kind of sad about how difficult it is to find nice ones for her now she's in age 9-10 and she's hinting she's too old for character ones :( nooooo my baby's growing up! :( I'm thinking these are quite nice and a bit more grown up but not terribly so? here

Still need to get advent calendars, the shop where DH works is sold out. Last few years we've got nice Thorntons ones but it'll be Poundland all the way this time I reckon :)

I took ages writing that post (had to hide it from nosy DD as despite the growing up thing she hasn't twigged that it's mum who does the stockings not FC!) CRT the 'definitely' was re: clutter.

However I'm afraid I don't agree re: too much Lego. I firmly believe there's no such thing, sorry :o it depends how it's used though really. In our house, Lego sets are lovingly built, kept as they are for a while, then rebuilt/adapted for a while, and finally get amalgamated into the huge (48 litre) box of bricks. And that's fine by us, I know some people who refuse to buy sets because they won't be kept as sets but to me that's half the point. Old into new and all that. DH and I do have a few sets that are put on display on our Geek Shelf (like my Eiffel Tower I got last Christmas) and the Caglets can do that too if they wish but they prefer not. This is the first year we're not getting them as much Lego but that's because their main present was much more expensive than usual (Quadrilla marble run, thank you lightning deals!).

cag those pants are cute! They remind me of my first pair of "girl boxers"

I still haven't really started Christmas shopping yet. I have a box of about 4 small gifts and that's it. I lost my mojo! Just a general feeling of "cant be arsed-ness". I haven't felt Christmassy since my Gran passed away. This is my 4th Christmas without her and it just doesn't feel right. Although I reckon when the tree comes out DS will be so excited that it will suddenly become magical for the whole family. Hope so anyway! I think he kinda understands Christmas trees and Father Christmas. He has lots of Christmassy stories which we will get out and read.

NSD here as it's cold and we have been deep cleaning the house I am knackered

cag I recommend the Marble Run videos on YouTube by ScottAdamSmith. They are amaze.

Cag they're cute. Dd is six and has said she wants a new duvet cover as hers is babyish (one has a pink woodland scene with owls on and one has fairies on!)

Ooh will look them up Collie thanks.

I'm sorry about your Gran :( the holidays do make loss harder to handle don't they? Happiness somehow makes some things sadder. I feel like DD's ballroom dancing is tinged with sadness for me, I'll never let her know that of course, but I am often caught up thinking of her and how very very proud my nan would be of DD. She died before DD started learning but I know she'd be absolutely over the moon that she's learning, and getting her medals (and yesterday she even taught some of the new little pupils!) etc as she loved ballroom - in fact, that's how she met my grandfather too. It makes me sad we can't tell her and it's probably the biggest thing that makes me miss her.

On a more practical note, give us a shout if you want any ideas for kids' presents. I love doing that sort of thing.

Aw Wreck it's sad when they declare things as babyish isn't it

What kind of duvet cover do you think you'll get her? I got an awesome space one (with loads of facts written on as DS is really into reading now so I can imagine him sitting in bed reading them to himself :o) and a dinosaur one from Amazon, less than £15 each. I think they will arrive with the pyjamas on Christmas eve (I know some people do the switching duvets while the child's asleep but there's no way that'd work with light sleeper DD - I'm worried enough about getting the stockings filled without her waking up!)

She wants something with a nice pattern on I think!

Oh and we're going to the housing office tomorrow to plead with them. My lovely lovely friend is having the Caglets for us (I especially don't want DD listening to it all) so that's a big weight off our minds. I'll make an appointment with CAB as well I think, I doubt they'll have spaces til new year as they get booked up fast but may as well try now. We've written out a list of things we need to tell/ask the council.

I just read back 5 pages or so.

em your money pot looked too cute to smash. But obviously that's the whole point of it. Lovely view for your breakfast (on Friday). I enjoyed reading about your dream trip to Argentina and it got me thinking about mine. I can't quite decide between Australia and China. Oh, and I've just added Madagascar to that list since I started watching 'Planet Earth II'. Your DH sounds a lot like mine where present shopping is concerned. I think if I left it all to him, he'd start his shopping on the 23rd and then wonder why the toy shelves in Smyths were all empty. Anyway, I've picked out some pyjamas and a nice handbag for myself so I'll give them to him to wrap. That might sound a bit controlling but DH has gotten things wrong over the years i.e. bought large satchel type handbags when I prefer smaller, neater handbags. Or he's presented me with scented body lotions when I've rather sensitive skin etc. If he's going to spend money on my presents, I'd much rather they were things I really like and will use.

Cag you did very well with your own money jar, especially when it was mostly made up of coppers.

Collie your new boots are fab. I love the little Knight stocking fillers you picked up for your DS. Hugs to you for missing out on the big family Christmas party .

Christmas congratulations on your pregnancy! Lovely news this Monday morning. When are you due?

Wreck belated birthday wishes to your DS and to your DD also north. I think our daughters are very close in age.

I've just spent....£55.

£43 in new look on socks and a couple of Christmas jumpers.

£2.24 In coop on crisps and an advent calendar.

£7.99 on a dressage whip from Amazon.

Dh just announced he's getting me a voucher for local dept store to be used to. It new underwear. So for Christmas he's buying me undies and a whip.

Cag thanks for the thought on the lego. I think we need to think about our lego collection. It's all slightly broken models and ds not that keen to do imaginative building from scratch. I think this is one activity where a sibling would really help just to have someone to share the joy.

Ah right, that's different then if he plays with them only as sets.

Has he got the Lego Ideas/Lego Play book? They're often very cheap on the Book People. Wondering if they might help give him a push in the creativity line. I totally get where he's coming from, I struggle with the imaginative side of construction toys and I really prefer having instructions to work from.

We've had a nice frugal morning here - yesterday DD was making clothes for some teddies using my old Christmas leggings! Today I've been helping her neaten them up a bit (smaller stitches etc) and we've just made a pompom for the little fox's hood :o

How very Fifty Shades, Em :o

That book looks great Cag. I found another one called "365 things to do with lego bricks" which is all ideas for things like building a phone cradle or a family tree out of lego. Both will give us ideas for things to build rather than suggesting things to buy, as lego books often do.

Thanks so much for that.

£22 in the hardware shop

£30 fuel

Paid £1k off dh's credit card (finally got to the bank!)

Lego will always sell on eBay, Cath. Most of the £1700 or so I've earned selling on it has been DS's Lego; first by set and then what was left, by colour (for some reason, he chose to sort all his Lego by colour when he was 8).

Best of luck tomorrow, Cag. Let us know how it goes.

I don't have much to buy, but I can't really get motivated for Christmas shopping this year and I'm usually finished and wrapped by the first week of December. I think it's because DS (14) can't decide what he wants. I've given him a choice of a Firestick, money for clothes, or a gym membership and told him to let me know by the weekend.

Family tree, funny you mentioned that as one of our first home ed projects was using lego to demonstrate that. We represented nationalities with colours, so my maternal grandfather had an 8-dot green brick (he is American) and maternal grandfather had an 8-dot red (English) brick, and my mum had a 4-dot red and a 4-dot green to represent that she's half of each, that kind of thing. Then we did DH's side too and used that to see what the Caglets ended up with (2 dots green as DH also has American on his side, 1 dot orange for Welsh and the rest red) :)

That sounds great Cag. Creme well done! That must have been a lot of lego. Glad to hear it's not just us. :-)

I don't really mind the cost need as long as it keeps me warm and dry. I looking for an investment.

Slightly stressed over Christmas shopping as usually further on but think I will go to the metro wed night.

Will catch up rest soon.

Polar express was ace but vv spendy £77 in gift shop!!!!