Festive Frugaleers - Chatting and saving through Christmas.

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Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from an old thread grin

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.

Oh no, Wreck, hope you feel better soon.

Bathroom looks fab, Trying

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Was treated to dinner by my DM. Fave pressie was a rucksack from DH that I really wanted for walking. May have got overexcited over the fact that there is a built in whistle in the sternum strap !!

£4 top up food, £12 picking up a service wash.

Morning all! Fruflu day 11. I hope I'll be better in time for Xmas dinner, I can't smell or taste anything.
Found a book I've wanted to read for ages on Kindle monthly deals so treated myself - a whole 99p!

Ah poor snuggly what is the book?
I have a goal for my Christmas holidays to catch up on Emmerdale, I'm almost a month behind and to read a book, and tidy my house

strikethrough failure there tidy my house

Forgot to mention. Yesterday our Christmas drinks delivery arrived. £120. And they have over sent stuff. I called and they said not to worry. We have 18 proseccos. 18 white. 18 red. 48 beers. 24 diet cokes and 24 tonics.

I think we've got enough.

Also I had an email from hush today. The free skirt they sent to replace the one which didn't arrive then arrived was sent back. They have refunded me. I made it clear that the return was a freebee. So it's their mistake. And I'm £49 richer.

Also today is payday!!

I was unexpectedly paid a week early and have budgeted for the rest of the year. Hoping to spend less than £100 from today until the 31st.

I've put £250 into my savings account , but I've got to be careful in Jan as this pay has to last me an extra week rather than the usual 4 weeks.

Spends today: £3.05 on lunch!

Are you having a very big party Em?

We had a good morning. I took ds to Pizza express for ice cream, which was only £2 and we had a really nice time.

Wow, Em, how many people? 😀
Adora, how is a Teddy today? Can they save his leg?

I went to Tesco this morning to get the breakfast cereal that the DGCs like. They are coming on Boxing Day and staying over.
It is 9 miles away. It was rammed and the roads were jammed.
Came home. Phoned DD to tell her.
She said Oh, glad you called can you get x and y and z etc.
So I had to go back. And it was still rammed. And jammed.
But at least I don't have to go into another bloody shop til February. I am sure I have enough food to last til then.

I'm with you Em. We have garage full of booze, 'just in case' anyone wants that particular item. Bacardi, vodka, gin, Baileys, wine x 1000000, prosecco, beer, cider, lager. Having a NYE party for 50 but everyone brings way too much booze with them and we end up not buying booze until June

Trying he is more stable on his legs and looks more relaxed and happy in himself, but in terms of saving the legs it depends entirely on continued progress with treatment and healing. There is still a small amount of dead flesh and they still have to sedate him to remove the bandages as there is exposed bone, it would bar far too painful. They don't yet know if there will be enough skin to close over the wound. It is too soon, still too raw to try stretching it. Also, until all the dead flesh has gone they can't close it.

em that's reminded me I haven't ordered soft drinks. Have had to rejig my shopping as we were due to be away for 4 days and then PIL were coming here for 3/4 days. Neither is happening now.

Hope you feel better Snuggly and Wreck

Glad you had a nice morning Cathode

Nsd hurrah for me. Ds and dh of to see start wars so I have given them £20.
Friend came over and already had lunch stuff in.

Sounds like a good day for you em!

Spends today:
€90 acupuncture

Sounds like a good day for you em!

Spends today:
€90 acupuncture

Apologies for double post. Also realised today that car insurance isn't due till middle of January rather than January 1st so that really takes he pressure off this month's budget.

NSD.

NSD for me and earned some money from teaching. DH picked up final present for DSS' GF, glad he actually did it, I've done virtually all Christmas shopping as normal - which I am totally happy with generally, I love choosing presents, BUT on the odd occasion where I have to buy for someone I don't know as well, and I can't think of what to get, I get all stressed out about it. So was relieved to delegate this one!

Evening all

Had a nice day, went with friends ice skating on fake ice this morning £8.50.

Popped to shop for a few top up bits and spent £8 ish.

Had a nice lunch at friends house and then walked to town, spent £16 in Poundland on a few Chritmassy bits and a new onesie for dd. She has suddenly outgrown all her pjs and I am now starting to buy her small adult stuff she is all legs and am struggling to find kids stuff for her!!

Stopped at Pets at Home on way back and spent £26 on cat food (got 24 tins for £10 which seemed a bargain) and some treats for the cats stocking (at dds insistence!)

Going to the cinema tonight to see Fantastic Beasts, should be fun.

Must be overdraw a bit scared to look and see by how much

Mammy it's called The Snow Child. Amazon have now given me a £1 credit to thank me for my purchase so I'm a penny up on the deal!
Have also spent £1 in the charity shop on a children's songs cd and paid a bill for £72 from when we had the heating serviced.
DH and I have both been paid today so the bank balance looks very healthy but it's a week early for me so I need to leave it alone to cover bills that go out in Jan.

nsd has gone, dd and i went to pizza hut take out £12 and sainsburys local £15

amended christmas shop for the last time £111. Seems a lot, not sure ive planned well here

Neither dh or i get paid early - 30th for me and the friday after new year for him - tis a blessing and a curse

£26 on all three of us having hair cuts.

Snuggly I bought that one a little while ago when it was 99p too. Haven't started it yet.

NSD. Have spent afternoon decorating a gingerbread house with the boys. Surprised how much the 19 yo enjoyed it

Blimey Em, that is a good price for all that!

Girlie I keep toying with getting the cat a present but only recently bought him a pet feeder and will soon need to get a new litter tray.

We can compare notes when we both read it, Wilderness! I have another book that I want to read first, it's been on my bedside table for months!

That's for 6 on Christmas Day. Probably 6again on New Years. And the rest will not go to waste.

It's from our local brewery. They gave me cost price because a client buys a shed load from them and he told them to do me a good deal.

£6 on mulled wine (2 glasses) either a friend after work. Yummmm

Shepards pie for dinner. Yummmmmmm

Gosh, reading, what is that?! I have a huge pile of unread books, I never seem to have any time. DH mutters about Mumsnet whenever I mention that fact.... must try to get into the habit again, there is no better feeling than being in the middle of a good book.

Back later, DS is crying in bed. He's been in a really screechy unhappy mood since we got back from nursery. No nursery now for 2 weeks, I hope he cheers up!