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.

Updated spends for day:
€9 in supermarket on milk and fruit.

Glad to hear DH was apologetic mammy. You should definitely take him up on his offer to pay for your hair next time .

Had a nice relaxed day; got lots of laundry done and had a lovely walk in the fresh air, stopped at the playground too, one I hadn't brought DS too before as he was too little for it till now but he really enjoyed himself so will definitely go regularly from now on.

Hope this is the right place: The Works: this is on the back of the little catalogue they have in the store. I saved £30+ and will have £20 of points to spend in January, as it was Triple Points when I went in yesterday.

Bertie dh earns significantly less than me & won't do transfers to joint account on a ratio basis has to be 50/50 so it wouldn't be fair to take the money off him

Sorry I have been AWOL, I have been up to Birmingham to collect DS1 from uni for Christmas and spent the wkend doing the Christmas market etc.

Lovely but weird to have him back and I'm a bit at the fact that my food bill shot up to £100 and my washing machine has been running overtime!!

Going to see a friend today. Might by my last Christmas present which is £25 but might wait.

Chorizo risotto for dinner.

Hoping for a no spend day, fingers crossed!!

Day off today! Catface has been told off for chewing dh's trainers. She meowed apologetically when I told her off. Then continued chewing. 🐈🐈😩😀

Dh is doing a food shop today. Then we're getting our tree. Yippee!!

I'm off sick today as my neck is so sore i'm struggling to turn my head! My first day off sick (other than when i was off when dd was ill) in over a year so don't feel too bad!

Going to have a very easy day, will try and finish my cards and may attempt to wrap some presents although yesterday that def aggravated it as involves looking down! Ugh!

Will be NSD at least.

Not sure if I ever mentioned but I was meant to have a water butt in my back garden when I moved in but never did, I complained about it (along with the heating issue and my back door that doesn't shut properly) and Stonewater have said they will order me a new one. They think it was stolen in between the house being finished and us moving in but will replace it as a good will gesture, am pleased as new they cost £50-£60 so worth complaining about. Still waiting on news about the other issues though......

girlie feel better soon!!

Have just had a look at my bank accounts. Credit card has shot up to over £1k. Oops. Although some of that was the gym membership for next year.

Have set a payment of £500 to go on 21st (payday). I'd usually save that much but needs must.

Will then work on chipping away at the rest by January payday.

I'm planning on using my time off between Christmas and new year to do a massive wardrobe cull again and an eBay run. I won't make a fortune (or will I...!) but aiming for an extra £150.

Thankfully we haven't been paid early for Christmas. People at work were kicking off about it last week "in my old job we always got paid on 10th Dec...." etc etc. I hate that. It always means trying to make a months worth of money last at least 6 weeks at the most expensive time of year. Fine if you also get a bonus at that time but we don't.

Ours are paid in April payday. If we're lucky enough to get them.

Oh no Girlie! :( I hope you feel better soon. Same to lots of poorly Frugaleers (I am quite pleased we are still using FruFlu as the name! Must be a year old now!)

So the news here is that the income assessment people have done their thing and they weren't even interested in account balances anyway, it was purely income and debt based questions. So cheques and cash will be paid in asap.

AND I have requested a PIP claim form. And booked an appt next month with the CAB to help me fill it in. Eeeek.

Oh and DD is much better so haven't phoned the doctor. Still coughing but no wheeze and she's playing fairly happily so obviously over the worst. I think I will try and find out about home visits for future reference though. If I have something like a chest infection myself I am completely incapable of leaving the house (as it flares up all my other symptoms as well as breathing issues) - one time they even prescribed ABs over the phone as I just couldn't get there.

Must try and have a productive afternoon, I didn't get up until way past ten 😳😳

Thanks guys, am feeling a bit sorry for myself!

Bit worried my laptop might be on the way out its one of my favourite things (a 2nd hand macbook pro) but the battery has been dodgy for ages and now the pad isn't working properly

Just checked my account and my mum has given me £100 feel a bit weird about it for some reason, things are tight but thats normal around Christmas and we can manage. I know I should just be grateful but its a bit like she has just paid for her presents which I don't like! Anyway have text her thanks but i'll put the money towards dds riding lessons....

Well done Cag! You'll get there, I bet you feel better just for booking the appointment. Glad dd is feeling better.

Girlie sorry your neck is so sore, do you usually suffer?

£3.30 on six stamps. Really have no idea what to get my sister and her boyfriend for Christmas. I don't want to go with vouchers as I don't want to spend much!

wreck I know you said no vouchers but what about a voucher for a restaurant so they can have a dinner out on you? Or a cinema voucher?

Hit post too soon.

Dm gets us each cinema vouchers and my God mother gets m&s vouchers but she specifies what they're to be used for (for my birthday I had £20 for pants and pj's, £10 for Percy pigs).

£10 on Percy pigs! Le yum 😍

Girlie it's lovely that your mum is helping you out. Maybe it is a sign, since you may need a new laptop soon... :) I do get the feeling weird bit though.

Thanks Wreck yes I am glad I have taken that step! I should have done it ages ago but I am not going to beat myself up over it.

I am nervous though as the DWP person I spoke to said they will book in an assessment in person. I have heard horrible things about this and I am fully expecting to have to appeal. But the ball is rolling and that's an achievement! :)

I don't want to spend more than £15 really and I wouldn't want to get a voucher for less than £20 iyswim? I was going to get a cinema gift box but it was £25 plus £5 delivery

Ah got ya.

I feel the same about vouchers - I feel like I'm being tight if a voucher is less than £20.

girlie Can you buy batteries on eBay? Dh replaced his iPhone battery using eBay and a you tube video.

two Excellent savings.

cag It sounds very daunting. If it pushes you up the list for a house all the better.

wreck I used buy a gift to get a meal for two with prosecco in a posh pizza place using a discount code for £25. There were other options that you might like.

£20 on petrol & we have a new wilkos! With free parking!. John Lewis sent Dh some free coffee vouchers so we can use them over Christmas.

mummy have you used the aldi turkey parcel yet?

Nsd
School christingle tonight.

Thanks fluffy! It was more than I wanted to spend but a really good gift. Plus she's only young and always remembers all of our birthdays and get us all presents so she deserves it.

Set a max limit for reupholstering our couches base cushions of €350, it's €450 but far superior than the second fabric we chose. So df's cheque has reupholstered our couches and bought a tonne of softwood. So we'll be sitting on his gift while warming ourselves with his gift

You can get cashback too but only if they list the discount code on tcb.

Someone said they bought the soap&glory set, is it brilliant? I've €10 voucher towards boots but set is €40.