Frugaleers hurtling through November... is it too early to mention the C word? All welcome for money saving chat!

[Cagliostro]

Hi all, please settle in for chatting about all things frugal, and all things everything else :o

I'm afraid that the food shopping is only one of the many ways that I waste money...

It's too late for me this year, but next year I need to cut back on the amount of people that I buy for at Christmas. It is truly out of control and makes me feel a bit sick at the extravagance of it all. I will tackle the food shopping for now, but next year need to completely overhaul everything.

I love running where I live

One step at a time born. I get my next year diary or Christmas note book and make a note of what worked and what didn't over the festive period. Ditto what went down well with people and what didn't. Means your can plan and buy when your see stuff throughout the year. Eg we are not having turkey this year as no one really likes it so leftovers get wasted.

We went to fountains abbey today. Pic nic taken but still £15 in the tea shop. £8 in the gift shop but that wasn't my money as it's from the gift card I got when I joined.
Swerved the shop on the way home - pizza dough on for DC and random chicken in sauce being made into a pie for us

Lazy always good sales on cards & wrapping paper immediately after Christmas

Lonely is it only a year? Feels like you've always been here!

Tayto we're watching toy show now
Did your dd tell her dad or wait until you were home? Disappointing experience at pub so after booking it

Em who's blaming who regarding the wallet? Wow no heating on that's amazing!!

Just chipped one of my lower front teeth - not sure when it happened
Think I'm allowed two fillings a year on Prsi this might come under that

I find Boots the best for wrapping paper, I started buying it when DH worked for them but if it ain't broke... I always go soon after Xmas and buy one of each nice roll. Good quality and price.

Frugal win, neighbour's just dropped off some of her DS' outgrown shoes and a backpack - pleased as I was considering a backpack as a present for him.

Frugal fail, friend visited and we ended up out for lunch £25 as I totally fail at planning. I also tend to want to go out more when I'm feeling a bit low so it's an expensive time ATM. At least we did have an awesome day playing shed loads of board games.

A certain watermelon cardigan was much admired today BTW :)

NSD.

Welcome Born

Hi everyone, I actually have some good news for once...guinea pig seems to be on the mend . He is much brighter now and eating more and just more like his usual self. We are still giving him the odd syringe-feed to try and get some weight back on him faster as he's so underweight but seems as though he has really turned a corner over the last two days. DH and I are soo relieved!

HG wise things are still grim, I guess very slightly improving but it's all so slow. Got another sick note from GP but he only gave it for next week only...I highly doubt I will be miraculously well enough for work come the week after next so I guess I will have to call them again next week and ask for another one. I have had some bad experiences with a few GPs recently who have massively played down how ill I am ("it's just morning sickness, I know it's crap as I'm pregnant now and have it too"...really though?! ), sigh. On the plus side my parents seem to finally get it a bit better after spending most of the day with me on Friday when I was having a particularly bad day and vomiting a lot, they are a lot more sympathetic now and haven't mentioned work to me again unsurprisingly!

Born Welcome!

Mammy Ouch, sorry to hear about your teeth, get to dentist asap! I hope it's not too pricey.

I have started writing our Xmas cards, mainly for my side of the family as DPs are going to go up north to visit DM's family sometime in the next few weeks so they can take our Xmas cards & presents up for the family there so need to get that all sorted asap, eek. I'm well enough to sit and do things now on the sofa so it was good to have something to focus on. I feel like it's a shame I'm too clumsy to really learn to knit or anything as that would be a good hobby I could do sitting here on the sofa all day. Atm I'm mostly just reading until my eyes die .

It's a very unfrugal time for us atm I think. My pay packet this month was massively reduced because of the sick leave, and our food shopping is more expensive because even though I can't eat meals, I'm eating all stupidly expensive bits and bobs that we wouldn't normally buy lots of e.g. San Pellegrino lemonade, various muffins and biscuits, fruit loaf, smoked cheese etc . At least DH has a part-time job now though, his induction went well on Friday and he's in for his first shift on Tuesday evening though apparently still mostly in training.

Em I haven't caught up properly but hope everything's ok with you as I can see there seems to have been some serious bother with a neighbour, eek. Also can't believe you don't have your heating on!! Ours is on pretty much non-stop atm in various temperatures for me and the sick guinea pig. I don't even want to think of our horrendous bill especially as we're lecky only. We are mostly just heating this one room though tbf (open plan living area/kitchen) with short bursts in our bedroom too.

LSD day today - would have been a NSD but I bought some pens from Amazon for DS2's Christmas (really need to stay off HUKD)

Meadow hope you feel better soon. Think when Kate Middleton had to withdraw from royal duties despite having access to the best medical care that money can buy that it shows how debilitating HG can be.

meadow you are doing so well. Your scsn must be soon? And yay for your dh getting some work. Very glad your Guinea is feeling brighter. I do miss the little chirpy noise they make.

Odd compromise, maccy d's for the 3 little ones £14, and dp bought us 3 big ones a takeaway. I think I got the cheaper end of the deal. £8 in the coop on milk, nightime pants for ds (he's mostly dry now always, but I take no chances) and a vienetta. I have eaten far too much.

Thanks cag !

Born makes a good point meadow. I'm please dgp is feeling better and that your parents are being supportive.

Back to work tomorrow boooo have had such a lovely weekend.

£66 Tesco. Tonight's dinner was sausage roast with sautéed cabbage and leeks, broccoli, carrots, roast porosity and Yorkshire's. Bil cake round earlier and brought me Maltesers so I had those too

Hello again

ememem sorry you're having so much trouble. I hope that now he knows that the police are taking an interest he'll decide to leave you alone.

Christmasseacow You sound amazing. I'm so far behind on Christmas arrangements its scary and as for making choux pastry, I wouldn't know where to start - can I come for dinner too please sounds gorgous.

Meadow you sound like you're having a rotton time... I'd suggest ginger but you'd rightly vomit on me at the mere idea! Sadly I think with HG all you can do is ride it out - write to the Duchess of Cambridge and ask her for her advice - perhaps she can send you a monogramed sick bucket. Glad the GP is feeling a bit better though.

@needastrongone Potentially good news for you. Sorted through a basket of stuff this morning and found a small pot of EH moringa cleansing balm that I never even opened beyond taking the lid off for a quick sniff from last years M&S calendar. If you'd like it I can drop it in the post for you - send me a message with your details

As for me I have a deep dark feeling that the only way to protect my bank balance is to put me in front of a wall and shoot me!! £8.60 taking DP, DS and me out for coffee and milk shake. £17 buying lovely junk food in Korean supermarket - went in for soy sauce and pickled radish came out with amazing things but forgot soy sauce!!

Here is meal plan for week
Monday - grilled chicken, taboleh and salad
Tuesday - beef curry and rice
Wednesday - steak pie, chips and mixed veg
Thursday - toad in the hole, mash, green beans, carrots and gravy
Friday - pesto pasta
Saturday - spinach and paneer curry
Sunday not sure yet

Shopping list - bread, milk, lettuce, spinach, paneer, cream, potatoes, coriander, naan bread

Everything else can be dug from depths of freezer or cupboards. I'll probably get some Christmas food ordered and also order a gusto box for following week as although expensive I like them as a monthly treat - nice not to have ot think what's for dinner for a few nights.

Still seem to have lots of Christmas presents to buy...sigh

I've been busy tidying the living room all day with my kids so we can put the Christmas tree up. Of course it's messier than it was before! Looks like I'll be doing it tomorrow too! DS3 did scrape some wallpaper as I wanted to paint but I don't think I'll get round to it before Christmas, I'm terribly slow and lazy.

I've got piles of boxes that have been delivered so I need to buy wrapping paper, usually get it from Wilkos. I don't like spending loads for it just to be ripped up and thrown away.

Went shopping today. £82 but did buy a frozen turducken for Christmas dinner. Never had one before so hope it's ok! The kids are excited about it anyway.

Also spent £22 on a present for DS1, it's coming from Australia though, so not sure it'll arrive in time.

Meadow, glad your GP (piggie) is feeling better and sorry your GP (Doctor) is crap, can't believe they'd say stuff like that about HG given how much it's been in the news recently.

Lists, I menu plan too, though it doesn't always go to plan! My plan this week:
Monday: chicken & chorizo with rice
Tuesday: steak bake, chips & peas
Wednesday: sausages, mash & beans
Thursday: out in London, so will eat out somewhere
Friday: either bolognese or chilli with jacket potatoes.

I like seeing what other people have, it gives my ideas as we do end up eating the same things over and over after a while.

Good news about dgp Meadow. I found a 0-6 month gro bag yesterday if you would like it? Not sure if it's a branded one of Mothercare version but it's nice and in good condition.

NSD planned. Fridge full of veg I need to think what to do with.

I'm just having an extra cup of coffee before I leave for work. I'm starting off in the opposite direction to the office this morning so I'm going straight there which is nice as gives me some time for peace and quiet lunch all made up so today will be a nsd. No spends planned this week really, maybe two presents I still need to get from amazon but that's it. Oh actually I need fuel again. Blah.

And a stamp

meadow hooray that Piggie is doing better x I too can’t believe your gp said that. Surely they know the difference between morning sickness and HG?

Meadow I'm so pleased Guinea pig boy is better. Dr sounds a bit insensitive.

£30 petrol.

I made chicken liver pate on Saturday. Very easy to do & really cheap. It's basically liver & onions blitzed in the food processor while hot & chilled in the fridge. Minimal cooking skill needed which is how I like it.

Things are quietening down a bit here. House-buying has reached exchange of contracts, so it looks as though we will soon have local grandparents.

I've done a dragons den-style pitch for science funding, which was quite exciting. I did it over skype.

Dh's new job started this morning so he is off on high adventure.

Ds's tooth op is next Tuesday, so that's what I'm working towards. I paid the bill already, which blew my month's budget clean out of the water.

I am now polishing the house with great polishing gusto.

Nsd today

Anyone from the Leicester area. Looking to go to the space centre Feb 1/2 term. Maybe the zoo too but no idea where they are in relation to each other. Any thoughts. Also recommendations on where to stay.

Hi all, glad the piggy is feeling better Meadow really hope you start to feel better soon as well.

I need to take girl cat to the vet, she has a long term condition which causes swellings around her mouth, normally steroids calm it down but they don't seem to be working atm

Work day and Nsd.

My lot loved the space center. There was also a pumping station nearby which had an open day but that may be more of an acquired taste :o

Proud mummy moment - DS passed his first taekwondo grading and now has a yellow stripe belt :) also found out DD got a commended in her latest ballroom exam (paso doble).

SPendy day. £61 at garden centre. On biscuits for dgrandma, hand muff for dsis and lunchbox for dsis fancy booze chocs for df a stocking for ds and three pieces of cake. The cake cost £11.... but it is the best bakery here. Le yum.