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

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/3105327-Thread-19-loling-with-our-fingerlings

Thank you all! It's been such a lovely day. Forgot we also bought Cagletini an outfit (mainly because it was the only way to get tights small enough but the jumper dress is ridiculously cute) and we had ice cream in town this evening :o

The baby wearing is an interesting one, I have totally changed between babies. I think a lot depends on circumstances as well. With DD we bought a Tomy type carrier as that's all I was aware of, used it a fair bit when she was tiny but didn't particularly enjoy it. It certainly didn't feel natural like all the adverts said. Planned to then have baby DS in it and continue using the stroller for DD, but he was so heavy I barely managed it. Since having him though I've been much more aware of other types of sling and felt a bit sad I guess that I'd never tried them. So when I was pregnant I was determined to try again. Also TBH in the home ed community slings are pretty common! It has taken a few tries to find one that is right for me though. Needed something on both shoulders and decided pretied is better for me as I get in a flap so easily . I'll still be using the buggy but it'll be useful at home when she's clingy and for certain clubs when the buggy would be too much stress (crowded buses). Plus it is super pretty!

life ! Enabling klaxon. Now I'm off to tescos tomorrow for christmas jumpers, cut price advent calendars and giant kinder eggs. Plus I now need to go and google plusheens!

Sorry my lovelies not sorry

Went late night shopping, spent £11 in primark, £7 superdrug, £4.50 in new look and £5 in greggs!

I know I keep saying it but am def 100% done for Christmas now and other spends were for some sparkly make up for the Christmas do tomos and new tights. I wanted sparkly tights but no where seemed to do them!

€214.50 spent on two vouchers for dsc - both are for nights away in lovely hotels with breakfast & dinner included & concludes the last of the big Christmas spends.
Need a few gifts from dc to grandparents & something for dh, toying with paying for iTunes family package for him & therefore me!!

It was going to be a NSD then DS was ill so had to go and get him in a taxi £12 :(

Happy birthday Cag. People born in the 1980s and later should maintain a tactful low profile re. age

I've been reading... Wreck re your DS, I just wanted to say that needing an intervention of some sort is incredibly common in the early years. My DS obviously has loads of different needs, many of which are being met by targeted group work in the classroom. The groups are comprised of DS and other kids who have a similar need in that area (it might be language development, or social communication, or fine motor skills...etc ). While my DS has all of those needs I was surprised to realise how commonly children have one or two areas of need. I sort of felt that DS was a complete outlier but I realise now that isn't the case. Schools see this sort of thing all the time and it is great that they pick it up - a little targeted help makes a big difference. I am sure he will benefit and do well. It's hard to hear they are struggling though

I am considering being unfrugal and bringing in a sleep person to tame DD. I managed it with DS because I had the time and focus to get his routine and sleep associations sorted but with DD I don't. DS is also a bad sleeper and generally needs a lot of input from me so I haven't the time or energy to sort DD, we just bumble along painfully. She wakes every 2-3 hours, sometimes goes back down but not always. 2 hours sleep for me in a night is not uncommon. I've had enough now, urgh.

Haven't been spending too much other than the usual Ocado expenditure. I seem to have reduced top up shops in the last week too. I still have a few Christmas presents to buy but nearly done.

I'm off for a day out in town tomorrow with my sister, including a posh hotel afternoon tea that she organised for me for a treat. I am really looking forward to that. Just not sure what to wear to the posh hotel as I can still only really walk in trainers (the PF is still pretty bad).

Too tired to write more. Night night.

Wreck I'd be glad to know about that resilience book, thanks. :-)

Christmas I totally agree about a lot of kids needing extra help. I'm seeing that in Beavers all the time. I wish it didn't have to be so formalised and medicalised in school. I think they have to do that to justify the funding. In Beavers, we just give the extra help because it's the right thing to do and nobody needs to be labelled and I think that's much nicer.

Take care out there today, looks like its snowing down Brummy way. We have a hard frost. Dd1 has just left on her magical mystery bus ride to school, collecting kids from all the outlying farms. It makes me twitch.

Into town today to hopefully box off christmas. Dp will be waiting so I'll have to be quick. This will help me a. Make choices and b. Be frugal as I won't be browsing. I even have a list.

Morning all! We have snow! Only a bit but it's still coming down in big flakes. DD1 is mega excited. DD2 is lying by the French doors watching it. Ds hasn't noticed and the cat took one look and went back to bed.

Have started a pre-Xmas clear out. Did well yesterday. Can't persuade DD to part with anything but have convinced her that some things could go in the loft until the babies are big enough to play with them.

Annual jabs at the vet yesterday. Almost £50. Eek! Could have done without that just before Xmas. Sure I say that every year.

Happy belated birthday for yesterday Cag. Sounds like you had a lovely day.

At our school they don't seem to label kids (unless there is a significant diagnosis like ASD). There's just kids in the speech group or whatever.

Forget to say I'm also interested in the resilience stuff Wreck, ta.

I've just remembered my car insurance is due on 27th. Awful timing, annoys me every year.

Interested in the resilience book too please! 💐

Should get up and do stuff but I'm going to try and sleep a bit more. Cagletini was struggling with wind again all night poor thing.

And thank you for all the birthday wishes! :)

Will send you all the details

Working for a bit this morning then I'm meeting my friend for lunch. This evening is my first Christmas works do and I'm staying over so will be spendy! £30 for my half of the room and no doubt drinks get breakfast tomorrow though.

Ds' school is so small it shares a senco with three other schools but it does mean they pick up thinks that may be missed at bigger schools. The school nurse said she would expect it to take a year for him to really settle in if he's as shy as I say.

Good morning everyone. We had a bit of snow last night so there's a light dusting this morning. Looks very festive but it's baltic out. I've just looked out the window and it's snowing again!

I have the day off work because I'm going to my friend's wedding later. Just hope the weather doesn't cause any problems in terms of roads/traffic etc. The wedding venue is about an hour away.

We've had no car for the past two weeks or so because DH's car broke down and it's been in the garage ever since. I wouldn't mind so much but we had a very expensive car service back in August. You'd think they would have identified any potential problems back then. We've been hiring cars on and off since the car broke down.

We've had a busy few days. We went to the Wild Lights at Dublin zoo on Wednesday night. That was really good. They told us there was a show at Sea Lion Cove, so we were expecting some kind of show involving the Sea Lions. You can imagine our surprise when a troupe of Chinese acrobats walked out onto the stage .

Last night there was a Christmas Craft Fair at the local hotel. It's a fundraiser for a group I'm involved with, so I helped out at the door, taking payments and issuing raffle tickets. I spent €10 on entry and raffle tickets and approx. another €20 on craft items. I bought two place mats with the 12 Days of Christmas on them. And a wooden Christmas decoration with two owls on it. I love owls. Also some chutney.

Looking forward to a quiet, relaxing weekend once I get the wedding out of the way.

I'm not quite there yet with the Christmas presents but I think I'll have to hold off now until pay day rolls around on the 21st. We didn't anticipate the problems with the car.

Off to make a cuppa and then I'll be back for a read.

So I've just done a quick catch up.

em did you get to go jewellery shopping yet?

Wreck sorry to hear about parents evening . We all think our children are perfect and it's hard to hear that there are problems. Sounds like the school have picked up on this early and are preparing a plan. Hugs to you. Enjoy your lunch today and your Christmas do tonight.

Laska enjoy your break in Florence. Have a fab time.

Cag belated happy birthday. You're only a baby!

Seacow enjoy your day tomorrow. You deserve a nice treat.

Snuggly any bill this time of year is a pain. Our annual refuse bill is due in December (approx. €300). Who thought December was a good idea?

Just got dd a ted baker thick winter coat for £2.50 in the charity shop. It's gorgeous!

Could have swerved town. Debenhams had literally nothing. I did get myself a wee Mantaray dress (jumper with short swishy skirt attatched), will need leggings under, it's crotch length but clearly a skirt, thought this stuff was designed for 40 somethings (30% off and extra 10% at till). Tescos was better, 2 christmas jumpers, gorgeous fur elf hoodie for ds, boots for dd2, stocking fillers, love the giant kinder egg! Thread worm treatment, again. Ugh. Only ds, never had this nonsense with the girls. No evidence (this time) but the persistant itchy bum is enough for me to treat.

Will do an online debenhams for the stuff I wanted but isn't stocked in my provincial town, and process my amazon basket too. It's the most beautiful clear day here.

That's a great bargain Wreck!

Does anybody else feel like just wanting to eat chocolate and mince pies and drink lots of mulled wine and Baileys? I think the snow has made me feel especially festive!

I went jewellery shopping. And I bought something sparkly. I feel most unfrugal. But 18 carat white gold, 9 small half set diamonds. Beautiful ring for my right ring finger. It compliments my wedding ring and engagement ring too. My wedding band has 8 diamonds in two groups of 4. The “gap” happens to be the same size as the diamond in my engagement ring (dh’s wedding ring has the “missing” diamond but his is black).
I did spend a lot. But it’s something I’ll wear always and it’s not as though I buy jewellery every week. And as the old saying goes diamonds are forever.

The jeweller was amazing. I bought it from the vair expensive shop (only went in really to rule the place out as thought there’d be nothing for me in there). Jeweller asked what I was after and I explained. He looked at my rings and found something to match up. He did bring some things out - just for fun - for me to try on which were waaaaaaaaay out of my price range one ring I tried on (just to see the size) was £28000! It was absolutely beautiful. 3 5carat diamonds, platinum band but it would have blown the budget. Not that I’d been given a budget. But that would have been taking the piss.

My one is being sized and will be ready to collect next week. Eeek. 😀

Also bought:

Jumper and twirly spirally toy (to go on ds’ car seat) from jojo £51

£56 in boots on clarins. I’m out of moisturiser and eye makeup remover. Dm is stocking me up for Christmas but I ran out today and cannot let my face go dry. Came out of boots with probably about £100 of products. Clarins lady was a huge fan of ds and he smiled loads at her. She threw in a ton of travel size products. Yippee.

I’m going to start wrapping gifts today I think. Have hoovered, had soup for lunch and ds has been fed and has done some wicked loud burps.

Good for you em imo the best presents are the ones we pick for ourselves!

Just trying to out do em. Bought myself a Christmas present too. £13 fleecy pjs from primark 😂

Jewellery sounds amazing!

Wow em can you show us?!

This is dds Coat I'm really pleased with it. Just having a quick coffee before sharing assembly 😴

Once it arrives wreck I will do.

These are my existing ones though.