Festive Frugaleers gather round the (best value and carefully researched) Christmas Tree for support, advice and chat. All welcome.

[needastrongone]

New thread.

Roast beef might have been good but the smoke that now comes out of my oven . Will be cleaning that this week then.

Flapjack and sticky toffee pudding made, just tiramisu to go now. I too am a little sick of rich food... looking forward to getting back to normal next week.

Thanks for the good lucks 😁

Seacow yep job is health related

Lonely pay isn't any different to a normal Sunday but it's still, time and a gazillionth of a fraction. But it's extra!!!

So we did our budget spreadsheet last night and it's pretty scary. The amount we will be spending on childcare is eye-watering. It's as much as our mortgage. We are going to have to be very careful as we literally have no extras left.
Going to look at broadband as contract is up soon so we might get something cheaper or be able to negotiate.
Car insurance and gas/electric are already cheapest I can find.

Which months is it that we don't pay council tax? I think Feb and March?

When do you go back to work Snuggly?

snuggly ouch!! Childcare is a ridiculous cost isn’t it? We’re looking at £1100 a month for ds to be in nursery 4 days a week. We talked but about me not going back but mentally I need to. If we had another baby it wouldn’t be viable for me to work (unless we timed it right to coincide with ds’ free nursery hours he’ll get when he’s 3) still it’s almost as much as our mortgage.

I’m going to do 52 small changes again next year. But I’ve lost my copy of the book. Sigh. Must hunt it down.

My New Years resolutions are:

• waste less (food toiletries clothes - use it up) and recycle more
• less screen time - I downloaded an app (moments) which tracks how much phone use I have every day. I can set a limit and it won’t let me use phone after that limit has been reached haven’t done this yet though...
• take time out just for me each day. At least an hour. This is probably way too ambitious.

Oh yes forgot about the council tax free months!! I still owe my mum some money for the car so it could go there instead!!

Wheely are you a nurse like me? I am thinking I will need to up the bank shifts next year, makes a big difference to the month overall.

Unescorted agree with the others, if its serious they would def contact you and get you in straight away, my guess is they want clearer pictures. I have yet to have a mammogram, I hear they are loads of fun

Have just been a bit naughty and bought myself a Cath kidson bag in the sale £26.95 including p&p, my mum bought me one for christmas which I really like but need a smaller one for every day use, the bigger one will be great for days out etc.

Have also decided that I will treat myself a bit more in 2018, its funny how if dd needs something I somehow find the money but not if I need something I work hard for my money so as long as i'm sensible will allow myself a few nice things.

Had a really nice and cheap roast dinner last night, Aldi roast chicken in a tray £2.60, spuds approx 50p and veg 30p - will do four meals with that, so less than £1 a meal. I made my own roast potatoes which even dd said were delicious, does anyone know if I batch made roast potatoes if I could freeze them?

Plan for today is to pop into town and get some bits for my mums bday, have decided her main present will be NT membership which I will go halves with my brother on, will pick up a few smaller things in the sale for her to open. Am also going to attempt a coconut birthday cake she loves coconut!! Need to get a few bits for the cake...

Girlie sounds good to plan some treats for you also, pic of Cath Kidson is essential too btw

Have already decided council tax saving is going straight into savings account.

This year.
Stricter with heating/utilities use -turning everything off and will be switching again in May.
As em said -using my nice stuff .
Have already tidied drawers/wardrobe
Read my books
No yarn unless birthday money etc
Knit everyday
Continue to exercise everyday

This one Mammy www.cathkidston.com/cross-body-bags/button-spot-saddle-bag-1023025 its hard to work out the sizes from the pic but am hoping its about what I want!!

Yes girlie, par boil, dry and cover with oil/goosefat whatever then freeze. Few minutes extra when cooking from frozen.
There is an NT code for a £15 voucher. Hang on I will dig it out

NT offer

You can join the nz one for NT & use it here. You can buy parking badges on ebay

Spendy day for me treating the kids before the frugal new year
£40 on soft play and lunch
£18 top up shop in Aldi
£10 on medicines for DH who has man flu

I'm never going to last until midnight. I could hit my bed already.

Party at the cricket club tonight with a Jacobs join buffet. Lemon cheesecake made, sausage rolls ready to bake later.
Off out for a walk now as its nice weather here.
Happy Frugal New Year everyone xxx

Made flapjacks. And am trying to fit all bils food into our cupboards. So many mustards relishes jams etc. And handy tins of soup.

Washing drying and new load on
Ds has had a bath
I’m dressed and showered.

I need dh to take ds out somewhere so I can have a few minutes peace. Every time I try and sit quietly dh brings him in and says “shall we see what mummy’s doing?”

Has anyone else taken down their tree yet? It's kind of bugging me now. I feel like I'm drowning in Christmas clutter. I'll leave it up for tonight though.

Ours is coming down tomorrow as my parents are supposed to be coming for lunch and it is hanging on till then. It is throwing baubles off as it is so dry! DH turned the radiator next to it back on and let it go dry (his job is watering the tree). But it still looks pretty, it is still standing.

we are planning lots of house bits this year so we are both keen to get on.

Need my dad does a 7mm. He's slowing down these days though.

Ooo seacow you've just reminded me I was going to do some baking. Must get off my bum and do it.

Tayto our tree came down two days ago! I hate the clutter!

Bought two pairs of jeans in gap for £47 total.
£19.98 in crew clothing on a top
£17 macdonalds
£3.49 Lidl.

I resisted the gorgeous suede uggs I wanted. They were reduced to £75 cute camel coloured ankle boots.

Dd spent £20 on a gap hoody and ds spent £20 on some football boots.

I spent £5.48 in the coop, only because I had £6 in my pocket! I didn't have my purse with me, so couldn't buy all the reduced-a-little-bit meat that goes in the freezer and never gets eaten. Plus! Bonus I got a Peter Rabbit 50p change. So more than 50p really.

Have been to the tip and dumped all my old (and some quite new) rusty baking tins, quite cathartic. I am never going to use a rusty tin, so why keep them (in a box on the kitchen floor for over a year)?

Turkey pie for tea tonight, and I'll make mini ones for tea tomorrow (muffin tin size).

em I am guilty of going that with ds and dp. It translates into "help, I need a moment" but is only justified when you have been up since diddly dot and really need a break not when you're a bit bored I used to go to the loo with my book too. But my ds bf almost exclusively for 2 years, so it got a bit much sometimes.

I think I'm going to go do the Jamie Oliver roast chicken tikka for dinner. No doubt the dc will hate it

Our tree came down yesterday. Just have to reorder the attic to get stuff back in. Will do that Tuesday while DC are at pony club.

Space capsule was interesting but I wouldn't travel miles to see it. There is a VR thing about the landing but only for over 13. It was a nice , free, hour out.
It goes to York after 15 Jan, then Manchester but not sure of other dates and locations.

£30 matalan - wellies and work shirts and 2 dvd.
£72 sainsbury- would have been more but i refused to buy some stuff as it's so expensive. Have started an Aldi/Iceland list.

Had anyone used farm foods? I think it might only be Northern and a bit like Iceland with more branded. I want to save money without compromise on quality. Also require veg inspiration for more veggie meals.

Bugger life only just seen that about the £15 off, too late now!! Will definitely do the roast spuds to freeze, thanks.

We popped to town £17 primark on sports clothes for my mums bday.

£4 card warehouse, they have their 10 cards for £1 offer on at the moment, also got some half price xmas wrapping for next year.

£9.40 sainsburys, a few bits for the cake and cat biscuits.

£3 coop.

@Bornlazy the package arrived yesterday thank you 💐all fits perfectly! Yay! 😍

Super lazy NSD today just planning what needs doing in the new year really. Plenty of buffet food and leftovers to graze on. DD will be staying up as she’s just started her melatonin break anyway.