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

[needastrongone]

New thread.

£10 at the post office, I have to say it - how are stamps so expensive?!!

All my cards have gone off now though so thats good, off to see a friend for coffee in a bit.

Yy Sunny that would be nice, was certainly feeling frazzled on Tuesday , its always the same before Christmas as the hospitals start sending everyone home!! Dreading Christmas day as I am the only trained on for our team.....

Eeep so having logged into bank app it seems I really need to be more aware of when stuff comes out of my account. Like you said tayto it's easy to get surprised by direct debits coming out. Currently I have in the diary when things like child benefit go in which has definitely helped me but I clearly need to write when things go out too as I totally lose track of them and then get a shock (still not in overdraft but much nearer than I thought). So that's another new year resolution, haven't bought diary yet but have a paperchase offer and voucher.

Also need to move plusnet over to DH as he has that reward cash back thing for bills (I don't think gym or taekwondo would count). And FFS I seriously need to sort out some returns, I don't even know if it's too late now, I get so anxious about them for some reason.

I'm also pondering doing something a bit out there (by my standards) next Christmas. I do most of my shopping on Amazon and sometimes they take ages to take the money which again I get confused by. Maybe next year we should just buy a huge gift card to add to my account and then I will actually be able to SEE as the budget is spent? We could save up for it that way although may be a bit confusing as we also buy random needed bits on there of course (maybe I could pay with card for them still?). Any thoughts wise frugaleers?

That's two huge wake up calls today as I also saw a photo of me from a year ago and OMG SO HUGE. :( I am now four stone down from that weight but a good few more to go and that photo scared me! So double reason to get more organized with food (I know I've been saying that since I joined these threads!)

I spent €3 on veg. for stew and €5.15 on beef at butchers . I got nabbed by a local woman collecting for charity. I know her and I didn't have the heart to walk past her, as she raises a huge amount of money for charity locally. So €2 on a line.

Small frugal win. They were giving out free food samples in the shop so DD had a chicken goujon and we both took mince pies to have at home. DD's off school today because of some meeting.

"It was still pretty harsh experience but at least he's old enough to discuss it with me and that is much better than the experiences we had at 14 months and 2.5 years when all his trust just went up in smoke, with no possibility of discussion to make things easier. " Ah Sunny poor little DS. He's been through a lot. As you say, at least he can talk it over this time around and you were able to explain everything to him. A big difference between private and public care, by the sound of things. Is he off school now for a few days?

Cag four stone is a huge weight loss in just one year! Especially when you've had a baby during that time. You should be very proud of that achievement.

Your new ring is lovely em. Annoying about DH though, especially when he woke you in the middle of the night. Hope you get the tree soon.

How much are stamps in the UK? It's €1 for a stamp here so I'm aiming to hand deliver as many cards as possible.

I think a 2nd class stamp is 54p Tayto I have only posted about 10 cards this year which is a lot down on previous years, am going to hand deliver a fair few tomos. I remember when 2nd class stamps were 18p!!

Had a lovely catch up with my friend this afternoon.

Em Lovely, lovely ring. I always fancied a channel set eternity. If you've got an old electric toothbrush head they make brilliant jewelry cleaners with some washing up liquid and warm water. I use them on my stuff over a bowl.

Snugg Yep I've done that in the past too. It evened out in the end but I haven't tried since.

Cag There's a poster in the money section who reckons weight & money are linked & once you conquer one it's easy to apply the same mindset to the. Other. I think the Amazon vouchers might just work.

Apparently I'm getting £20 Amazon vouchers from media cell app on my phone this week.

NSD & ive given up on home made soya milk. I'll just drink less coffee 😭 It's the only bastard treat I have left.

I ordered a Phillipa Gregory book, last one of the tudor series. £5 for a hardback which I'll pass to the animal charity shop after I've read it. I paid using a survey voucher so technically free.

Cag think Amazon sometimes reward you with extra money when you buy a gift card so that might work out well for you.

I am a terrible procrastinator, which I think is a big part of my problem. Rather than just getting on with things like switching energy suppliers or cancelling subscriptions I don't need I find a million things to do to avoid it. I am the same with returning things. Right now I've got a pair of jeans, a pair of joggers and a pair of trainers that I bought for DS2 that don't fit and need sent back. Now obviously the sooner they're returned the sooner I get my money back yet I keep putting it off...

I am terrible at returning things too. I don't know why but it's just a blind spot. I have several failed returns languishing in my house. Anyone need size 6.5 navy Crocs?!

Pleased the dentist went well Sunny.

DD was an angel at the hair salon and then overtired and horrible afterwards. I cuddled her through her (eventual) lunchtime nap and knitted over her head while she slept. Was lovely and chilled actually.

£33 for hair plus £10 tips (tipped the colour lady and also the nice girl who held DD while my hair was being washed). It was very cheap compared to normal because I only had the roots done and didn't have a blow dry (my curly hair is best left to air dry really) . Also bought a latte - a rare treat - and a top up shop of £8 in Coop.

£7.45 on Salmon with peashoit stirfry for dinner.
£2.80 parking.
Am doing 2 weeks of non frugalness (budgeted for) in the run up to Christmas as Im usually run down and exhausted and carry on .
Its working a treat -feel much better and bouncing around
Loving my non frugal Loccitane advent calendar and all the little treats are perfect for the gym.
Recycled DS Christmas jumper -refuse to pay for cheap tat for Christmas jumper day.
Off for a bath and then knitting

How much Girlie????? Bloody hell I have a lot of Christmas cards to send.

Lovely ring Em and amazing weight loss Cag.

As you can see I'm not late night shopping but drinking a glass of wine and catching up with Masterchef.

DH and I have been discussing money. We have a few ideas for coping next year. One idea is to write on the calendar and night each month to sit down and budget for the following month. I think organisation is key. I'm very worried about it though.

Bloody hell - massive cc bill. I've spent far too much and out of control recently. Got the food shop to do but will get that from nectar points.

Nice ring em. V similar to my eternity ring.

Well done on the weight loss.
I think the Amazon card is a good idea. Could you and dh have an account each one for Christmas the other for incidental spends.

Ok I really need to get a grip with this! We have a budget that should cover us whilst I'm on ML but OH is useless at sticking to it, and keeps spending things on the joint account card which leaves us short

We've had a chat this evening about it, it's not forever as it will be a bit easier once I'm back at work in Feb but this month is hurting!!

Considering going through my things and seeing if there's anything I don't use/wear that's saleable. Might try and convince him to do the same.
Car is also due it's MOT ASAP which is sad

Goals for next year: make a dent in OHs credit card debt and re build a little bit of a savings pots just in case (I built it up before ML but we moved and have had lots to do in the new house!)

Sigh. No Christmas tree here. Maybe tomorrow.

Just emailed our building rep. She wants to change our buildings articles to not allow children and pets. Fine for us at present as it doesn’t affect current owners. But the minute we sell our market is limited. We also (apparently) can’t sell to investors as if we do we need a fire certificate. Which the building doesn’t currently have. We don’t need it at present but if we go less than 2/3 apartments owner occupied we need one. Mortgage providers won’t lend on apartments without them.

Glad the tooth went ok for DS sunny

Poor em DH with the hangover and noisy baby

Sorry to hear you are still struggling meadow

My fianancial goals for 2018:
Pay £12k off the mortgage capital (half is through our normal payments)
Ebay random stuff in the loft for £s and space

cag I had an offer on my amazon account the other day where if I topped up with £50 gift voucher, I got an extra £5. So worth keeping an eye out! Also, does DH have a discount scheme at work on gift vouchers? Mine does and I get 3% cashback on Amazon gv

Place marking I've read as far as here

Yesterday was a LSD €2 on raffle tickets at dds Christmas play. I spent 2 hours doing my nails last night using Sally Hansen two step miracle gel & now they're lovely & it's protecting them enough to grow a little too, spent €14.99 on set last week & will be able to buy individual colours also, it's a faff but much cheaper than paying for them to be done

All of our online shopping has arrived now too.
Taking dc for haircuts tonight
Ds (4) head butted dh yesterday
Dh & ds took my car to garage & if the repairs work it'll be great otherwise could cost me .€300 must find out what it did cost & tyre guy says I need two new tyres so will try sort that out before year end too.

Christmas party tomo so spends on hair approx €60 makeup €20 & alcohol ??? It's my third last occasion drinking

Forgot signed up for run every day January too it's free but I gave the suggested £7.50 donation for tshirt. Proceeds are to MIND if you fundraise.

My first virtual medal arrived too - this was for running 12k on 3rd dec.

Omg I don't think I'm going anywhere today, Dh parked my car on the road before he left & its slid 4ft down the road. I'm on a steep hill.

I've got work today

Omg Fluffy, I presume it hit something?

My drive is on a downward slope and the car once rolled into the garage door (handbrake was on but not firmly enough). The door came off worse.

Oh no Fluffy! Is there a little of damage?

fluffy I hope there's not much damage

Ordered two wireless chargers for myself and dh, turns out they don't charge wirelessly unless you've a wireless receiver chip thing for your phone which wasn't mentioned at all, promoted as being suitable for both our phones! so they're being returned but now I've nothing physical for dh to open, so I've ordered a beanie cap with led light built in, he uses a headlamp and beanie cap every day so it's practical.

Our frontage is about 40ft wide so no damage but I moved it anyway.

Last of my days off today and need to spend this morning doing boring housework so house is in a reasonable state before a longish stretch of work and then dd breaks up next Thus lunchtime

Got to pop to work later to finish my students paperwork, going to try and get them to pay me for my time rather than have to take in lieu....

Was hoping to get some wrapping done as well

Hope the car is o.kay Fluffy is the road icy?

Is anybody else doing Christmas cleaning and tidying out cupboards to make room for all the extra Christmas groceries? I found that the fridge and all the cupboards were too full for me to find anything last year, so I'm trying to have a sort out in advance this year.

sunny we're not at home for Christmas so my grocery shop this week will be like a regular weeks shopping

girlie My house needs some tlc too, my cleaner is only ok, I think I'm going to have to start making lists of jobs because I'm not happy with things at the moment, and I like & trust her and would like to continue using her services.

I would do if I were home for Christmas Sunny but we'll be at the in-laws. I am hosting my family for a big meal after Christmas but I should be able to manage. It is a perpetual problem for me though because my kitchen is quite small and there's not much storage

I managed to get a gp appointment for DD after dialling the surgery 112 times from when the lines opened . I have to kill a bit of time in a naice cafe first as it wasn't really worth going home after the school run. Shame