Spending October organising our spends - friendly frugaleers this way!

[ememem84]

New thread because old one is almost full. All welcome. fluffy can you be a doll and please post the helpful threads? X x

Screens don’t do much for DS’s behaviour either so we hardly have them at all. Just for getting hair cut or occasional other things where he might be extra stressed. I’m probably unusual in that but I don’t think they do much good- yes it’s a digital world but give any 6,8,10-year old an iPad and they’ll have it figured out in 5 mins! I don’t see any real benefit in starting early. And in DS’s case everything is habit forming so I choose carefully what habits I encourage! I expect he’ll be buried in screens by his teens whatever... but at least he’s interacting more with us for now!

Spent an hour being ruthless with stuff in the spare room. I held onto lots of DS’s baby stuff thinking I should sell it or give it to someone I like (it would have gone to BIL/SIL/DNephew with the rest of my boy stuff except I only found these boxes after he’d outgrown the stuff) . But I don’t know anyone with boys under 6m and I need to get rid of clutter so off they went. I carried the bag there on the way to the cafe with DS and it nearly pulled my arm out of the socket, it was a full black bag!

Lovely trip to the Belgian place, DS behaved impeccably waiting for his waffle and then ate everything. I enjoyed my cup
of tea while all the world around me ate pastries . Then we went to the park. I even managed to pop into a couple of shops on the way home for groceries - that used to be unthinkable with DS in tow so I’ve been struck by how much he’s come along in the last 18m or so. Much more flexible. He’s now colouring in a ninky nonk . We’re having a lovely day together, and while I feel rather guilty having dd in nursery while I’m home with DS it’s doing us both good. And it’s lovely and sunny too, always helps!

£11 in Belgian place, £15 top up for mince, fruit and veg for dinner tonight as sister is staying over. Am also eyeing up a Christmas jumper 👀 it’s nice enough to be worn any time around Christmas, and not just when ironic Christmas jumper wearing is called for.

Must attack the laundry now though. No work is happening right now so that might require Sunday working instead.

I just tried to practise my clarinet for my exam and it has gone a bit bonkers.

First it had gone up one and a half octaves just because it fancied it.

Then when I sorted that out I had to blow really hard to make it work and it sounds like a goose. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

On the plus side, all this fun kept me busy and didn't cost anything. #Honk.

Spendy and busy day

£12 breakfast with friend, my treat. £17 wrapping paper card and nice box of sweets for ds (fk me wrapping paper is extortionate).

We are out to a show at the arena tonight so will be treating him to dinner first. Likely very spendy in the city as he is a big eater and I’m also anticipating £13 on parking

Have washed, ironed, cleaned bathroom and kitchen and vacuumed living room as well as wrapping presents from me and from me and h (I should charge the wanker for the wrapping paper). I have also slightly given in and washed some of the clothes from ds’s floor (I’ve been on strike since August) as 1. He has no clothes 2. He doesn’t know where to start with tidying his room as he’s let it get so bad. It’s a one off, I’m not doing all of it and I’m looking on it as a present! Mean mother I am!

Em shame about fs’s Vaccinations but good news on the white goods

Wreck I remember the dressing Christmas feeling. There was a run of about 5 years where h and I agreed a very tight budget for each other for Christmas and then had a sort of challenge to see who could do best with the budget. In year 1 I think it was either 25 or 30. But I’m a firm believer that grown ups do not need presents if things are tight. Also children don’t need loads of presents to be happy so I would focus on experiences that make it special - magic growing jelly beans on Christmas Eve planted in a pot of sugar that become candy canes on Xmas morning, a small stocking full of cheap and cheerful stuff from wilkos and a Christmas film on tv the night before. I hope your day has got better the grind is hard

wolf that sounds like a lovely Christmas. I especially like the growing beans.

Ds never believes me when I try to do things like that, but maybe we could plant runner beans in the Christmas week? That would be much more fun than the usual lego-fest. I wonder what else we could do like that?

Wolf have a lovely evening! I can't not do presents. Dh and I won't but it's the millions of other family I have. Nieces, nephews, younger siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles who will all insist on getting us something (my grandparents give us £50 and buy gifts and that doesn't include the dc). I tried saying to my aunt last year can I contribute to food as we're struggling with money and she said 'oh just get us a box of matchmakers' which would just be embarrassing.

Mine aren't allowed iPads etc in the week but are allowed an hour at the weekend.

This year hopefully ds should understand Christmas more than last year although still probably won’t.

I’m doing a Christmas lights tour, we will do Santa and elves and reindeer (I have a horse shoe on a stick that we’re going to use for hoof prints and will do boot prints on the fireplace). Where do you find the growing beans? Is it an actual thing or do you just replace jelly beans with candy canes?

Dh has sent me paint samples. Turns out via photo I like the same one as him. Which is good. As he’s already ordered it. Phew.

Em you replace the jelly beans with candy canes. Plant beans in sugar in a flower pot (or mug) with dc. Leave on fire place with Santa’s mincey pie (and whiskey). When Santa passes by his magic makes the beans grow so you remove beans from sugar (the child will check trust me) replace with candy canes (wild colours if you can get them) and sprinkle a little edible glitter over the sugar and round the pot. Voila Santa magic

That sounds really tricky with the presents Wreck. Good luck with it all. I'm really impressed at how you manage it.

wolf amazing. That’s a do-er for sure.

Also in a moment of boredom I’ve bought a new pair of boots. £61 including delivery from office. Black leather slouchy calf length boots. For work and for play. That’s my winter essentials done. Except for a smart coat. I need one of those. I have a red one but want one in black or grey.

We’ve never really done much in the way of magical stuff except the elves leaving pyjamas at the door on Christmas Eve. DS still believes, DD I’m not actually sure . I think in future they’ll enjoy doing things like planting jelly beans for Cagletini :)

I’m feeling a bit meh about Christmas, last year was a bit meh too as I was two months into epic sleep deprivation, this year we just don’t have much money! At least, we don’t if we are sensible rather than blowing what we’ve got. We still have a lot of house stuff to get.

No idea what we are doing for the baby’s birthday either, I’m so disorganised! She has four little toys that all happen to be from Plan Toys - a phone, a bath boat, a car and a dinosaur on wheels. I thought I’d get her something big and meaningful being the first birthday of the last child but I can’t decide. DH is off at least so we will go out in the day. Somewhere.

My. Mouth. Hurts.

I bought mouthwash. And cannot wait to go home and swig it. I’d do it here but people would think I’m wierd.

wolf love that idea with the candy canes, dd is probably a bit old for that now 😔 but my friends with little ones would love it I'm sure! I love Christmas eve, so cosy and exciting.

Some of dds presents arrived today from Amazon, they all look good. She's not getting any one main gift but lots of nice bits. My boots have also arrived 😍 I love them so much!!

Been lovely and sunny here so washing is outside and I've mowed the lawn.

wreck just buy for the kids, seriously be shameless 😉 I don't buy for db and sil now they have 4 kids, it just gets silly!

Girlie I can't not buy for my siblings when they buy for my dc. My younger siblings are 16, 21 and 26. Like I said my older relatives spend loads on me and my dc I could never not get them anything. And my parents.

A friend of mine told me she had nerve pain from her neck going right down her arms and back and I was able to say the right things and be sympathetic in the right way, because of hearing about your experiences Girlie. Thanks for that. I have been a useful friend today, thanks to you.

Woo-hoo! I made it to the end of the week. I now have 9 days off work.

Nsd so far, but contemplating a takeaway.

Christmas here is usually spendy. Last year about £1500 in amazon. Sounds batshit, but a big pressie x4 and then little bitty stuff... this year it's Center Parcs, then I have £200 in coins (£2 and 50p) about £300 in paypal, plus amazon vouchers £100ish and I'll draw my £80 topcashback down into debenhams vouchers. So in theiry I can do it without credit. This is my aim! I figure that if we are off-line at center parcs I can't have that last week before christmas wibble where I buy all kind of unnecessary stuff.

I do do a new pair of pj's, a new movie and a picky tea of everyones favourite things on Christmas Eve. The day itself leaves me a bit cold now, it's all so forced. But the dc all assure me they have fun!

Um, em what would have happened if you'd just not loved the paint colour? Sounds like a bit tough shit for you, again.

wreck today. Sounds like they need to decompress after school.

I’m pleased with my frugal efforts this week, I’ve made packed lunches every day for DH, DS and me, 4 x NSD, stuck to the meal plan and meal planned and shopped for next week for £44 (using up lots of what we have here)

Fluffy – I only work 3 long days (12.5 hour shifts) at the moment, so at least I only have to pay 3 days parking a week.

I’m nearly up to 5000 points on e-rewards, 65 point to go. Hoping to get them in time for the double up.

I think having no money must be on my mind as I had a dream about shouting and crying at Jeremy Hunt (even though he’s not health minister anymore) about how I only had £20 to feed my children

I'll join you in that dream Nursie and I don't even work in the NHS. I just feel really awful for all my friends who do.

Christmas spending today

£40 in Boots, got another £20 worth in the 3 for 2 offer
£20 in various shops picking up bits for stocking fillers.

Wreck thats an awful lot of pressure,financial and the logistics of it.
I dont have many to buy for and dont do cards .DH does for our elderly neighbours-its his job.
I cut down massively and spread it out over the year.
I dont wrap either, use bags which are gathered up and reused-one of my DS loves this and had a birthday bag that would be carefully given back to me,he looked forward to seeing it every year.
Have spent the afternoon batch cookingand cleaning ,vegetable gnocchi bake -10 portions and vegetable curry in the slow cooker now.
I will do chilli tomorrow .
Dinner is prepped -Sweet chilli marinaded salmon with roast veg .Will serve in massive Lebanese flatbreads with salad and lime wedges.
DH has a cold,he has sat watching tv all day .
Ive shopped,cleaned and cooked most of today.
Laundry is almost done -he said he is tired

I pointed out if I had a cold I would still have done all the above ,he has symbolically peeled some spuds

Dh is like that when he has a cold so I've learnt to really milk it when I have one  haven't had one for over a year though!

Sorry for my moaning I'm ok now. The toy shop I work at do these really cool IQ smart games so I can get those for £8. They'll be good for grandparents etc. My sister is doing a hamper for my aunt and uncle. Dh can sort his family out himself. I definitely won't get into any debt over it. Unfortunately in the run up to Christmas I also have niece's, ds, nephew, brother's and dh's birthdays. Gah. Luckily the bargain thread is helpful.

Meal plan:

Pizza
Roast chicken dinner
Chicken casserole
Jackets and hoops/beans on toast
Pie, mash and veg
Chicken nuggets and waffles
Chicken sausage pasta

Have £85 left for the week (Friday to Friday here) dh will need fuel and no doubt there'll be top ups as it's half term but hopefully will have a good amount left over that can go towards Christmas.

Glad you are feeling better Wreck
DH has made his mash
Fire is lit here and fairy lights on

NSD.

nursie You are on fire!. The double up isn't until late nov and the nectar swipe and win is on next week.

Aargh lost my post
Basically it was wreck hope dc have improved, sometimes we're on a low ebb & they pick up on that. My dc are same age, she's very good but he can be a nightmare!

I completely empathise with your Christmas gifts quandary too as I've been there but this year I'm going to set trend for future as it's first Christmas separated. Not sure if I'm doing token or handmade gifts or simply excluding completely yet!

My dc, my parents, my niece & au pair are my priorities, would like to treat my sister as it'll be her first Christmas out of long term relationship too. My present to myself & dc is going to be leisure centre membership so I'm very excited about that

Today's spends so far €190 car tax for 12 months.
€10 on window handle as one came off in my hand this morning, my dm bought it so I'll pay her back when I see her tomorrow.

Nursie & warm well done
Lonely enjoy break

I need to do that with clothes too seacow save what niece will use & get rid of everything else. Sounds like a lovely day for you & ds. Where do you get that iron willpower though tea surrounded by sugar