Countdown to a Frugal Christmas, The Friendly Frugaleers still knitting,nattering and money saving!

[QuiteFabULousDahling]

New Fred

Feeling very un glam here today. Ripped skinnies one of dh’s old hoodies. No make up (just a lot of moisturiser).

But it’s sunday. So who cares.

Have swept the floor and and mopped them this morning. Dishwasher is on. Bathrooms to do next. And hoovering.

The big coop near us is open today so dh and ds are going there this morning.

I’ve sorted the recycling so dh and ds will take that with them.

Happy birthday North’s dd

I am currently fighting a Fluffy-esque battle with b&q over a faulty light

Staying home today and taking lots of measures to get rid of this cold

How’s the head Girlie?

I slept till 9am - unheard of for me! We are heading out soon to a local nursery to choose a Christmas tree (they will deliver next weekend so we can put it up on Sunday). The tree is literally the thing DS likes best about Christmas so we always have it up all month. Also we have friends coming over on 8th and want the house looking festive for that. I have a lot of cleaning and decluttering to do before then!

Thats where I am seacow (except my tree is called Steve and lives in the loft). Trying to clear the space to decorate though. Am taking a break and knitting pigs for etsy orders (had a wee flurry of advent orders), but have sorted the space to move some stuff to. My house is a complicated game of jigsaw jenga. Move thing from here so I can fill the space with that from there, before it all tips over.

If ds loves it, no need to explain early decs! one of my workmates put hers up last weekend

I love the fact your tree has a name Lonely

I’m hoping we can get our tree in a couple of weeks. Not entirely sure where to put it though

I just did something crazy.

Catface was looking out at the garden through the French doors. So I opened the door. Just to see what she’d do.

She stuck her head out and sniffed the air then sat and looked for a bit. I’m so so glad she didn’t run off. I’m not sure what i would have done if she had. cried probably

Steve 😂

Although our robotic vacuum is called Bob

Hope girlie had a fab time and isn't suffering too much today

I have given up trying to repair the printers. Ds says he will wing it in the orchestra tonight, and promises not to whine if he has no music.

dparents have arrived and I am trying not to be crabby.

Nsd yesterday 🎉 I am sick of spending money. Parcels have been arriving at an alarming rate and I’ve no idea where to put everything 😳 Every year my enthusiasm for Christmas wanes and this year is worse as I am working Christmas Day and Boxing Day 12 hour shifts. Still everyone else is excited so that’ll make up for it.

Hope your party went well girlie and that you were thoroughly spoilt with presents 🎁

Just stalked wreck on another thread. She seems very well and in fine fettle. I didn't post to say hello as that would be odd as she'll pop on here when she wants to!

Have ground to a halt as the last grand prix programme is on. Have wrapped up ds' last largeish pressie, I too am out of stash space, so wrapping up is the best option just now. I will hit peak christmas spirit half way through december, and then I go a bit meh. Hopefully with a wee trip away I'll get right through this year. I finish on the 21st until January. Compulsary anual leave, but hey ho, and it's perfect with the dc off then too.

I have set myself a challange. I use an app called 'fitplay' which gives real money for having various games apps open. I am 18k 'coins' off a £20 amazon voucher (220k of their coins). If I get there before 1st Dec I will use my voucher on the nivea advent calendar... do they go cheap once december starts? I mean the stuff ones, not choc. Does anyone know?

Afternoon.

I may have made a very unfrugal discovery. The bakers from the next town over comes to our village on a Saturday morning with the best sourdough. A wheat, spelt and rye mix. And the Vege shop comes over too... we already have coffee roaster and more than one art gallery. We are turning into a hipster enclave.

Happy birthday north DD

Em I am doing scruffy too.

How are you feeling Girlie?

Everything stops for the F1 here too Lonely. I follow max on Instagram. Yet to see what shapeless outfit Suzi Wolff is covering up her fab figure in.

I have realised that I don't need to worry about my soon-to-happen social engagement with my forgetful friend, as every time I see her, she has forgotten that we are going. I think perhaps the answer is that we are not going any more. Problem solved.

Also watching the f1 here whilst writing Christmas menu plan and adding to ocado order

All quiet here. Yay.

Ds napping. Dh cooking something. Catface is curled up on bed next to me.

Ive emptied my make up stash onto the bed and am sorting it.

Friend is coming over shortly to collect some cardboard boxes for her move.

£474.15 paid off my credit card. This will bring the balance down to zero.

I want to start 2019 debt free (apart from mortgage). So clearing this now will help. It’s porrible I’ll use it again before Christmas but get paid on 21 Dec so will be able to pay this down again. Money came from my savings. I’d rather have zero debt and reduce savings that loads of savings but cc interest. So it’s done. Yay.

Serious saving next year. The goal is to have paid off as much the mortgage as possible by the time we’re both 45 - so have another 10 years. Paying it off would be possible but it’d mean no treats. No fun. Just the basics. So as much as we can. Currently we’re not over paying every month. But will save up and pay 10% as a chunk each year if we can save that. I think this reduces the interest we’d pay significantly.

My tax rate has gone down and should go down further once my return goes in for filing in January (we run jan Dec here) as I’ll be able to claim for ds’ nursery and mortgage relief. And will have paid off the amount owed for maternity leave.

Must count my jar o coins too.

Place marking
I've read up as far as here but I'm tired so won't comment on posts today
Will update my spends from the weekend later but spent much less than I had budgeted so I'm very pleased with that.
I resisted dr martens in office yesterday with 20% off but I'm still debating them they were fabulous.

Just saw the craziest waste ever, did recycling on my travels today & at the bins was a full dairy box, wrapper intact, dumped there.

Did you liberate them?.

Nsd.

Fluffy I thought about it but wondered what example it would set for dc so didn't.

four more posts to go.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/3434029-Decedantly-damcing-towards-December-frugaleering-Christmas-ahoy?watched=1

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