Decedantly damcing towards December - frugaleering Christmas ahoy!

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Snuggly we have been there it’s hard. Door sausages are a great draft stopper. If you haven’t got one stuffing a pillow case or tights (accepting you are unlikely to have the latter) with old fabric and shoving one against the bottom of all your doors is helpful. Keep your curtains closed if you can. If you are using the oven then open the oven door after and let the oven heat the room as it cools. I agree with candles. Even a few tealights will help a bit. Lots of layers, particularly on your feet and wear a hat as you lose heat through your head. Hot water bottles and blankets are very helpful.

£8 parking
£10 lunch for me ds,ds’s friend and drinks at event this morning
£50 dinner out with ds

Theatre was amazing. Jam if you happen to be able to go to the pop up theatre at the playhouse before January I can heartily recommend

Sorry not Snuggly, I meant Sneaky

So. First batch of cinnamon rolls are in the oven.

This is before oven.

I have another 10 minutes and then will do an after pic.

Went to dparents for dinner which was nice. Dsis was there too. She hasn’t seen ds for a couple of weeks as has been away and busy etc. So she played with him loads. So much so he was exhausted when we got home (an hour after his bedtime!!!) he’s crashed out now.

Dinner was garlic lemon chicken. Le yum. Plus broccoli green beans braised lettuce with peas potatoes. Le yummm

And hot homemade chocolate brownies and custard for dessert.

Now watching dynasties. With catface. She loves Attenborough.

Snuggly I lost that fight long ago and I now generally sleep 8pm to 6am, the same as ds. Do you have to do your school work in the evening though? I don't know how you manage. You must be super-strong.

That's great news Christmas.

Girlie I've had a discovery and I wondered if it might help you?

I'm doing this graph that Cag suggested. I've discovered that for me it's not just what I eat that matters for stomach trouble, but also what I put on the outside.

For example, moisturiser and shampoo, if it isn't washed off really thoroughly puts my stomach on the fritz. I just wanted to mention in case it might help you get your gastritis on the mend.

I think powder make-up is fine, because it is with me, but I've switched to no moisturiser, and shampoo only in the shower, not in the bath, and it is transformative.

Does anyone have a tried and tested super rapid cure for blisters. I have three huge ones that are super sore and I have a city day Tuesday with lots of being on my feet/walking

....and frosted. I want to eat them all now. probably shouldn’t

autumn that’s interesting re the graph.

I’m tracking different things now to see whether it makes a difference. I’ve got a variety of apps. One to track drinking (still trying to cut down although have had a drink 4 of 7 this week). One for food and exercise (my fitness pal) and one for period. The period one also tracks mood etc so I can hopefully see (if I fill everything in what has an effect and what doesn’t).

Generally speaking I eat really well. I get the snacky munchies every day at around 3. So need to sort that. I’m always reaching for chocolate when I should maybe have more protein filled lunches. Tomorrow’s lunch - wholemeal bread tuna and spinach sandwich. Apple satsuma. Handful of peanuts and raisins. Cinnamon roll.

Am taking the tray (bar one for dh) to work.

Big dollop of Vaseline or petroleum jelly on them before you put your shoes on Wolf.

wolf I think if you can dry them out.

Have you got any blister plasters?

Wolf I find that if I snip a teeny tiny hole in them and let the water out (Ew!) then the skin adheres back to my foot and it feels fine after that. But don't tell Fluffy. I really doubt that she'd approve.

Em I love that you have so many things that you track. You're a frugaleer after my own heart.

autumn I do that too sometimes just to take the pressure out

I think I’m at that stage re tracking that I need to work out what helps me and what doesn’t. I feel stressed so I eat (or bake as today shows). But I’m eating the wrong things.

I need to really take care of myself. The alcohol is a big thing for me. I like a drink. Don’t overdo it but maybe drink more regularly than I should. That has a massive effect on my sleep digestion mood skin etc. So throws me off balance somewhat and then I spiral.

I’ve made an appointment with my dr for Friday so I can chat about the last week (and also need to pick up more of my anti depressants before Christmas).

I would cover with plasters wolf and maybe double up with socks.

They look delicious em I love cinnamon! Are they tricky to make?

They are selling fleece lined tights in poundstretchers for £2.50 atm.

That's nice about the money seacow although always bittersweet with inheritance.

Thanks autumn interesting that creams etc can affect you like that. My stomach has been a bit better (am crossing everything) it's not 100% but I am able to eat a bit more now....

I'm knackered and in bed, watched a lot of telly tonight. Was disgusted with Strictly as Charles was my favourite dancer on Saturday! We love David Attenborough as well although find this series sad as can't avoid the human impact on these incredible animals 😓

Wolf have you tried Compeed patches? They are the biz. You can put them on existing blisters, whether the skin is broken or not, and they pad and protect it. They tend to fall off for a few days by which time the skin underneath is usually fairly well healed. There is a boots own version but I don’t recommend - Compeed are more expensive but they stick much much better and are thicker.

Life changing discovery for me.

Buns look great Em. I love making cinnamon buns but can’t trust myself 🐷

That's a great idea to talk it over Em. I do that too, and so many funny things come to light that I didn't think of before. That's how my music fun came along.

The graphs help such a lot too though. I've realised that I seem to go a bit batshit for the last two weeks of the hormonal month and just work and work and work, and then crash. I have no idea how to stop doing that, but I probably ought to.

I had such fun this last week, working like crazy on music stuff, and I've been a write-off all weekend. #ownFault.

The talking helps me to make things more frugal too, as emotional spending is no use really for solving problems. I still do it though

That's great that things are looking better Girlie. All fingers crossed and touching wood here.

girlie no not that difficult. I found the recipe on Pinterest. It’s an American one so everything was in cups. But I have measuring cups so it’s ok.

The most annoying part was having to wait for the bloody things to rise!!! I am super impatient.

They’re delish though. I’m taking all but one to work tomorrow.

Huh. Ds has just woken up. He’s chatting to himself.

NSD.
Those buns look great em

Wolf I second Sea on the compeed plasters, they are brill, they also do ones for coldsores and I just wish I'd discovered those sooner.

Thankyou so much everyone for all the tips, I really really appreciate them

Ignore the mess but this is my downstairs lounge/kitchen - heat just disappears! The only door is the bathroom door.

will save it for a sandwich then

Going to Primark the day after boxing day (am saving now, trying to anyway!) And will get some leggings - I'll wear clothes regardless of who they're designed for, men or women I don't care if they're warm

I realise you can't see most of the lounge but you can tell it's all open plan at least

Being open plan to your stairs is a nightmare for heat loss. The heat rises, like the heat from a lit match, so all of your heating is going straight up your stairs. Is it warm upstairs at all?

I realise money is super tight, but if it was me I'd be finding a way to put some kind of door, across at least one downstairs doorway. Even a big piece of cardboard blocking that opening next to the stairs would make a huge difference.

Nice house by the way. It looks big. Lots of space for dancing.

It's a duplex flat so the bedroom is actually upstairs! Which is even colder than downstairs. It's a flat that looks bigger than it is! Although the bath is massive The stairs on the right in the photo lead down to my front door. Then there's the porch me and neighbour share.

I can't see anywhere to PUT a door I'll ask my aftercare worker if she can charm the estate agent into adding one.

And I lipsync to the cat daily

Sneaky, that is a lovely space, but heat is just lost!
Could you put a curtain up at the kitchen window?
Or another trick would be to get big bubble wrap, spray the window with water and then stick it to the window, it is meant to keep heat in.

I've got a blind for that window somewhere, would that work just as well?

I'm on housing benefit with my ESA but the rent for this is only £425/month - I love it! The ones the other side of the market are £600/£700

That is really great about the rent Sneaky, is it council or housing association?
Yes the blind would make a difference, sorry can't remember if you said you have double glazing or not? Even so, the bubble wrap will hold more heat in too.

Nope, standard private rental property!

No double glazing here. Will dig blind out tomorrow!