Friendly Frugaleers Festive Preparations and Financial Accountability

[Wolfcub]

New Fred

Time to replenish the Brexit stash

Current mood

Hi all.

I'm sad this morning but not surprised about the election. I voted red, our local mp's are really good. It is a safe red.

Anyway, sea, how lovely that ds was such a brilliant Joseph, you must be so proud.
I'm wondering if the Bear hunt was the next town over?

I am from NI and all my family still live there, I am so worried about what Brexit will do to the peace process and to the economic state of the country. The border issue has been fudged and lied about and ignored by the PM because he doesn’t care. I am so depressed and angry rn

Sorry posted too soon.

I missed all the love, love you too Wolf, and hope you get better soon. I'm off work today because my youngest was sick on Wednesday and yesterday but her dad looked after her. Today she has a dodgy stomach, so no work.

Welcome back badabing.

Em, hope you can claim on the items.

Been a bit spendy getting some gifts over the week.
Primark £49.30 on pj's for my boys, slippers for dd2 and my mum, socks for all the dcs, tights for dd2 and jeans for ds1.
Sports direct £48 on joggers and a top for ds2 and a top for ds1
Monki £10, top for dd1
Lush £14.80 on 4 bath bombs
Entertainer £12.33 on a nerf gun and bullets. Dd2 asked Santa for it because she wants to get her brother back for being bossy!
I'm almost done now, just need to get my mum a present, which will be something from pandora. Also need a few more stocking bits for the younger dcs.
Top up shop of bread and milk £1.85

Ocado coming later £42ish.

I thought that too life we've eaten a lot of ours!

It's nice to recognise some names on here. Hope everyone is well.

I have come to the end of my 0% period on both cards, fortunately just after my need to use them has ended (and I only have aboiut £200 left to spend on one). If it wasn't for having to buy presents for the dds (but have absolutely not gone over the top) I'd still have a little bit of cash left. Unfortunately child benefit goes in on Monday and that doesn't leave me with enough to cover the before and after school club payment, and my credit card. DH's standing order for his half of big bills and towards shopping (we are going to get a joint account!) goes in on the 25th or the next working day. Annoyingly, I get a bonus of a few hundred pounds at the end of this month!

Come February we are moving into a smaller house which works out well for us (lower rent, a lot freer to do what we want there) and my parents (rent going to them as relatives old house). Our outgoings ae going to half at the same time as DH getting a pay rise and during the year we also finish paying a motorbike on finace and DD2 gets her 30 free hours! But at the moment things are tight. I haven't even bought a single crappy but delicious sweet Starbucks christmas drink and a love them! They will be there next year . I think I am going to have to ask my parents to lend me some money until I get paid. And they have bailed us out so much over the last year.

NSD though!

We have snuggly. Will begin restocking in January.
Sounds tough badabing. Have you done a go back to basics review recently of all spends?

I still have a good chunk of my brexit stash left.

Bought ds an extra present today, an Xbox love voucher, but he rarely pays me for his monthly subscription (usually because he's had his pocket money reduced for behaviour) so it's actually frugal and will save me 33.89 over the year.

£5 on repeat prescription.

Dh is going out tonight so I’m on my own with the two littlies.

Home ed Christmas party this afternoon. DD’s last event as she’s going full time on Monday at her request!

I made a reindeer :o

Love the reindeer! Sounds like school is going well Lap. I'm so pleased for you and your dd.

That's great she has taken to it so well lap

It's depressing, likewise I don't know anyone who votes Tory but in our area some 33000 people voted for her 🤯 Lib Dem's were about 12 000 votes behind her. It blows my mind tbh that people can be so blind to what the Tories have done to this country.

Anyway today I've spent £90 on two new tyres, they were really bald and not legal so had to be done. Will use car savings to pay for them.

£8 posting parcels.

I've got horrible period pain today 😰 making everything a bit of a struggle.

lap love it!! And well done to Dd!

I think I’d have voted Tory if I was allowed to vote. The fact that labour are so against “tax havens” such as our little island and there was the threat to close them down....

That said I can’t stand boris.

lap love the reindeer, and it is amazing news that your DD is loving schools so much she wants to go full time.

I have worked from home today - our office is being closed and they have to pack up all the IT so we were told to stay away if at all possible. New office being opened on Monday. My lunch hour was spent cleaning the fridge. It has been a NSD - I haven't even got my nose outside the door.

Freezer dive dinner for me. Dh is out. I’ve found three chicken goujons, 15 sweet potato chips and have bulked it out with frozen corn on cob and some salad.

Woo Pottery Throwdown is coming back

Bag I think I'm going to have to spend £900 on a new oven. Mine is definitely not right

ohhhh when is that wolf

life for £900 I would want a steam injection deck, and 2 electric fan ovens.

It's a larger than standard oven and I use it loads so want a robust brand.
Seen a belling anyone know of they are ok?

€150 on gift vouchers for teachers presents, class collection.
€234 approx in Dunnes so total was €284 & used 5 x €10 vouchers.
€13.50 on stocking fillers
€26 photo frames for Christmas presents
€10 Christmas cards
€3.50 on treats for cat & dog for Christmas
€175 approx on groceries, this for week ahead & Christmas week, just need to get turkey (for 1.5 adults ) and ham & choc chips for fluffy pancakes (dds Christmas breakfast request) something for my own dessert & some sachets of dog food for ddog and I'm done
Present shopping not finished yet

Morning all. I managed to get both my babies in bed and asleep by 745 last night. Mummy won.

Dh came home at around 930 he drove so no drinks for him.

Riding today. It is blowing a hooley here. I almost wish it’d be cancelled. But instructor won’t cancel.

I have woken up so out of sorts - only to find the dishwasher hasn't run because someone opened it and didn't close the door properly. Also there is only 4 slices of bread left.... so I will add bread making to my list of things to do today.

I’ve never watched the pottery throw down but I am excited about Christmas bake off. And I still need to watch the Kirsty Christmas craft thingies. Love a bit of craft telly.

It rained a lot overnight but I think my conservatory has finally stopped leaking since the last visit from the repair bloke a week ago (his fifth visit!). After literally years of leaking I hardly dare hope....

On the other hand, our new mattress was finally delivered last night and I’m afraid it might be too firm. It felt rather like sleeping in the floor on a yoga mat. DH isn’t up yet but I await his feedback.

Quiet weekend here, pottering around and putting up the remaining decorations, wrapping etc. We are off to a screening of The Snowman this afternoon with a live brass band, so I hope that is good (and the kids are good!) . I really must finish my Christmas shopping but I am still stuck on DH and PIL. Would like to get a little something extra for DM too. Stocking stuff really. The kids have too much, as ever .