Friendly Frugaleers Festive Preparations and Financial Accountability

[Wolfcub]

New Fred

From what you've said me I would wait. If nappies are not dry hold off until warmer weather. Sounds like you have enough on as it is.

Good luck em.

£8 skatepark for 2. Pop will be bought in a minute

Chester le Street park is nice too.

We are very out doors but tend to stick to parks and national trust for cheap days out. And the beach.
I tend to only do paid events with a voucher.

Budget done for the year based on my base pay but with clear plans for the temporary extra I'm getting - I just don't want to rely on it hence a two tier system. Every single penny is accounted for for the year. All recorded in budget lists in my phone, will also be keeping a paper record this year too. I've upped some categories where bills have increased (lots of things change in January) and I clearly hadn't enough this year like car service and food and reduced some others like school dinners where ds is managing on less than I'd originally thought (still £13 a week I'm not starving him).

I've also gone through my savings accounts and closed and transferred those with the worst interest. Last year I went for the multiple pot approach whilst I got used to things, this year I can cope with less pots because I understand better where and when my annual expenditures are hitting

Need to close and move my regular saver on its anniversary date next week. 50% of this will pay the holiday balance which is on my credit card (no interest to be paid) and the rest will go into my isa

I've also increased my other credit card repayments, I was already overpaying both of these but with the increases I've been able to make I can get rid of those in 4 months and 7 months respectively rather than 10 and 10 months. That would leave my only debt as a loan and the mortgage. The former necessary to consolidate and pay off the debt h left me with but that will also be gone in 3.5 years. There is light at the end of the tunnel and even if I have to pay him out of the house for more than I have planned, and therefore significantly extend mortgage term and increase borrowing, I still think I can cope.

This feeling of control may not last long but I'm going to enjoy it while it does.

I think I miss read your post as your hadn't been to PP me. Soz.

I need to do next year's budget too. I'm also inspired to have a cook book a month too.
January will be the scraps ripped from magazine then the keepers Made into a scrap book.

Sounds good wolf. You decided to stay in that house for now then? . Long may the tda continue for you.
I'm aiming for g7 this year. Didn't get through the sift on my first go.

Good job wolf

I need to do similar and work out my budget and the house budget. However my maths brain can’t cope with my only working 4 days once I go back instead of 5. So need to sit and figure it out!

The main bit is working out how much will go to joint ac (just need to get the numbers in a spreadsheet) and then add a top up for food and petrol.

Then work out what I have left. I’m going to speak to dh about me putting in a lower amount as I’ll be earning less. But not sure how he’ll feel about it. When he was the lower earner he didn’t pay less in.

I’m aiming to save £250 a month. Should be doable. I make a payment of £20 each to ds and dds accounts (£10 each to their lloyds and £10 to their Hsbc ac). Although might stop pulling this from my account and pull it from the joint ac instead.

I’m starting the year with a no spend challenge. No non essential spending until feb 21 (payday). No clothes shoes toiletries. Unless I’ve run out of something. No buying lunch out. No nice coffees. Essentials only. Unless gift card spends. Or pre booked (nails and waxing before I go back to work are essential - don’t want colleagues thinking ive let myself go!)

I've just spent £82 on the Next sale, most of it will probably go back!!

No point me trying to cut back in January as dds bday is in February plus I tend to buy a bit in the sales etc (which is frugal?)

Wolf did you decide to stay put in your house then?

My fave leftover Meal is bubble and squeak, hands down. In fact, I may have just made too much mash for the fish pie for that very reason . Having not hosted Christmas I am feeling a bit deprived of leftovers at the moment though.

With turkey leftovers MIL makes turkey a la king and it’s delicious. I often make chicken arrabiata (to eat with pasta) with scraps of leftover roast chicken. And chicken stock with the bones. Love proper stock. That HFW book looks like a good read. I am quite a fan of leftover meals but DH not so much 🙄

Life I think I have, I'm looking on right move regularly but I am fond of my house and would prefer to stay here so long as it makes financial sense. My pension statement has finally come through yesterday after eight weeks of asking so I'm going to make an appt with a solicitor ASAP so I know where the land lies. Ultimately it'll be money that decides

The offer to look at applications still stands for anyone. Need to write my own in Jan/Feb as the 6 post I'm tca'd into is due to be advertised earlier than originally planned. If I don't get it I will be casting my net wider.

Em I'd definitely pay the dc savings from the joint account and not yours

Cross posted as I started writing before emptying the washing machine!

I forgot to say: I spent £45 today on Christmas lights. Love the warm gold ones we got for outside and my Wikos tree ones are faintly green-tinged so they are not coming back next year. The lights were half the price they were before Christmas - I got a set for the tree and some icicle lights to hang along the balcony out the back of the house (garden is lower than. The house so we have a balcony thing along the whole back length of the house). Am well pleased with that. Also contemplating a fake tree in the sales as I found the whole real tree thing a hassle this year. I love them but ours has shed a lot as we put it up so early for DS. DH is not in favour though.

No other sale shopping except bathroom fittings. I am too fat to buy new clothes.

£42 riding. A lovely crisp wintery hack.

While I was out, ds did a pee and a poop. Whilst sitting on the couch. As dh was sorting this Dd did an up the back out of the nappy one. 😂

Sounds good wolf. Good luck on the application too.

Back from skatepark via McDonald for the boys.

It's frugal if its stuff you need from the sales.

Last of the leftover gammon and turkey for tea. Beef went into the freezer to make into a chilli or something later.

Lifelong- took a screenshot of your ideas, thank you! Think we are getting Beamish pass in the spring as not had one in a few years but it got a lot of use. One small 'perk' is that I can normally get 1 adult free to such places as I am his registered career (I acknowledge that in reality that is heartbreaking, but I can't change it so try to focus on positives where I can otherwise it can be quite easy to go to quite a dark place).

Wolf- don't know the background but it sounds like you have a lot on you plate, but also that you're being really proactive and are looking at the situation with your eyes wide open.

Em- hubby and I have joint accounts so always fascinated by the mechanics of those who don't. I would feel it was fair to split anything to do with the children.

Christmas- I love a real tree, have got ours from IKEA the past few years, but thinking a preloved fake one is far more environmentally friendly. Not sure I would convince husband though.

Spent £33 in Sainsburys, mainly on food but £4 on a gift for the present cupboard (reduced from £10), £1 on 42(!) little wooden tree decorations (was x2 50p packs, keeping one for us and one is going in my mum's crimbo stocking which she will get at family gathering on NYD) plus x7 50p rolls of brown paper gift wrapping with red dots.

Going to look in the freezer and see what I can use to pad out meals this week- I know there is a lot of yellow sticker meat lurking in there!

This afternoon I'm having a wardrobe sort, once a year I go on a shopping day with my mum and is only time of the year I tend to buy any new clothes (though do buy from charity/ebay the rest of the year), wanted to make a list of what I actually need.

This time last year I reduced working days to 1 per week so I could do all night care for my son (was spitting it with husband but we were both on our knees with exhaustion as both have demanding jobs with high amount of take home work). Have packed away most of my 'professional ' clothes, but lots of my other stuff is still reasonably smart. I need a few more basics like t-shirts/jeans etc that fit in with the reality of my life know which is lots of cleaning/housework/school run etc.

Emem- ride sounds amazing, very jealous.

Got to find a positive where you can me.
We go south quite a lot too but that's quite a treck from your and the savings would be eaten by fuel.

me I tend to use the joint ac for all kid spends (or use my cc and then transfer the money over).

I usually take £250 a month from joint ac for emergency saves. So will do £290 and move the kiddos savings from that.

Was going to discuss with dh. But cba. Will just do it and then it’s done.

Stuffing was fried up for breakfast with eggs. It is a bit of tradition so we deliberately make far too much stuffing. I left all the rest at M&Ds. I suspect they have been having turkey sarnies and will get around to ham sarnies.

We have had a Christmas miracle here today.... the bike shit (TM) has been tidied out of the living room. Hassar!

I have been practicing drawing on my tablet … a very relaxing day.

It has been a looooong afternoon here. Dcs climbing the walls by lunch time so we took them all to the park. Dts had a fight because they both wanted the same swing (all identical swings but it had to be that one) then none of them wanted to go on anything else cue massive tantrum when more children arrived wanting to use the swings. Came home and attempted to watch a film. That was fun for about 10 minutes before dts got bored and started throwing stuff. Attempted craft activity in kitchen as dd1 was still watching the film but they weren't really interested in that either. They both wanted to sit on my lap. They would not share my lap. There was pushing and more throwing and tears. I am pleased they are all now in bed!

Planning NT outing tomorrow to burn off some energy in a place with no swings!

You should have just gone on the swing yourself snuggly. Given nothing else is right in dt world.

Snuggly 😩* .... and a 😩 for yesterday Seacow.

*
I haven't been able to keep up today - such chatty frugaleers! Plus, in line with having similarly cabin-fevered children, we decided to head to MIL's 3 days early 😂, do have spent much of the day packing and travelling. Have decided the 3yo's need completely wearing out all of the time and that's easier to do here by the seaside!

We did spend a fair chunk at the motorway services but have avoided needing to do a shop for the next few days.

Ds peed. On the kitchen floor. But we brushed it off “it’s ok ds” so I changed him. Then he did it again literally just as I was about to sit him on the potty before Bathtime. “Oh no larly again” said ds. (He can’t say his name properly and calls himself “larly” Dd is “bolly”) I’m annoyed at this one because I’d just managed to get him to agree to sit on the potty.

Cancelled my kindle unlimited subscription.

Also just had a look at Quidco and notes that loads of my amazon orders haven’t tracked properly. So have to sit down and fill in claims first all of them.

Also have cancelled amazon subscribe and save for water wipes. I tried the new boots biodegradable ones. A 12 pack of wipes costs £8. Instead of £20. No brainer.

I think potty training toddlers is a bit like toilet training puppies 😂 you basically have to put them on the potty/toilet every 30 mins and go completely over the top when they get it right! How old is ds again em? I have heard that boys tend to take a bit longer to get to grips with it.

I'm in bed, we were all knackered tonight, so put dd,myself and the puppy to bed early!!

Dd will not go on the potty until bedtime. She has been dry all day though. She had a pull up on for her nap which was wet and did a massive wee at bedtime. I suspect she is holding it in.

Small children definitely need wearing out. Another similarity with puppies . Having said that pur lot are totally exhausted at the moment. I think it's combined getting over end of term bugs and excitement and then Christmas excitement and eating at odd times. We got more back to normal today I think.

girlie ds is 2 and 3 months. Since Dd was born in July though he’s been telling us “wee wee” and pointing upstairs. I know that nursery have been taking him for nappy changes with the kids who are potty training. So he can see what’s going on.

The goal is to have cracked it by April. We’re going away in May and I really don’t want to have to take two lots of nappies.