Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Frugaleer Festive Fun

987 replies

Unescorted · 05/12/2020 15:21

I went to post and realised we had nearly run out of room.

old thread here

Bring the sparkle on....

OP posts:
Thread gallery
22
Wolfcub · 14/01/2021 11:39

Lots of snow now

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/01/2021 11:42

Sleet here now.
Are the pencils worth the £££?

Ah potty training days

Unescorted · 14/01/2021 12:25

We are still in sleet mode here - it snowed briefly but gave up.

life yes they are. They a stunning colours and the neon ones are the shades of highlighters & don't go scratchy. I can see a need for coloured paper to check the coverage of the pastel shades.

OP posts:
ememem84 · 14/01/2021 12:28

we're yet to start dd on potty training. dh wanted to start it the other day but i pleaded no and also insanity on his part. why try now when we don't need to?!?!? i mean it'd be nice to get her out of nappies sure, but ds was 2. before we started. why try and make things harder for ourselves????

waiting for a webinar to start now. sigh. but have been out and dropped friends dd's christmas present off. she's just had a brand new baby. so i was desperate to see him but covid. i left present in their garage. and sent her a text to let her know.

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/01/2021 14:30

2 is still very little for pt. Nearer 3 worked best for both mine

SingToTheSky · 14/01/2021 14:33

Wow that’s great unescorted I’ve never seen neon pencils that actually left a decent amount of colour on the page!

Em I’d tell him to crack on if he’s willing to clean up 100% of the accidents :o she’s so little still. I totally agree it’s not worth pushing until they’re really ready.

I think it’s the break from nursery that’s thrown her (a month as we self isolated before Xmas) - she’s back to not wanting to go in at all :( hopefully the same potty will help, she’s fine at home still.

She’s good generally though thanks unescorted and just for the sake of it here’s her nursery Xmas photo (only got it on Monday due to aforementioned isolating) :o

Frugaleer Festive Fun
ememem84 · 14/01/2021 15:18

oh sing that is a lovely photo! Smile gorgeous girl.
yeah i told dh if he wanted to crack on he was more than welcome.

we started ds probably before he was ready (as it took forever) because i was adamant that i didnt want to take two loads of nappies on holiday to mexico last year (ha!) then lockdown happened and we cracked on with it. he was almost there when he went back to nursery after the first lockdown in June - and his mates wore big boy pants and he was off.

now he's practising stand up wee-ing.

waiting for dd to be a bit older absolutely. although might start this summer.

have just been reading a blog on money saving - one i was directed to via the daily mail last week. matched betting was mentioned. so i thought huh. lets have a go shall we. have earned £70 by setting up new accounts with online betting services and going through top cash back.

first bets placed for football this evening (i think) small amounts. but will see what happens. according to the blog post it can take 3 hours a day if you do it properly. but i don't have 3 hours a day to dedicate to it. but occasionally....

Unescorted · 14/01/2021 16:05

Sing she is adorable.

We were in the leave potty training until they were more than ready camp - it was less stressful that way.

OP posts:
SnugglySnerd · 14/01/2021 16:18

Yes definitely leave potty training until they are ready. I remember a stressful and disastrous day with dd1 aged 2 and a half because we thought she should be trained by then. Gave up and left it about 4 months and she got it really quickly.

Lovely photo Sing!

maddenlightfoot · 14/01/2021 16:55

Yup - soaked on the school run!

I'm a total believer in leaving them until they're ready to potty train but also hold my hands up to admit I did start all of mine at just turned 2. They did take a while to get it but I have no comparison for if I'd left it til later (would they have got it in a couple of days or not?). I think with the dts I wasn't thinking straight and as everything was bloody hard work anyway it seemed like a good idea at the time. I did regret this lots of times when one would need a wee so I'd round both of them up, usually from the top of soft play, and then 5 minutes later I'd have to do the same all over again 😩

It's been another NSD today! Really pleased with that as it's been no spends Mon-Thurs and I think 6 or 7 altogether for January so far.

Unescorted · 14/01/2021 17:10

Good effort Madden on both nsd and potty training twins.

I am getting a rare no cook day.... DD is making dinner. Mac n Cheese. #Covidsilverlining of her not being able to go back to uni. It is her signature dish.

OP posts:
SnugglySnerd · 14/01/2021 18:16

We found that girl twin wanted to use the potty earlier than her brother but it took quite a long time for her to stop having accidents. Boy twin wasn't interested for ages then one day decided he wanted to wear pants and that was that, he's been dry ever since! He was very nearly 3 though.

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/01/2021 20:16

Cute photo.
Both mine were easy enough. DD probably more stressed as first child zero clue. DS dragged up so did it himself.

Nsd

Mrsmadevans · 14/01/2021 20:22

Evening everyone Smile
Potty training was so hard, mine didn't get it until they went to school if l am honest.
Unescorted enjoy that dinner it sounds yummy Smile
Madden well done on the NSD & the potty training Smile
Sing thank you for sharing your beautiful little ones pic with us , she is so lovely Flowers
Snuggly l made that mistake it just wasn't worth the stress in the end l was like a mad woman Smile
Em Sounds as if it is interesting but l think l would get addicted to it if l started tbh but great win !
Gen l hope you did your first draft, it sounds like something l should hate tbh onwards and upwards Smile
Life , Wolf Unescorted l wish we had snow !
Spends today £50 on Boots but i had £100 worth of stuff for £39 when l accounted for my points too Smile

SnugglySnerd · 14/01/2021 21:08

Car tax £30, not a very exciting spend!

maddenlightfoot · 14/01/2021 22:04

Don't get me wrong... we're 2.5 years into potty training now and one of the twins still has accidents at nursery and is hit and miss at night (can go weeks without an accident and then a week - like this week - where we change sheets every morning). Funny though that they're identical and it's only one who still struggles a bit, the other one is always dry. They get it in their own time I suppose 🤷‍♀️

MsKL · 14/01/2021 22:13

£3.49 on a book, a cookery for one book, very exciting!! I'm just lost for ideas for what to cook for just myself.

Wolfcub · 15/01/2021 08:32

Morning all -7 degrees here and freezing fog. I suspect we won't be leaving the house today
Been awake most of the night with a bad head. Hoping some sudafed will get rid of it.

Cleaning mission about to start

Unescorted · 15/01/2021 10:27

MsKL cooking for just me would be a dream It could be what ever I want to eat. It would be huge bowls of complex salads, or noodles, or mounds of vegetables, things from around the world or look different. Things with ferments or pickles.....

-7 wolf brrrrrrr. It is frosty here but not that cold.

OP posts:
SnugglySnerd · 15/01/2021 11:19

I am blooming cold too! Have just put on an extra layer and also turned the heating on for an extra hour!

Happierwithouthim · 15/01/2021 12:52

Interesting hearing all the talk about potty training. Both mine were slow to get it. And I'm now at the stage of trying bedwetting alarm with ds, think I'm going to wait until Sun night and then move him in with me as you've to get them up and to toilet quickly as soon as alarm goes off and its recommended that you sleep in with them for first two weeks. I'm too tired to start tonight and he's at his dads tomorrow night.

Not looking forward to the broken sleep at all.

€120 valeting my car yesterday after discovering and catching a rat in it last week, bf was a big help when I was without my car and he earned brownie points with dm too as she saw what a caring side he has and how fond dc are of him too. Living so far away and pandemic she's only met him once.

€12.35 in local shop on milk/firelighters/meat/sweets
€15.04 in Centra on meat(3 for €10), crisps & something else I can't remember
€30 childminder
€47.96 on revive active using 20% disc code, very impressed with next day delivery
Discovered that my rental insurance payments are up to date when this months payment didn't go out I checked my agreement and it was paid in ten payments not 12! only €10.58 but still savings

Unescorted · 15/01/2021 17:03

I am glad it is the end of the week. It is also payday so DH and DD are off out to buy steak and salad making things. This month my pay rise will be spent on a new bed for DS. It may double as his birthday present.

Is it this and next month that are free council tax months... or Feb & March?

OP posts:
lifelongfrugaleer · 15/01/2021 17:10

Nsd

Wolfcub · 15/01/2021 17:39

I want a takeaway. I can't be arsed cooking. Ds is not going to his dads for the second weekend in a row because of snow. He also won't leave me alone/with any space for the fourth day in a row. I'm an introvert, I just want to be on my own for an hour or two pleaaaaaase I'm begging you. All the bloody decent takeaways are shut because of snow/ice. I have to cook. Sad I do not want to adult right now

MsKL · 15/01/2021 17:46

My dual fuel went out today, otherwise nsd.

I'm really pleased with myself this week, only "frivolous " spend was £3.49 on a cookery book.