Festive Frugaleering

[Unescorted]

[[https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/4340188-Savvy-savers-sashaying-through-September old thread]

Opppppps - we nearly filled the old one

Box of baking stuff to charity more to take later

NSD for me today, DH spent £40 in Sainsbury’s. Picking up groceries tomorrow.

DD1 is coming home tomorrow 😄 DD2 is in good spirits, hasn’t lost her sense of humour.

Still got loads to do here to get the house organised 🤦‍♀️.

God l have been so busy , we must all be the same l am sure , it seems there is so much more to do l can't keep up with everything
Anyway NSD for me today after the massive spend on Monday.
Still thinking if l have enough for everyone l do.....behave
Em that is fantastic pressie but l know you deserve every Percy Pig you can get sorry you have to do everything bless you

I am so tired, just woke up on the settee! I don't even feel like I had a very strenuous day. Dropped off Christmas gifts to various people (all local), made a cake with the dcs (for their nan) and we played some games and watched Wallace and Gromit. I still have their presents to wrap which I was going to do tonight.
Just ignoring bank balance now, can't bear to look!

Last day. Last day. Last day. Or more correctly. Last half day. Wooop.

Am sitting near eating superbly buttery toast. And tea.

I did a food shop online yesterday at lunchtime. I remembered a company here who does delivery. So have them a whirl. Ordered at 1230. Delivered at 230. £41.

Am out for a Christmas drink this evening. Yay.

Currently listening to a podcast “the missing crypto queen” it’s super interesting if anyone wants to give it a listen. All about a scam multi level marketing crypto currency.

Veg shop done and was d fine, queue’s at the butchers though before they open. That’s dh job tomorrow

Good job everyone with your Christmas prep. Having spent an unexpected morning at the hospital with DH I finally started yesterday afternoon.
Presents bought, gingerbread house in the making (waiting for the royal icing to dry), meat and vegetables bought in.
Still to do... Buy another bit of fillet to make a matching Christmas dinner for my mum &bro because they won't/ can't (in that order) have Crimbo here and I am not allowed to do it at theirs. Buy remaining dinner bits (this afternoon/evening) Assemble beef boots make Yule log get family to wrap presents. And visit the in laws.....

In super frugal news I fixed the cars heating via the medium of You Tube. You Tube is not so good for gingerbread assembly instructions. I needed more hands and a kitchen that could be hosed down to remove the icing.

Glad everyone is getting there with Xmas prep! Just been to butcher's for emergency turkey. We are meant to be going to my sister’s with my parents but ordered the turkey in case someone couldn’t get there. All was looking good until my brother in law has developed a headache and chills. LFTs negative but waiting on a PCR, results may or may not come in time to have Xmas together. We have food and drink and each other and lots of pressies, so will be able to make a go of it. But feels a bit dreary at the moment.
em good for you with the work bonus, hope you can get yourself a treat to make up for doing everything!
humbug and mrs unescorted enjoy your quiet time, you deserve it
unescorted I’m impressed with the gingerbread house. We have a family joke about my efforts, i am over ambitious and they always go wrong so last year I decided to stick at ginger biscuits.

I hope DH is ok unescorted?

We’ve lost some of family for Boxing Day due to covid.

DD2 got invited to a last minute play date, which then turned into staying for tea. She was so excited, I think it was her first ever play date

We’re all missing her though now 😂 even though she can be a stroppy little monster sometimes.

Ah the house is not the same when they are out.
Friends round today £27 Aldi this morning. Mary berry lasagne disappointed me as too runny and a bit bland. My white sauce didn’t thicken either
Bought pud as cba
£ in chemoist on cough stuff. I know it’s a waster of money but this bastard cough is too much

£££ in booths. I have no idea how I've spent as much for mostly 1 person eating mostly cheese as I used to do for three people eating full on Christmas stuff. Next year I'm eating beans on toast

Ah booths…..
Cheese…..

I’ll be right down wolf

Evening everyone nearly there!
Been to Asda 12 , Tesco 17 & Primark 10 , filled the car up with petrol 50, delivered a present to my cousin , delivered cards with money in to my Nephew and his BF , have come home put all the food away & been watching tv since, didn't sit down until half 3 though. Mum rang us at half 11 last night , Bobbo couldn't find his keys & was terribly upset. We popped up and found them almost straight away . Put Mum to bed , made them both a cuppa and they were fine. We didn't get to sleep until half 1 . Am getting Bobbo another set of keys cut asap after Christmas l can tell you
Life hope your cough does one lovely
I hope DH is ok Unescorted well done on getting your car heating sorted, very frugal!
Martha thank you l am sorry your Christmas plans are scuppered, it seems Covid is all over the place
Em glad you have finished in work now
Wolf cheese is one of our favourites too
Humbug hope you managed a rest and are still ignoring the bank balance
Love that is smashing for your Dd2 bless her
Hope everyone is ok take care all

@Unescorted I don't know how anyone did anything before there was YouTube to show us how! That made me laugh about the gingerbread though.
I think I have finally wrapped the last present. Dh picking up turkey etc from butcher tomorrow and making mince pies for FC with the dcs. Then we'll be done.

Groceries collected, £184 😱 I may have gone a tad bit overboard I’m still annoyed at ruining the turkey after Zoom call with ILs last Christmas. I know, I should move on.

DD1 is home for a few days, how long depends on work. Been out for dinner, DH’s idea.

em hope you enjoy your drinks and Christmas break.

We haven’t even put the tree up yet 🤦‍♀️ I’ll wrap presents tomorrow.

Hi sorry I’m not good at keeping up with posting daily. £8 in cafe today and that’s all my spends. Christmas presents all wrapped up and ready so hopefully can just enjoy Christmas now. 2 family members have got covid, one found out they were positive today and they have 3 young children. I feel so awful for them. Luckily we don’t really have any plans just going to be meeting DM and DN on Christmas Day but hopefully it will be a quiet one. Barely getting sleep at the minute with DC2 not sleeping well.
adora glad to hear your DD is doing okay.
em I listen to that podcast I really enjoy it, very interesting!
unescorted well done on the car handy work.
I probably won’t be back on until after Christmas so I hope you all have a wonderful day and merry Christmas 🎄🎅🏻🤶🏻

I have been behind on posting as my MIL died earlier this week and we have been running around sorting/clearing her care home room and arranging funeral which wont be until 11th Jan, Complicated by the fact that she was in Cardiff and we are in Swnasea so add 2 hours travel to every trip
Lots of spends but only £70 for printer (to help with all admin for above as we are the executors unaccounted for. Will also need to pay funeral costs until probate
Away in mid Wales in camper
for 4 days between Xmas and New Year for a much needed rest
Hope everyone gets the Xmas that they want

Sorry to hear about your MIL Granny, enjoy your break in the camper, it sounds like you need it

Off to the local shop shortly to buy fresh bread and Marigolds (the old ones are leaking and my dishwasher is out of action).

We went shopping for the veg. and meat (breakfast stuff like sausages and rashers) last night. I was a bit nervous that I'd left it too late and everything would be out of stock but it was fine. Just had to go to Lidl for asparagus. Managed to squeeze everything into my fridge. Thankfully I don't have to worry about squeezing a turkey or ham in because I'm going to family for dinner on Christmas Day.

Plan for the morning is quick trip to the shop, then wash up (I was too tired last night). The recycling bin is full to the brim but it's due to be collected this morning and then I can dispose of the extra mountain of recycling that's currently taking up a lot of space in my utility room. Lunch at 12 and then chill for the rest of the day. We may do a bit of baking and DD also mentioned a game of scrabble. Then a Christmas movie tonight by the fire.

Hope your day isn't too hectic. Happy Christmas everyone! Thanks for your friendship and support during another year of turmoil.

Sorry to hear about your MIL granny

Sorry to hear about granny.

Butchers order to collect and pay for today. Otherwise veg prep.

Sorry to hear your sad news Granny, and the headache of all the associated running around. Hope you enjoy that well earned break.

Today will be an NSD

So you know I said it will be NSD, well where is the foil for cooking the turkey?

And DD1 needs supplies for Uni. £30 in Sainsbury’s 🤦‍♀️

Sorry to hear that granny

Thank you for your sympathy. I loved my MIL but she had been in a nursing home for three years as she had no mobility. COVID-19 regulations had been very hard to bear and there was always the worry every time she needed a hospital admission. She died of pneumonia- they nursed her in the home and she went peacefully in her sleep. The retirement home has been amazing all the way through. I cannot praise the staff enough. She was nearly 93 and it was her time to go