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

Right annual and monthly budgets amended but they will keep changing as bills come in. Have cancelled a membership and summer childcare cost less because I paid it early but even with that offset I'm still going to be £20 lighter in the savings department each month and that's before other price rises.
Food spends are going to have to be very tightly managed again to make it work especially if prices increase. Contemplating a switch of supermarket but the cost would be in time which I do not have (and will have less of from feb) and back pain so not sure I'm prepared to take that step
On the plus side I'll be clear of non-mortgage debt in 13 months which is fantastic when you consider where I was when I originally joined these threads many many moons ago, and will be able to pay cash (savings plus the extra taken on last year's remortgage) for the kitchen but will then need to work hard to rebuild savings.

I've started the meal plan for next week and the week after and there is enough dog food to last until the middle of January before I need to order again - a fairly major expense but not something I'm willing to compromise on at this point

Well done wolf good work
Dh and I agreed our 2022 budget yesterday so I need to put it into a spreadsheet now. We have no credit card debt, 8 years left on our mortgage which we are overpaying into and a loan that we have 2 and a half years left on.
We have got money saved to cover our big trip in April if it happens and also enough to have our bedroom fully kitted out with fitted wardrobes etc. Now I am working full time we've got more coming in so hoping to be able to build a savings pot up but very aware there are going to be rising costs this year and the national insurance increase so have to allow for that.
Have done a freezer audit so now need to plan what meals I am going to create. Am determined to try out some new recipes so now have some of my recipe books out.
Dh has gone out with dd for a coastal walk to try to blow the cobwebs away. Ds is still the only positive one among us. My hip is improving still but I am really tired. Have my essay to write and submit by this time next week but making slow progress

I got my booster but as I was about to head out the door for it, I remembered that I needed my vaccination cert. Was sure it was in one particular handbag but of course, it wasn't. So I had to search for it. By the time I found it and got to the GP surgery, there was a mammoth queue. I had to queue for around 90 minutes. Anyway, it 's done now and fingers crossed I don't suffer any side effects.

Meeting my brother for lunch tomorrow in my local cafe.

I just remembered that the government is giving all households a €100 payment towards increased energy costs this month. So that's a bit of good news.

Nice easy dinner - chicken with stuffing and rashers with leftover mash from yesterday and sweetcorn.

Well I too need to join in the resolution not to spend on unnecessary stuff. I have (cough) bought myself a notebook to write down my daily spends as that's always given as a tip. I hear you start as I think I'm definitely guilty of frittering . Jan resolution is to get back on the straight and narrow as I've raised all my various savings pots to pay for Xmas/ car/ vet stuff. Have to take the car for a new windscreen and wipers tomorrow which is £144. Also took the dog to the vet today for injections, £31 so that wipes out my monthly savings of £200 for vet/ car stuff, but still have the car to MOT next week...fingers crossed it won't be much as it's had an expensive service not long ago.

I need to Consolidate my spending

The advice for utility bill is not to switch . Do they say stay on your fix though? I can’t seem to find an answer. We had to switch when moving and was put on a 1 year fix?

Welcome @Startagaintoday
Tayto thank you l really enjoyed myself
That 100 Euros will come in handy l wish ours were doing that
LIfe l managed to get in with British Gas on a 2 year fix for the same amount that is being charged now for normal tariff by Ofgem. So we are not ona great tariff but when the Ofgem tariff goes up in April we will be quids in , so if your tariff is the same or less than Ofgem charges now you will be better off staying with your tariff until it finishes , hopefully the prices will come down by the time you need to renew

Life* with the way fuel prices are going I would hang onto any fixed rates.

tayto it is a sewing machine, but it also binds the seam and cuts the excess fabric off. They also do the fancy rolled / picot hems that you see on fine fabrics. They are really good for doing stretchy fabric b/c they have differential top and bottom feeds.

Martha you have reminded me DD and I have a notebook making session .... She is going to teach me how to make them b/c they are one of my spending pitfalls too.

@marthasmum thank you l really enjoyed the rest
I am afraid everything is so expensive and going up it's going to be a bad month for a lot of us I have a good banking app with Barclays that details everything you spend and a Direct Debit calendar which shows you when everything goes out , l love it
North that sounds like really good planning and l am glad your hip is feeling better , your poor Ds though l hope he is ok
Well done Wolf that sounds great financial planning

Life pretty sure Martin Lewis's advice is that everyone Sticks until April

Unescorted thank God he’s ok
Em tell them to do one! Fab jigsaw you are so quick !
Alfie thinking about you all . l so hope she stays home with you
Gen you have had a shit year l am so sorry your friends let you down bless you
Adora they Amazon always tell me that my DH's rat poison, he does the dreaded deed , l couldn't do it myself is going to be at a later date but they send it very speedily to be fair so l think it will come quicker than that
Happier it's been really mild here too but very wet , still at least it's less fuel costs , every little helps lol
Humbug glad you had a lovely day with your family yesterday
I have not bought a thing in the sales , l want to declutter this year so l am restraining myself

wolf that’s amazing - well done ⭐️
mrs thank you - my DM has offered to pay our accommodation as a gift so we are actually able to go which is so amazing, I cried when she told us! Finally some good luck! Just have to hope the regs don’t change before we go now 😬
Re fuel we fixed for two years back in Nov, it was more expensive than previous fix but we can leave it any time with no exit fees so I’ll leave it until the next price hike to see if govt do anything.

Oh Gen l am made up for you, that is wonderful good old Mum bless her

Have just paid £500 off my credit card. Went through it and found all the Christmassy type things I’d bought. So transferred money from joint account to cover it. Woo.

That’s great news gen.

Oh my word I feel dreadful this morning. Headache and achey

Oh no Life that's not a good start to the day, jab reaction?
Gen that's great news
I need to get off my arse and take the Christmas tree down and do meter readings while I'm at it. I'm very much at the dreading going back to worm stage of the holidays complete with nightmares

We’re meant to be going to the zoo today. But DH has an appointment at 11 to get his stitches out. So it’ll have to be this afternoon. Which will mean dd won’t get her nap in. Sigh.

Anyway. Onward.

Yup jab reaction. Tea and paracetamol in bed.
When are you back at work wolf? 4th for me. Hate the back to work feeling

Oh no em. Missed naps are not what you need

Wolf The return to work dread is not good. I am back on 6th...A couple of carry over days. I would suggest working over here but we can be a bit hit and miss with line management.

Life hope you feel better soon. I had Moderna for my booster (after 2 x AZ) & it made me feel grim for a day and a bit. Paracetamol, lying down and family sympathy helped.

I need to stop procrastinating - I have kitchen cupboards to empty out and clean. I did 2 yesterday which gave me space to put away things that had been living on the bench. Today is the saucepans / trays/ tins and utensil drawers ( I have one filled with the bits I don't use...... why????!!!!!). Mari Condo / Fly Lady Kitchen Stylee starting in 15 minutes (timer set)

I had my booster yesterday too. I felt really sick last night and went to bed early. So fat today I am just a bit tired and my arm hurts. Hoping it won't get any worse.
I also have the back to work dread and quite a lot of things to do before I go back which I should try to get on with...

Mine was Moderna after 2 az. Paracetamol has sorted the ache and most of the headache for now.
Do it get rid of you don’t use them.

I had Pfizer after 2 Moderna. Felt rough after all three to be honest.

We are up to 2000 Cases here. Crazy.

4th too Life.
I have a job application in elsewhere Unescorted but don't expect to get it but it's testament to how rubbish things are at the moment that I set aside many hours in the run up to Christmas to write the damn thing.
The tree is down and the meters are read. Walk time now and a trip to get some samosas for new year.
Unescorted bin them! I genuinely think people feel better with less stuff.

Ooo good luck wolf

I have done a morning of getting rid of shit.... I feel lighter. The kitchen seems bigger and I have cleaned the pasta roller so it can be pressed back into service. The swing top beer bottles are on eBay -weirdly the bottle is worth more empty than with beer in.

I still haven't got to the tins or utensils....

Going out this afternoon to the cinema to see Kings Men.