Frugal the flip to make the festivities fun

[lifelongfrugaleer]

Wasn’t going to be flip but decided to be polite
46 days or so

don’t panic frugaleers

Yep @CurlsandCurves

it’s a hideous cold, knocked dd for 6

£65 in Aldi yesterday, chicken risotto with leftovers from the weekend, and made a big pot of chicken stock, the remainder of which will be used in a soup today. Cold weather coming in. Have discovered the heated seat function in our car, which is utter bliss. Sent in meter readings yesterday, which will include the first month where we have used the heating regularly - moment of truth arriving.

Christmas shopping progressing, but I have had to draw a line where DS is concerned - he really wants a particular jacket, and I can't afford it, so have said no, think of something else please. I want to treat him, and make Christmas fun, but there are limits.

Sorry to hear about bouts of illness - tricky time of year, with so much else on.

A low spend day, £6 on a Secret Santa present. Two low cost days but this one pretty full on and I'm tired. I've just gotten home and changed into my pyjamas!

Hope the poorly folk less poorly today.

Recovering well now, back at work today and it was alright. Work Xmas meal tomorrow straight from work, was dithering but it's early and Im feeling much better so will probs go and just won't stay late. So tomorrow be spendy as we are going to what I consider to be an expensive place.

Spends today just £2 bus fare home. DF kindly gave me a lift to work to save me waiting around in the cold for the bus this morning whilst I'm still bunged up and also meant I got an extra 30 mins in bed and saved my bus fare.

DM's having her cancer op tomorrow. 4th I think, if I've not lost track. Hopefully the last.

€300 on Amazon sorting out the big man but including a space heater for dds room which seems to be hard to heat. Two outside walls but so does my room and mine heats fine, mines much smaller but hers is icy cold.

Dd came home with a beautiful Christmas centrepiece that they made at guides.

Need hope alls ok

Well I was hoping for a NSD but just spend £40 on getting my ear syringed. I've had a wax build up in my ear for the last week and could barely hear through it, olive oil did nothing. Apparently this is not a service they offer on the NHS any more. Sigh. A relief to have it done though.

Re-engaging with the frugality! I've been reading but not posting as v spendy time. All within budgets although my car repair for £339 and the small hole in the kitchen roof caused by DH investigating a leaky pipe were not. Can't get a plumber until next week either. 😬

DHs birthday today and we had a lovely lunch out for £26 at a gorgeous farm shop cafe. Also spent £11 in the farm shop for tea tonight. £96 sports direct for DS mainly winter essentials but will treat two as birthday / extra Christmas present.

Need to reign in now until payday in 8 days!

Sorry to hear of all the illness, its rife here too. Apart from DH who we are calling Teflon, we've all had a nasty bug. Hope your DMs operation goes okay weight.

Evening all! Took DM to shopping centre today, which she enjoyed, although she only bought a Secret Santa present for the residents' Christmas lunch and a warm hat for my dad. The idea was to buy something new to wear for various Christmas events, but it turned into more of a reconnaissance trip. Useful discoveries: front fastening bras have made a reappearance in M&S, and these will be helpful as she has very limited mobility in her shoulders now. Nice jackets in Hobbes and Massimo Dutti.

I, on the other hand, spent:
£25 on replacing a mascara and a compact of pressed powder. It was only no7, and I'm sure these items were half the price last time I bought them. Got a palette of eyeshadows and blusher for free though! Might try some of them.
£25 on thermal tights and knee-high socks.

Spaghetti bolognese tonight, and quite possibly tomorrow too. Dentist tomorrow (more spending, but on a credit card, so that will be next year's problem) but preceded by a peaceful day of painting the dining room.

Evening.

Thanks Happier, I am okay, was just mentally and physically tired yesterday. Back on it today, yesterday was just a bit much to take in. Centrepiece sounds lovely!

It's been spendy today. Some things are for Christmas.
£75 fuel, it was £81 last time so has come down and I'm pretty sure I had less in the tank today too.
£74 bulk buy of dog food, last two months for two dogs.
£18 marks and spencer. Stuffing, pigs in blankets, chocolates etc for Christmas
£65 Dunelm. Single duvet and associated bedding for DH. He's starting overnight visits but will be downstairs for a while yet, we don't have anything single!
£12 Asda. Big thick fleecy blanket for DH, the hospital is freezing at night.
£23 Lidl. Mainly essentials (milk, bread, egg, cheese, butter, rice, sandwich fillers, crumpets, malt loaf etc).
£12 Snapfish, photos for presents (overall cheap).

Love a farm shop kessie

socathe, only had my ears done once years ago. Weirdly enjoyable but unpleasant all at once!

I hope your DMs op went well today weight

That’s good news that DH is having overnights need. I guess it’ll be a bit of an adjustment for everyone again though

Tried not to be too spendy here, but I think most of the ££s is going on energy bills now. It’s so cold. I did spend £5 on Christmas food treats today 😋

DH has the lurgy although I suspect is feeling much better this evening. He did put some washing on whilst I was out earlier, I think that’s the only thing he did all day, apart from nap and Xbox. I’d love a duvet day!

Nsd yesterday I think

pleased you are better today need and oo over night is a step forward

yes me mil frequently needs her ears syringe but refuses to pay £q100 a time so is more deaf

I love a farm shop Kessie wonder if it’s near me?

Is that you done happier? I need to get my stash and start wrapping, job for Saturday

hope the op went ok weight dmam

and ill peeps are feeling better

Not fully life need to see what ex buys towards it and I think dd needs a main present even though I've ticked off most of her list.

And nothing bought for anyone else either. Well a book each for df dm and my uncle.

First Christmas with bf I don't know what to get for him either. I commissioned a painting of where we first used to meet for his birthday and now I don't know what to get for Christmas

Time

Need you had a busy productive day, overnights is a step in the right direction

I've the day off today & we're putting up the decorations, had a lovely lie in first apparently roads are bad around her, foreman from work text me at 6:20am to tell me, luckily he didn't wake me

£42 in credit on energy bill after all payments and credits. Gas was something like £232 for the previous 30 days usage. So I imagine we will start 2023 with a chunky deficit as the next month is going to see our usage soar again.

Have wriggled into my thermal tights and long thermal socks, and now quite toasty (still have the heating on though - DS WFH today and hasn't the advantage of moving around a lot). Can't see them paying for themselves in terms of heating foregone in the house, but hopefully they will make life more comfortable.

I’ve done a stupid.

I put frying Ian in oven. metal handle. Then took it out (using oven gloves). Put it on the hob. Then picked it up. No oven gloves.

don’t do that.

Ouch em hope not to the point of injury 😬

Life in the North Durham area. It's my favourite butchers too. Although we only bought a huge pie as its expensive.

Hope you enjoyed your day off Happier

Im on variable direct debit bigskies. This month energy just over £200. Dreading the next few - that smart meter monitor is scary! 😱

£5.19 Boots meal deal and some emergency moisturiser. Can't get my favourite from the Body Shop (Vit C) and skin feels v dry. Have ordered some Body Shop carrot cream from Amazon, waiting for the delivery.
Think that's it. Was supposed to do a food shop tonight but its snowed (we live on high ish ground) so we are tucked in for the night instead.

Todays spends - £6 on birthday present for DD's friend (going to his party soon), £6.10 dry cleaners, £3ish Christmas cards.

DM's op was not successful, things weren't as hoped once the surgeons had a good look, so they couldn't proceed with the surgery. Next step is recover from that ordeal and then she will start radiotherapy.

I'm sorry about your Mum, weight. Does you live near each other?

Sorry to hear that about your Mum weight. X

Ah so sorry to hear that weight ❤️

I’m south Durham Kessie so might investigate

ouch em.

Weight sorry to hear that
Kessie I spent far more of the day in town than planned, joys of bringing dc, so tree has lights on and very little else done.

Local cafe has Christmas toastie special turkey bacon bits stuffing & cranberry sauce so treating ourselves to that today €7.50

Tried to exchange dds ASICS yesterday turns out even bigger size didn't suit her so she picked a pair of adidas & they honoured the offer last month so I got €25.50 back
Saw a gorgeous Nike shorts & top set reduced so bought that for my niece for Christmas.
I must make a list today

Ouch em

Morning all, it’s so frosty here! Wfh so going to try and force myself into the cold for a run later. Was at DParents last week helping them unpack after move and I think I did something to my hip so not sure whether run will help or make it worse, we’ll see.
so sorry to hear your mum’s news weight- thinking of you
Glad the overnights are starting need, I imagine that brings a few emotions and practicalities with it
big hope your mum enjoyed the shopping trip. I am really noticing that all of a sudden I’ve switched to looking after parents rather than the other way round. It’s odd.
em hope your hand is ok, easily done!
-kessie nice to see you back
happier is the new partner quite new? Sounds like it’s going very well

Too many spends to list here. DP has complained about the amount of parcels arriving! We thought we’d had one stolen off the front doorstep (£80 coat for DS2) but it turned out DP had put it somewhere and forgotten it. Which was a relief.

my main upcoming expense is Xmas food for ten. I thought it would be covered by my Xmas savings but it won’t be, so will need to dip into savings pot in jan or use money back from council tax-free month. Also realised I have the MOT coming up so that’s another expense.
And DD has driving test coming up next week so but expense of insurance if she passes.
Does anyone know how it works - can I have a quote on standby for if she passes, or will they not quote me til she has passed? I think when I set it up for provisional, they wouldn’t give me a new driver quote for her. I’m expecting it to be around £1000, is that about right?!

Need Sorry I meant to say about the overnights, that was so good to read, hope it all goes as planned.

Martha I once was convinced something hadn't arrived and was lost in the post, even reported it to the seller. It was a local seller but I bought via Etsy, I was a returning customer, it was a custom made gift, she was lovely and was going to make me a new one free of charge. Until I then found it - I'd just put it away and forgotten about it!! So embarrassing!

Thanks for the well wishes for DM. Think she's going home tomorrow.

Marthasmum I've known him almost 15 years but just dating since March. It's going really well.

There's an Eagles tribute night at end of Jan?