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

Marthasmum hope the run was good, if you got out. I often plan one for a few days before it actually happens! One day this week I ran in the ice cold rain, v refreshing. Since then have eaten chocolate.

Yes that's great about the overnights need.

I've not lost a present but a box of decorations. It's bugging the life out of me, where did I put them 🤔

Happier good luck with the list

Spendy day
£50 meal out with DDs friends for tea. Was supposed with my friends too, but with the snow and Covid was cancelled. But I still took the girls as they looked crestfallen. We've been to see some Christmas lights (one of the charity donation type of houses) then they've sledged down the path outside. They don't seem to want to go home!
£36 Lidl - should last until payday next week. £3.49 DS rented Home Alone while we were out. £5.50 pharmacy and £2 in coop.

I did get out for a run thanks! I had to make myself as it was so cold. But it was beautiful and frosty.
feeling virtuous as I’ve just written my cards. It’s never how I imagine it should be - all relaxing and Christmassey as I think fondly of people I’m sending them too. Instead I leave it too late and end up speed writing them all because I’ve nearly left it too late for the post 😂 But there are people I only keep in touch with via card and it’s always lovely to get them. Plus I’ve mad w a resolution to catch up with some of the people I’ve not seen for ages, and who I’m always promising I’ll be in touch with. Work is so bloody busy, it takes over everything.
now doing the online shop, DS2 and DP are watching the football. DD is at her girlfriends. DS1 is out in Manchester…about an hour from us. He usually goes out locally so this is a first. I’m a bit twitched that he’s out in the Big City

£120 on food and do I know what meals we are having . No!

Need a Christmas party outfit today but seen some in the sale in new look

I made dinner last night & carb options were very limited so I definitely need some shopping.

Enjoy the shopping life

Morning,

Lots to do today. Cleaning upstairs. Go to the butchers to order Christmas meat. 2 viewings at the rental (hopefully by the end of this week we will have a tenant!). Dunelm to collect bedding Christmas presents for the boys. And while I’m nearby, Sainsbury’s to spend my Nectar points on Christmas booze. I’ve got about £35 in points. Shame they don’t do that double up event anymore, that was brilliant.

@marthasmum i need to get my cards written too, hopefully tomorrow. I’ve drastically cut down my list in recent years.

Good reminder about the meat. DS2 works in a butchers so I’ve ordered through him a while ago, need to check it’s definitely on! Slightly apprehensive about price though as he couldn’t remember price per kg when I ordered…hoping it’s not £££

Massive explosion here today. Supposedly a gas leak in a block of flats. Absolutely horrific. One confirmed dead. 16 missing. Total collapse of building.

that and a fishing boat got taken out by the supply boat earlier this week (3 missing presumed dead and still on said trawler).

jersey isn’t having a good week.

Ah no em saw that on my news feed. It looked really awful. Poor people and friends and family 😢

£10 at ice skating show
£10 as DD has gone out with friend
£10.02 Boots for DS, pharmacy for DS, he's got sinusitus which we also got antibiotics for and he's gone into work bless him.
£6 groceries
£18 barbers for DS

My cards were posted off last week (all 11 of them!). Still got a few presents to wrap that have been delivered this week, also present drop off at my Mams house as we tend to exchange presents like that ready for Christmas Day. There's always something to do though, food shopping starts next week 🎄🙈

Absolutely tragic news from Jersey Em l am so sorry to hear this news, especially poignant this time of year although it's terrible at any time. I always envisage that a tragic loss at Christmas ruins future Christmas's for years if not forever , my sincere condolences to you and your beautiful island 💐

Oh em that’s awful news

lots spent today but clothes all bar some will go back

i have 3 presents left to but so that will be Tuesday lunchtime in town.

It’s crazy. They think at present 3 dead. It’s awful. So so sad.

the news locally is reporting that the fire service attended at 9pm last night re a gas leak and all was ok. Then at 4 am most of the island heard the explosion. It is insane.

the fishing boat got me. Ddad used to be a fisherman. He still has a boat. Initially they were not naming the boat. It’s not ddads (he doesn’t fish anymore just owns the boat). But the thought was there. What if it’s dads guys! I’m so glad it’s not but at the same time it’s such a tragic loss.

Em I am pleased to see you here. Xxxx

We are totally unaffected by it all. We live far enough away. We have heard the helicopters bringing in the search teams (thank you Hampshire fire and rescue) and personally know no one directly affected. I am shocked by what’s happened though. The video looks awful.

im also selfishly glad that ddad (also ex fire and rescue) is retired. Because I’d be so worried if he was out in it.

m the difficulty we’re hearing is that no one knows exactly how many people were there. It’s so so tragic.

That's so sad Em.
l am so glad you and your family are safe sweetheart 💐

It’s awful anyway but more when it’s such a small community and you have family links too

Going to a free entry Christmas event today , will be some spends while there but seeing friends we have not seen in a while

Have a great time Life ☺️
Been buying presents on Amazon this morning
3 x large Yankee
Apple Wreath candles 12.85 each &
A bottle of Edinburgh gin liqueur apple & Cinnamon £10
& A bottle of Edinburgh gin liqueur pomegranate flavour £10
Hav a lovely day everyone 😊

I’ll come over for a G&T mrs 😁
em sending hugs, that sounds so awful.

My promotion application is in, I’ll find out if I’m being interviewed in the week before Xmas but the interviews themselves probs not til early Jan 2023.

I haven’t started Xmas shopping but not too many people to buy for - one dear friend, my dad, two sisters and stepdad. My sisters and I clubbed together to get my mum a pendant with a memory of my brother who passed away. I just give me nephews money as they are now at secondary school and I’ve no clue what is cool!

I will do some shopping this week. Need inspo for my DDad, he’s impossible to buy for.

Morning.

Thanks for the good will messages re DH. It was hard work in truth, and a reality check about our future. I was exhausted by the time I got back for the hospital after taking him back, had a few large glasses of red and a crisp sandwich. I'm sure we will be used to it and find our new normal but I can't say it wasn't scary and a little overwhelming.

Sorry to hear the news re Jersey. There's a lot of tough life crap going on on the thread.

You are organised kessie! I'm going to write some cards today. Food pretty much sorted and one or two presents to buy still.

Hope the viewings went okay curls

My spends have been awful this week, with quite a lot of unforeseen extras related to DH. Ho hum. Hopefully this week will be better. We've plenty in. I've kept track too at least!

Menu plan.
Spicy butternut squash and coconut soup
Pasta pesto
Halloumi tagine
Salmon with chermoula
Potato pepper broccoli frittata
Black bean burgers
Root vegetable casserole
Squash dhal.

gen - sorry to hear about your DB, that's a lovely thought re the pendant.

Gen that's a lovely present for your Darling Mum bless you 💐❤️ l had no idea you had lost your darling brother l am so sorry Sweetheart ❤️

Good luck Gen

sorry it was tougher than you thought need. I love a crisp sambo

It sounds awful em and particularly poignant when you have family links of some sort.
need not surprised you are feeling emotional, it’s a big step and a big adjustment.
mrs how is your mum?
gen how exciting, what sort of job are you going for? You’re a uni lecturer too aren’t you? (Like me) Fingers crossed for you, did you say it was up north?
DD has just finalised and submitted her UCAS form. I’m really proud of how hard she’s working. Academia will really suit her I think, though she is shy socially so we’ll see how that goes.

Had a lovely and spendy day yesterday - went to winter wonderland at York with an old friend and her DS. DD came and actually got on very well with her DS which was a relief - she’s 18 and he’s 10 so a bit of a hard gap to breach. They bonded over liking science! DS1, DS2 and DP stayed at home to watch the football ☹️

Woke up this morning and DS1 (16) not here - he was supposed to be getting a taxi home so I had a bit of a panic. Turns out he’d stayed at a friend’s. Tbf he’s pretty good usually at texting and telling us what he’s doing, but his phone has died. I’m feeling I need to adjust to his new level of socialising! He’s 17 in April so fair enough, my two older DC have taken a while to get out there so it’s something I need to get used to.

Hi all!

Need I am sure it’s a huge adjustment. I guess your DH must have significant care needs and a lot will fall to you. I hope he continues to make progress and that it gets a lot easier with time

Em I did similar when I was about 15 with a Pyrex dish I had just carefully taken out of the oven, decanted the item and then unthinkingly picked up the hot dish to tidy away. I still remember the pain 30 years later!

Awful news about those poor folk in the explosion 😕.

So sorry to hear about your mum Weight, that’s really tough news.

I can’t believe it’s 2 weeks till Christmas, I’m nowhere near as organised as normal. I’m actually quite stuck for ideas for a few people, not helped by the fact that everyone asks me what to get for DS (no idea! He doesn’t do toys!) and DH (no spare ideas!). However, I have decided I am not going to bed this evening until I’ve finished the lists of things to get, or to recommend to family, and also my lists of Christmas food and prep!

My spends are mad 😫. In the last few days, £140 weekly shop, but that included some Christmas bits and batch cooking stuff. Then £95 yesterday for yarn - I will be knitting for a couple of babies, and I’ve also bought some naice Norwegian wool that I’ve been using to knit mini Christmas jumper decorations for friends, as I want to make some for us too. Then £410 opticians yesterday - ouch! - for an eye test, new reading glasses and new lenses for my old (slightly rickety) frames, so that I’ll have a spare pair. £70 for t-shirts for DH, but that’s to split between Christmas and his spring birthday to save postage. £178 for panto tickets but DM is coming too and has offered to go halves. Car insurance is due for renewal on 27th - always extremely unwelcome timing! So I must do the comparison thingy. So many more spends to come… and we’re hosting Christmas and then going to PILs before NY but taking all the catering for a couple of days with us as MIL is not keen to cook. Argh!

Busy today. So far I’ve made:

blueberry pancakes for breakfast
chicken curry (proper on the bone one 😋) for tomorrow
A huge batch of tomato and pepper sauce, will do
meatballs this arvo and freeze in portions for DC
lasagne for this evening

And I’ve cleaned the bathroom and stripped 3 beds.

I’m also going to make Lonely’s flapjacks for a friend who’s been ill with covid. They’re her favourite. Lonely, if you are reading I miss you!

I’m taking a break from cooking and housework now to get some more Christmas decorations up their afternoon. We did the tree last weekend but haven’t put the outside lights up, or the millions of indoor bits that I’m so fond of 😉.

I am looking forward to sitting down with a G&T this evening! Right, outside in the freezing cold to put the lights up in the front garden. Stay warm, everyone!

So the Christmas event was rubbish but it was good seeing pals. About £30 spent and £45 petrol