Frugal Friends Facing Forward with Fortitude

[Happierwithouthim]

Here's a friendly space for new and existing frugal friends.

We have all different types of incomes and lifestyles but with a common goal of making the best of the money we have.

Many of us have experiences of becoming debt free or being in difficulty with money for one reason or another so there's no need for embarrassment, just join in, post as little or as often as you wish.

Some record daily spends, some record only spends that are unplanned, some don't record spends at all, the choice is yours!

Haven't been posting for a while as life has just got in the way. We got DD home from first uni term yesterday. Lovely to have her back but she's struggling with her health & has quite significant chronic fatigue, just as Ds is managing his much better [sigh]. Took her to see a naturopath yesterday (£95) which was interesting & she seemed to buy into it. She's going to have some radical diet changes to try in January & then a supplement regime to essentially strengthen her gut. It'll be spendy but I don't care if it works, we'll budget for it.
Great news for ds, he's back for his final uni year & is working really hard but he's secured a graduate supply chain role with EDF nuclear energy arm. After all he's been through it's such a relief & I'm very proud.
My parents continue to be a challenge but they've now both agreed to sell up & move. It's going to be really complex as there are legal agricultural restrictions on their property & they've got long term tenants next door who they are going to have to serve notice to. I need to be very involved which is very draining but will be better once they move somewhere more suitable.
DH did his tax return & didn't owe any additional tax so that was a bonus as I'd set money aside in case.
I'm ready but not ready for Christmas! Still some more presents to get & lists to write. We go down for a pre Christmas visit to Devon on Friday & drive back on Sunday. We're catering for Saturday with a Booths order which is exciting. We'll be hosting on Christmas day & I do feel organised for that
Will try to post daily for a little while as it will help keep me on track. Good to see newbies on here, you're very welcome.

Good to hear from you north sounds busy and challenging.
welcome to everyone new.
Spendy day today…the car wouldn’t start just as I was about to set off for last bits of Xmas shopping and a big food shop. Had to get the AA out - looks like a flat battery - it did restart but will have to get it checked next week.
£58 in cash and carry including Xmas treats. I managed to leave my purse there - amazingly a woman handed it in and the staff kept it by for me - I was so relieved.

£134 in Tesco including some Xmas treats and presents eg booze for the friends who always give DS2 football lifts.

£60 butcher including a turkey crown (we’re away at my family’s but I like to do one still and have the leftovers).
£60 veg and fruit boxes for after Xmas
£50 vouchers for two families
£29 brother in law
£20 remainder of DSis present
£12 nice toiletries for presents
£84niece and nephews

Thats an awful lot written down 😳
I’ve gone over budget as I always do, but have plans for how to claw it back after Xmas…not paying council tax for 3 months now. Feeling a bit shocked now I’ve looked at it all but at least I’m pretty much done now:

Hope everyone is keeping well. This time of year is a busy one and I tend to migrate (temporarily) to the Christmas threads. Anyway, I started early so I'm fairly sorted for Christmas. I'll need to tighten my belt a lot bit more in the new year and re-do my budgets, but I'll worry about that in January.

Today should be a frugal day (makes a change). I just need to pick up something for dinner.

I'm off to a concert (Christmas carols) on Tuesday night, but I paid for that in October, so it will be a 'free' night.

Might be meeting a friend on Wednesday or Thursday night and she wants to go to a concert or comedy show, so that could be expensive. Having said that, I'm not sure if we can still get tickets at this late stage.

In positive news, my electricity costs have come down a bit. And there's talk of mortgage interest rate cuts in 2024. Fingers crossed........

Tayto I hadn't heard that about mortgage rates and my fixed rate is up in June so I'll watch this space!

I've spent about €150 in town today but I feel much more ready for the big man now.

@Happierwithouthim it's still speculation really but I came across this article in the Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2023/12/14/smart-money-interest-rate-cuts-are-coming-in-2024-what-does-this-mean-for-your-mortgage/ It's subscriber only so you probably can't read it but the journalist wrote, "But recent euro zone inflation figures mean another rise in interest rates is off the table and attention is now turning to when they will fall. This was underlined by the ECB’s own cuts to its inflation forecast for the next few years, published after yesterday’s meeting."

I've just been cleaning DD's bathroom (she's at work or I would have made her do it) and I've discovered the sink is blocked (yet again) and the bath is very slow to drain. To be fair, she mentioned something about her sink a few days ago but I was distracted by all the Christmas prep stuff. Reckon I'll be calling out a plumber in the new year. All of the DIY methods I've tried aren't working (plunger, drain and sink unblocker, drain coil etc.). Things improve for a bit and then it blocks up again. I've unblocked the sink for now but it's slow to drain so it's only a matter of days before it clogs up again.

tayto drain worms are a godsend
Rum it is doing ok. The pain has gone and the biggest problem is keeping it dry and clean.

Happier I have failed to do the shopping. Long dull story that doesn't improve with retelling.

I did go to the Carol Service at Manchester Cathedral which was so lovely. I found the Christmas chaos in town really difficult so I am going to get my mum something and call it a day at that. Crowd induced panic is quite frugal.

North we get ds back on Wednesday from first term.

In frugal news I was given a £50 voucher from work for being a good worker bee. Combining it with Morrisons deals means I got enough freezer meat to last through to mid Jan for £18. I am not a fan of loyalty cards but Morrisons seems to have genuine good deals. Unlike Tesco....

24 welcome to the thread. Sorry I missed your entrance there. This thread needs a grand staircase.

Nice to see you North. You certainly are snowed under. Congratulations to your son.

Hope you’re right about the rates Tayto.

Glad you’re doing OK Unescorted.

I haven’t been frugal since Friday. I’ve spent about £60 on groceries - hoping that’s most of the holidays/rest of the year/New Year covered. I got some baklava in Lidl. It was £4.99 a box down to 75p. I bought four. Am also trying a Lidl Yule log.

Spent £80 with Mammut yesterday on some dry bags and various rucksack accessories for next year’s holiday. Thinking it’s somewhat offset by the Black Friday jacket I bought from them and returned. When I think I can see the end of costs for it I remember something else.

Am on day four of a five day weekend. Haven’t done much. I was planning on some decluttering/tidying but it’s not happened. I think I’ve just moved things from one room to another.

I’ve managed to lose the envelope I was storing my gift cards in. Not impressed but hopefully I’ll find it at some point before they expire.

Tayto is she washing her hair in the sink by any chance?

I do hope that's true about the rates. My local credit union, who I volunteer with, will be offering fixed rate mortgages next year, if they're competitive I'll go with them. Currently there's no offer to match my current fixed rate on the market.
One of my spends yesterday was €15 on a lovely top from Dunnes, I'm just too well endowed for it, I'm not going to size up I'll just return it.

We went to see Wonka and I thoroughly enjoyed it, met a friend of old there too and he gave dd lots of advice of staying close with your dm, that she's your best friend and closest ally in life, it was lovely to hear. Missed a visit from another friend who I had hoped to chew the cud with about a work situation I'm in. Oh well. €18.95 on a limited edition tin & drinks cup for ds, I'd already bought 3 kids trays the previous evening with the tickets I could've said no but it was our Christmas visit to cinema and I didn't want the evening marred by that.

I hiked a mountain trail on Sat which I really enjoyed, it was dangerously windy at the top though so was glad to get back down onto safer ground.

Had dinner at 12:30pm there €38.90
Got Lego for dd and KNEX for dn in Smyths after that €89
Bf got takeaway for us Sat night.

PSA... Aldi have their 15p carrot, parsnips, cabbage and sprouts in. I thought they were doing spuds but didn't see any.

Rum if you need dry bags or other outdoor stuff and the like let me know.... We have cornered the global market. Some of it is battered but useable and it just sits about collecting dust.

I need ideas for my mum's present. I am struggling.... She has no hobbies other than holding a grudge. She doesn't go out or have people over, doesn't read, doesn't like food.

They must be doing spuds as well cos Sainsbury’s have price matched white potatoes on my order

hhm tricky unescorted. Will think on

sound a lovely few days happier

Maybe they were hidden until the arm and leg priced ones had sold.

I am not cooking on Christmas day or Boxing day so would I be nuts to do a Christmas eve yellow sticker dash to the supermarket?

unescorted I've bought a joint present for my parents of an cubii elliptical pedal trainer device to help them keep fit!! Love the idea of a jeopardy yellow sticker Christmas eve raid.
Rum I've had partial success with a pandora gift card of dad's that she misplaced(!) & I found, expired. I messaged them & they agreed to put the credit back on it. That was about 3 weeks ago...... I've contacted them to nudge!
Happier I like a Christmas cinema trip
So as if we haven't got enough going on, I've now got covid 😡. Feeling ropey & coughing so working from home. Due to be going to Devon on Friday & just 🤞. It's really odd because we're so conditioned to the danger of covid but I work for the NHS & there's no longer any need to test if you have symptoms but don't want to put family at risk.
Still a few presents to buy but got my team £10 John Lewis/Waitrose egiftcards to save stress

Do it north. Fill your freezer with yellow sticker winners
I would do the same but I’m still waiting for my new freezer
gws as well

I’m wavering for a cinema visit to see Napoleon Happier. I’ve not been in about 25 years.

Never done 15p vegetables Unescorted so I’ll go and have a look. Thank you re the outdoor stuff. I need to do an inventory. Great suggestion for the yellow sticker run on Christmas Eve. I’m now planning one. Just deciding where to go as everywhere closes at the same time.

That’s good to know about the gift card north. I am hoping I find them. I was trying to be sensible (the last time I saved them for something special they all expired) and had put them all together and written on the envelope the expiry dates and how much they were for. Sorry you’re unwell I hope you feel better soon and still make your trip.

Last day of my long weekend today. I bought some cheese this morning (£6.67). At the office tomorrow. I would like some tea so I am planning on going to one shop.

Check the recycling before it goes next rum. Make sure it’s not been scooped up. Then you know it’s likely in the house

I hope you feel better soon north and then well enough for your Christmas visits.

The rest of us seemed to have dodged DD1s covid, but I seem to have a chest infection or something since late last week (negative for covid). Throat and chest not good. Having a quiet few days here and not done much. We watched two Christmas films yesterday and about to watch our second film today, whilst DH is at work. Might get out a box of Christmas Lego for the DC to build too.

Spending hasn’t been too much, as I haven’t gone out 🤣

Well a NSD today but yesterday we went off to Iceland and spent £104.08 but with the 10% pensioners discount and the various offers, it came down to £81.48 then with the Bonus Card savings of £26.52 the total to pay was £54.96 which was paid for with the Park Xmas Card. So big spends for nothing in a way - and we still have £97 on the card which can be used when we next shop in Iceland next year sometime.
I won't be doing the Park Card next year as the places we can shop seem to be dwindling so am now directing the monthly Xmas savings to a savings account. We don't shop in Iceland that often but when we do, we just round up the pennies to the next pound and purchase a pound on the Bonus card and it tots up over the year without missing the money too much. As DH points out Xmas happens every year so we have no excuse not to plan for it and with plenty of GCs it certainly helps.
On the hunt for house insurance which renews in January but waiting on current insurers for their quote before going in too deep with comparison sites.
Not looking forward to the gas/electric price cap hike but will deal with that when the contract period is up which isn't till Sept 2024 so will have to suck it up and see or just wrap up warmer!! 😨

Thank you for the suggestion life. I’ve now checked the recycling and shredding bags and no luck. At least I’ve narrowed it down.

Boo to the chest infection Time. I hope you’re feeling better soon. Enjoy the film watching.

I went to Lidl for 15p vegetables Unescorted. I have parsnips, carrots and shallots. Very happy.

Last day at the office yesterday I left with a pint of milk, four tubes of toothpaste, a bottle of Champagne and a noodle bowl. Had an email from aresehole. He’s being an arsehole. Not sure what has set fire to his pants but he’s certainly in a hurry now. Think his strategy to this is to appear to be an idiot so people go easy on him. Should really get my information together for the form filling but I want to get a job application done first.

Spending over the last two days has been about £80. That includes food halls at Fortnum’s and Selfridges. I have more cheese. And some tea and honey. Also spent about £3 in Sainsbury’s on some chocolate milk and vegetables.

on leave now with a spend few days. Just waiting for my Sainsbury’s shop to arrive

Happy Christmas frugaleers

Merry Christmas everyone 😁🎄

Sorry l have been MIA but Mum has been really poorly in hospital with a chest infection on Iv antibiotics & l have dropped everything including Christmas preparations/budgeting to stay with her . I thought she was going to die she was so ill and so confused.
Anyway to cut a long story short she is back in the home , much better but still on oral antibiotics
I hope everyone and your families are ok & you are all ready for the big day . I have not even read your messages l have missed everything 😱
l hope everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow
Merry Christmas everyone ❤️

Happy Christmas everyone 🎄 🎁

I can hear one DC is awake, but not sure about the other!

Sorry to hear about your Dmum mary but very good to hear she is on the mend x

Mary ❤️
you can do Christmas any day. Pleased your mum is on the mend