Mince Pies, Mulled Wine, frugal festive frolics. Yuletide budgeting banter & Merry Saving Shenanigans for all 🎁🎄🦌🎅🤶☃️

[MaryGreenhill]

Welcome to the Christmas Frugal thread . We are a super friendly group here & everyone is welcome 🤗 .
☃️🤶🎅🦌🎄🎁

I've been nap trapped with a poorly little kid. I'm at risk of internet shopping.

LOL @Alwayslearning25 isn't it so lovely to be nap trapped though. I miss those days. Just try and stick to intentional spending only!

I saw the 50% off Amazon Haul, immediately filled my basket, then stepped back and thought nope. I've been talking to ChatGPT a lot about my spending addiction and it's been helping.

Apple Store this morning with an appointment to replace the battery on my 5 year old Mac. That will be £159 but it won’t be ready for up to 10 days! Weep. £29 on a new cable to replace frayed one.

home to quiet house as both DS and DH are buried in virtual meetings behind closed doors. Coffee for me then off to the supermarkets and maybe over to the flat where the guys are due to finish up today.

DM cross because DWP are saying that her pension claim did not switch from DDdad to her in the right time frame for her to get the winter fuel allowance. I am sure it will all come out in the wash eventually but in the meantime it is quite interesting to witness her pivot from her position that these subsidies should be helping working families rather than Olds to ‘this is my money and I should be getting it.’ As clear an example of how hard it is to take something off someone as policymakers might find useful!

£66 on pet food
£21 on you move for the dog
£20 on archery club for DD

£27 on deliveroo for a few essentials- handwash, shower gel, deodorant etc. Pains me paying such expensive prices! But that's the downside of not being in a local hospital (I'm in London) and obviously from Scotland.

£38 in ALDI on regular groceries plus £13 on florentines, variations on mince tarts and their unmatchable lebekuchen. The Waitrose ones are sad shite by comparison and I am hoping DH will remember that and not bring some home with a triumphant shopper’s air about him this year. No 1 Dark Chocolate on the other hand…

£38 in Sainsbury’s.

going to cool a big chilli tonight and make it last at least 2 days.

the light I ordered for Ddad’s room has finally arrived and ooh, I fancy it. I have the home reno bug now and am busy planning changes to DS’ study/tv snug. No money to spare but I can at least declutter, rearrange furniture and lighting and plan.

Ooohh all this talk of chillis and lasagne is making me starving.

A spendy day (the NSD steak has Def ended)
£94 in Lidl on weekly shop, a birthday gift and Christmas bits.
£6 at playgroup. One more session and then I'm calling it quits. DD was bored today.
£45 in b&q on paint and a gift card for DM for Christmas this was on a pre paid card though and I get cash back on it.
£havent worked it out yet but it's a few ££ on vinted buying Christmas gifts for everyone that I've had eye on and in my fave list.

Unfortunately not a no spend day. I bought a piece of fruit cake, some milk and a packet of wotsits. Have labelled it my last blow out and am going to push to going back to proper eating when I’m back from France.

Love the ‘front room of doom’ @chimichangaz. I have one of those too. And it’s cousin the dining table of doom.

That’s good on eBay @Holidaysandchocolate.

Work felt like a wash out but at least I did some though it did feel like a waste of time. Now we’re all, essentially, home workers I have even less motivation than I did before.

Have packed my weekend bag. I think it’s full of jackets as I couldn’t decide which one to take. I hope I’ll be able to relax once I’m on the train. I think my handbag is full of change that I’m hoping to find a ticket machine to empty it into once I arrive. Am looking forward to a break even if it is only for a few days.

Enjoy your break @RumBananaSundae you deserve a treat.

I’ve made good progress on the Christmas making with chilli jam, gooseberry and apple jam, raspberry and Prosecco jam, bbq sauce and gooseberry gin made. Just need to label. I’ve snowman soup hot chocolate mixes to make and then closer to Christmas I’ll do spiced nuts, granola and peanut brittle. I’m actually organised much earlier this year.

ive the ingredients bought for stuffings and braised red cabbage and I’ll make them this weekend and freeze for Christmas Day. Not quite as organised as you @FurForksSake though. Hope you are healing up ok.

today I spent €11 on a picture frame for a picture I got Dah for Christmas last year 🙈

My frugal NSD streak has also ended @Frugal25 but I think I’m going to try and get a NSD mon, tues, wed of each week.

Today I have spent £68 in M&S and a further £63 in Aldi - £31 over what I had hoped! Nevermind, I did manage to find goose fat in Aldi for £1.99 which was a result ans it was over £4 in Tesco, I also spent £9.50 on a fitness class this evening - was great fun and 💯 worth it.

@pistachiosanscream your Christmas prep sounds fab, especially the cabbage and stuffing, but all of it really, bet the house smells unbelievable.

I’ve had a nice day all round really, did the shopping, worked the rest of the day, then together with Dd1 built one of those little Roliffe Christmas houses that light up, was good fun and a nice way to spend the early evening together.

Put the lasagne I made yesterday in the oven for dinner, then went off to the gym for my class, dd1 dished up and loaded the dishwasher- amazing!

I miss being nap trapped too @Alwayslearning25

Sounds super organized and so Christmassy @pistachiosanscream

Have a good weekend away @RumBananaSundae

£14.25 Asda
£3.18 McDonald's

Saved from spending at gym and had lunch at home as my last meeting of the day was cancelled so took an early finish.

I managed to not spend any money during my nap trap. Also avoided me going to the shops with him as before his nap I thought he was perking up and a half hour trip would do him good. He's on antibiotics now.

Hey pistachio maybe our next thread could be something like join the frugal jamboree or grab your cosy pyjamaramas and settle in with the frugalness. Sounds amazing chez toi.

very cold clear morning here which is good by me. Heading to the flat this morning to begin the clean up and beautify. Fingers crossed all is well! I got a bit anxious about the empty property last night before falling into an excellent deep sleep.

Thank you for the nice messages about the stuff I’m making, I must burst the nice smellBubble though and tell you that the chilli jam stinks the place out as it’s made with so much vinegar!

now when it’s time for braised red cabbage the place smells divine.

today it’s finally time to paint our bedroom. Hoping we can knock this out pretty quickly and sleep in there again tomorrow night.

I did laugh at @BigSkies2022 describing her DH as having a ‘triumphant shoppers air’ - I was coming on here this morning with a frugal Queen air to state I had a NSD yesterday until I remembered I bought some postage bags on Amazon. Fail. Today won’t be NS either as I am grocery shopping and possibly Black Friday shopping too.

🤣 at the ‘cousin of doom’ dining table @RumBananaSundae My front room of doom is looking a lot better now but needs at least a good coat of paint. There is a very outside chance I might be hosting Christmas for my DS, his partner and her parents so I’d better get a move on. Have a fab break.

OMG @pistachiosanscream your Christmas prep sounds divine.

@BigSkies2022 hope the flat is ok and I’m very envious of your deep sleep.

I’ve seen a thread this morning about Nectar points getting stolen which is apparently a thing, so if you have the app make sure you’ve locked yours.

Lovely and sunny here today but very cold. Think I’ll finish clearing the front room, do some housework and go shopping then tonight settle down to finish watching The Jackal which I started ages ago.

God, Christmas shopping is still going on and my grocery order is getting bigger and bigger. I noticed several items on my Christmas week shop are only on offer for delivery before that. So I’ve moved things forward.

im hopeful I’m close with the shopping. I’ve just got my dm, dsd and sister (one household) and my dad I think to go now. My dad I think I’ll find a nice voucher to a restaurant or something.

@pistachiosanscream I think I'll just invite myself round to yours for Christmas. All this food sounds amazing!!! I shall rename you nigella.

I laughed out loud at the doom room @RumBananaSundae I completely have at least two of these!!!!

@Johaanah you are completely winning with the dinner being dished up and tidied up too. I need to train mine up! (She is 3)

Urgh. The spending continues and it's giving me anxiety.
£27.40 for dentist appointment
£10 for pre school Christmas gifts for teachers
£10 for pre school to take photos of child and send them to me (a scheme to make money to supplement what they get from government and I don't blame them at all)
£19.40 for Christmas lunch at work
£200 on Christmas gifts.
I think I just need a few more bits for mum and niece and nephew and then I'm done. She says.
Why is everything so flipping expensive? Even second hand is pricey now which I think the extra bits will be as they are only to bulk out the main gifts I have. I cant wait to get Christmas out of the way and start a clean slate.

Afternoon.

You have all been chatty! I am going to make an agreement with myself to post daily, as I keep up then. If I don’t post, I only skim read and I like to fully see what you lovely lot are up to!

Spends
£55 on a beautiful Greek meal at a local restaurant last night. Much needed time with DD. We get so little together as home life post DH’s stroke is full on. We never get chance to really talk and me to listen fully.
£9 on some A5 notebooks from Amazon - all your talk of lists and notes has encouraged me to indulge in some myself.
£80 Ocado
£20 veg box - such good value - leek, sage and potato soup was made for lunches today, and fed 4 hungry adults. Top tip - a tin of cannellini beans added makes the soup wonderfully creamy when wizzed up.

In terms of budget we will just about make it to Tuesday, which is reset day, with money in the pot in a couple of areas. My monthly bills are lower this month, and the balance will pay for the gutter cleaning and repair due early December.

I’ve a huge pot of ragu on the go, with lentils in it to bulk it out. We will have it with pasta tonight and then jacket potatoes and veg Sunday.

I am a way off being organised for Christmas! That said, I’m hoping to get DH out and about for a couple of trips to the shops next week, where I’ll hopefully do the bulk of the remaining presents needed.

Frugal win today! Local Authority Library notified me that they would be buying the book I requested/proposed ! That’s 23 whole British ££s I will be saving. Quite when the book will be in my hands is another matter, but a definite win.

missed a call from the Apple Store to say my laptop is ready- that’s £159 not spent yet!

the flat was still not ready for my tender hands when I went this morning but I have been promised it’s today, really, absolutely- so I will be back again tomorrow, little face all hopeful…

DS has too much stuff and not enough storage. It needs money spent, no avoiding it.

have brought our annual boiler service forward by a month. It’s another £90 before Christmas (😒) but at least we will have dealt with that particular expense before the bloody house insurance is due. There is likely to be very little in the sinking fund this time around.

£11.50 lunch with friend
£14.50 coop

Hopefully the flat is ready now @BigSkies2022

My reset day is next week too @needastrongoneagain and good win on the gutters. I need to hold off on Christmas shopping and general shopping until then.

Just had 20% offer for my favorite Indian restaurant on takeaways - no plans tomorrow. Hmm will see.

Room of doom is a great choice of words @RumBananaSundae 😂

I’m the same @Mochi1fudge, I’ll hold off further Christmas shopping until next week. I’m really trying to stick to my self imposed monthly budget - even though the money is there - it may need to last an awful long time!

Did you decide re soft furnishings @BigSkies2022, I personally wouldn’t expect those to be part of the rental. I read your musing in this regard, but didn’t get chance to post.

ps I’m the same ‘need’ - I seem to have two accounts mixed up and really need to email HQ!

@needastrongoneagain that sounds like a lovely, well needed dinner with DD. Lovely

I'm pretty set for christmas thanks to my mania spending, just a few bits left which I'm waiting for Black Friday for. But everywhere seems to already say Black Friday sales on? So will there be further sales on the actual day and I should hold out or not?! I don't know!

I've treated myself to a kindle upgrade today. They have a deal on whereby it was about £30 cheaper to start with trade your old one in for £20 and an extra 20% off so if anybody is in the market it might be a good time.

Bathroom fitter rang this evening. Mostly all done but a problem arose when it was discovered that a) the washing machine is slightly larger than the cupboard supposedly built for it -3cm difference, sorted with various adjustments and b) the Bosch washing machine, fitted 2years ago by AO engineers, was not fitted with a Bosch hose, the dirty dogs had just clamped the machine onto the hose that had been attached to the machine it was replacing, probably because limescale made it tricky to detach from the outlet. So, comrades: just keep an eye on the comrades who come over to fit your appliances, because they may be on the clock and seek a handy shortcut and you’ll be none the wiser until the next comrade comes in to decouple your male and female fittings and rearrange your valves.

bed for me, long weekend of errands ahead.

Got the morning grumps after really wanting to buy something but DW talking me out of it/reminding me.

I did spend £45 on Crocs though that I really wanted, they're Christmas Mickey ones reduced from £80 that I've had my eye on for a few months. They'll get well worn!