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 posted too early as I spent £6 on snacks in Tesco's after school, £15 in vinted for kids clothes, and a £3 too good to go bag from gregs in the morning. All nessersary I guess. Except the snacks.

I am sure you didn't waste a penny @Alwayslearning25 🤗

Loads spent yesterday m on fast food of the overpriced toasties, mini quiche and (rather disappointing) almond croissant (I did manage to exercise judgement and bin the dreary thing rather than keep on chewing and hoping it would improve). Also wine. Excuse being that DH and spent bloody hours at the flat (still not finished, but tomorrow, no really, truly, this time) putting up curtain poles and curtains and trying to work out how to attach the headboards to the beds. Anyway, we were tired and ravenous and fell into the deli. Hence spending £37 on overpriced crap.

today i left the house at 9.15, drove two hours to sit with DDad for his dermatology/plastics appointment. There was no parking available after 20 minutes of driving around the handkerchief sized car park so I was directed to a nearby residential road and walked back. Ddad had been conveyed to the hospital by the patient transport service because of his wheelchair and was already in the clinic. We waited for 30 minutes or so before seeing the consultant who said he needed a CT scan, which hadn’t been pre-booked. He would need a blood test before the scan could be performed. We could wait a further two hours for the scan if we wanted, or come back for a specific slot two weeks hence…we opted to return rather than wait because Ddad already tired. He had his bloods taken and we went back to reception to be told that transport would be three hours hence.

so I decided to drive him from the hospital back to his csre home, if the nursing staff could help me get him in the car. The lovely NHS released a staff member to help me do that- it took 2 of us 15 minutes to get him in. I delivered him back, two staff members helped him out and back to his room (by now it’s near 4pm). Chat chat, paperwork, admin. Home about 5, horrible M25 section.

I’ve been out of the house from 9 to 5, driven fucking miles, and hauled my poor dad in and out of a wildly unsuitable vehicle, for a blood sample. Why couldn’t the sample have been taken at the home by a nurse on site and we booked in for the scan today? I love the NHS, but dear god. It really does give the impression that it believes no-one else’s time matters.

anyway, grumpy and knackered. And I am still cooking dinner!

Oh God what a nightmare of a day for you and your poor dad bless you both @BigSkies2022💐

Weekend of two half's - Saturday quite spendy with some lovely Christmas Stockings from B&M for £5 each, Lidl bill for £59 and an Indian Takeaway for £40 (20% off deal tempted me) but then a LSD yesterday of £5 at the coop.

Today has been 99p for a Double Decker. Due refunds of £38 and £8.91 from returns - funny how they take a while to arrive!

Wrote my Christmas cards yesterday and addressed them. Started to make some gift bags up for relatives. I got a job lot of ESPA spa miniatures for £32 in September - they have made four gift bags with candles. Used some printed Santa cellophane bags I had left over from years ago, some ribbon and tags and they look v nice. I need to keep the momentum up!

Ear infections are dreadful @MaryGreenhill pleased you're okay.

Great the farm pass is being used @Alwayslearning25 gift shops are the devil's work, used to find they are always on the way out and can't avoid them!

I am utterly in awe of the staff at my dad’s nursing home and of every single NHS facility and worker I have encountered. I sat with my 94 year old dad in a regional specialist unit for plastic surgery for head, neck and hand. It’s a globally respected unit in the arse end of nowhere and they are treating my ancient dad, who cannot stand unassisted or break up his own bread roll, as if he had decades of life ahead of him. It is amazing. It also leans on family- my dad’s day would have been very much longer and much more difficult if I hadn’t been around and able to take decisions that limited the pain.

@Mochi1fudge The ESPA gifts sound lovely, such a lovely thing to receive too when they’ve been put together by hand rather than purchased in a gift box if you know what I mean. I too have been tempted by the B&M stockings, but my (adult - all 17 years and over) kids have had the same ones since they were small, they came from a craft fair and are quite obviously handmade and have their names stitched on them. They are quite attached to them even though they are small compared to the ones in shops. The red velvet would look so nice though…

@BigSkies2022 - your poor dad, I hope he’s ok after such a long day, I know travelling can really take its toll on the elderly.

I’m a little bit annoyed as British Gas have taken £99 from my account for an engineer visit that they cancelled! DH has called them and they’ve said the money will go back in within seven working days, not happy as it means I’m £99 down until after payday on Friday which would have been my grocery money- I can transfer some money I suppose 🤷🏻‍♀️

I did buy the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and spring onions from Sainsbury's, dd2 wanted to make an Apple crumble so picked up the bits for that too, spent £16 🙄 but used a gift card so it didn’t come out of my budget.

Does anyone watch YouTube budgeting vlogs? If so who do you recommend? I’m trying to find some UK budgeters that are not too extreme.

Thank you so much @Mochi1fudgel am so much better than I was 🤗

Morning.

Well done on the extra voucher @Frugal25, good to have acknowledgement from work for your efforts.

Huge sympathy @BigSkies2022 . I have similar feelings re the NHS. I have so much respect/admiration/mild incredulity re the service they give. My own DF is 94 next month, can’t walk more than 4/5 steps, nearly blind, deaf, struggles to speak, incontinent, and they partially replaced his hip last week…. amazing really. But I also see the inefficiency of the ‘machine’ that is the NHS, and most certainly the reliance on family first hand (at what cost long term on so many levels - taking those people out of the workplace and financially contributing, the additional cost to society when these people start to struggle with that load themselves…I could go on). I hope you and your DF are okay today.

So it’s my reset day today, my version of ‘payday’, and I’ve reset the budgets.

Took DH shopping this morning. We have to go early when it’s quiet and he can manage maybe an hour absolute maximum so one shop really but we got to potter round Holland and Barrett and pick up lots of stocking fillers for the DC, who are both very into fitness and nutrition etc.

£76 H&B
£116 Ocado (frustratingly forgot to check out again after I’d edited last night down to £90, but it’s wine for Christmas so I’ll set aside).

Chicken and cauliflower curry for supper, unless we use leftovers, which we have also.

Morning all. @MaryGreenhill i hope you are feeling better. An ear infection sounds like a horrible thing.

@RumBananaSundae i hope you are having a lovely little holiday.

Well done everyone on keeping the expenses low Its hard with small children. Its amazing how quickly a treat becomes normal to them and yet eating vegetables is treated like a one off!

The weekend was busy. We finally painted our bedroom. just in time for me to get the painting stuff back in the shed before we get the christmas decorations out.

Friday i spent very little but DH went mad in Lidl. I think i need to ban him from going in there. we now have loads of nuts and protein yoghurts!

Saturday was a NSD and sunday we got a takeaway for €25. Yesterday was a NSD and today is payday for me. So happy about this as November felt like a really long month.

DH and i discussed the gym membership and have decided to keep it but we will fund it from our personal funds. The gym do a 20% off offer in December so we will do this and pay upfront. Its currently €95 a month so i'm happy to have this gone from the monthly direct debits.

Small child did their santa list and was surprisingly modest. Now they know they will get plenty from other family members and from us so its not totally altruistic but it also means i dont have a big bill to pay for santa.

Lots of spending here from the Christmas pot. I also got the 40p socks. Winner
trying to get everything done while I’m on part work for shingles. I am resting as well though
payday Friday and duck all money left tbh. Must do better

sorry to hear about the ear Mary
pleased the farm pass is being used.
I’ve missed loads and I’m sorry. Will try and keep up better

Shingles isn't great - hope you're not feeling too unwell 😔.

You're in the same position as me - payday Friday and bank balance is as low as it can get! I wasn't leaving those 40p socks though, mine have just been delivered and I think the teenage boy that will be getting them will be very happy!

Sorry to hear about the shingles!

I’ve stepped back from a spend today, I was looking at my protein gym leggings and shorts. I was pretty close and now backed off.

Hopefulky a no online spend day, dh is taking the kids for haircuts though.

@Johaanahl watch the frugal granny on YouTube she is lovely very gentle and calm . l don't know if she would be a bit old for you though 🤗
@needastrongoneagain glad you got out even if it was only for an hour it's a nice change for you both 🤗
@pistachiosanscreamah thank you so much that is so kind of you 😊
Well done on the low spend and the painting of the bedroom 🤗
@lifelongfrugaleeraw bless you l hope you are feeling better very soon 💐
@Frugal25well done on not buying the gym clothing good job 🤗
NSD for me here. l have been cleaning the front room before putting the tree up and l am too tired to spend 🤣.
Ha e a good day everyone 😊

Had an extra long lunch break and I work near town centr. £49 in to maxx on some sporty trousers that fit me as I've gained weight this year plus a 'snack box's for sorting small Lego. £22 on non chocolate advent calendars and Christmas decorations.

I did admire but did not buy art supplies and stationery. As I need to sort out what I have at home. I think I've read others on this thread have similar art and craft related unnecessary purchases.

2 of the advent calendars were kids activity books from the works originaly £20 but actually most likely £10 now reduced to £5

Oh @BigSkies2022 your poor dad. I hope he is feeling more rested today as not being hauled about. Completely agree, nhs is brilliant but there are areas that are baffling. Where he is sounds amazing though bless him.
@lifelongfrugaleer oh no, shingles is awful. Hope you are being looked after.

Well I finished my Christmas shopping. £65 in matalan (after my £50 was taken off) and then £53 in sainsburys. Lady on til didn't want to be there clearly, no hello, didn't ask for my club card, then put through two £6 items at £20. So I now need to find time to go back for a refund.
But I'm done. I shall wrap tomorrow whilst working from home and then just got to wait for the big day.
I did notice at the weekend that I've spent hundreds and yet the piles of gifts are small. Prices really are too high now.

Well done on not buying unnecessary art supplies
@Alwayslearning25😊
Excellent work on finishing your Christmas presents @Frugal25 😊
I agree everything is so expensive 😔

I’ve just ordered hoodies from the bargain thread. I need to be stopped! 🤣

At some point I need to get everything out and look at the gaps.

🤣 Honestly, I need someone to physically drag me away from those bargain threads @FurForksSake

I didn't know there are bargain threads 😗👀

@Alwayslearning25 the Christmas bargain threads are wonderful and dangerous. People share bargains they’ve found and sometimes things they are looking out for. We saved 20% on an iPad for one child and a meta quest for the other because someone pointed out that very were giving 20% off for a new credit account. DH did it, had set up pay in three with no interest an the kids are going to be delighted.

Hi can I join please?

Money is flowing every which way this month but I am gearing up for a no/low spend January.

Spent today:
£17.97 in TK Maxx (lovely Xmas present for my mum)
£48.43 in Home Bargains (lots of stocking fillers plus some cleaning stuff)
£70 Tesco shop

On the plus side I managed to nab a free Greggs bake through Octopus which saved me paying for lunch while out it was horrible, and cold. But free!

Hello Viking (like the handle!) I had a very lean first quarter this year, and 2026 looks like it will be the same. It’s gonna be lentil soups, home workouts and walks in London admiring the free stuff for me. I have my TFL pass which will make free stuff more exciting, and I imagine I will feel very fit. And virtuous.