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 🤗 .
☃️🤶🎅🦌🎄🎁

Spending yesterday and today has not been good. I bought some leggings for the gym (£45), a vest from Mint Velvet (£80), a takeaway (£26 first and last time - they didn’t put the main thing in and I feel cheated), £10 in Waitrose and a few odd bits in Sainsbury.

Awesome on the win @Vinorosso74.

I’d just get the card game @Alwayslearning25. But then I’m a bad decision maker and would probably then change my mind and order the things I didn’t order. Am having a similar dilemma with the porcelain I ordered last week. I played the Hokey Cokey with something and didn’t get it and now I’m wrestling with placing another order.

Sorry to hear that @lifelongfrugaleer but glad you’re ok.

Lots of bargains there @MaryGreenhill. You’ve reminded me to check the supermarket opening hours on Christmas Eve so I can plan my yellow sticker tour. Last year Marks and Spencer had things going for pennies.

I’m like @needastrongoneagain with my spending (tending to) adapt to circumstances. Until the life event I never had to give money a thought so it’s been a steep curve. I like being able to plan and all the legal stuff means I can’t and it’s rather angst inducing. The medical bills aren’t helping.

Two days off work for me now. I’m not back until Thursday. Planning to give the carpet fitting some thought and pack a few more things away.

Hi everyone, I will catch up on the thread asap, hi to all my love friends.

I need podcasts and YouTube of basic money management. I don't have investments or anything like that, you know I don't, so the things recommended on here don't usually apply to me, but if anyone knows anyone else that will help me as a shopping addict riddled with debt I'd be grateful xxxx

MSE dealing with debt boards are often pretty helpful.

@ChipshopPickledEgg i definitely have issues about money that stem from my childhood. I have a tendency towards short term thinking when it comes to money. If I have it I spend it!

@lifelongfrugaleer sorry to hear you’re unwell and hope the tests come back either good news.

@Alwayslearning25 id only buy the one game. I’m a sucker for free shipping and I’m coming to the realisation that my bargains are costing me more money than if I’d just paid for shipping.

it was a busy weekend and still feeling under the weather.

Friday we got a dominos pizza using a Black Friday deal €26. Saturday I stocked up on selection boxes for Christmas gifts €27 and got a takeaway €20. Sunday was €20 on a birthday gift and we avoided a takeaway even though I was still exhausted.

today I spent €135 in Lidl. I also bought quite a few canapés, though I think it’s still a lot less than last year.

Sending lots of love back. I think you may need to fall in love with paying off debt. If you can switch the high you get from shopping to paying off debt then you could be very successful. to do this you need to remove shame from your thoughts about the debt. It’s happened and it’s there but you have brighter days ahead.

many years ago I used to follow a number of debt reducing blogs that used the snowball method of paying off debt. Most of these have moved on but I’m sure there are others out there that you could follow. It could help with replacing the endorphin high you get from shopping

Id probably only buy the one game. I've never been one to make things up to get free postage. I'm too lazy tbh. Beautiful news on the adoption though.
Ooohhhh gorgeous meal plan. Loving the soup and dhal. We had leftover ratatouille on a puff pastry base with ricotta tonight and a side salad. Delicious.
Oh no feel better soon @lifelongfrugaleer

£45 on a wreath making evening with my best friend this week. We normally go for dinner that costs about £50 for Christmas so this is cheaper and more fun.
£12 on DD last ever playgroup session next week.
Think that's it for today..... I'm sure I've missed something.

Morning.

How you doing @lifelongfrugaleer?

Your leftover ratatouille dish sounds bloody lovely @Frugal25, we often sprinkle feta on our ratatouille sometimes, I’ll try ricotta too!

I think @pistachiosanscream’s idea re falling in love with paying down the debt and getting hit from seeing that figure decrease is excellent @PearlTeapot. Could you focus on how proud you’d be of yourself and how DW would be too if you saw that figure reducing monthly. I believe the Martin Lewis forums are excellent, as @FurForksSakementions. One of the early Rebel Finance School YouTube videos tackles debt and creating a gap between income and expenditure, it’s probably about week 2.

I can understand the anxiety @RumBananaSundae. It’s the lack of control over your own life which is so hard isn’t it?

Sounds like a great idea @ChipshopPickledEgg- folk do similar for stopping smoking or drinking don’t they and they then can see a tangible benefit/difference.

Spends minimal in the last 24 hours. I think DH wanted to rent a movie on Prime for a couple of quid.

I’ve made pea and kale soup for lunch (added a tin of cannellini beans for creaminess when blended and extra fibre). There’s some ham to sprinkle on if needed. Added some lime juice for a bit of zing.

Chicken, pea, parsnip and leek stew with mash for supper, so more peas!

Spent £15.50 on one game plus postage. You're all right, and as much as DD loves mouse trap. It's fiddly, annoying and emotional and can stay at Grandma's. We decided our games cupboard was full which is why we did the rental last month. So faverate game from that bunch bought. DD loved exploding minions almost as much, but I was getting bored it and DH doesn't do card/bored games. Because apparently I'm too competitive, and he gets upset. But I say he didn't have that childhood experience of bored games and doesn't get into the spirit/ takes any of my 'smugness' too seriously. My family are big into them, his family only played as little kids.

And oops, spent £10 at McDonald's as had a stressful night/ morning and didn't fancy my lunch box.

I'll try and send the recipe for the ratatouille with pastry for you @needastrongoneagain

£2 on getting the bus to the library with DD to make it more of a "thing" than driving.
£2 on a new photo frame from charity shop as one has broken at home
.50p for a toy for DD from same charity shop. Sadly it's one that father Christmas has already got her. Argh.
Will be spending £30 on yoga for the month.
Negotiated to stay in with a friend instead of out to celebrate Christmas as I'm out 9 times this month and budget can't hack it.

I don't even want to think about how much I have spent in the last few days.

However, with one exception (a gift that I am buying on someone else's behalf, so will get paid back), I am DONE Christmas shopping. Phew. Not everything was a bargain but quite a few bits were, and I don't feel like I've had to buy any crap just for the sake of it.

Also had a couple of lovely (spendy) nights with friends that were worth spending money on and brought joy.

I'm definitely looking forward to a simple and cheap new year.

Thanks @BigSkies2022 for the book recommendations. I have frugally placed a library request so hopefully I'll get one of them through before too long.

I found £10 in the coat pocket of the coat I was listing on vinted. Win!

Spending has been £15 in Waitrose and £9 in Lidl.

Nice to see you @PearlTeapot. I second @pistachiosanscream about endorphins. I used to get my dopamine fix from the gym but since my accident my unnecessary spending is through the roof. If you’re able to find something that isn’t maladaptive to replace it I think you’ll be on your way. But that’s much easier said than done. As @FurForksSake and @needastrongoneagain say MSE is good too.

You’re right @needastrongoneagain. No control and uncertainty are definitely not my friends.

Did a bit more carpet fitting preparation. The fridge and filing cabinet are now friends and there’s a set of coffee tables in the bathroom. Noticed the vest I bought yesterday has a shirt underneath so I’ll not be collecting it. When the refund arrives (gift card) I’ll put it aside for groceries over the holidays. I’ve done the same with the Marks and Spencer gift card from returning the sweatshirt.

Really feeling unmotivated for everything. Want to get back into a good routine but can’t seem to. Am meant to be visiting a friend tomorrow evening but already trying to think of an excuse not to go as I can’t face getting there and back.

Just checking in again. Been another very busy few days and like someone else said, I dread to think what I’ve spent. However most of the Christmas shopping is now done.

Think I forgot to mention a couple of weeks ago that I got a bargain from regatta. I saw a coat I liked in a garden centre, it was a decent price (£70) but I googled to see if I could find it cheaper and got it delivered for £40 from the regatta website. I love it.

On the psychology of money, I’ve mentioned before I am a payday millionaire and money burns a hole in my pocket. My childhood was poor - my dad was mean with his money and my mum worked part time to top up her household budget as my dad barely gave her the money to cover the bills (he went to the local club every night…). I had free school meals, homemade clothes, holidays were almost non existent etc and I am positive it’s shaped my attitude to money. My dad died when I was 13 and things were very tough. I’m in a fortunate position now through hard work and luck that my mortgage is almost paid off and I am semi retired at 59, but I really need to get a handle on my spending.

I’ve had a simple dinner of poached eggs on toast but reading your various food updates is making me hungry again!! Very tempted to order a takeaway but that would spoil my hard work at the gym!!

I’ll try and keep up better with the thread but I know I have a busy couple of weeks coming up!

Running around today and spent £8 on a Gail’s sandwich which was nice. But blimey! £7 in Tesco on some bits for couscous merguez dinner. I thought the proper recipes had turnip and carrots but I will be making one with red peppers and lemons. Sounds alright .

Pearls, you have done wonders losing weight so you know you are capable of great perseverance and consistency. Can you apply the same techniques to paying off your debt? I mean, did you have a plan for weight loss that included having nice things to do and healthy alternatives to calorie-dense foods ?

if you go to Jason-butler.com/blog/5-actions-to-improve-your-financial-wellbeing there are lots of useful resources there.

Oh and it’s not the same, but I am coming to the end of a period of pretty intense spending which has emptied out my savings. So next year is going to be about rebuilding, and it’s going to take perseverance and consistency and patience to do so! We can keep encouraging each other here!

I hear you @RumBananaSundae . I've just rescheduled a friend due to the same reasons. Couldn't bring myself to do it. Now I'm not looking forward to when I've rescheduled for.

The recipe won't load on here.
But it's a pack of ready rolled pastry, put a tub of ricotta spread on top, then top that with 700g of ratatouille. In oven for 25 mins xx

I know this is really sad but I've always wanted to go to Gail's 😆
Swap you our booths?

Get well soon @lifelongfrugaleer
Nice to hear from your @PearlTeapot

I too need to put a plan together for the new year. Want to build up a good emergency fund.

Sorry only had time to skim read.

Last few days spendy, maybe I won't list them all! 🫣. Couple of frugal things:
DD needed new phone, as her battery life is so poor. Google Pixel (refurb excellent condition) for £160 on Back Market but I'm going to get £37 back to trade in the old one.
Christmas present for me from DH. Found some brand new UGGs on Vinted for £55, selling for £125 in Schuh.
So although a spendy week, still hunting down the bargains!

high spend day, €31 on getting my eyebrows done, €25 on a gift and then €776 on the gym membership. Which was very cheap as we got 2 discounts. We’re on a corporate rate and then got 20% off that. It was costing us €95 a month. Not bad for 3 of us.

we also paid for it from personal funds so the joint is spared. Still it’s had a hammering these past few months so it needs a little reprieve

Is Booths the posh north-west supermarket? I’ve been to the branch in Ilkley if so and it’s worth any number of Gail’s. The smoked turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich yesterday was very nice, but £8 for a sandwich is a joke - I generally spend about £5 per person per day on food so I can’t help wincing at spending that much just because I was on the run and badly prepared!

anyway - £20 on a return rail ticket to meet my friend tomorrow. Looking forward to putting some nice clothes on and catching up. £90 (joint account) on boiler service.

Hi Guys,

I stepped off of this post for a couple days and came back to loads of unread posts - it's moving so quickly, I guess as we are all so busy.

I have spent what feels like an absolute fortune over the last few days, I'm stopping now, have all of my Christmas gifts - some are even wrapped, I genuinely do not need anything else at all and I need to keep repeating this to myself well into the New Year when the sales start again, in fact I have far too much.

Saturday - £14 on disappointing cakes from a bakery that is supposed to be amazing, it wasn't and they were stale! £10 in TKMAXX - my biggest downfall, £3 card factory on tissue paper, £8 lunch in McD's, £26 Morrisons door wreath and a few grocery bits, £19 on popcorn for Christmas gifts from Joe & Seph.

Sunday cost me £14 for a Pizza from Franco Manca, £3 on an ice cream as the pizza was very spicy! £81 on underpants for DS and something else I've forgotten from End, £34 shampoo Sephora, £118.00 gym gear mostly half price, some will be returned.

Monday I spent £50 on a pair of trainers for DH's Christmas gift, they were half price so at least I got a bargain there.

Yesterday was the biggest outlay as I went into the West End for a special event with DD1 as she came home for DH birthday, spent £28ish on lunch, £14 on hot drinks and snacks, £150 in Diptyque on reed diffuser refills (for me 😮- but... they are amazing and last forever) then £196 on new specs from Ace &Tate for DD as she has quite a complicated prescription and needs substantial lens thinning also, I don't mind this at all as she has worn glasses for so long and as she's a student I'm happy to pay for her to have something she likes. Also spent a few quid here and there over the day - Monzo tells me total was £417.00, also spent £12 on a pair of grip socks for pilates.

Afternoon everyone 😊
Just did some shopping in Tesco's, Bailey's £10 for a litre there . £52 in all , l was very surprised how much the clubcard discounted it all
Legs of lamb half price , l bought 2 of each . Bailey's is a present for Mum's friends. Turned out nice here . Home now for a nice cuppa 🤗
Hope everyone is ok 😊

Afternoon. Massive tax bill, but we’ve got savings to cover it. Still ouch.

I’ve just bought some glue rollers and a silicone Christmas mould (to make Christmas shaped butter) on Amazon. Need to rein back my Amazon spending.

Determined to have a non spend day today! Surprising how hard it is even at home unwell in bed 😂Trying to ignore talk of reduced advent calendars on the bargains threads.