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 🤗 .
☃️🤶🎅🦌🎄🎁

Fingers crossed to cakes and not bread @RumBananaSundae

£4 here on parking. I had my yearly bupa health assessment and I've lost 6cm on waist and everything that was already in green has gone down further into green. The weight that I needed to lose as advised last year has come off. Phew. I'm a happy girl.

I'll keep going as I'd like to lose another stone and be what I used to be before i had DD. But for now I'm happy.

So glad you're ok @MaryGreenhill I did think of you when watching the news this morning

Aw thank you @Frugal25 for thinking of me bless you.
That is wonderful news re your weight and health . It's worth much more than any money ❤️

Good weight loss results frugal!

£260 on dental work- 2 fillings. Hope that is me done for a good while.
£10 in butcher - chicken escalopes tonight and probably tomorrow too.

have started watching and listening to Andrew Craig (Plain English Finance). He has written four books on personal finance and investing and is sensible and clear, as the name suggests. Also focused on the UK market.

Inspired by the talk of budgets I have started setting up my budget planner/cash flow for 2026. It’s a work of fiction currently since it includes an assumed income from the as yet unlet flat, but it makes me feel virtuous. organised and motivated!

If I’m feeling very brave I might post what I have spent on my discretionary categories- clothing, personal care, health care and fitness. If I show you mine will you show me yours?

right workout and then dinner. Might start watching Stranger Things tonight.

Took my NDN shopping yesterday and today. Another present off the list but today was essentially food shopping towards Christmas spent £59.79 in Lidl - part christmas and part topping up for us.
I did pick up quite a bit that can be stored and even if we don't use it all over Christmas and the New year we can avoid the shops in January by frugally using everything up. Also went to Home Bargains spent £22.03 mainly on bits and pieces but also paid NDN £10 for cat food which was on offer at 2 boxes for £20
Finally we went to Iceland where I spent £77.95 but with tthe old biddies discount plus my Bonus savings of round ups all year only had to pay £32.70 Winner!!!!
Most of these spends came from the Christmas savings pot which now sadly dwindling but we are nearly there - just 2 presents to get and all the fresh stuff like veg and salads nearer to Christmas.
Having to get as much done as possible as not too much work this week but then working virtually everyday the following week so needs must.
Gift wrapping is being done as and when - in front of the TV with a Christmas Movie but probably with Martin Lewis tonight instead!! Should all be finished in time for Christmas Eve - fingers crossed!!

Two weirdly round spends today

£10 coffee and two cakes, meeting a lovely friend
£6.66 in a local shop on some bits for Christmas hampers

It's been awful here. Worse than the rain was just the darkness. Ugh, I was driving at 2pm and it felt like the evening.

Congratulations @Frugal25 on your health results, that sounds so positive ❤️

great news on the weight loss and health results.

i got a Sainsbury’s delivery yesterday of just Christmas’s presents that when i looked were cheaper there. £56. Lidl £85 and £15 home bargains.
£15 boots I need to collect Saturday and Amazon coming today I forget how much then I’m done for Christmas except food.

Stay safe in the storms.

Oh @RumBananaSundae its truly awful when you get a poor solicitor and even worse when you can see how bad it is and realise they are playing cover their ass in an incompetent fashion!

Well done @Frugal25 i am really planning on getting more control of my diet and exercise next year. I've just not bothered this year and i can't keep that up.
@BigSkies2022 from what i know of you yor flat will be an excellent property that will attract good tenants so fingers crossed you get nice easy going ones who pay on time.

I've also had thoughts on my next years budget. i will get a pay rise in january of i think about €200 a month and ive decided that all of it is going towards savings for the areas of my life i don't fund properly at the moment. Christmas, summer holidays, parental leave etc. i worked out that parental leave costs me €85 a day so im going to create a fund for it this year.

Yesterday was €2 on tea at work, €60 contribution to 2 retirement gifts, €8 on swimming lessons (i'd a voucher bought at 20% off for the rest of it)

Today i've spent €9.50 on vinted on 3 christmas jumpers for small child, they are the next size up but they should be able to wear them this year as well as next year. The schools allows christmas jumpers for a couple of weeks in December so they get worn! i'm also going to be smarter and sell on Small childs themed clothes. I normally dont bother as her stuff gets wrecked b=ut the themed stuff doesnt get work enough.

Sounds really sensible @pistachiosanscreamputting the whole pay rise into proper funds will take the pressure off next year, especially with parental leave costing so much.
Your spends look good, and the discounted swimming lessons were excellent 👌.
The Vinted jumpers are a great buy if they’ll last two years, and selling on the themed bits is a good idea too. I think you are doing brilliantly sweetheart 🤗.
Spends today Aldi £13, flowers for a friend who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and chocs , Lucozade and tissues for a friend in hospital. She is doing brilliantly thank God 🤗

£60 in Sainsbury’s, included dishwasher tablets, washing powder, doubling up on bacon (freezer, hopefully will remain available for Christmas) and filling a couple of gaps in the spice cupboard. £44 in Aldi, again stocking up on rinse aid, baking paper, olive oil In preparation for extra cooking and washing up. And then a further £10 on things like salted nuts and chocolate truffles that have gone straight to the hiding place for Christmas catering.

I have been totting up my ‘discretionary personal’ spending for 2025 and there is a good amount that can be trimmed next year. I can take £2k off the health spending, for example- not because I plan to be less healthy but because this year I spent on a PT fitness and diet course (£1200), bought new glasses (£422) and had £280 of dental treatment. I am unlikely to be repeating that expenditure unless I am unlucky or careless. I spent around £100 on prescriptions, and I qualify for free prescription meds now.

Not going to commit to a no buy year for clothing, but my existing wardrobe covers most eventualities (except a summer funeral) and I reckon I can reduce this year’s expenditure by 60-70 % without feeling deprived at all. I’ve had a good year’s reading using the library service and shopping our shelves so will continue the no book buying plan.

You’re really organised @BigSkies2022 well done 👍.
The one off health costs dropping off will make a big difference next year, and free prescriptions help too. Clothes spending sounds easy to trim given how well your wardrobe already covers things.
And sticking with the library for books is another simple win.
You’re setting yourself up for a leaner but still very comfortable 2026 great stuff 👏

Well, I hope so Mary. But things have a way of costing more than you think, don’t they?? I started last year all lean and shipshape, but it was £500 on my laptop, £2k on DS’ laptop, higher than anticipated costs at his graduation, a new carpet here after the dog sicked up just one too many times, the renovations at the flat more than I expected (£500 on parking permits alone!). Anyway, not moaning since it was all necessary expenditure , but just to illustrate the way affairs can fluctuate! Not to worry, we go again!

How true even the best laid budgets get sideswiped by real life @BigSkies2022. One big thing turns into five little things and suddenly the numbers look nothing like you planned 🙄. But you handled each expense as it came, and they were all things that genuinely needed doing. Fresh year, fresh slate and you’re right, we go again 👍🤗

Put £40 on my travelcard, as I’m in town tomorrow and Friday, and spent £5.02 in Asda.

TGTG bag was pastries @MaryGreenhill and @Frugal25. Not so bad but not worth £6.99.

Good news on the health assessment @Frugal25.

Great shopping in Iceland @Rainbow1901.

Sorry to hear about your two friends @MaryGreenhill. I do hope they will both be OK and that’s very good of you.

I’m another who is looking to sorting out the eating and finances next year. Health wise it’s taken a dive post accident and I can’t seem to drag myself out of it. I hope once I’m feeling stronger I’ll find my way back. Spending is just plain lunacy at the moment. Solicitors and property spending. Our pay award has just been announced. I want to say something is better than nothing but once the taxman has taken their share it won’t even cover half my council tax.

Tomorrow night is the work Christmas party so I’m hoping it will be a no spend day. We’re getting lunch (I think) and dinner so no need to buy anything.

Yes @MaryGreenhill these threads have really helped me to reflect on my spending and make adjustments.

very sorry to hear about your friends and I hope they continue to heal.

i was feeling very smug this evening as I had all my homemade jams etc made and labelled when DH asked about giving some to his work colleagues. Surely by now he would realise that I’m a planner by nature! Anyways I’ve decided to make a strawberry chocolate jam, pretzel bark and I’m hoping to find long red chillis easily to make another batch of chilli jam.

i did find my to do list from last year and I am running ahead this year so that’s a bonus. I don’t feel that organised though

Bless you re my friends today it's the least l could do for them 🤗
Spenny already with the travelcard and Asda, and that TGTG bag doesn’t sound worth £6.99. You’re not alone with wanting to sort eating and finances next year hard to do when your health’s dipped after the accident though sweetheart..
The pay award helps a bit, but once tax hits it barely touches the bills, especially with solicitors and property costs piling up.
Hope tomorrow’s party gives you a proper no spend day and a nice break 🤗@RumBananaSundae

You sound far more organised than you give yourself credit for @pistachiosanscream! Those threads have helped me so much too 😊.Ah thank you re my friends 🤗.
Your homemade jams sound amazing, even if DH threw a spanner in the works 🤣 Strawberry chocolate jam and pretzel bark both sound lush, and fingers crossed you find the long red chillies easily.
Being ahead of last year is a win, even if it doesn’t feel as organised. You have done brilliantly if you ask me !

Evening all,
@MaryGreenhill I'm so sorry to hear about your dear friend. Sending love and hugs.
@RumBananaSundae I hope you have fun at the work party tomorrow!
@BigSkies2022 your flat will go like hot cakes! It sounds wonderful.

Def very motivated to get 2026 underway financially and fitness wise. I've got a right bit between my teeth about both at the mo.
£4.85 on yogurts for DD as I promised her one for lunch and there were none in the fridge. Poor thing was so good about it. But I did dash out and grab some.
Went to her school Christmas concert today. I blubber like a baby. So very proud.

Love that your more forward in plans this year @pistachiosanscream . I made cauliflower cheese for the freezer today for Christmas. Might start on my sweet chilli jam this week tho. You have inspired me

@Frugal25
You sound really fired up for 2026 am loving that energy! 😊
Bless your Dd, glad you managed to get the yoghurts for her 🤗
Aww the school concerts always get the tears flowing, they’re so precious ❤️
Cauliflower cheese tucked away already is brilliant planning, and sweet chilli jam sounds amazing go you!
Ah thank you re my friends , l just seem to have a lot of ill friends ATM . It's nothing to just do a little something to let them know that they are cared about ❤️

I am very impressed by the jam making- my mum once made some plum jam having been gifted a glut from a neighbour. It was delicious. I am going to do a couple of easy pickles over Christmas- radishes and one with figs, both Nigel Slater. Not in the same league of chemistry in the kitchen as jam making though.

Large home based today, so I think I will get some of the fairy lights up - take advantage of DS’ height before he goes to work this evening. Looks like a nice clear morning. I ordered that flat sheet from Zara Home so will enjoy changing the bed linen this weekend!

Sounds lovely and very festive @BigSkies2022. Plum jam is gorgeous, and those Nigel Slater pickles will be perfect for Christmas. Enjoy getting the fairy lights up , definitely use DS’s height while you can! And that Zara Home sheet will make the bed feel so nice and cosy 😁
Cleaning here today so no spend day hopefully, have a lovely day everyone.

Catching up sort of, as I don't want to drop off so close to the end of the year! I'll definitely be looking at spending and eating in the New Year. Normally have a run on a Thursday night while DD is in her activity but tonight I am flagging in the car. Brought a book with me (bought for 30p in the charity shop) so that's a bit of self care!

Hope you enjoy Stranger Things @BigSkies2022

Hope your friends are brighter soon @MaryGreenhill

School concerts are lovely @Frugal25

Today wasn't too bad £15.99 Amazon for DD, £2.62 four photos for Christmas frames (presents) and £16.15 Morrisons. I've been put down for baked sweet goods for the work quiz and lunch on Monday. While I was on leave! Of course I am going OTT and the Christmas sprinkles arrived from Amazon today. Will double up for home of course. Going to the cinema with a friend and her DS this weekend. She's messaged to say she's treating us to a very nice lunch. I was touched and also it's a saving!

A busy day for you @Mochi1fudgeso a quiet read in the car is perfect self care 😊. Your spends were really good. Being put down for baking while on leave is typical 🙄, but at least the sprinkles will make it fun. Lovely that your friend is treating you to a nice lunch , a thoughtful gesture and a saving. Enjoy the cinema, thank you re my friends 🤗

Always the way isn't it. That's you're volunteered for things when not there @Mochi1fudge . Loving the 30p book. Bargain!

£96odd in lidl today on food. God knows why so high. But list was quite long and I didn't add things in off list.
Last ever play group today for DD. I cried. The ladies that run it cried. Sigh.
Then gymnastics. Play group and gym both pre paid so "free" today.
Hoping for a NSD tomorrow. Wfh and got all food in.

The pickles sound hard to make..... I shall Google as they do sound rather delicious. As does the plum jam.
How did your cleaning go @MaryGreenhill ?
Absolutely adore new bedding. Let me know what Zara is like @BigSkies2022

Oh. I forgot. I bought lunch. We were meant to go out today for lunch but OH didn't fancy it and DD was playing up so I nipped to tesco and got sarnies £4

£96 in Lidl's @Frugal25sometimes a long list sneaks up on you like that.
Aw, last playgroup… I can totally understand the tears. It’s such a milestone, both for you and the ladies running it & your DD. Bittersweet, really. At least gymnastics was a nice “free” break on top of it.
A proper NSD tomorrow sounds like a great idea,food ready, WFH, no rushing. Pickles and plum jam sound delicious 😋 even if it's hard to get right , l wouldn't have a clue tbh.
And Tesco sarnies for lunch, nothing wrong in that at all and you saved money, what's not to like 😁