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 🤗 .
☃️🤶🎅🦌🎄🎁

That's very good customer service from Currys fair dos to them@Mochi1fudge . Glad you will have your fridge freezer on Monday in time to fill it to the gunnels for Christmas 😁.
@lifelongfrugaleer We've got through 3 stiltons and a brie already 🤣
Hope you have a great time at the horse show 😊
Small child deserved the Costa cakeys @pistachiosanscream
Bless them for being good 😊
Well l have eaten like a pig today , no holds barred .
l know my reflux will play up and it serves me right 🙄

Oh no @MaryGreenhill hope you have some gaviscon?
@Kittkats I second what everyone else has said. I would also add that as long as you provide a warm and welcoming home with hugs and laughter, the food will not be remembered.
@ChipshopPickledEgg I hear you on the stickers. My car is currently covered inside with them. I also asked DD what she wanted to do and she said "go to nanny's". It's the simple things.
Don't judge. I have a family silver service. When my granny died it was halved between me and my DB. I've been trying to gradually build up my half to a full set. Today I had a weak moment and spent £107 on my credit card to fulfill the set. I doubt it will.come in time for Christmas but that's what I'm hoping so we all have beautiful cutlery for the big day. Sigh. Like I say. I weak moment.

I agree with the don’t go to 7 shops to get stuff. Go where you can get most in one or where they are few in a row. Such as Aldi & Iceland etc.
it doesn’t have to be a “traditional “ Christmas dinner imo. The food is second to company i agree. Peculiar at this late notice

@Frugal25 aw thank you 🤗 l have taken an Omeprazole 😁.
I think you completing the silver service is an excellent idea . Go you sweetheart.
Fingers crossed it comes in time😁
I agree re the welcome and warmth of the welcome being the most important factor for everyone too @life🤗
Hope you enjoyed your £40 meal 😁

The £40 meal was average. Didn’t stay for the disco too tired. Sad really as they usually kick us out begging for another song

Oh no that's is a disappointment for you @lifelongfrugaleer.
Understandable though because you have had an exhausting time these past few weeks 🤗

Morning.

@FurForksSake I am a people pleaser too. I am better than I used to be, and generally quite feisty in some areas of my life, but I hate saying no, and always feel like I’ve got to compromise. I’m glad you didn’t go out - you did the right thing. Ouch to the mortgage. Think how satisfied you’ll be with the carpets, and slightly disgusted at the dirt that comes out….

@BigSkies2022 I know what you mean about big spend items that almost feel like a waste of money, except they are obviously not, like your roof. I await my gutters cleaning and some minor repairs - £300 is the quote. It feels the same.

How are you sleeping now @MaryGreenhill?

That clementine juice is bloody lovely though @RumBananaSundaeisn’t it? M&S food hall does strange things to folk.

@pistachiosanscream we can all get through the very long January together!

@Mochi1fudge that’s a ball ache re the fridge! Appreciate the great customer service, but still a ball ache.

I collect my cheese tomorrow…….

Spends minimal - getting DF sorted has taken time. DB and myself will go over tomorrow and help him get sorted with his finances. His mind is sharp as a pin - he just can’t work his tech physically any longer. I’ll have to take DH, which adds a bit of complexity and probably take DF’s partner as it’s his birthday, which makes for a fun experience….

Did spend £41 at M&S myself yesterday, most of which was necessary in truth but there are cheaper places. It was so quiet! Couldn’t believe it for a Saturday afternoon pre Christmas.

I also managed to bag an Ocado slot for tonight for some staples. I have a delivery pass, and they do tend to release slots in batches. Saves me going to a shop. That’s about £60 - mainly fruit, milk, bread, yoghurt, tea, coffee, AF beer for .

We’re seeing family this afternoon so I best crack on and help get DH ready.

I am sleeping much better thank you for asking @needastrongoneagain1🤗
You have a lot on your plate and it sounds like a lot to juggle, but very sensible and kind of you to help your DF especially with tech being the only real problem.
Taking DH and DF’s partner will make it lively, birthday and all.
£41 at M&S pre Christmas isn’t bad at all, especially for essentials, and a quiet Saturday there is a rareity l know! Great catch with the Ocado slot too, that delivery pass earning its keep 😁
Hope the family visit goes well
have a lovely time 😁
Spends today , £9 Bon Marche for a pretty cardigan for my Mum for Christmas and in HB £12 a few vitamins and box of Omeprazole for the inevitable indigestion problems from overindulging over Christmas 🤣

Hi, it's my birthday and I'm tempted to spend on unnecessary things as a treat. I accidentally paid £22 for a veg box, as I'm subscribed, but normally cancel every Sunday, unless I have plans as order goes out at night. But for Christmas the order went out yesterday instead and veg comes tomorrow morning instead of Tuesday! The fridge is full, could probably store it outside or in the garage. Got some extra fruit and veg...DH won't be happy as he never liked the boxes and he does the shopping. I spent £9.99 on a mobile game, I've not done it before, but it was an enjoyable game, so I'm supporting it. That's a birthday treat to myself.

Just need to wrap presents now.

I also have some cake vouchers through email from Gregs, Lidl and a garden centre. Not great for my plan to loose weight. But they are all valid for a month.

I also paid £15 for work Christmas party I didn't end up going to, as I was feeling not 100% and I don't really do parties, my colleagues are a bit wild for me. This year, I wanted to be more sociable, but when the evening came, I had no energy.

Happy Birthday @Alwayslearning25! 🎉
Veg box is fine , store it if necessary. The game was a great fun treat. Skipping the work party was a good idea, go you ! Enjoy the cake vouchers slowly then they won’t derail your plan 😁
Enjoy your birthday 🎊 🎂 🎈

Lost count of spending. Helped at a stall at the farmers market yesterday and spent horrendous money on overpriced food. I also have a new pair of running shoes.

What cheese did you break into @lifelongfrugaleer? Hope you enjoyed the horse show.

Hope you had a nice time out with your friends today @pistachiosanscream.

Fingers crossed for the reflux @MaryGreenhill.

That’s a nice thing to spend money on @Frugal25. It will bring you joy. New Year if it doesn’t arrive this week?

I’ve not had any juice yet @needastrongoneagain. I’m saving it to have with fondue. I do agree Marks and Spencer food hall has mystical effects. I was eyeing up a trifle.

Happy birthday at @Alwayslearning25.

Am still cheeseless but think I’ll leave shopping for it until the 27th. Despite all the crazy food spending this weekend I haven’t used the Marks gift voucher as I’d planned. I bought a bottle of their cherry version of Baileys. I’m not a fan. Am planning on trying to relax this evening and am watching old films. Currently up is Witness for the Prosecution. Was reading about Rauhnächte today. Might give it a whirl. Something needs to change next year.

Sounds like a busy weekend @RumBananaSundae! Overpriced food, new shoes, and cherry m&s Baileys what a mix 😁. Fingers crossed our reflux behaves 🤣.
M&S food hall really is magical…their trifles
all their desserts are hard to resist😋
Relaxing with Witness for the Prosecution sounds perfect 😁

@RumBananaSundae just looked up Rauhnächte, it sounds gorgeous l love the thought of writing 13 wishes and burning 12 and keeping the 13th 🤗

£62 in Waitrose yesterday. Was actually not too busy. DH paid for Christmas wine (I’d already bought fizz, sherry, and wine for cooking purposes). He also paid for Christmas chocolates from Rococco, (gifts for nieces and DS plus GF) and a gift for DS’ GF. And my 2026 Moleskine diary. We’ve agreed we’ll do some fun times planning over the break. He’s also giving DS a Hugo Boss gift voucher. I just have to stuff cash into cards (for nieces), find nice bags/wrapping paper for various things. DS bought his clothes (my gift to him, plus his grandparents) and is looking forward to wearing them on NYE.

Today I cleaned, decluttered and found homes for DS’ bulkier clothing. His room looks great, but he’s away, and this won’t last- storage! 2026 priority! I also made a big batch of boeuf bourgignon which will be split in two for the freezer, and a big soup(dinner tonight). Did a nice sweaty workout in front of an episode of Stranger Things. And laundry, endless laundry. DH did the ironing and took Ddog out.

Tomorrow I am hoping to finish my shopping: cheese shop, greengrocers, nice hand cream/shower wash to fill any gaps in gifts. I don’t think I can avoid more visits to the shops to top up on milk and eggs and I have to collect the ham on Christmas Eve- but after tomorrow the outflow should calm the F down and we can look to living off this expenditure for a good while!

Wensleydale with cranberries. Mmm with beetroot crackers

horse show was excellent, if expensive and knackering

Happy birthday always !

need- the expenditure just to stand still is a killer. I once sold a house because it needed serious work on the windows: either I was going to spend a lot of on renovating them or more on replacing them. Tens of thousands, even 20 years ago. And at the end of it all, I would have had a house with windows. It wasn’t the only reason to sell and move, but it did push me over the line.

next year I shall spend £100 on having an external socket installed. It means I will be able to use the karcher that much more easily, and have fairy lights outside. It will bring me joy, whereas the garage roof expenditure, 20 times more, is a big fat meh.

Happy birthday @Alwayslearning25 . At least with the veg box you are well set for a healthy January.

today was €35 on lunch with friends and €30 on bits and pieces from the shops. Then the big Tesco shop was €217. It included a lot of alcohol the turkey and ham.

small spanner in the works as my mother got unwell at mass. Ambulance called and she refused to go to hospital . that was a good call by her as this is a problem that occurs every now and again and can be managed at home. Hospital is also an avoid all costs one as it’s overrun with flu. But it means we need to mind her a bit so she won’t be childminding for me tomorrow and instead I’ll be chauffeuring her. Thankfully I’m organised and did all my wrapping last night so this isn’t a problem.

Happy birthday @Alwayslearning25 hope you had an amazing day xx

Oh @pistachiosanscream I'm sorry to hear about your mum, you just be worried. So glad you're organised though, one less thing to do and you can just focus on your mum.
Hope she is better very soon xx

£51 on photo books. I had wanted them and then forgot them and cewe reminded me (how generous of them)
Managed to turn a whole white wash black with a black pair of trousers. Think I've managed to bleach most back to normal but it's taken all day. Rookie error. Argh.

£23 on an emergency present from Santa for ds10. He is holding on to belief and asked for something lovely. I chose him some lovely slippers and pyjamas. He then made a comment about how he hopes none of his gifts are clothes. Cue a big panjc! He has got clothes from us as his “something to wear”, but Santa can’t also do that! So I’ve bought him a lava lamp 😭😱🤭

🤣 for forks sake. That reminds me, I want to get a dressing gown for DD as she's wearing one many sizes too small. The sizing doesn't matter as much as other clothes but it barley goes over her bum now. Thing is she always feels hot so rarely wears it, but does like them.

Afternoon.

Veg box collected from local grocers, and a Yorkshire cheese box - which is absolutely delightful as they’ve added in some little pots of chutneys, dates and walnuts etc. I’ll most certainly get these for presents next year. The veg box is utterly huge - I should have ordered medium really. We will get through it with planning though.

Happy Birthday @Alwayslearning25!

Agree, @BigSkies2022. I plan on changing the kitchen next year with some of the balance of the business sale monies due. This is strategic as my plan is to remain for another 10 years here (it’s very suitable for DH, but too big really for 2 folk) - by which time the kitchen will be 25 years old. I might as well have a new one in the next year or two, enjoy, then market with a relatively new one as a plus point. These things and renovations such as windows need factoring in and if the house isn’t the long term option, then it’s a huge expense not worth making.

How’s your mum today @pistachiosanscream?

@FurForksSake panic buying at it’s finest!

Think I’m heading for NSD.

My kids got dressing gowns last Christmas as their something to wear or something they need - I bought them may sizes too big, just at the cusp of being unwearable. So a year later they are still big and I won’t have to buy another until adult sizes! Ds1 needed a new winter coat so he got a regatta men’s small in the sale, its coat length on him now. I won’t need to replace it for years!

my poor kids are regularly bought things to grow into.

Well, I was meant to be finishing off the odds and ends of Christmas today.

Unfortunately I've accidentally fallen into Bella Italia and I'm currently enjoying Gamberoni and Calamari thanks to a £15 off voucher they've sent to me.

Did attempt to go to a supermarket... I promise 😆.

@FurForksSake my DD has PJs two sizes too big and will wear them until they are tight haha Santa has had to bring a stock up of PJs this time unfortunately the Children in Need Pjs of two years ago are no longer fitting!
She also has hoodies from a camp shop which are actually five years too big. They are big on her but not camp in big.

A bit of shopping today. £3.50 on vegetables. The 5p shallots and 30p broccoli were balanced out by the French potatoes. Some Philadelphia (£1.90) in Sainsbury and £15 to Mr Amazon on a book and £30 on a map.

Hope your mum is OK @pistachiosanscream.

I have been toying with the map for a while. I want to commission some wallpaper and this is from the same place so it will give me an idea of what their work is like. Work was a waste of time today. Was meant to have one meeting. I waited two and a half hours and they didn’t turn up so I watched The Expendables instead. Have added parts 2, 3 and 4 to my watchlist. Thoughts of a radio have resurfaced but I think that’s just spending money to spend money.