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 🤗 .
☃️🤶🎅🦌🎄🎁

@FurForksSake you know that makes an awful lot of sense , thank you for saying that ,l find it really comforting.
Well done on getting your dining room chairs too 🤗
They are lovely l can see why you bought them 😍

AHH thank you so much @Frugal25, l am so comforted by the support and kindness from everyone , bless you all ❤️

Very unexciting event unfortunately 😆

Ah sorry to hear that @MaryGreenhill it sounds really hard. Take good care lovely.

@BigSkies2022 wow your festive food sounds amazing. Good news on the flat.

Total bargain on the chairs @FurForksSake

Not quite ready for January planning yet but I did register for a DB pension I last paid into 20 years ago to check what is in there. I'm 54 this year so retirement planning continues. One job ticked off at least!

£7 M&S got a knitted jumper in the sale reduced from £85 to £42.50 (used a voucher up too). Agree @RumBananaSundae sale is massive this year.
£21.68 Costco curry and naan for tea, plus a couple of items
£14.68 Costco - went back in for a birthday present for DB
£19.44 Lidl
£11.20 Morrisons

Need meat and fish from Morrisons butcher tomorrow but that should do for a weekly shop.

@FurForksSakethe chairs are beautiful and look so comfy too! Well done!
Booo to the unexciting event @ChipshopPickledEgg

I've done a list for what's in the freezer, found a reusable pad and put it on the freezer for ease. I have enough food to last until 4056 easily. Lol
Hopefully another NSD today but I do have some lovely garden centre and M&S vouchers to use should I get itchy fingers.

do talk if it helps Mary. It’s awful watching our lives ones suffer and feeling helpless. Safe space here my lovely

Nice chairs and yes they look a good price
I audited my feeezer but have put more stuff in for when I’m laid up in January

Morning.

Ah Mary. I’m so sorry about your Mum. Sending lots of love ❤️.

Love the chairs. Modern but neutral too.

This is our first day where we are doing very little. I’m just letting the breakfast settle and will head out for a run. I’m looking forward to a day of normal, healthy food, although I did manage to make pesto yesterday with the leftover Christmas herbs and strong cheddar cheese (no Parmesan), lovely to have that with pasta last night mixed with peas and edamame to counterbalance the Christmas excess!

Spending-wise everything is minimal and necessary, just staples
£11 fresh juice, bread, milk, toilet roll etc…
£25 huge tin of coffee from Amazon as a bulk buy
£11 reduced bouquet of flowers for a gift as we went to a friends house yesterday afternoon.
£7 local shop.

Today will be a NSD.

@MaryGreenhill
Thinking of you and nana pumpkin x

Good morning everyone 🤗
No news about Mum , things are the same for now. I will keep everyone posted, thank you so much for the support and love shown to me and my Mum, bless everyone of you . I am overcome with your lovely messages ❤️

Thank you so much @Mochi1fudge❤️well done on your M&S bargains too great stuff 👏 🤗
Well done on the planning and the food stocks @Frugal25❤️
Enjoy spending those vouchers 🤗.
AHH thank you so much @lifelongfrugaleer ❤️ well done on the freezer prep, am in awe at how practical and brave you are being , same goes for you with the talking a well bless you ❤️
@needastrongoneagain1 ah thank you for being so kind ❤️
Normality and routine has a lot going for it, especially in times of difficulty so l get you being glad to get back running , great stuff 👏 🤗
Thank you @ChipshopPickledEgg that's so lovely of you 🤗
Just going to get ready to go l will be back sometime this afternoon, there is no internet there because it's in the heart of the country so I will post when we come home . Thank you everyone hope you all have a lovely day ❤️

Afternoon! We dragged the kids out for another walk, I managed two miles which was probably a good half a mile too far for me.

Afternoon everyone 😊
I think Mum has got an ear infection because she said her ears are pounding and/ or withdrawal symptoms from the Cocodamol stopping, she's been on CoCodamol, a high dose ,for years for her Arthritis and they suddenly stopped it for the morphine patch . She's not in any pain in the bed , she's more anxious than pain now. Which leads me to think it's withdrawal from the Codeine in the Cocodamols . Anyway l got loads of drinks into her and a bowl of ice cream and she was a little bit more normal in her speaking .
Imho she's definitely not dying ATM . We left her there and will go back this afternoon. She was asking after the Dds, so they will come up with us too. The Dr is coming to see her tomorrow and l want some answers from him and some blood tests doing .
I have just had a bowl of porridge and a cup of tea, just doing a bit of housework and then we can go back up . I will rest easier knowing she had drunk a lot and had something to eat bless her . Thank you for your help and comfort it's much appreciated and means everything ❤️

Mary- if it’s not a stupid or insensitive question, why is your mum being treated with an oestrogen blocker when it mucks up her existing pain management regime, requires an even harder-edged pain management regime which leaves her confused and disoriented, and the breast cancer is early stage, so much so that the consultant believes that she is likely to die with it, not from it? Is the treatment compromising her quality of life? She seemed to be able to get out with you and enjoy a fuller life than being in bed on morphine before the treatment began? Have I got that wrong?

A big part of my reason for asking is that my 94 year old father has been treated with testosterone blockers to prevent his prostate cancer progressing more quickly. But the penalty has been muscle weakness and loss, loss of fascia competence so loss of balance, endless falls and pain in their wake, most of his mobility and all his independence sacrificed. I am struggling to see the purpose of this treatment really, in terms of quality of life. His disability and weakness has taken my mother to the absolute brink and required us , the wider family, to organise all time together around solving their problems and mediating the latest crisis in their relationship. We are still recovering from the horrors of the last few years and I can’t help feeling that the trade-off between a few more years living with prostate cancer and a shorter life with greater mobility and independence was one worth making. Hindsight is perfect, I know, but my father’s consultants would have been aware of the risks and benefits, even if we weren’t.

so I am not at all sure that the intervention was the right one for my dad- maybe it’s not right for your mum?

No, it’s not a stupid or insensitive question at all @BigSkies2022 in fact thank you for asking me ❤️. I’ve been thinking exactly the same things myself, so you haven’t got it wrong. Before the Oestrogen blockers, Mum was definitely more herself , she could get out with me sometimes and actually enjoy things. Since starting them it’s all gone downhill really, because they’ve completely messed with her pain control and the stronger meds have left her confused, sleepy and pretty much stuck in bed. It’s been awful to watch.
And when the consultant is saying the cancer is early stage and that she’s more likely to die with it rather than from it, I keep asking myself what the point is if the treatment is taking away what little quality of life she had. It just doesn’t feel right.
What you said about your dad really hit home. Those hormone blockers can take such a massive toll ,weakness, falls, pain, loss of independence and then the whole family ends up living in crisis mode like we are a dyou are l am sure. I totally get why you question whether it was the right decision. Looking back, it does feel like sometimes a shorter life with more mobility and dignity might actually be the kinder option.
So yes, after a lot of thinking (and seeing how much worse Mum has been), I’ve stopped them giving her the Oestrogen blockers as from yesterday.
I did come to this conclusion yesterday and all my family agreed with me. For now, I just want her as comfortable and as clear headed as possible, and to have whatever quality of life she can, rather than pushing on with something that seems to be doing more harm than good.
Thank you for asking so honestly sweetheart , it really helped to talk it through with someone who truly gets it.
I just wish our beloveds could go out like a light, with none of this pain or heartache .
I do hope you can get to a better place with your Dad's care and health . It's honestly heartbreaking, much love and hugs to you and anyone else going through this horrible time ❤️

@MaryGreenhill I was having very similar thoughts about the medication. Quality will always trump quantity.

Just going back up to see Mum now . The home have rung me and said they have called the Dr and asked me to get some liquid Paracetamol because she won't take tablets, her temperature is sky high so it's an infection by the looks of it . I will be up here to wait for the Dr l think so l probably won't be online for hours now . I will update you when l can . ❤️❤️❤️

If they can’t get hold of GP then she can take a weight based dosage of calpol.

I bought a fitness journal on Amazon. Using up the remnants of a refund it was just under £12. A further £8 in Asda on things I didn’t really need. I did get some flat breads for the freezer at 25p a packet. Sunday really is the best day for their yellow stickers.

I’m crossing my fingers about the contract @BigSkies2022.

Oh @MaryGreenhill. I’m so sorry about your mum. I am thinking of you and sending you love and warm hugs. I do hope she will be ok. Please be good to yourself too. You are doing all you can. I hope I’m not speaking out of turn and I’m not suggesting you wouldn’t/don’t advocate but please don’t ever be shy in questioning those caring for your mother about what is being done and why (etc.). Hope the doctor visiting brings some respite.

Thank you for mentioning the chairs @FurForksSake. They are something I’d like to change here too but it seemed like a difficult task. You’re right about Christmas and that was quite a philosophical way to look at it.

Have made a start on my freezer inventory. It seems to be mostly vegetables and cheese. Haven’t started on the cupboard yet.

Went for a quick walk round a country park, wasn't anywhere near enough to burn off mince pies but did make us feel better to get out of the house and some fresh air.
I, for some reason, have thrown all my hats out. So instead of buying one I'll knit one. I haven't knitted since DD was born 4 years ago so it will be nice to get back to it.
Also found some body lotion I wasn't aware I had which is lined up as my current one is coming to an end. So another frugal win.

Thinking of you Mary, I hope you get some answers and a clearer direction of what is happening to your lovely mum this afternoon.

We have homemade tomato soup tonight which will be welcomed after so much rich food lately. Hopefully I can freeze a portion too for future meal plans.

@MaryGreenhill sorry to hear your mum is not well. What a rollercoaster for you. Take care and will be thinking about you.

I need to sort out my fridge and freezer, all the cheap veg is still to be peeled, chopped, par boiled and frozen for healthy, frugal January meals! I've been watching Casablanca and Murder on the Orient Express. I may do something productive in a bit, DH has texted to say he may finish work early and he likes peeling veg - I don't mind the rest! 🤭

£19.60 Morrisons for mince and salmon from their butchers.
£2.17 coop for eggs
£11 Lidl - mainly lemon and lime possets for DM!
£31 cinema tickets for three of us on Tuesday to see Wicked for Good. Dsis will treat us to food afterwards. Used the Amazon ticket deal plus a child ticket for DD so a saving of around £16.

Oh gosh, yes I must process my veg tomorrow, too!

Mary - thank you for responding to my question in the spirit it was intended. I hope your mum gets comfortable soon and has a better quality of life restored. ‘Going out like a light’ - an excellent aspiration! Where is the lovely efficient heart attack ending an energetic and engaged life at around 85?!!

NSD here, nice stretchy workout, bit of light housework, made a pan of bubble and squeak and am gradually working my way through all of it, having offered it around. Sorry guys, if you don’t take when offered, you’ll be fending for yourselves later!

have done my sums and I can, just, spare the cash to get my hair cut this side of the next payday. So will be spending £64 tomorrow (and then run back home to avoid spending any more).

@MaryGreenhill I’m so sorry you and your family are going through this and well done on speaking up to the medical professionals. You’ve had some great advice on this thread from people with experience too.

Sending love ❤️

I’ve had a bit of a nothing day today apart from a chilly walk with my bestie this afternoon. Like @Mochi1fudge I still need to sort out my cheap veg!!

On the plus side another NSD 🥳

Just going to try and sort my office space out. It’s made me feel very anti working in there lately and I think it needs a good reorganisation so I need to have a look at what’s feeling wrong and make a plan.