January Jingles, Valentine Capers, Frugal Fun Shenanigans & Looking Forward to Spring!

[DirtyGertiefromno30]

Welcome to the New thread everyone 😊
Here's to everyone of us and hoping 2026 brings us all health happiness and frugal finances 🤗

£10 on dishwasher tablets. 10k steps on errands. I have had due funds in and although they are all earmarked I CBA to organise a proper meal, not even eggs on toast. So I have offered to buy Thai in tonight.

I must say everyone brightened considerably at the prospect. Rather hurtful, I thought (joke).

quick stretch for me, then we’ll order. Stay warm everyone !

Eggs on toast sounds yummy .... That's making my meal plan next week. Although Thai..... Nom 😂

I've never organised a party before so I didn't know what to budget for or organise tbh. But I have a bench mark now.

DH has taken ds10 to a fun swimming session and ds12 has gone to scouts.

Spends for today
£8 on some supplements for eye health
£10 swimming
couple of dds went out.

ocado is coming tomorrow and it’s added up to £80. I have had to buy foil, marmite and a huge tub of peanut butter, so doesn’t feel too hideous.

We are going to have a takeaway tomorrow paid for with Christmas cash.

ive done my meal plan for the week

s - roast gammon
m - gammon, egg and chips
t - curry
w - jacket potatoes and chilli from this week
t - pasta and sauce
f - freezer food (chicken pieces, waffles, sweetcorn and beans)

this is my normal meal plan, roast, leftovers, slow cooked food, jacket potatoes, pasta, freezer food. Makes the food budget stretch!

ds12 has been told I’m not putting endless money on his school food account this term. He’s asked for bits to make sub rolls for school so I’ve ordered submarine rolls, cold meat, sliced cheese, lettuce and tomatoes and he’s enthused about it. It increased the food spends, but hopefully will be a saving in the long run.

It’s too long since I hosted a big birthday bash. The first one was whole class - at home, bouncy castle hire, paddling pools, water pistols. We had a big garden and luckily the sun shone. No party bags, just cake and a balloon. (helium filled from the party shop- getting them home in my car was amusing). Later I hired the school swimming pool plus big inflatables, with sixth formers as lifeguards/party hosts. Paint balling featured one year.

£50 Tesco because I couldn't be bothered yesterday.

Great meal planning @FurForksSake well done 👍
Sometimes it's a necessity to put things off @MushyPeasAndMintSauce
This weather and light does not help l find 🤗
The garden party sounded loads of fun @BigSkies2022 😁
I have to get a refund of £15 from Tu, tomorrow . l bought a coat for DH and it's too big . I almost couldn't be bothered to do it but l have filled it out and will take it tomorrow morning.

Oh I love the sound of your parties @BigSkies2022!! Water pistols and pool parties!!!

Well done on the returning of the coat @DirtyGertiefromno30. It does add up doesn't it.

Love the meal plan @FurForksSake. Agree about making it stretch.
Mine normally is
Picky tea
Pizza
Soup
Stew
Freezer tea
Something like jackets or slow cooker something.
Need to make more things that do two meals. My ratatouille does that, one meal as Ratatouille with cous cous and the next day the left over veggies makes vegetable tart. It's delicious

Yes it really does add up @Frugal25. Of course we have to motivate ourselves to do the returns and that's the bugbear sometimes 🤣
Great meal plan and the vegetable tart sounds delicious 😋

£36 refund from Amazon, and £75 from the premium bonds but I have ordered a hall runner from Argos reduced to £20. I need it because Dear Dog slides on the floor when he rushes to the door. I think its bad for his hips, so I have bought him a runner to improve his grip.

I was flagging last night and forgot to update. Here's my catch up:

08/01
My first spendy day. It had to happen sooner or later! I'm pleased with myself for making our lunches to take with us though, I usually can't be bothered. And they were all budgeted for at least.

£35 thank you dinner with friends
£6.60 bread & veggies
£30 belated birthday gift
£7 fares

09/01
Drat. I was just updating my totals with an extra NSD when I remembered I booked a £3.50 Too Good To Go collection for tomorrow for breads. I plan to batch make sandwiches for the freezer, because I am extraordinarily lazy trying to be prepared in advance.

YTD: NSD 5, LSD 3, Spendy 1

Morning everyone. Few NSDs for me (well paid a few bills but I only count stuff I’m not committed to paying for).

Today I’m going to Tesco, I have a list and hope to stick to it. I’m going to try and make butter later, not just because it’s cheaper to make but also because I think it’ll make a lovely gift, with some homemade oatcakes and jam (they can buy their own cheese 🤣)

It’s audition day for the youth theatre group I volunteer at, which is always really exciting. Afterwards I’m taking DD to the local for her tea (it’s 40% off mains this month). I will come home and have ham, egg and chips which is one of my favourites and we have stuff to use up.

@DirtyGertiefromno30 glad your mum is stil on the up and up.

Happily DD is past the age of parties, but the whole class ones were spendy! We quickly transitioned to 4-6 people for bowling, pizza making etc.

Morning.

Sorry - I’ve been awol the last few days. DF has been put on End of Life Care, so he’s probably only got a couple more days left. We are going down at lunchtime to sit with him again, although we were there most of yesterday. The DC were fabulous and DF did manage to just about acknowledge them and squeeze their hands, which I think will benefit them long term. It’s quite traumatic for us all, as we did this for DH at one stage, but he’s obviously still with us. Going back over that time isn’t easy.

Definitely for the best though, it’s absolutely DF’s time in terms of quality of life. Not that I want him to die per se, he’s just not living really in any meaningful way.

I’m shattered today.

Spends are minimal
£54 weekly shop Ocado, including £10 of AF beer for DH which he enjoys and means he actually drinks fluid.
£24 veg box and eggs.

Probably will spend little else this weekend.

Pleased DF was able to interact with the DC need. It’s awful and I pray for a comfortable passing for him x
it sounds trite but please be kind to yourselves with all those emotions dredging up ❤️

Glad to hear your mum is up out of bed @DirtyGertiefromno30

ive done my 5th mini workout in a row. Definitely feeling it now in the muscles.

yesterday DH spent €37 in Lidl and mostly stuck to the list which is great. I’m trialling doing one larger shop and then getting DH to do smaller ones. If left with nothing to buy he goes rogue as he needs to fill the time when small child is at gymnastics.

still have not done the tax return. This week was just more stressful than I had planned so I will aim to get that done next week. We would be getting at least €500 back which I’d use to pay for our holiday.

loving all your meal plans. I haven’t sat down and decided on mine yet but will sim to do so tomorrow.

@needastrongoneagain thinking of you. I hope this end stage is as peaceful as possible.

Checked the bank account, dh spent £7 swimming and £2 in Tesco. £9 on a prescription.

Today Ocado are coming and it’s £84.

Hoping no other card spends today!

@needastrongoneagain thinking of you all, we went through the same with dmum and it's exhausting. Take care x

Thinking of you @needastrongoneagain and do be kind to yourself. It’s such a difficult time.

@needastrongoneagain
My thoughts are with you and your family.
Please make sure you look after YOU too YOU matter.
It's so easy to forget that at times like this.

Did dance class this morning for Dd and came home and have been pottering since. Might see if the local Chinese will deliver later £23 if not it'll be a NSD.

Thoughts with you @needastrongoneagain
Spent £30 on toiletries today, got most things on offer so I'm happy with that. Also spent £27 in Sainsburys but we need to eat!

So sorry to hear your update @needastrongoneagain. Thinking of you and your family. I can imagine how tricky this is for you all.

I’m a bit under the weather today so trying to have a quiet one. I posted a coat I sold on Vinted for £27 earlier but the other items I have to send back are a bit trickier due to locations and shop opening times - so they will have to wait until later in the week.

LSD of £3 on Thursday and yesterday was a NSD. Today has been a big more spendy as I did £30 of food shopping. More than half of that was on ingredients for a cake dd wants to make tonight for a school competition. I had said I’d take her out to the cinema or bowling and dinner tonight so I guess it’s cheap entertainment in comparison to that!

Thinking of you @needastrongoneagain going through this is so hard so take it easy on yourself.

Hope your DM had another better day @DirtyGertiefromno30

£9.55 Home Bargains - kindling and toothpaste and two birthday presents for DS.

Did Body Pump Heavy (although 15k on a bar is heavy for me) followed by step aerobics this morning which felt like a perfect combo. Think I may be sore tomorrow. Trying not to eat DDs leftovers and need to put them in the bin! But M&S garlic dough balls are amazing!

Oh @needastrongoneagainim so sorry. I'm sending love and hugs and I hope DF is peaceful and you are all being kind to yourselves. Xxxx
@DirtyGertiefromno30hope your mum is still ok?

My DM has a kidney infection but has been put on pills for it. She was doing much better until DD party today when I think it was a bit much for her. I shall check on her later.
Party went well. I think it was a bit much for DD as she did cry a few times and the entertainer had to contend with a balloon cave but it seemed ok. OH paid the balance of the party which was starting to stress me out tbh. Now having a chilled evening to compensate.

Bit of unexpected spending yesterday as a friend was in town so we went for dinner. It was more expensive than I’d have liked but I had a lovely evening and it was nice to see her. Today was about £5 on random groceries.

Wow on your deadlift @chimichangaz. Well done.

That’s quite an increase with the parking @TheOnlyMrsW.

Hope your father’s operation goes well @BigSkies2022. Rather bad luck that your brother is away. Enjoy your Thai.

Glad your mum is up @DirtyGertiefromno30. Hope she’s well on the way to recovery. Goodo on the return. I hardly ever do it but it does add up.

Good luck to your son for his interviews @Lockin26.

Sorry to hear about your father @needastrongoneagain. I hope it’s as comfortable as it can be. My thoughts are with you.

Am on the sofa trying to relax and trying to decide if I should read a book or not. Have leftover soup for tomorrow so might attempt some menu planning for the week. And start filling in my rehab/eating notebook.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this @needastrongoneagainit sounds utterly exhausting and heartbreaking. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you reliving some of those memories while trying to be there for DF now. You’re doing exactly what’s right for him and for your DC but it’s so painful.
Take every chance you can to rest when you can today, even small moments. And it’s completely understandable to feel shattered you’re carrying so much sweetheart
The shopping sounds really well thought out too, covering essentials and things that give a bit of comfort, like DH’s beer. Please don’t worry about anything else right now , just focus on being there and looking after yourselves as best you can thinking of you and your beloved family ❤️