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 🤗

@DirtyGertiefromno30 lovely that your DM was so settled yesterday.

I forgot to post so just recording a LSD
£7.20 Bubble Tea (40 min walk through town to get there and back)

£4.86 Card Factory

Had a short run last night and ate leftovers for tea - pork and cranberry sausage wreath from Lidl (which I think was as good or better than the M&S one so there's a note for next year!) and the last of the mince pies.

Today will be spendy as we are taking DS birthday present shopping at Costco this afternoon.

Got a Morrisons grocery too good to go bag today for £5. Just off to pick it up.

Morning! I bought my sister a birthday present from Moonpig following an offer on the Christmas bargain thread. Only issue is it’s her husbands birthday tomorrow and I haven’t got him anything yet 🤣

Soends for today will be haircuts for the boys and dh spending at the hospital seeing his mum. She was being discharged after her biopsy, so hopefully home soon. I’m going to look for a chicken soup recipe that will be nourishing and low fat for her.

I was rewatching Gilmore Girls and Goid Witch but they're a bit too saccharine at the moment. Gentle watching is good for this time of year!

@Lockin26i adore the vegan wreath from Lidl at Christmas, it's the best I've found so can imagine the pork one being amazing too!

@FurForksSakedid you find a soup recipe? You're so lovely making that for your mil.

Was meant to be a NSD but I spent £18 in the charity shop on the dress I went back for, a nice shawl/cardigan and a pair of jeans as all mine ripped at the same time.
I do have a Sainsbury's voucher and m&s voucher so may get more jeans using these.
Got Waitrose vouchers through the door but there is a spend amount you have to reach first. But have given them to OH as he does spend a lot in there tbh.
Also got £15 refund from Sainsbury's but it's online only and I have to spend £25 to get it. I've used it buying things I know I will need but can't get in Lidl like my fussy deodorant.
Got told today that the test at work that seemed to be very much pointing at redundancy isn't at all. Phew. I just need to stay there one more year to pay of this debt and then I can be free to go elsewhere for a little less money.

Made a very nice frugal meal plan for next week too. Lots of lovely soups, stews, slow cooked chillis and omelettes. Nom.

@Frugal25 so, I’ve decided to make the stock using the Jamie Oliver gravy method, I’m going to roast the stock vegetables and chicken wings with thyme, rosemary and some star anise. I’ll then use that to make stock and then cool and skim off nearly all the fat. I’m going to poach some chicken breasts to go in the soup. And then I’ll sautee diced carrots, onions and celery until they are soft and mix it all together with a little thyme and seasoning. She can then add noodles / cooked rice / mushrooms to it if she likes. I’m going to add as little salt as possible and I’ll thicken it with cornflour or some boiled potatoes.

If I can make some food she will enjoy and that fit her dietary needs and that she can freeze it should help a bit.

Afternoon all,

realy glad your mum had. Good day @DirtyGertiefromno30 and hope today is good too.

gear to hear that redundancy is off the table @Frugal25, it’s one thing deciding to leave for a lower paid job and another having it forced on you.

today is a high spend day. I paid off my car loan, just over €6000. Really glad about this as the interest charged had jumped nearly €20 since I asked for the balance on Wednesday.

also bought some dresses on vinted so that’s €40. My Monday order arrived and I’m delighted with my coat. I bought this same coat in a different colour 2 years ago at a big reduction but this one was half the price again.

ive made good use of the freezer, last night fish was a hit with small child. Today’s lunch used up an oops from breakfast. I defrosted what I thought were cubes of rhubarb which were actually enchilada sauce. So DH and I had enchiladas for lunch which I’d had in the freezer for a while. Tonight I’ll use up bbq pork from the freezer for nachos and I’ve also taken out a tub of rhubarb and one of stewed apple for breakfasts and yoghurts. I’m really trying to shop the freezers before making a grocery list. DH will again get the groceries today in Lidl and fingers crossed he doesn’t go too rogue.

Good shopping, meal planning and cooking on here! My eating down the pantry continues but I think I need to make a trip to the butcher today before a rebellion sets in, and rustle up a sausage and lentil cassoulet tonight.

£16 in Lidl on careful topping up of some basics. £5 in the bakery- artisan sourdough is not strictly compatible with my tight budget for food this month, but we eat bread daily and don’t like the supermarket options.

Will be spending £75 on dog groomer next week, just booked. He’s too shaggy to ignore it any longer and now the cold snap has passed, can’t even justify his thicker coat on those grounds. Also have begun exploring dog kennel options- I haven’t had a carefree, dog-free, just skip onto the plane with a small case sort of break since 2018. That changes this year!

£9 on Toulouse sausages.

Ah thank you so much @lifelongfrugaleer that's so kind of you ❤️
I hope you are recovering really well sweetheart 🤞🙏💐
Ah thank you @TheOnlyMrsW hopefully that does ease the pressure a bit for us as a family please God 🙏. And yes, the sudden loss of my friend’s daughter is just awful, such a shock for everyone. It really does make you realise how precious time is bless her 💐
Your Lisbon trip sounds fantastic , £330 for a 2 bed for four nights is an absolute bargain, no wonder your friend was amazed! £260 all in with flights is brilliant, definitely proof that frugal doesn’t mean missing out.
Sounds like that Tesco spend was very reasonable given the treats and the family weekend, and using up the voucher too. Fingers crossed you can avoid the top ups and finish the month on budget you’re doing so well, woohoo indeed 😁
I watch a lot of cooking on You tube , l especially like Fanny Craddock , not for the cooking 😁. Two fat Ladies , the Victorian Kitchen Garden , Delia Smith , and l have been watching John Torrode and his wife Lisa as well, they have just started their own channel and are doing some lovely little recipes too.

£9.01 today in Asda and Lidl. Asda was selling off Christmas gingerbread biscuits for 20p so I might have bought a few. I bought a microwave curry for the freezer and some milk.

@DirtyGertiefromno30 I’m glad you had a good day with your mum and that she is doing better.

Glad you went back and got the dress @Frugal25. Relief about the test.

Fab on the car loan @pistachiosanscream. Agree on the jumping being one thing and being pushed something completely different.

Last day of left over suppers today. Am thinking about some couscous with tomatoes, vegetables from the freezer and feta for over the weekend.

Have given up trying to be frugal this month. Have a friend in town next Thursday so am having lunch with her. Will have to remember to check my travelcard balance I’ve not used it in a while I hope I can find it. Turned over in bed this morning and whacked my eye on the bedside table so I will soon have two black eyes. Went to Uniqlo to look at a bag I had been thinking about and didn’t like it so a small win there.

Sounds like a really good day for you yesterday @Lockin26. The walk definitely earned that bubble tea, and Card Factory is always good value. Your tea sounded lovely great tip about the Lidl sausage wreath being as good as M&S, one to remember. Thank you so much re my Mum she's had another good day today 🙏🤞🤗
Hope that Morrisons bag was great value @Alwayslearning25🤗.
Love that you got your sister’s gift from Moonpig @FurForksSakewell spotted, as for her husband, there’s still time no worries 🤗
Your soup plan sounds perfect for your Dh's Mum bless her l hope she is discharged today 💐

£18 in the charity shop is excellent @Frugal25 dress, jeans, and a shawl ,sorted 😁.
So relieved about the work test for you , just a bit longer and you’ll be debt free and ready to move on.
Your meal plan sounds absolutely lovely soups, stews, slow cooked chillis and omelettes, proper comfort food 😋
Well done on paying off the car loan @pistachiosanscreamwhat a relief with that interest jump! Your freezer meals plan is brilliant . Love the Vinted coat find half price again is amazing. Fingers crossed DH keeps the Lidl shop in check 🤞😁
Thank you so much re my Mum it's so kind of you ❤️
@BigSkies2022 that was a great pantry top up and the cassoulet sounds perfect! £5 for sourdough is definitely worth it if you eat bread daily.
@BigSkies2022

Great find on the gingerbread biscuits@RumBananaSundae20p is a steal 😁. Your leftover supper plan sounds delicious and perfect for the weekend. Good call on the Uniqlo bag, sometimes not buying is just as satisfying as a purchase. Hope your eye settles soon, and fingers crossed your travelcard shows up with a decent balance. Lunch with your friend next week sounds like a nice treat too!
Thank you so much re my Mum it's so kind of you ❤️

Mum was unbelievable today,she was looking at magazines wide awake when I got there. She had another hot chocolate from the cafe for me with a kiwi fruit and a banana.
She was out of pain , comfortable and very happy thank God 🙏
We went shopping after to Tesco , £40
Aldi £40
Waitrose £10
Picked up my black boots from Vinted, £10 all in , brand new .
Fit me like a glove 😁
Hope everyone is ok and has a wonderful weekend.
Hope all our poorly peeps are on the mend and our grief stricken friends find comfort from their beloveds bless them ❤️

@pistachiosanscream congrats on paying your car loan off, that must feel amazing!

Glad your mum is on good form today@DirtyGertiefromno30 , it always helps to brighten the day!

Today was £50.11 in Tesco, and I have food for the next 8 days, and just over £75 left on the gift card which means I’ll possibly come in under budget for groceries this month! £11.50 of that was on wine as I’m visiting a friend tomorrow.

This evening I’ve made a lamb curry, hummus and more butter, plus I used up the rest of the out of date Greek yoghurt making dough for flatbreads. I also made scones this week (got 3 left after giving DSis 4) and cornflake crispy cakes (also 3 left). Next week the plan is for more cornflake crispies and some more bonfire toffee, plus marmalade if I can amass enough jam jars!

@FurForksSake your healthy chicken soup sounds delicious and so kind of you to treat your MIL
@Frugal25 that's a relief about redundancy.
@Alwayslearning25 ooh I shop in Morrisons - let us know what the TGTG bag is like.
@BigSkies2022 the Lidl artisan bread is lovely. Sometimes we make toasties for DC. I think the Lidl app is offering a deal on them this week 🤔
@RumBananaSundae hope your eyes are okay, what a thing to happen. Hope you enjoy your lunch out next week.
@pistachiosanscream well done on the freezer planning and the car loan paid off!
@DirtyGertiefromno30 pleased your DM is much better. Hopefully those antibiotics cleared up the UTI - they cause so much confusion and pain in older people.

Been to Costco for a big haul. To break it down so it doesn't look as bad!
£66.29 general shop - water, toilet roll, frozen goods
£19.48 cakes for DS birthday - I love baking but after 20 years of cakes my shoulders are sloping!
£116.94 DS picked things for his birthday
Plus VAT of £27.82.

Morrisons Cafe at lunchtime £7.25.

I've run out of all basics so headed to Lidl tomorrow. Once birthday is done then I will meal plan and healthy eating will begin!

Yay for nana pumpkin @DirtyGertiefromno30 that sounds like such a wonderful day for you both. And the black boots sound amazing 🤩

Well done on the car loan @pistachiosanscream that's amazing!!!

Ouch @RumBananaSundae hope your eye doesn't turn black and your meal plan sounds delicious

That’s a great update @devildeepbluesea😊
Well done on the Tesco shop lasting 8 days and still having £75 left on the gift card under budget is a proper win.
Lamb curry, hummus, butter and flatbreads from out of date yoghurt is some excellent using up of stuff , plus scones and cornflake crispies too. Bonfire toffee and marmalade next week sounds yummy, well done and thank you re my Mum that's so kind of you ❤️
That breakdown makes it much more reasonable Costco always looks worse at first glance @Lockin26
After 20 years of baking you’ve earned the ready made cakes bless you. And thank you re my Mum , that's so kind of you and l really enjoyed seeing her today bless her ❤️
@Frugal25Aww, thank you sweetheart ❤️! It really was such a lovely day with Nana Pumpkin , l was so relieved 😊. And yes, I’m totally in love with the black boots! 🖤✨
@Rum hope you don't have black eyes sweetheart 💐

My Morrisons bag was very disappointed. All bread based. 3 gluten free loaves, 2 packs of gluten free tortillas wraps, 6 pack of teacakes and scones... but I'm trying to eat less carbs and noone in our house is gluten intolerance. Lol. It was only £5 but won't be getting it again. There's always loads of tgtgb in my area. The pub carvery one has been our favourite.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes about paying off the car. It was actually a rather frustrating experience but I’ll be very glad when I get paid and can redirect the payment to savings.

@RumBananaSundae you poor thing. I hope the eyes get better before your friend comes.

@DirtyGertiefromno30 so glad nana pumpkin is doing better. January is just a hard month.

the chicken soup sounds lovely @FurForksSake and as you said it’s a good one to have in the freezer for your mil.

your food sounds lovely @devildeepbluesea i do find when using stuff from the freezer my creative side comes out a bit more.

I love hearing about all the lovely meals. How was the cassoulet @BigSkies2022

So last night DH did very well in Lidl €40. I think the trick is to give him a bigger list so he has less time to freestyle it! He also got petrol for my car.

today we have a soft play date with some school friends. One of the mums has already paid for it snd I’ll buy treats. Probably do a supermacs too. Hoping to keep it under €30. We’ve about €200 in the joint account to last us until Friday when I’ll be paid. Should be very doable.

Hate a disappointing tgtg bag. We would have used none of that either
in at the creative side of some of my freezer stuff still loads to go through
sending Dh to the butchers today as we’re got a voucher with the Christmas order and my loyalty card OSS about full do £15 to spend. They do home made ready meals which are lovely

£130 Sainsbury’s yesterday on ingredient and snacks

Ah I hate a disappointing TGTG bag too, got a Starbucks one and it was all sandwiches which we toasted. To be fair DC loved it but I was hoping for nice sweet goodies.

Pleased your DH did better in Lidl @pistachiosanscream I'm headed into Lidl in a moment with a huge list and I'll be like 🫣 at the check out.

Morning.

I’m liking the idea of the freestyle DH, winging it round Lidl @pistachiosanscream 🤣. Brilliant re the car too!

We used to get the TGTG bags a lot. DH was in hospital 10 months post stroke, and the Greggs ones dropped just as I drove past on the way home from visiting. In fairness, they were really good value, incredibly so in fact at the time- but actually we just ended up eating more crap that we would have done in the name of value.

How are the eyes today @RumBananaSundae ? It feels like you rarely catch a break at the minute.

I like the idea of the star anise in the stock @FurForksSake . Great news about the threat of redundancy being off the table.

Haven’t spent much here. Been busy doing the post death admin and arrangements re DF. There’s 3 of us, and we are all pulling our weight re it all. DF was super organised as well, so it’s all there in terms of wishes and paperwork for his finances. Theres still absolutely loads to do and I feel really sorry for anyone who has to do this alone, or doesn’t have a paper trail to follow. I genuinely do. Some of his wishes for who gets what are quite passive aggressive to my DB, who he clearly was pissed off with when he wrote them. Most of the stuff I get was my grandmas (sentimental stuff, and she was a lovely person), my other DB fares a tad better 🤣

I’ve switched around some of our savings too, for better interest rates, updated the values of our pension and investments and set up our self assessment payments for the end of the month.

£33 Amazon, I spend less overall getting stuff from here, even if the price might not be the absolute cheapest.
£59 Shark hand held vac (mainly for doggy mud etc).

It’s DB’s birthday today, so some money will be spent later as we are going out for a pub tea.

Also wondering if @GrannyTeapot is okay and I might not even have tagged the right person as I’m crap with name changes. But thinking of you anyway x