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 🤗

Sounds like you’ve got things under control really well @Rainbow1901! Great job on debts and planning ahead well done you !
Last minute holiday deals can work but are hit and miss in my experience. Keeping an eye out and watching and waiting seems to be the way to go .
Love the leftovers and lemon drizzle cake, yummy 😋
Glad Sil is okay and hopefully rested now. What a fright for
everyone bless you all 🤗

Sounds like a super productive start to the year @lifelongfrugaleeryou are amazing sweeteart well done ! Glad the garden and garage are getting sorted, recycling men are going to have a fun time with all that cardboard 😅. Clever move swapping the car seat covers to keep DH’s car tidy. Hope the farm boots clean up nicely tomorrow and that taking the decs down goes smoothly! Great stuff 👏

Have a lovely holiday @Whatwedidnext 🤗

Sounds like a perfect mix of practical and cosy @Frugal25😁 ! Love that you’ve got your Monzo system going, emergency pots are lifesavers. Ten bags waiting for the bin doesn’t sound fun, but at least you’re all sorted . And leftovers for dinner yummy! 😋Hope your DD’s birthday goes brilliantly tomorrow bless her heart ❤️ 🎂🎈🥳🤗 and wrapping presents by the fire with a hot drink sounds ideal after that chilly walk!

Happy new year everyone 🤗
We have been to see Mum, who was amazing there , thank God.
The deputy manager told me she thought Mum was going to die over Christmas and it's nothing short of a Christmas miracle that she has recovered as well as she has .
I think she's right tbh.
She is getting out of bed with help of the Steady and feeding herself again it's just unbelievable. l took this photo today 🤗❤️

Ooohhhh what a beautiful photo of your lovely mum @DirtyGertiefromno30 and I adore her necklace. She always looks gorgeously turns out doesn't she? Always dressed for an amazing day. I aim to be like her.
I'm so pleased she has turns around hun, you must have been so scared. And the staff sound absolutely amazing. Very glad you have them there keeping an eye when you have a well deserved break x

The party was lovely and the boys are no trouble whatsoever. They are funny when tipsy though

Thanks @Rainbow1901. I’m going to set up one of those. Great idea. Wish I had monzo though.

I’m so glad your mother has pulled through @DirtyGertiefromno30. My MIL is in a care home (with dementia) and has been in and out of hospital a lot over the Christmas period. It’s so tough isn’t it.

Thabks for the kind words @Frugal25 @Whatwedidnext

I hope you weren’t too disappointed by the lack of hot lunch @Frugal25. I guess the cyclists kept your spending down at least!

I also like the aim of intentionality. I’ve a few planned spends coming up which I’m happy with but it’s the mindless ones that make me feel anxious. I definitely want this to be a year where I’m in control of money rather than the other way round.

Aw thank you so much @Frugal25❤️. I was in despair tbh l just didn't know which way to turn . I think it's a lot to do with the way she is , she's always looked lovely and very interested in everyone there , they call Mum the Queen of Oaklands 😁.
She dismissed us this morning 🤣, she'd had enough of us , she was tired after sn hour and a half and said time for you to go now 😂
The staff are amazing, they were all worried to death about her and willing her better bless them ❤️

It's sounds like a great party so glad you enjoyed it @lifelongfrugaleer

Absolutely, that sounds really sensible @Shnout.
Having a plan and being intentional like you are already thinking about , will make such a difference. Thank you so much re my Mum that's so kind of you 🤗.
It’s tough with family health worries on top, l am so sorry about your DMil bless you all 🤗.
You’ve got a clear mindset for this year, and that’s already half the battle won well done 😊

Happy New Year to all.

Bought some odds and ends in Asda this morning (£10). Can’t believe how much some prices have gone up.

Well done for getting through @Shnout.

Like your themes for the year @FurForksSake. I might lift them.

Am envious of your cheese and onion rolls @Rainbow1901. And glad your SonIL is back.

Your mum is looking well @DirtyGertiefromno30. I’m so glad. Antibiotics really are the bomb. You must be relieved. I chuckled to myself with her dismissing her visitors.

Didn’t cross anything off my to do list today. I have made a start on writing my rehab book. I’ve listed my exercises and worked out things like how many steps on the StairMaster for a km and things like that. Started on the MSE spreadsheet. Felt rather adrift with it given all the incoming legal stuff so gave up. Have to write to the solicitor for Monday so might do that tomorrow so it’s done. Feels like I’m awakening the beast.

Frugal fail out of the gate here: packed up the Christmas tree and despite being in a plastic pot which was then put into a terracotta pot, which was in turn placed on a terracotta saucer, the bloody thing has left a big ring on the wooden floor. I have been sanding away at the stain but although I will be able to get the stain out, I won’t be able to do that without also removing the stain and character of the floorboards. I don’t know how to fix that so I’ll have to call in the guys who installed them. Bugger.

Otherwise it’s been a quiet day- undemanding walk, leftovers lunch, mooching through plans and diaries, dreaming a bit. Trying not to be too irritated about this crappy stain on the floor!

Someone is setting off fireworks! I fucking hate people sometimes! Now the dog is hysterical again.

Name change and checking in. Was Mochi. Happy New Year to you all!

@chimichangaz we've got blue cheese left over as no one is too fussed - planning to make four cheese pizza in the Ninja outdoor oven when I next do home made pizzas as I do enjoy it melted. Hope you enjoyed the rest of the TGTG bag.

@Frugal25 lovely words and that's amazing, well done on your progress in 2025.

Hi @MushyPeasAndMintSauce 😊

@DirtyGertiefromno30 lovely way to end the year with the picture of your lovely DM looking well.

@BigSkies2022 hope your dog was okay with fireworks.

I'm starting slowly with easy goals
Earlier to bed, no TV after 9pm as I keep falling asleep on the sofa.
2 litres of water a day
2 Body Pump classes per week - one is easy as it's a really good time, but the other which is in the evening, I keep missing.
I hope the above will help me to stick to a healthy diet as I will be less tired and better hydrated.

Save an emergency fund and organise pots before setting other saving goals by the end of March (this is also the pension saving plan)

Today went out with DH and DC for food for NYD which was spendy at £85 but I did save £6 with work discount.
Also tempted with an early deal on a Halloween event - £66, tickets last year were £92 so saving of £26.

Have DS's birthday in 2 weeks but other than that I will try to keep on the straight and narrow!!

Ah @BigSkies2022 our posts crossed. Sorry to hear about the stain and the poor dog and the fireworks again today..That's really awful - twice a year on Guy Fawkes and NYE is more than enough!

What should have been quite a low spend day had some extras thrown in. £18 milk bill and £18 for a school trip. I did also buy some command strips but then remembered I had some other hooks and so cancelled that order.

Ive done my online food shops for the next four weeks and they are averaging £45 a week as we have well stocked cupboards. I’m aiming for under £75 a week for that, with Amazon groceries and milk bill it will even out to £400 a month.

I’m hoping I can tackle one area of over spending a month.

I’ve arranged my two returns and just need tl drop them off.

Happy new year everyone 🎇

I'm a long time lurker but I'm coming out of the corner! I've made a strict-but-realistic budget for 2026 and the plan is to throw as much money as possible into overpaying my mortgage.

My income will probably be dropping later this year, and I'd rather tighten my belt proactively than be forced into it by circumstances.

I haven't set myself a target, but I'm hoping to have more NSDs each week than not. I'm not counting bills, savings or transport costs for pre-planned activities.

The 1p saving challenge would be ace, but I think I'm unlikely to average a spare £55.66 each month. Maybe I'll try the pound a day one instead.

01/01 NSD

Welcome @FoolShapeHeart

Grown up spending today my car needs tyres. Hate buying tyres!

£3 on parking, not too bad! We are eating the leftovers today.

DH asked about YNAB - do people get on with it? Any other recommendations or how to make it work?

£10 in the bakery, one loaf for the bread bin another for the freezer. Potato dauphinois tonight, to use up some of the double cream. (It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it).

Christmas decs all down, strewn across the dining room table currently. I need to get another 4k steps in and then I might think about it.

Still in mulling mode. Watched a Daniel Pink YT video- good ideas for sorting out your priorities and getting stuff done. My word for the year will be ‘consistency’ - going to schedule daily practices that will stack up over time. I honestly have to do this, or the self-hatred and lack of focus will simply overwhelm me! And I can’t have that!

Oh @BigSkies2022 how is the floor looking? I'd be so upset and cross esp as you did all you could to prevent damage.
Welcome@FoolShapeHeart your NSD plan is a good one! And the £1 a day would be awesome!

I hate buying tyres also @MushyPeasAndMintSaucesuch an adult sensible thing to do.

£19.20.on admission to the soft play for DD, DM and me for DD birthday treat. Stayed an hour and a half by which time it had got busy so we left.
We are off out for pizza tonight but I have vouchers and OH will probably pay.

Need to make a list of small gifts and food to buy for DD party next week. I may go early tomorrow for gifts for the party bags and do the food as a delivery for Friday to make life easier.

LSD £4.40 on milk and eggs but the milk is for my NDN so that will be coming back at some point.
Needed the eggs because we are using up leftovers - have bacon left over from dressing the turkey so will have that on toast with some beans!! Very easy tea tonight!! 😊

We’ve had a fairly lazy day today. I’ve managed to sort through a load of the clutter that’s amassed over Christmas and a friend popped over for a cup of tea earlier.
No purchases yet but we are going to a friends for dinner and I’m taking dessert and a bottle, both of which I’m yet to buy.

Out of interest what do people classify as a LSD? Under £15/10/5?

Evening everyone 😊
Been to see Mum this afternoon, she fell out of bed last night but she is ok . She will have 2 lovely black eyes tomorrow and has a nasty bruised hand bless her but she is ok . They have a sickness bug up there , 10 members of staff off with it and all the residents are stuck in their room in isolation.
Anyway Mum was fine, sat in her chair nice and warm , telly on everything around her and quite happy thankfully 🤗.
Went to Cwmbran this morning, popped into Lidl £24 on mostly cleaning and laundry products . Aldi £30 on a load of Christmas toilet rolls reduced to a stupid price and a few other bits .
The works £10 on several books and a diary and £8 in Primark so not too bad .
6 x prs of 2 socks and 4x pretty gift bags .
Home bargains £20. Bought
4 x Yankee Candle iced cranberry candles @£2.99
Each which l though was an amazing price and Omeprazoles 😁

@RumBananaSundae
Prices really are shocking now, even for a few bits 😕 £10 doesn’t go far at all.
Thank you so much about Mum 💙 the antibiotics have clearly worked their magic and I am so relieved. Her dismissing visitors ( US lol) did make me chuckle too very much her, back in charge again.
Even if nothing got crossed off, starting the rehab book and doing that groundwork is still a good step. The legal stuff is draining, so it’s understandable you ran out of steam. Getting the solicitor letter done tomorrow sounds wise, even if it feels like awakening the beast. You are doing brilliantly well done sweetheart 🤗