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 🤗

Your weekend sounds so lovely @pistachiosanscreamand your DH is doing well isn't he? The weeks are going so fast, you mention him off to lidl and I realize another has gone by.
My DD loves a box too @MushyPeasAndMintSauce and currently has her beady eyes on one that is massive that we need at the mo! Love a day at home sorting though, always makes me happy.
Oh @Alwayslearning25 I had that last year as we are a small team and the new guy did exactly the same to me and he doesn't even have children. I got in early this year and booked them all for the entire year at Christmas last year. I hope your manager can sort something for you or it's just unfair.
Tyres are so expensive @lifelongfrugaleer always makes me wince.
How did the planning go @RumBananaSundae
I think you were right to book it up and screw the to do list. I didn't get my list done yesterday either but will try and do it over the next few days instead. Some days we need to not do much I think. It's just as important as ticking things off a list. Lists can wait. You're doing amazing and I can't wait to hear more about your trip!

Should be a NSD here. Driving back to my house a bit later and need to deep clean the lounge as it's lounge week on TOMM cleaning schedule. I hate lounge week. I've already washed the sofa covers and blankets though.

Morning everyone. I’m currently sat in bed enjoining a cup of tea and catching up on posts. Feels very calms and indulgent even though I did get up early and do tidying/get dd out for her sports club. I’ve got this nasty cold that’s going around so it’s nice to have a relaxed moment to myself.

Sorry to hear some of you have been having a rough time. Hoping things start to get better for everyone.

@Frugal25 your bra story made me laugh. I really need to replace most of my bras but they are so expensive aren’t they!

Friday was payday. It was my turn to buy the Friday night takeout (my friend comes round most weeks) so that was £45. Could have been worse though!

Yesterday was a very spendy day. £110 on a food delivery, £9 on a 12 pack of tissues from Amazon (I was running low and dd and I have both been sneezing lots this week). £7 on coffee for me and my friend. £12 on strawberries and chocolate for dd and her friend. Oh and another £10 on 2 plastic storage containers as we’ve had mice getting into our kitchen and attacking the flour! (Most of our food is already in storage containers) I spent yesterday afternoon on my knees trying to block their entrance points with wire wool. Hopefully they won’t be able to get in now. Anyway spent about £150 in total yesterday all in.

Im hoping it’s going to be a NSD today. I’ll probably just be pottering around the house. Dd has a friend round later but I think they’ll just hang out in her room as it’s fairly wet today. Keeps things cheap!
I’m going to slow cook a shoulder of lamb which I’ll have for dinners throughout the week.

Surprisingly expensive day to say I am still in my pyjamas!
£30 Chinese last night
£10 on a ballerina outfit from HM
£20 on cardigans from John Lewis
£5 for a gift from accessorize
DH suggested we go for Starbucks but I refused.

Bad night’s sleep so today is quiet- chores, easy meals, got to go and buy some eggs and spaghetti. Might make some flapjack to scratch a sweet tooth itch! I have some sewing to do and about 200 pages of Wuthering Heights to read for book group!

Spends: I have broken my no book buying rule but for DS rather than me, so I don’t think it counts. DS has had an interview techniques book out on repeat renewals (on my card) and I have finally cracked and ordered it from a second hand retailer on Amazon -£7.

Im also going to book tickets to an art exhibition for me and my mum. It should be an easy and fun trip out (local! flat! quiet! nice cafe and shop)and she qualifies for a big subsidy and her ticket will be £1, compared to my £18. Would be criminal not to take her!

On the bra talk: M&S do a balcony style in ther ‘B’ range which is really good (for me - I don’t really suit plunge styles and although I am not especially well endowed, I do appreciate some lifting and separating) and a steal at £15 a go. Worth a look?

Afternoon! God dragged into Tesco express, £11 on a meal deal, salad and doughnuts. The most saving thing I can do is stay at home!

So I was wrong about the weather, we went to collect ds cake and it’s been raining and miserable all day. Did an hours walk with Dh so did get some steps in.

I was also wrong about my spending today, I did buy the bread and tzatziki - well Cacik I suppose, from the Turkish supermarket, which oddly is better than the actual supermarkets in Turkey like Migros 🤷🏻‍♀️ so that was £4.60 spent.

I also purchased dd2 very last group school photo, my rule has been to always buy the first one, so reception, and the last either year 11 or 13 depending on what they do after GCSES, so that was £26 😮

One of Ds2’s school friends passed away suddenly a year ago - really unexpected and he had so much to give, a real high achiever and his whole life ahead of him, just heartbreaking 💔, his family and RAF colleagues are fundraising for a project in his name, so I donated to that today as well, on behalf of ds.

Im just about to change the beds and put some laundry away, Hunters chicken for dinner tonight, veggie version for dd.

Yes I got the balcing bras from m&s too @BigSkies2022. I used to buy them at boux avenue and it was criminal what I used to spend. But m&S are perfect fitting and comfy. Think mine were slightly passed and lifting (needed both!) and £20 for two. Got knickers too. Three for £8. I was really impressed. Got to love m&S undies. I was eyeing up their pj's too whilst in there. They looked beautiful. Your exhibition sounds amazing. I shall have to look locally for something similar near me as I love things like that.
TE he glad it's not just me having wardrobe malfunctions @pistachiosanscream. I do that with tights too. Wear them until no more and then buy another box.

I read it that God dragged you into buy donuts @FurForksSake. Wish God dragged me to buy donuts.

Hope you feel better soon @Shnout. Enjoy the calm

hah! Missed that typo.

Oh no you too @Johaanah. It's mortifying at work. And even worse that you had a strict dress code too. Thankfully I was about to leave anyway so just had a few things to finish up. Can understand why you kept your coat on!
So sorry about your DS friend. That's absolutely heartbreaking. You're so lovely to donate money and help. I hope they do well. Xx

Well this weekend sped by.

Being spendy ran over into today. About £100 on two pairs of (replacement) leggings and £48.50 on an Asda gift card. The discount has fallen so it does make you wonder if it’s worth the hassle. I bought some laundry things and three packets of yellow stickered falafel.

Hope you had a nice day out today @pistachiosanscream.

Planning is progressing @Frugal25. I have a few exhibitions I think I’d like to go to and have decided that I have enough cash and money on my travel money card that I won’t need to purchase currency. Though I’m sure I’ll twitch. Hope your Monday is ok.

I find most of my spending occurs when I’m not dressed @MushyPeasAndMintSauce.

Hoping for a low spend week. A book I would like has a release date of this Thursday so I’m hoping unnecessary spending will be limited to that.

Just a quick post sorry l haven't read the posts , been so busy here today . Spends £59 Tesco £8 charity shop, £10 marks and Spencer.
Mum fine today . They moved her into a bigger room on Friday , l did some work on Friday and Saturday but l have had to sort out her room and put everything away today but at least it's done now .
I am so tired 🤗
Sorry l haven't read through today . Hope everyone is ok ❤️

Nsd yesterday

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday nana pumpkin
Happy birthday to you

Hope she has a wonderful day!!!! ☺️ Xxxx

Oh happy birthday nana P

£331 house insurance

£28.06 Lidl Yesterday.

Hello all, and happy birthday to your mum Gertie.

right for reasons I don’t really understand, our water bill, most of our insurance premiums, our dog food deliveries, and our energy Dd (that one is because of switching tariff) have all gone down. This in theory should leave us with more money in our housekeeping account each month- about £80. I’ve no doubt that the bloody council tax will wipe out those savings come April however. But looking at our spending, we’ve spent over £2k every month over the last three months and we’re routinely using the overdraft facility. DH has upped his contribution by £200 and I will be increasing mine by £100 this month. But I am at a bit of a loss to work out where it’s all going. I shop carefully, most of the time, and eat down the pantry, etc. Treats are paid for out of our own individual accounts. It’s a bit dismaying but I will have to try harder!

Craving packet ramen noodles, which I might well go with, as they are in the cupboard. Otherwise a NSD ahead.

In trying out a new Asian food court £8.50 lunch. It's just opened.

Yesterday I spent £3 on chocolate.

And £5 on a game.

Took my neighbour to her Eye appointment - she asked to go to M&S while were out.
So £46 spent on some new jeans but I had £40 Christmas/Birthday waiting on me. So only £6 spent there. £12 in Iceland (but 70p added to Bonus card for rounding up towards Christmas 2026 which has a running total of £3.35) and £3 in Boots on nail Frozen nail polishes reduced by 70% for GDD in the sale.
So in total - spends for today £21 not too bad considering I wasn't planning on going near any shops today. Car Parking was free as my neighbour paid.

Afternoon everyone 😊
Ah thank you so much @Frugal25 @lifelongfrugaleer @BigSkies2022
Mum had a wonderful time 😁
Lots of visitors, pressies, cards and flowers .
She was exhausted after but we all had a lovely time with her ❤️

@DirtyGertiefromno30 lovely photos, a very happy birthday to her.

AHH thank you so much @FurForksSake she had a lovely time, we all did 😁❤️

Your mum looks like she is enjoying the chocolates and cake, and my, I would too! Delicious!!

So glad she had a brilliant day.

£1.98 on a sarnie. I brought lunch with me. It didn't touch the sides so bought a sarnie. So gone over my budget and my cal intake for the day all in one!

Posh jackets (done in the oven!) with the insides scooped out, mixed with roasted veggies and cheese and put back in to heat through tonight for tea.
Last night we had grilled mushrooms in omelettes.

Afternoon everyone 🤗
@lifelongfrugaleer
Well done on the Nsd yesterday but yah boo sucks to the house insurance today 🙄. The jeans hardly count at all with that money waiting for you @Rainbow1901, six pounds for M&S is a win in my book. And you are so good with that Iceland bonus card, it soon adds up without you noticing. Frozen nail polishes at 70 percent off as well, you cannot leave bargains like that behind, especially for GDD.
Free parking too, perfect. A nice trip out, helped your neighbour and still kept the spends really sensible. I would be really pleased with that total as well ❤️
It’s always the way, you get a bit of good news with bills going down and you just know something like council tax will jump up and grab it back @BigSkies2022🙄 Still, £80 extra on paper is better than it going the other way.
I can understand why that’s disheartening when you’re being careful and it still feels like the money disappears. It’s often the little everyday bits, top ups, household stuff and extras in the trolley that quietly mount up. Good that you’ve both upped your contributions though, that should help take the edge off the overdraft.
You are trying so hard we all are , so don’t be hard on yourself 🤗
Packet ramen and a no spend day sounds just the job 😁
@Alwayslearning25 oh that new food court sounds yummy hope you enjoyed it 😋

@Frugal25 ah thank you so much , it was so lovely to see her so happy and the chocolates and cake did look very tempting I have to say 🤗
Honestly, do not worry about the sandwich. You took lunch with you which was really good but if you were still hungry then you obviously needed something more. One day over budget and calories is not the end of the world. It is better than sitting there starving and fed up sweetheart.
Your tea tonight sounds gorgeous. Those jackets with the roasted veg and cheese sound really comforting. And grilled mushrooms in omelettes last night, that is a lovely tea as well. You are doing just fine, so do not be hard on yourself 🤗 ❤️

Ah big that’s a downer isn’t it. You likely have to get Into the details of your spends to see where it goes. A ball ache but possibly needed.

ah nana is loving that cake