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 🤗

Depends granny teapot is it Yorkshire tea?
Welcome!

Hi @GrannyTeapot welcome to the thread, join in sweetheart it's very difficult for you re your ex , l think you just have to let it go over your head if you can , easier said than done l know .lts just that letting it go is so much better for you 🤗.

🤣🤣🤣

Delurking, am enjoying reading thread. Going to use Jam donut and my employer has similar rewards scheme.So will check whichever if better. Then if buying online go through topcashback etc. Doing that will focus my mind as I will need to be better organised.
What is helping me at moment is getting my adult children (who live at home) to buy my top up shops. I do pay for it, but if I ask for bag of carrots and 4 pints of milk that is what I receive. Not two full bags and £30 wasted like if I go!!

Ooh I just realised we were paying for mgm on prime and I’ve not used it. Did live chat to cancel and they refunded £30! Wasn’t expecting a refund, just wanted to stop paying.

Glad you have delurked @RubySparrow welcome, to the thread, just join in everyone is lovely here and great idea to get the DC to do that top up shop for you 😁

Fabulous saving well done @FurForksSake😁👏

Welcome @GrannyTeapot this is the place to be! That's awful re the ex, behaving like the hero is so typical 😕. Anyway can imagine its a bit chilly up there but beautiful during the better months 🩷 I am in NE England and love Scotland.

Welcome @RubySparrow good idea re the top up shops!

Good news on the refund @FurForksSake

Evening everyone. Your poor mum @DirtyGertiefromno30 - hope she’s ok.

Can’t remember if I’ve wished everyone happy new year so if I haven’t, then I’m doing it now!!

Welcome to the new folks 👋🏻

Not a NSD for me as we’ve been checking in for our cruise which leaves in just over two weeks. I’ve paid for WiFi upgrade for all of us (me, son and his partner, £90 each), about another £90 each to reserve seats on the plane (what a ripoff), and £100 on an excursion. Will all be worth it 😬

I also had my delivery from Regatta - ordered a pair of waterproof trousers, a short raincoat (keeping both of those) and three long coats for cold weather walks. May keep one of them (the dry robe dupe) but it seems to hang funny at the back so I bought a backup one from Sainsburys using up my nectar points and saving £15. Will only keep one of them obvs but they work out about £50 which I thought was a good price. And like everywhere else it’s absolutely freezing here 🥶

Feeling off colour and v tired so have gone to bed and hoping to wake full of energy in the morning. No alcohol tonight which is a first since about Christmas Eve!! That should help 😊

AHH thank you re my Mum@chimichangaz she will be ok l will do my utmost don't you worry 😊.
Happy new year to you and yours too sweetheart 🤗
How exciting for you and your family , the cruise will be so worth it once you’re on board 🚢 Two weeks will fly by. Total rip off on plane seat charges though but needs must .
Your Regatta order sounds very sensible in this freezing weather. A dry robe style coat is perfect for winter walks, and good thinking using Nectar points , hope one of them hangs right so the other can go back.
Sorry you’re feeling off colour and tired. An early night and no alcohol should really help sweetheart, fingers crossed you wake up feeling much better 🤞💤

We're on our last night away before back to school and back to frugal. I've been pretty good over December overall and have kept within budget over the Christmas break. We really need to finish the decorating and clear our credit cards so a huge frugal year for us! The main thing is starting a holiday pot out of our monthly outgoings, so a big holiday reward next year for achieving our targets that won't go on a credit card because the money will be in the pot!
I'm going to start bookmarking the thread so I can keep up and get to know you all better!
The boys second wardrobe and toy storage arrive on Sunday so once their room is sorted it will make staying in with them that bit easier hopefully. I bought them out of Jan monthly spending budget so already tight for the rest of the month.

You’ve done really well staying within budget over December @HP87 it's difficult to do that but especially at Christmas. Back to school and back to frugal now for a lot of us here 😊
Starting a holiday pot and bookmarking this thread are great ideas , well thought out 💡 😁

Hi can i join again I was a regular on these a few years ago have gone through a tough time with family dsis and dm still going through it but am in a much place now i think. We just need to stop wasting money on crap and should have more left over and saved at the end of the month.

Just checking in. The weather has changed and I need a few more warmer clothes for me and my daughter as we've both grown. She's at school so doesn't need so many clothes, I think some fleece leggings for her and a warm winter coat for me, as I cant fit a jumper under my current one.

Welcome back and hi to delurkers

so e good thinking and planning going on. That’s half the battle at times

spendng here but prep for Monday & beyond. Applied for free prescriptions. Got DH free hospital parking pass for all of Jan.
big Amazon order coming of stuff I can’t get out to get. Self isolating as don’t want cold / bugs.

im NE England too and the moon was indeed amazing

£14 sending off essential docs -£14 returned a cookbook I don’t think I would use. I have an awful cookbook habit -£130 car tax refund. Waiting for gym refund of a couple of hundred i think.
£6 Minecraft movie for NYE movie night.
think that’s it so far.

today top run & Aldi for stuff that is better than Sainsbury’s

will cover my washing line ip for winter too. Bin bags will be just fine. No need for a fancy cover

Thanks people. I think I’ll classify low spend days for me as anything under £10.

Ooh where is your cruise to @chimichangaz?

Dd is going to a party today so I need to get a last minute gift for that. I might be meeting my friend for coffee later too. No other spends planned.

I need to head to decathlon to return some items (probably about £90).

I didn’t win anything on my premium bonds this month so no bonus money for me today!

I’m going to the Caribbean @Shnout with my son and his partner to celebrate turning 60 last month 😊 (although wondering what this mornings news about Venezuela means for that region…)

I forgot to say that two nights ago the moon was stunning as it had a gorgeous coppery ring around it. Tried to take a photo but they were useless.

Checked my premium bonds this morning and won 2 prizes - £50 and £100. First for ages but I did bump up the total by about £20k using my pension lump sum so that has made a difference. Not the £50k I was manifesting but a nice amount anyway 😊

Morning all. I’m still on twixmas go slow but I’m starting to get organised for the month. Did the January big shop and spent €130. Hoping to get by with top ups for fruit and basic veg and what’s in the fridge and freezers. Did buy duck legs so I think a cassoulet will be in my future. You inspired me @BigSkies2022

also spent €26 on Temu stocking up on art supplies as small child goes through a ton of it.

guests today and tomorrow are being fed from the freezers and the Christmas goodies.

welcome back @Alfiemoon1 i also returned to this thread last year after finally being in a better place with family hardships. It takes time for the brain and heart to heal.

@HP87 i hope your new furniture arrives soon. I always love when I’ve the kids toys organised! Makes life calmer.

you are so organised @lifelongfrugaleer i wish you avoid all bigs and possible complications in your journey.

All the decorations down and in the attic except bedding and tablecloth which stay In the house attic
sent DH to the tip and the car now fits in the garage so no more winter scraping.

I've refused to leave the house today. DD is currently playing with a big cardboard box I am reading with the dog snoring trying my very best to not start tidying the mess up.
NSD
And also I'm trying to be cautious of unnecessary car use this month to balance out some tyre cost so haven't spent on that either.

Afternoon all!

We went for a walk so spends for today
£3.50 for parking - dh paid without asking and I think our pass from another forest, but never mind.

£81 on petrol - should last most of the month. We don’t drive a lot usually but have been out and about a lot over Christmas and it’s added up.

£48 Ocado (six bags of shopping)

£138 payment on my next account.

I need to buy a stamp to send a birthday card to step mum or send a moon pig. Moon pig might be cheaper!

£94 for party bits for next week and some milk and bread as we ran out. Quite expensive. Normally I bury head in the sand and keep tapping the card but I have a list for this party. And I'll try and bring the amount down next year now I have a baseline from this year.

So jealous that your car fits in your garage now @lifelongfrugaleer, that's my dream if I can ever ditch enough stuff.

Hi @Alfiemoon1! Of course you can join again 😊 .
It sounds like you’ve been through a lot, but I’m glad to hear you’re in a better place now. Totally with you on cutting back on unnecessary spending too 😊.
@Alwayslearning25 Sounds like you both need a few warmer clothes , fleece leggings for her and a cosy winter coat for you sound perfect, good to see you 😊

Sounds lovely @chimichangaz. Which countries will you visit? I’m off to the Caribbean in Feb. Can’t wait.

I’ve spent £22 today.
£6.30 on coffees for me and a friend (rounded up to £7 with 60p added to a savings pot)
£15 on the present for dds friend. I had a £5 amazon voucher which I added to my account but didn’t realise I needed to then add as part of my payment method - but at least it will be there next time I buy something.

Wow, you’ve been super productive @lifelongfrugaleer! Love that you have the hospital parking and prescriptions sorted.
Keeping cosy at home while your Amazon order arrives l don't blame you enjoy this lovely home time before your operation.
Nice work on refunds, tip run, Aldi, and getting the car in the garage , small wins that make life easier for you with all that is going on with you at the moment . You are absolutely amazing 😍.