SmlSave MFW diary - where to start?

EssexHebridean

I agree completely about the dishwasher - when we moved in here the people we bought from had both a fridge freezer AND a small fridge. We promptly shoved our FF in where theirs had come from, and bought a dishwasher to fill the other gap (Well, left as a gap it would have made the kitchen look messy, wouldn't it?!). Five years on we're still a veryhappy menage et trois, thanks! (That's me, Mr EH and the Dishwasher, before anyone starts thinking naughty thoughts!)

SmlSave

Buy Ingredients for Pamperchef - Done
Tidy House – Done good enough
Go to Xmas Meal - Ate far too much!
Get Xmas stuff from Loft.
Write Xmas cards - Only family to do
Try on Wedding Dresses - they were so pretty :happyhear but all at £700!
Get some more Presents - still more to get
Get Xmas Tree
Wrap Presents - more to do...
Plant rest of Bulbs
Go to House Party
Tidy House again
Write Shopping List

Well I haven't done too bad on the list :T It's amazing how many presents there seems to be, I feel like I've been wrapping for days and there's no end in sight.

My bank balance looks happy at the moment and its pay day tomorrow :think: it never normally looks this good...I'm going to investigate.

I'm also off to do my main Christmas food shop tonight so I have my fingers crossed that I'll find all I need and it won't be too busy...wish me luck...

Hetty1984

Hi SmlSave,

I'm a MFW and have been reading your thread to get some inspiration and tips.

Little off MFW topic but like you I got some cheap flights to NYC when they came on offer earlier in the year, and am starting to look in to accommodation there. Did you manage to find something nice without breaking the bank?

Sounds like you had a fantastic time there (getting engaged is pretty special).

I'm sorry if you have posted on a travel thread.

Keep up the good MFW work.

Hetty

SmlSave

Morning Hetty.

Thankfully we stayed with OH's brother in NY, he's only 10mins away from the centre by bus, and stayed in NY one night...which cost £135 for that one night! Still was £25 cheaper from HotelClub with discount found from this site! It was nice though...and on the same night he proposed so made it more special

There are cheaper places to stay but they seem to all have shared bathrooms - maybe I'm just a prude?

I'm not much help really am I? We stayed in Rotherham/Lydenhurst New Jersey - perhaps you can find cheaper accomodation there and travell in like we did?

Once you're there though there's lots of things to do for free like Central Park, China Town and gettign 'lost'. When are you off to NY?

SmlSave

Buy Ingredients for Pamperchef - Done
Tidy House – Done good enough
Go to Xmas Meal - Ate far too much!
Get Xmas stuff from Loft.
Write Xmas cards - Only family to do – DONE finally!
Try on Wedding Dresses - they were so pretty but all at £700!
Get some more Presents - still more to get - DONE
Get Xmas Tree
Wrap Presents - more to do...DONE
Plant rest of Bulbs – I’ve seemed to have lost a whole bag of crocus bulbs..oops
Go to House Party
Tidy House again – Decided that this is an impossible task and I give up
Write Shopping List – Shopping DONE (part from meat which I’m getting today from the butchers)

So it looks like my ‘to do list’ for a week actually took two!

Work has finally calmed down, thank god, as we finish tomorrow at 12ish.

The shopping at Asda went really well, I ended up with two trolleys full and everything will last for a decent while after Christmas. I wish I’d got more to stockpile; things like tinned tomatoes; beans etc but I did get loads of pasta and parsnips! The parsnips were 10p a bag so I have enough for a fair bit of soup.

The till rang up at £213… …then I handed her my Asda saving card and it went down to a much nicer £63. I’m defiantly doing that next year as I don’t think the account could have coped otherwise.

On a Down note…OH lost his wallet Saturday night with £40 of our money in it and of course all his cards and id. The cards have been cancelled so the accounts should be safe but what a hassle losing your wallet makes!

And on an Up note… I bought a wedding dress! for guess how much…you’ll never guess…but you have to try…

I also received an M&S voucher from Pigsback but am torn from spending it on a ‘treat’ or using it in the sales to get a present for someone next year

…the dress was £55!

gallygirl

SmlSave wrote: »

The shopping at Asda went really well, I ended up with two trolleys full and everything will last for a decent while after Christmas. I wish I’d got more to stockpile; things like tinned tomatoes; beans etc but I did get loads of pasta and parsnips! The parsnips were 10p a bag so I have enough for a fair bit of soup.


And on an Up note… I bought a wedding dress! for guess how much…you’ll never guess…but you have to try…



…the dress was £55!

Wow on the dress :T:T:T:T:T, tell all!!!

As for the shopping - Asda's gave me such a laugh last year - I popped in on Xmas Eve, chilled out as I had bought all I needed and was just looking for bargains. Had a little trolley & was zipping about assertively in a 'I go to London a lot & know how to get through traffic quickly' way. A bloke looked at me, then at his wife burbling along with their trolley and said to her 'why can't you push it like she does'. Next thing she tells him where to stick his trolley & storms off. 15 minutes later as I drove away I saw her 1/2 way down the road, on foot. Oops :rotfl:

Have a great Xmas :xmassign:

Hetty1984

Afternoon,

£55 for the dress that is amazing! How did you find such an amazing bargain.

When are you getting married?

We go to New York in May, on my birthday, planned it that way in hope of a cheeky upgrade (not holding out much hope as the flights were super cheap!). Sadly no relatives to stay with when we get there. Used the hotel club £25 offer when I went to Cyprus earlier in the year. Will look for a New York one between Christmas and New Year (if I get a spare second!!) as the offer closes end of December.

Have a Merry Christmas.

SmlSave

I was very lucky with the dress, I saw in Debs and tried it on thinking this is nice..oh, its only £170...I'll buy it, take it to show Mum and return if she really hates it...went up to the till and it rang up as £55 :eek: Now I love the dress Its A line, v.simple in satin with a band of glitter beads. No train but I'm going to ask MIL if she can alter it a little.

I am a very lucky girl

Your shopping story did make me grin Gallygirl :rotfl: I wonder if the lady got picked up a little while down the road?

No date set yet Hetty, we're planning to book somewhere in Jan and it depends when is available since most people seem to book years in advance! I would like the end of June if poss...

Fingers crossed for you finding somewhere in NY!

P.S. Bought £25 of mince, stewing beef, steak and sausages at butchers to fill up freezer - batch cooking here I come!

EssexHebridean

Oh Smlsave - the dress sounds brilliant - and what a bargain! Just make sure you hang it somewhere that OH can't see it now eh!

Well done on your shopping too - amazing how saving a little here and there helps the costs along isn't it. Sounds like you're going to be busy cooking too! I love parsnip soup - have some for me won't you!

StuartGMC

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Oh Smlsave - the dress sounds brilliant - and what a bargain! Just make sure you hang it somewhere that OH can't see it now eh!

... and ensure he doesn't read your thread!!!!

Actually, if I'm allowed to make comment (or is it restricted to the ladies?), it sounds extremely attractive but it will be beautiful with you in it :A

Good to see the savings being made too.