New Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2010- Santas Challenges

cdsmiler

Mum2one – what a lovely shopping trip, and what a lovely surprise for Miss Hoodie! I love Tunisia! And fab money for our jewellery!

Hi Emiliah! Welcome!

Fab knitting Susan – we have loads of old knitted characters that my hubby’s Nan made when he and his sister were little. They were his favourite toys when he was little.

Nickybo – great idea about the pretend food! I might suggest that to my Mum (who’s been knitting cardigans, hats and mittens like a trooper for Bethan!! Lol)!

The cake went ok! Will attach a picture in the next few days – need to upload it from my phone!

Well, took Bethan swimming for the first time today. Local pool has an hour long ‘parent and baby’ session every Tuesday morning, so I thought I’d give it a go. I love swimming and was beating myself up about the fact that those great ‘Little Dippers’ type sessions are probably more beneficial than just a dip in the pool (they teach loads of skills like dipping under the water, basic fun survival, etc) – but not only are they expensive but the only thing similar to us is probably a good 45 minute drive away. Was very pleased to find out that this session at the local pool was actually a similar thing! It being Bethan’s first time (and she’s only 13 weeks old!) we didn’t stay for long – longer than intended though! - so just played and sang to the many nursery rhymes the lady in charge was talking us through. As we were leaving they had gotten some balls out to play with and were apparently looking at splashing and going underwater with confidence later! Am so impressed! Going back next week and hoping to stay in the water a little longer (going at her pace!). Best thing? Very MSE...only cost £1.85!! God knows how much those ‘proper’ sessions from the big companies are! Yeay!

Looking forward to the challenge tomorrow – will be interesting to see how much I can achieve with a well behaved baby (unless she’s having a cranky windy day!) and while still on maternity leave!

Clare x

hlcarroll

mum2one wrote: »

Its the big 4..0 nxt yr, so off to Dom Rep, its lovely, I went in 2005, very mse as it was paid for from compo from ex-employer!! and promised take Miss Hoodie with me.

her words were " it must be 4 or 5 star, all my drinks in, a girl has standards you know" - shes 7 going on 18!! Anyone would think she'd travelled the world, when I took her to Tunisia last yr, 1st holiday abroad, 4star all in, so shes decided she likes that standard.....

I was just dreaming money last ngt xx

Wow, Miss Hoodie has style! Lol! I'm so jelouse, then again, I'd be happy with a weekend away in Blackpool at the moment, I'm so bored of being skint! But MSE is helping, so maybe soon (or maybe *Florida*?!) Dom rep looks so stunning, my friend went 2 years ago and came beck engaged, but minus a few pairs of shoes and quite alot of money, she said she gave so much away to children because alot of them had nothing :O( xx

mum2one

Santas Challenge - March.

The good news, Miss Hoodie has been banned from helping with the challange (bet theres a phew or 2 going on!!). Being gentle this month, As its about a week to the schools break up for Easter,

ME EVENT
(this applies to child free ladies as well) - have a "me day" - ok we not be that lucky - more like a "me hour", treat yourself, whether its a long soak with half bottle bubblebath, read a book, watch a dvd - don't forget the chocolates!! just to chill.

COOKING
for those with children, find a recipie for something sweet, whether its cornflake cakes for the little ones,rocky road for the bigger ones.
No children - Your cooking task, pick a recipie from your cookbook that you haven't cooked before......
Let us all know what you've made.

EASTER
Nows the time to see who we need to buy Easter Eggs for,as its proce war with the supermarkets,
Maybe have an Easter egg hunt (then again its British weather!!) my money saving way - instead of having eggs everywhere, consider buying a bag of pick and mix lollys/sweets then use these as hiding places, then when they've got the allocated amount (great if you have more than 1 child), they then collect the prize of the Easter Egg. (each child has an egg, but they've worked for it.

CARDS
Don't panic its not Christmas cards yet! but check your bday cards, and whether you need to craft any (or like me buy in advance) espically if you need a semi-personal like Aunty, saves mad rush to local shop and pay £2 when you could have paid £1.00 (if that was 10 cards over the yr difference £10 overspent).

HOUSEHOLD KIT
The thought come to me earlier, set up a household kit, scissors, pencil, tape, candles, matches, torch, notepad, pen, string, - if we had a poweer cut, everything is to hand/

KIDS BEDROOMS
Hopefully there be tidy from the half term clean up, but see if theres anything that they don't need, carboot it, ebay it.

CAR-BOOT
Their starting to spurt up, though I know our school were starting after Easter, Could be the time to consider a car-boot, in our area dd's school has the best reputation for carboots, and even thou it says 8am start, theres people there at 5am!
Very MSE way, instead of parking normally and have the boot up, park sideways, that way you can get 2 paste boards up, so you could share a pitch with a friend and go 50/50 with the cost,

MEDICATION
I appriciate that this may only apply to a couple of us (me included),our house we have 3 old icecream boxes, (me, dad and mum, although we have a box each, mum or I do them. When mum was poorly last week dad had no idea what tabs he should of been on, so I'm chaseing labels to see what he needed.)

Print off a list and tape it to the inside lid of the container, whether there morning, afternoon, night tablets, so if any reason someone got your tablets - you know you'd be getting the right ones.

It wouldn't be a proper challenge without a small bit of cleaning!!
Do you have an understairs cupboard, an airing cupboard, draws under the bed...... or your stash area, - when was the last time they were sorted...... this is the month to empty ans sort.

Have tried to go gentle with it being Easter, and we've had some hard challenges last couple of months, these (bar car boot sales) or 5 to 10 mins job. Hooefully theres a bit for everyone xx

sarahf191979

Love the challenge mum2one, so glad you have been gentle hun as i haven't done half of feb's challenge yet

rufusdog52

Morning all

I would like to do a boot fair but havent got much left about the house anymore. Might be stuff in the loft but I am unable to get up the ladder anymore to see and OH wont do it. He wouldnt get up early to take me either so think this is out. Might go and have a look round one instead, our local one is starting up again Easter Sunday.

Was wanting to buy my Dad a digital photo frame for Xmas but he told me yesterday he is going to buy himself one lol. Good job I hadnt already got one as the one he is getting is bigger and more expensive. So now I need to find something else for him. Think I will wait till nearer the time and then see what Amazon vouchers I have and get him something like a cd or a dvd or let him choose his own.

emiliah

Good morning everyone - have just been going through the challenge - what a great idea.
I'm doing Atkins at the moment, and it does get a bit samey, so will try and be a bit more adventurous.
I have a box for cards, which I got a couple of years ago. It was a special offer and you got assorted cards, a box, dividers etc. The trouble is I haven't been filling back up after using, and as you say am now buying expensive cards - so will definitely be doing this.
I live in a small village in the Scottish Highlands, so shopping is mainly once a month - a 100 mile round trip. I'm doing a shop next week and saw Lidl were doing chocolate bunnies - not sure how much, but wil hopefully find something.

Wishing you all well with the challenge

Em

mum2one

emiliah wrote: »

Good morning everyone - have just been going through the challenge - what a great idea.
I'm doing Atkins at the moment, and it does get a bit samey, so will try and be a bit more adventurous.
I have a box for cards, which I got a couple of years ago. It was a special offer and you got assorted cards, a box, dividers etc. The trouble is I haven't been filling back up after using, and as you say am now buying expensive cards - so will definitely be doing this.
I live in a small village in the Scottish Highlands, so shopping is mainly once a month - a 100 mile round trip. I'm doing a shop next week and saw Lidl were doing chocolate bunnies - not sure how much, but wil hopefully find something.

Wishing you all well with the challenge

Em

Hi Em

100 mile round trip for shopping, I moan at going 3 miles but thats with dad!! I like to browse, he's about 4 aisles ahead.

Think the Lidl bunnies are 99p.

xx

mum2one

Here goes with my hidey holes. Putting it on the thread as a reminder that I can't get away withut doing them.

2 bed draws - my room

2 bed draws - dds room

4 bed doors - mums room

[STRIKE]
junk
[/STRIKE] rephase that - the corner where everything gets chucked

Airing cupboard

Cubby-hole

Suitcases on top of wardrobes

(Ignore the loft, and the2 garages for now)

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Made a start on the airing cupboard yesterday, Only 1 shelf but the intention was there - donated 3 old quilt covers to school sewing club, there making vat beds for cat rescue. xx

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elyphant

loving the challenge mum2one, thank you! glad it's a bit easier as am waaaay behind on last month's (don't ask, but essentially have done lots of lovely unnecessary job's and DS2's room still looks like a bomb site lol)

Me day - hopefully I might actually get this, or at least a me evening. Step-son coming for Easter hols, but myparents have said they'll have him and DS1 and DS2 over for a sleepover one night, so i will promise myself to do book/wine/choc/DVD rather than washing/tidying/cleaning!

Cards - don't know if anyone else uses this, but in the past couple of years I've started ordering from Phoenix Trading, and I get all my birthday/occasion cards for the year. They cost £1.20 each, but if you buy more than 10 then they are only £1 each, and they are really nice quality. Also it means you can be organised and have them all ready. My sister's now a trader too so whatever money I spend is helping her! I know you can probably find them a bit cheaper in the sales or whatever, but still I think it's a good deal. They have a website at phoenix-trading.co.uk. Maybe it will help someone.

My kids will like the cooking bit - they have been pestering me for fridge cake for ages. Works out economical for me too cos I take a bit to work instead of buying a chocolate bar (my vice...)

foxy219

Well we sorted dd bedroom out last weekend, repainted and put her new bed into it, with drawers underneath so added storage, but she has the box room and there is now no room for her toys! They are in our room at the moment, there is no room at the top of the stairs, this is full of items to list on ebay, DS room is the next one to hit - this is actually a bombsite at the moment, but it is on the list to be sorted out and repainted! We said once the clocks go back we would do a fleamarket, set up from 4.30pm opens at 6 and usually over by 8 so no hanging about, and any money made is going towards holidays!