She who never saves a penny will never have many

debtfreewannabe321

well done on getting (nearly) all your pressies wrapped and out the way :T

It's a great feeling being so organised when most of the people around us (well they are around me) will leave it to the 11th hour and then panic buy on the overdraft or credit cards :rotfl:! Maybe there will be a few more of us having LBM come Jan

choogirl

Good Morning

Thanks DFW, it does feel good by only paying cash for presents and not worrying about it in January and spending the rest of the year paying it off. Last year was the first year that I paid upfront for Christmas in a long time and it felt good! Sadly I think it will be true that alot of people will get their LBMs after xmas and alot more in the future as well with the way the countries going at the moment. The Government are forcing people to get into debt by introducing their austerity measures and not realising that everyone still has to live but with everything going up in price so many people will struggle just to live! Anyway enough of my political views.

Its another busy day today but a day off tomorrow and Friday to catch up at home so all is good.

I ordered some presents online last night, why didn't I do this years ago? So much easier and cashback through quidco as well, its a no brainer. I'm going to get my Mums present at lunchtime but need to have a hunt and feel around for this as shes asked for some soft, warm gloves so I need to go and physically buy them.
I need to meal plan tonight when I get home and I can then do my shopping tomorrow and try to get a few more presents whilst at the supermarket. DD and DS are almost finished so I just need some stocking fillers. I will be spending £150 each on them but when I look at the presents there won't be many to open as they've asked for DVDs, cds, games for the WII and a kindle so even though the moneys been spent theres not much there to open. I might have a hunt round the poundshop and see if theres anything decent that they might like to bump up the present pile without blowing the budget.

The office is cold today so I'm sat wrapped up in my thick cardi with my feet on my hot water bottle.

Not much else to report its just the usual drivel.

Hope everyone has a lovely day xxx

debtfreewannabe321

I have spent £100 more (at least) on ds1 than the other two and he has about a third of the pile of presents!! He's also asked for dvd's games, a t.v/dvd player & then i got him stocking fillers and that was it money gone! Oh i got lots of my stocking fillers from the range this year, cheap but better quality than £1 shop so if you have one of those near you check it out in fact i think they might sell online too

dfw x

choogirl

Good Morning

Thanks DFW - I will go and check The Range out!

How cold is it? My feet are freezing from just dropping the kids off at school and all I've done is walk from the front door to my car and then back again. Its time for a few extra layers I think.
I've had another busy week this week and working every night until 9pm upstairs and I'm now a bit cheesed off with it. There is never any downtime, I'm going to have another go at it again tonight and hopefully the work should be finished.

I did the grocery shopping yesterday and the fridge looks healthy again, we had a milk fiasco last week- no milk for my coffee in the morning due to lack of attention to what was going on other than work! Mad, I thought once the studying was out of the way that would be it, I would mysteriously become a super efficient supermum :rotfl:Oh well it didn't kill me to have black tea that morning and no cereal or toast as there was no bread defrosted!

A few more pressies arrived yesterday so I might get them wrapped tonight and stash them away before little eyes see them! DS knows that Santa doesn't exist as he helped me to pick DDs xmas present the other day and watched me pay for it. Oh well it had to end sometime, he's been told not to tell DD otherwise he'll get no presents.

So on to todays list

Wash the windows inside upstairs
Clean the house top to bottom
Pile of washing
Make some ciabatta bread for dinner tonight
Attempt to make homemade gnocchi tonight :eek: If its successful its going to be served with a gorgonzola and bacon sauce (lets see what DS thinks to a smelly cheese sauce) :rotfl:
Try and get my work finished so I can enjoy the weekend.

DS has made an attempt to tidy his room so I might head up there first ( I really don't want to do this as I know its going to put me in a bad mood)

Hope everyone has a lovely day xxxx

mummytogirls

Hello Choo, you always sound so motivated!! Did you get all your jobs done today?

Enjoy your weekend xx

debtfreewannabe321

I still refuse to tell me ds1 that santa isn't real obviously he guessed a couple of years back but everytime he asked me i told him that if he said that he'd have no presents (have keep quiet from lil ones somehow lol, bribery seems a good way forward ) and he's never said to me again that he's not real and he's 13. I'm cruel haha

:xmassign:

choogirl

Good Morning

Hi Mummy - I did get all my jobs done, I think the motivation comes from knowing that if I don't do it then it doesn't get done
Hi DFW - I know he had his suspicions but played along with it just to make sure that he still got his pressies, I haven't actually told him he doesn't exist but then I'm not making a big deal out of talking about Santa anymore either x

Well where did the weekend go? Blink and its gone and back to Monday morning again.

The ciabatta was mega - abit of a faff as it had to prove overnight and then add more flour, water and yeast and then prove again for another hour. Definitely worth it though and I'll be making it again. The gnocchi was lovely but far too much trouble so I won't be making it again and the kids turned their noses up at it yet they'll eat shop bought gnocchi. Can't win them all I suppose.

DS room wasn't too bad, I didn't venture into sorting out drawers and under the bed so just pulled all the furniture out and gave it all a good dust. The proper blitz can wait until after xmas when we'll be re-organising and decorating his room.

I had a present wrapping session last night and stashed them away, I'll get DH present wrapped tonight whilst he's away. Just a few more to buy, I know what I need so I now have to get my butt in gear, make a list and get it all done by Friday. I might be naughty now and order a few online, saves me a job at home tonight.

My hair straighteners are starting to look abit worse for wear so I'm going to start saving survey earnings towards a new pair, I couldn't live without them so surveys are going to be done with a vengenance now. They've been neglected lately due to work commitments but over the next few weeks I should be able to have a good go at them.

We have our xmas night out this week, the boss will be paying for it all so I should only need to pay for a taxi home.

Better go and order my bits and do some work.

Catch up soon xxx

choogirl

Good Morning

Its abit warmer here today but I'm still wrapped up as though I'm about to venture to the artic as the office is so cold, I have my hot water bottle, numerous layers and the heater on today, no boss in today so its nice and quiet.

I finished all my clients work off last night so I should only need to do dribs and drabs for them before Christmas so I can relax now and enjoy the run up to christmas.
I break up from work on Wednesday 21st December and after that date I do not intend to do anymore work until I return on Wednesday 4th January. I am so looking forward to some time off and spending quality time with the kids and DH.

I'm abit late with my December targets but here goes:

1) Get my accounts upto date (all very well dishing out advice but rarely take heed myself)
2) Finish buying all christmas presents by Friday 9th December
3) Wrap all christmas presents by Saturday 10th December
4) Write and post all christmas cards by Monday 12th December
5) Do 2012 budget
6) Reach cashout on at least 2 survey sites
7) Give the lounge, cloakroom and kitchen a deep clean before Christmas
8) Clean out the oven

I think that should just about do xxx

stripes

Love your diary and have subscribed:j

debtfreewannabe321

ooh what a lovely long break you have over christmas

Good luck with getting all your jobs done, my list is pretty similar to yours lol so hoping i get mine done too