Stop the ride, i want to get off AGAIN!!

Ali-OK

Great snowballing with upping the DD :T

Hope the shops weren't too bad and you got everything you needed.

Isn't that typical with the voucher, though I like the chocolate bit

ragstoricheswannabe

I got everything I needed, I am now ready for Xmas! Just need to wrap the families pressies and I'm done.

Trying to piece a plan together to save money next year. So far I have got this:

• Buy a couple of large insulated coffee mugs so we can take hot drinks with us instead of buying them
• Bake goodies for the boys
• Put less in the boys lunch boxes as they won't starve and I won't have to keep throwing bits away
• Check for offers on approved food

We still have movies with our tv package, which I may cancel. The only thing is we watch a lot of movies as we don't go out. Will have a look into it more in the new year.

Going to look into getting some fleece and making my own fleece under blankets for the beds. Can reduce the heating overnight with them. It's one trick my nan had when she had no central heating and we used to have them when we were kids.

What else??????

Food is always an area that I overspend, even with a list! Need to work on a plan for this area.

Will carry on putting little extras away in the debt, house and holiday fund each month.

And I think that's all my thoughts out of my head now! Ha ha ha!

ragstoricheswannabe

turns out I have movies and sport on my tv package, thinking of getting rid of both in the new year. We love movies but they play the same ones all week so gets a bit boring come Thursday.

Hope everyone had a good Xmas?! Kids had a great day and I'm happy that they liked all their presents. They didn't get loads like some pics I have seen but as they don't get stuff throughout the year they are happy with their lot.

I got my £27 s0ap and glory set, but also got a smaller set for my secret Santa at work so I'm a happy bunny.

Me and the hubby were going to wait till the sales to get each other something, but not sure if that will happen in January as have a fair bit to pay out. Need to do the budget and see.

Pips_Mum

Not sure how much you pay but have heard good things about blinkbox and the like. We have had netflix and was surprised how much was on there for £10, not new, new stuff but all watchable.

ragstoricheswannabe

insulated coffee cups purchased!! Both reduced and mine was half price! Bargain, and will save us money every weekend with the boys doing swimming and rugby and we drank coffee as we watched.

Pips_Mum

Yeah we take cups of coffee to rugby with us, its freezing some days!

pennywisepoundstupid

Hi rags, going to pinch your idea and get some insulated mugs, will have a mooch on amazon I think. brilliant idea I don't know why I didn't think of it, I've been stood on the side of football pitches freezing for weeks.

ragstoricheswannabe

We are just as bad penny, we have been buying coffee to keep us warm for weeks!!!! At rugby it's £1 a cup, but 2 cups every weekend is £8-£10 a month and that's not including the coffees on a Saturday, which is about £5 for our 2 cups!! Shocking really.

Have bought a diary (cheap) for next year. Meal plan done and in it for each day (stops the hubby getting confused!!) and have put in jobs to be done and when all the insurances are due. This will help us to be more organised.

Will be doing the budget for jan later when the kids are in bed.

Ali-OK

Brilliant Rags, insulated cups are going to be a big saving. I also give one to DS for his school trips during the cold months - he took hot choc to the Science Museum last month and was the envy of his mates on a cold, wet and windy day . Perfect fit for a net pocket on the outside of his rucksack.

Think I got ours half price in Wilkos, but that was a few years back. I used to do one for the school run when it was a drive 10 miles each way and park up 1 hr before school finished or wouldn't get in the same road as the school :rotfl: So glad I don't have to do that anymore!

Well done on all the organising with the diary and meal plan, you'll be off to a flying start for 2014.

ragstoricheswannabe

I never even thought of getting the boys one!!!! Genius!!!

Not much going on, praying the hubby gets paid on thurs (normal payday on wed but its a bank hol) and we will have managed to stay in the overdraft.

Budget done and not looking too bad, have instructed the hubby to watch the spending as we went well over budget in the misc area and that didnt include the money he took out the cash point. I showed him the totals spent last month and he was a little shocked at how it adds up.
We also overspent on food by £250 or so, and i thought i hadnt done that bad this month :mad: Must try harder.

Going to cancel the movies and sports, kids will be disappointed but never mind. Hoping it doesnt mean they lose a certain tv channel that might be linked to the movies. Going to check with my parents as they dont have movies and see if they get the channel. That could be my deal breaker if they lose it.

For the first time in a long while, I am really looking forward to the new year.