~*~ The finishing straight for OrangeFairy :-) ~*~

OrangeFairy

Morning

I have this morning up dated my xmas present list. There are 57 people on there but 9 are teachers and club leaders which we will make shortbread or cupcakes for. So without these gives me 48 people to buy for.

I have completed 12 people so far

Xmas progress = 12/48 ...... Getting there!

mummytogirls

Morning OF,

Jees you do have a lot to buy for dont you! Is there anyone you could cut down on?! Hope chat with DH goes well xx

OrangeFairy

Hi MTG

The only people I could cut down on is hubby's bosses 3 children. We only spend £5 on each so it would only save £15 so won't make much of a dent :-/

I just need to make sure I stick to my budget and not buy extra bits and bobs on top of main presents.

I also have the birthdays for....

My 3 cousins
My niece is 3
My sisters 18th
My brothers 22nd
My Sister in laws 26th
My BFFs daughter is 10

All before Christmas!!!! I have my nieces and brothers presents. One of the cousins is 19 and ill just spend a fiver on some flowers. SIL and the other 2 cousins will want money which keeps me within budget. I just need to pick something for BFFs daughter and then the biggy is my sisters 18th. This will be about a £50 gift so £25 over my normal spend. Her friends sister is doing an amazing for her 18th and now I feel I need to do something grand or ill look like a rubbish sister :-/

Ali-OK

Subscribes if I may. Enjoying reading your journey and how much you manage to do activity wise in a MSE way is very inspirational.

Christmas is a bit of a headache here too - 52 to buy for. Maybe lucky in no OH to help or hinder buying presents here, but end up debating with myself in shops. Sure I get some funny looks

I had the tax credit saga 18 months ago too and owed almost £1k so did it £100 per month. I tracked my payments through my spreadsheet to them and cancelled the DD when I'd paid it all back - they don't seem to write and say thanks or anything! Horrible organisation!

OrangeFairy

Hi Ali- lovely to have another subscriber

We shopping in Mr T. Spent £57 but it was a savvy shop which used £11 off our spend, good offers and Mr T vouchers. So we got quite a lot.

Then on to the butchers where we spent £20 and £3.00 at the local farm for a swede, carrots, onions and potatoes. Tomorrow I will meal plan and see how far through the month it gets us.

About to watch a film with our girlies. Not sure what we will do tomorrow! I have doors to paint if the weather is bad!

OrangeFairy

Right I will now bring up the topic of my debt free date.

I have avoided really thinking about it as I know my original plan isn't now that realistic with having a few slack months over the summer and the added tax credit debt.

My 30th birthday is in may and I really longed to be debt free by then. However we will be starting January with about £5k on ccs to clear and it just won't be done in time. Added to the fact hubby's birthday is Jan, DSS and DD1 in feb and then the cost of my 30th.

So my aim is to be debt free before the start of the summer holidays in July. We go away at the end of August which means we can go away comfortably and in Sept will be a new start. Being debt free and saving for a house for us and DD1 starting secondary school.

I can't blooming wait!

OF x

OrangeFairy

Morning Diaryland

On my way to work on a miserable morning. I feel knackered!

Our Group@n delivery of 45 toilet tolls arrived yesterday so that has saved us a bit of money and will last a while. On Monday I ordered 48 kitchen rolls too!

Get there with the presents. A few more bought this week. Finally decided on presents for the kids which has cheered me up. DD1 is getting a mobile phone. She starts secondary school next year so I wanted her to have one ready and she is going out more and more with friends and I'd like to be able to ring her. DD2 is going to have a television for her room. MIL bought them one as a joint present a few years back but it has always gone in DD1s room as they don't share. So DD2 kinda missed out really. Ill get them that and then some clothes.

I need to sit down and work out what money I have free as I have neglected to update my spend sheet.

I also bought presents for my auntie to give DD2 so that is £10 to come back.

Will spend a bit of time with my spends sheet and my bank account this evening.

Also will make it a priority to meal plan tonight to try and save a bit on food this month. We have already spent about £120 out of a £200 budget so hoping the meals will stretch out.

OF x

OrangeFairy

Morning Diary

Well all good plans went out of the window and I didn't update spends or do a meal plan! I really need to look at spends tonight to know what money I have left!

MSE things though were.....

Arranged a lift back from a girl guide event for DD1 to save hubby a 20 mile round trip

Got to mums to collect DDs and she had some spare dinner so plated me up chicken pie, veg and roast potatoes. That was me fed!

Topc@shback voucher for Am@zon came through for £13.50 so tomorrow when I am Xmas shopping if any of my cousins want something I can get cheaper on Amazon Ill order it on my smart phone while we are shopping :-)

I'm looking forward to a day with my Mum,Aunts and Nan

OF x

MrsSmith2013

Hi OF,

Just thought I'd pop in and say hi, I've been MIA for a few weeks but hoping to get back into this and stick to it!!

Sounds like you are organised or have a plan for Christmas. I need to get mine sorted as I want to be finished by 1st Dec.... maybe a bit of a stretch but am going to try!!

Talk Soon!
Mrs S x

MrsSmith2013

Hi OF, just catching up with diaries again and thought I would pop in and say hello. Hope everything is okay with you.

Mrs S x