Debt Destruction December!!!

CEW

Hi All,

Today was a SFD so upto 5/15 now. Not sure I will make the 15 but will see how many I can get. Tomorrow should be SFD but Sunday will not be as doing the Xmas food shop.

NSK I love the thought of a vegan eating eggs because they can see the chicks running around. You are right though the eggs are fantastic. Don't think I could buy mass produced eggs ever again. We class our 3 chicks as our 'pets with benefits. Between them and the 5 dogs we rarely have any food waste. It's also a lot of fun seeing them all - dogs and chicks - running around the garden together. The dogs are so protective of them

Regarding my £500 budget for Xmas, this is for everything apart from the food which comes out of the slightly raised grocery budget. I have 33 people to buy for - at least that was the figure when I last counted - plus a little treat for all of the animals but these will probably come out of the grocery budget and be home made treats.

I have a large family with lots of nieces and nephews. Am starting to cut the list down and have removed a few this year but left it a bit late to delete some others. We are cutting back on the cost we allow for our (grown up) kids but as 2 have moved in with partners this year it has added a couple of new ones to the list. Really pleased though as I have spent a third less than last year so it's going in the right direction. :T

Hope everyone has a great weekend and is starting to get the Christmas spirit - NOOO not that kind of spirit :rotfl::rotfl:

Chez x

Superdopsa

Evening all. Checking in with SFD number 6. Been spending the last couple of days on Christmas presents and food. Went to M0rrisons last night and did a massive shop (well for me anyway) as used my savings stamps I have been collecting. I budgeted quite well and only spent just over £5 to pay extra to the stamps.


I am hoping for a couple of SFDs over the weekend. I have plenty of food in the house, and am planning a quiet day tomorrow going to the gym, doing the laundry and getting on with some craft projects.


Hope you all have a good weekend!

TiptoesDB

Hey there all DDDers

I will catch up on the posts after this, but wanted to check in as I have been MIA for most of the week, sorry! Tuesday was my birthday and DH blew the budget and took me out to our lovely local Thai that we usually stay strong and keep away from now we are all MSE. I had planned to cook for us and stay in, but we both had a bit of a pants day and he suggested it and it was too hard to say no! It was very lovely, but I felt a bit guilty the next day (for both the money spent and calorie intake).

On Tuesday pm the internet went down but after consulting with his brother on Wednesday, DH managed to fix it without us having to pay for the engineer to come out, so that's a massive result!

Have been mega busy trying to tie off all my work until Jan the 6th when I go back. I finish on Monday 23rd, but there's just so much to do. Exhausted.

I have not managed to be sensible re food so think I am going to have to go super hard core in Jan and step up the running and swimming even more.

Kitty is still coughing and sneezing a lot. Her strong antibiotics finished today, but she still has two other meds she is on. I think we are going to have to have fourth trip to the vets if she's not better by xmas eve. Poor little thing.

We did the xmas food shop tonight and spent £70, but had £40 off that due to the vouchers we have been saving for the past 10 weeks, so all our xmas food (and all our new xmas lights and decorations to replace the lost ones) came to £30! jolly good. Need to buy a tree still though!

Right, off to catch up on all the news. Hope everyone is ok...

Oh, up to 10 SFD's now. So not too shabby. :T

NinjaSavingKat

CEW the local lady up the road delivered 4 small eggs today. I can't wait for breakfast! My friend forgot to close her chuck cage and three were killed the other day.. she only has one left now and is super sad. At one point had 24 eggs laid in one day ..phew!!

So okay I can see where that money is going to good use - but 33 people!! Wowsers.. you aren't feeding them as well are you? And the adult kiddies moved back in - oh dear and I am sure you thought you might have peace and quiet now.. ha! Getting that budget down is super though so well done...

Tiptoes you don't have a TREE YET?? Come on woman - get out there and chop the top off the neighbours fir or something... (tempting).. and get some baubles up... but seriously well done for that food shop - what a saving! Now eat it all...:T:T:T

Although I know what you mean about the food - just in general never mind a Thai restaurant... I have nearly drunk a bottle of sugar filled Shleor on my own, some horrid gob-stopper that brother brought home for me ( hint hint ) , three jam donuts, a bag of chilli crisps ( big bag ) and some vegan chocolate.... Hmmmm might be on the celery tomorrow.

Mumsy forced some bean soup down my gullet though too...:rotfl:


Right... I need to sleep... come on Hobbitses don't disappear on me now....

splodgethefirst

Good (?) Morning,

I am worse for wear this morning after my indulgent and self-inflicted evening last night (did spend under budget, though). I did find 55p during the evening which was novel. my skinny rules book has arrived so will read it and like FMess start on 27th proper.

going to paint some models today as am down for a small game of warhammer tomorrow (am very excited as not been able to play since ... August) and nurse my potential hangover

Mountaingirl

Just popping in to say that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Been ver busy here of course, but still keeping an eye on the money, and have had just 2 more SFDs (will have to catch up and post how many in total).
December has not been as good as I hoped and we go away today for christmas, so I hope to get in a few more SFDs whilst away.
I'm already looking forward to next year!

clippy_girl

morning all,

i have lost track of my figures think im on 6 sfds so not going to get to target now. just trying to not waste money on stuff instead. did my weekly shop last night at the new mr a's by my house- £7.50 inc a £1.80 jar of sweets for dad xmas :j mainly because i did a big shop last week and am away for three days. am using up all stuff i have. will do masive shop and batch cook session next weekend as will be out of nearly everything! :cool: will shop there again as noticed a big difference in the cost of some stuff looking at my receipt. will get out of the mindframe of buying particular fruits and embrace mr a's supersix instead :A

today i am off to the gym :A then popping to a local indian shop to stock up on popping corn (cheapest place i have seen) and the spices i have run out of and need to make beef vindaloo next week :drool: got the rick stein book on my kindle fire- as only £3.49 and looks exactly like book as has pics in :T

then tonight i am out for xmas dinner. 3 course £20, already paid £5. am driving so will be on lime and soda so cheap night out

oops just noticed secret santa has been arranged for tonight and i havent checked my messages! will pop into somewhere by indian shop for that

CEW

Morning All,

NSK I wasn't very clear earlier what I meant was that 2 of our (grown up) kids are now living with partners. My DD already has her own flat and her OH has moved in. Never thought I would see her settle down :j My OH's DD moved out a couple of months ago to rent a flat with her OH so we do have peace and quiet - if you ignore all of the animals :rotfl: OH's DS lives with his mother but does visit. Not as often as when he was still at school or out of work. He's now at college and on an apprenticeship and lives about 180 miles away. Good news is he drives and has his own car now so saving a fortune on fuel :j Used to have to pick him up almost every weekend:eek: Loved having him stay but it was just the cost involved.

Today still looks like a SFD so should be 7/15. I only need to pop out to the bank to bank a cheque and then it's Christmas all the way. Assembling hampers and wrapping presents. One of my favourite parts of Christmas which probably accounts for the high cost.

I've finished work now until 2nd Jan so can really start to enjoy the time off :j:j

Hope everyone has a great weekend and achieves what they aim for.

Chez x

Habibiboo

CEW wrote: »

. We class our 3 chicks as our 'pets with benefits. Between them and the 5 dogs we rarely have any food waste. It's also a lot of fun seeing them all - dogs and chicks - running around the garden together. The dogs are so protective of them

:wave:
Chez, that's exactly(eggs-actly?) how we feel about our girls,they're hilarious with the dogs and as you say, the dogs are so protective... one of our hens gives an alarm call when they need a bit of back up (there's a family of magpies who come down to harass the hens almost daily) and the dogs come running - the dogs know the word "magpie" as much as they know "walk" and "cheese" now! Have had to separate the hens into their own patch of garden tho as hubby was getting grumpy about the damage to his more precious areas and one of our dogs was getting obsessive about snacking on chicken-doo! :eek:

Update so far, just one more NSD to add to signature as Xmas spending is now in full flow! Food budget has been met although not quite exceeded (altho OH is insisting on popping to L*dl later but me thinks that'll be from his wallet)!

Have also got ahead with organising my spending and envelopes for a very frugal January!

Hope everyone's good and feeling festive... can't wait to finish work Mon and start feeling it properly! Hugs to those who need them X

apple_muncher

What a lovely start to the hols: dd only woke up at 8ish! She's super tired and not 100% but we only have a little party this morning, followed by Barbie dvds (again!)

We need to pop to the chemist as they rang to say more gf bread had turned up - don't want to turn that away! It may even turn into a NSD... Steady now!

Good luck to all those brave enough to go shopping today! Am saving my top up shop for Monday - will try to go very early!