Morgage Free when you are addicted to shopping.

littlegreenpeas

Last night was good and not too expensive Mr LGP's drove and I had a few drinks but nothing excessive at just under £30. The most important thing is that the birthday boy was happy.

I love the idea of looking round the house for presents. I haven't thought of that before. . I am going to trawl the house later and write a list, I already have three full present boxes but they properly need to be organised. Thanks very much Helendavekids, EchoDelta and Maddiemay.

In my hoard cupboard is a lot of different things. Christmas crackers which hubby buys every year on boxing day for under 10p (at least 50 crackers left), 25 rolls wrapping paper, over a 100 cards for all occasion, All were bought in January Sales or when shops were closing down.

toiletries, ooh just realised I can give them as presents to my MIL and SIL. yippee. I did sell some wrapping paper film to a friend at work last week for £15 which was sitting next to the wardrobe.

Nothing much going on today apart from putting up the tree and Sunday cleaning. Dinner is Lamb hotpot. I bought a shoulder of lamb and got the butcher to bone and roll it and then cut it into 4 pieces. It was so much cheaper than buying a leg and as its casseroled you really don't know the difference. This tip was from Jamie Oliver not one of my own.


I am hoping for a NSD day today. The more time I spend on here the less time is on febay spending.

Will report back on my present finding.

Thanks Everyone
LGP

littlegreenpeas

Echodelta. Sorry forgot to ask what's a grabbit thread ?

EchoDelta

Like this one - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4107121


Love the bargain crackers - definitely pinching that idea!

littlegreenpeas

Hi all

I have totally got into the clear your cupboards out. Christmas presents are all wrapped for this year and I have started to wrap for birthdays next year.:D Echodelta I love the grabbits but I need to clear my stuff first or my house will burst.:)

I am going to keep going until I can get sorted for next christmas, as there is still 2 boxes of presents left. The family is quite small. Christmas is also made up of quite a few children of friends who only get small presents. I like the interesting stuff where they can do something or play board games. Now I sound old....

The week started well and I had enough chicken legs for lunch on Monday and Tuesday and some nuts, put it in a cool bag in order that they were ready for Tuesday but forgot to put it in the fridge at work and they were left under my desk all night. :mad: So now have had to get a passable jacket potato from the canteen. £2.05.

I am now buying stuff for other people for their christmas presents and it saves my bank balance. I am offering it as a service for friends through out the year. Maybe I could give up my day job and do this full time. :idea:

One bra brought for a friend on a lingerie website , this morning. Bought through tcb and then I found a discount code that didn't work, so went on live chat with the company and they gave me another. So 22.1% off if it tracks through. Yipee :cool:.

Steak and Jacket for dinner, hubby is going for a works dinner so I can keep wrapping. After the wrapping is done I will be on a ebay mission.

I may make some vouchers to hubby for christmas. showing one of the following, that he can redeem through 2014. These are a free idea and can be as personal as you want

I will wash your car
Take out the bin without moaning
Put my car in the garage
Let you watch you telly programs
Massage your feet after golf.
Cook your favourite tea

Romance is never dead in this house:p even after 10 years of marriage.

Happy days
LGP

Pearla*Merle

You're doing great with your Shopping From Home, LGP! I've done the same this year as I had a bit of a hoard going on as well, it's so nice to see the bottom of the boxes again (and money still in my account :rotfl:)

And your collection of gift wrap/card sounds immense! It's so hard not to buy even more when things are going for a song... I've got enough cards to last several years too, I think come January I'll have to be insanely strong and remind myself that these sales WILL come round again and this time I should save my pennies.

Great idea to offer your super shopping skills to others, by the way! (Oh, and I always buy kids interesting presents as well.. they're definitely the way to go methinks)

littlegreenpeas

Dear All

Today has been a good day, I have sold some rolls of wrapping film to a lady at work for £15.00. My mum is going to take a few rolls as well, although these will be free. Found a Christmas pudding in the back of the cupboard that is still in date, so can take that to Mum and Dad on Christmas Day.

Todays dinner was the left over steak from yesterdays dinner and at lunch I bought a newspaper as it had a voucher for a cheap supermarket in it. 40p for £5 off £40. . I will buy tinned food with this so it doesn't go off. You can never have too many tins of beans and tomatoes....


Went into the local town shopping for Christmas presents with a friends, the local M&S had a 50% off gift as per Martins email so we did all her shopping. I bought some bridget jones knickers that weren't in the sale.;( £22.00

I am still wrapping presents, some cheap kiddies ones from ebay from 99p that look much better once they have been wrapped. .

Because I am now paying for food buy cash I have noticed the bank balance is looking sicker than I though. Hopefully the credit card will be a lot lower this month, I haven't been brave and checked it yet. Its probably just a shift in time as I have actually spent less money this month. When having a food budget do you withdraw the money and put it in another account ?

Tonight's dinner has been tuna sandwich and some homemade soup, I cannot live the highlife of steak all the time.:)


I was having debate with my mum, she says the longer you buy stuff on offer and not pay full price the more you resent it when you have to.


She has always been a saver and buys from charity shops as they have never had lots of money. I didn't agree with her until i thought about it today as she is right, I now hate buying full price where 3 years I wouldn't have bothered . Do you all agree ?


LGP X

EchoDelta

Haha totally agree about the bargains!

When I was doing my A levels I worked in a high street chemist which had a fantastic staff discount and to this day it still pains me slightly to pay full price in there!

littlegreenpeas

Hello


Yesterday was my company Christmas party and it was a lovely free bar and food. Used a old dress and shoes stayed in a cheap chain hotel that was £29 (normally £61 if not done in advance) and booked through the tcb for extra money off but the killer came with £8.75 for the breakfast, I felt delicate so had poached eggs and fruit salad. Should have used a local cafe instead.


Lunch was Chinese with friends from work another £11. It was really nice though.


On the way home stopped in the low cost supermarket to spend the voucher, another £35 pounds later.


On a positive note credit card isn't looking to bad. Fingers crossed it stays that low until the end of the month. I have a cash back card so will get money off Januarys bill.


Tomorrow I need to pull my finger out and not spend any money.


LGP x

Crumpets

Hi LGP, sounds like your doing brilliantly with your Christmas shopping, I wish I had a stash like yours, although I don't think I'll need to buy Christmas wrapping paper for a few years to come:D

Sounds like you took advantage of the free bar at your works do, but I'd have been like this :eek: at paying £8.75 for poached egg on toast!

Oh and I absolutely hate paying full price for anything now, where as a few years ago I would ave been embarrassed to use a coupon or voucher:cool: crazy!

Crumpets x

littlegreenpeas

Ho Ho Ho Crumpets,


I have lots (15 I think children, at last count) to buy for so I need to keep a stash. As you know none are mine. They range from 1 month old to 13 a fairly even mix of girls and boys.


Breakfast was a rip off, Lenny Henry only talks about the beds for obvious reasons lol. If I wasn't with my new boss I would have passed.


LGP x