Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

mum2one

Dont know if it is any good but with the New Argos catalogue out today they have added extra items to clearance, - if you go on the main page you can into your local store by clicking "clearance" (yellow box, bloack writing), then you type in the store you want to look at.

Ours has added another 400 items and reduced some more (but trying to be good) xx

susan42

Hi everyone, very quiet you must all be busy :-)

I managed to make some cards in between all my "frugal research":rotfl:

Cards

Its interesting when you are researching one thing something else comes up so I`m having a mum2one moment and decluttering.
My trusty stash of magazines has to go, have to make some room, so I`m currently in the process of photocopying the best bits to make a scrapbook

I then have a light bulb moment and make a food scrapbook for all my meal plans and tips, I even made a weekly meal planner

weekly meal planner

I wonder what I`ll come up with next, do you all do the same or is it only me? And if you do does these things last?

mum2one

Not a bad day cleared out
2 x cameras
coffee maker
photo frame
£23
got someone coming tomorrow to collect another camera £5 for the pot.

So,s main bits at table top, £4 and we get 2 tables so not to bad, and its indoors, quiet today there was only 4 of us there, but a few quid made after covering the table xx

rufusdog52

Wish we had things like that up our way Mum2one. Only got the outdoor bootfairs and they are in the summer months.

I have to go up town this morning and pick up a parcel. Might get a bit of fruit and veg off the stall now I got my trolley. Other than that nothing else to do today

mrs-moneypenny

morning all
hope everyone is well
glad miss hoodie had a good time at young voices -it is a long day isnt it.

nipped down Ts at the weekend and picked up 3 nip and fab gift sets for £1.75 each so really pleased with those.

susan re meal planning i sort of have a basic weekly (creature of habit) plan going on
monday is scouts night so youngest eats early and we have hm soup while hes out then we can watch i dvd before picking him back up.
tuesday is martial arts club and govs meetings so we tend to snack late, something like a sausage or burger sarni (of the veggie type)
i trying to let what in the veg/salad drawer dictate what we have the next 3 nights. something like soup lasagne, casserole etc
a couple of night last week i did celeriac/swede and pot smash so what was left over was made into bubble and squeak the next lunch time.

im trying to spend as little as poss during jan and feb as the freezer and cupboards are still full. normal we just go morrys sat morning and throw all the usual stuff in the trolley and come back to find we already had most of it in and the things weve run out of weve forgotten! last weekend we didnt even need to go morrys i just picked up bread milk and OJ from the co op near where we get the fruit and veg.
T's was only visited on way back from DD1 as i needed a blender that was on offer and got the nip &fab stuff while there. did nip in Aldi so parking was free while DH nipped the DVD recorder into a repair shop. you need to buy something and put reg in machine in that branch of aldi. only got some face cream i needed.
i think meal plans are a very good idea as are shopping lists but dont think you have to cast them in stone if something is cheaper of needs using up adapt and improvise.

love the sound of your choccy card.

have a great day all

bunbun2

susan I had a look at your blog, your cards are lovely. The meal planner looks good. we really must get back into meal planning.

mum2one glad misshoodie had a great time at young voices. did you manage to open an account for her? well done on the sales, is that on FB? we don't seem to have a good FB selling page locally.

I am feeling a bit at the moment. OH has gone on supply teaching which is great for his mental health not so good for our finances. I realised yesterday that we are not doing as well as i thought financially so I have had to ask my parents for help. I know they helped my brother with his mortgage or I probably wouldn't have asked. this is the first time in 22 years of marriage. I now feel like c**p

mrs-moneypenny

bunbun, i hope things get back on an even keel for you soon and money isnt such a problem. im sure your parents will be ok helping after all they helped your brother. i know what you mena about feeling bad but its a temp measure and youve worked darned hard before asking. and its better to ask for help BEFORE things get too bad.

mum2one

another camera sold today for £5, and the lady asked was I sure that was enough... - It worked out 2 cameras were sold at table top sale, other 2 and photo frame on facebook sellers. Just a pain waiting for people, the lady who was due Sat came Sunday afternoon, and Sundays lady came 2ngt, but they've gone so can't complain.

bank account 1 - santander - thats open and putting in her 1st batch of pocket money tomorrow, she has £10 a month off me, so I said put £5 in her bank then £5 in cash

Just waiting for Natwest to get there rear in action - as thats going to be a change account, - any incomings taking the pence off, and any outgoings rounding up to £1, been through bank account since 1st month - shes made £5.22

We dont exactly meal plan but its roast on sunday, then pork chops or chicken on a Wednesday, breakfast cereal or toast, dinner sandwich, toastie, beans on toast (snackie type) as Miss Hoodie has school dinners, them cooked tea, usually freezer based. Fridays - usually Fish and Chips for Dad, and Gammon for me and Miss Hoodie.

Then Sat - bit of a free for all - thou every couple of weeks Miss Hoodie and Grandad Hoodie have Shepherds pie bewtween them.

Still got all the veg in freezer that we got Xmas Eve from Asda (10p and 20p bags) - just got to get some onion and mushrooms, then do a couple batches of meals, - freezer full, but nothing really to show in there.

Tomorrow
take Hoodie Nightdress back to Asda - £5
take set back to Boots - no aftershave in it - £4.60

Thats being recycled into £5 - pocket money for Miss Hoodie, and £5.50 for cinema card (I get a carer in for free with me - so 1 film paid back for the card). £1 to spend.

Bunbun - hope your feeling better, your doing the right thing asking for help now, its only a temp blip.

We've got Miss hoodie back on sickness mode - weird if she has breakfast it comes straight back up, no breakfast she's not sick. She eats well rest of the time, just can't put my finger on it, shes at GP on Thursday, before Xmas they suggested about getting 2 moles removed off her neck, and they'd review it in Jan, - havent told her yet shes going back, so may have a work with the GP then xx

Anglea

Hi everyone,

Well done Rufus on your NSD's and using a treat at home as the reward.

Susan good idea for a meal planner. Like mum2one, I've got some veg in the freezer since before Christmas that I got cheap, I defrosted a small unlabelled plastic box of something (I got some large bags of veg and divided them into boxes when I bought them) and it turned out to be red cabbage so was a bit surprised when I added them to peas, carrots etc I was cooking. I had no recollection of buying cabbage at all lol

Mum2one you are doing really well with all your selling and setting up accounts. I wondered how the local FB selling works, so people come to your home or meet you somewhere? Was it an unusual photo frame?

Miss H's breakfast sickness. I wonder if that is similar to me in that I don't eat anything until after 11 am. I had a lot of problems with stomach and vomiting and the doctor said it was because I have sinus blockages affecting the stomach acids. As I can't tolerate nose sprays I occasionally do inhalations as get dizzy after them.

I've been puttting £2 loose cash into a tin every day that I don't go out to socialise. So far 9 days avoiding the pub and all the dramas.

The negative side of staying in all the time is that I'm always online and sat down instead of doing my long walks. Of course I could be decluttering, cleaning etc.

I was very motivated with all this when I thought the lodger was moving in, now I've gone into slow motion again. I need to get on with it as my financial situation is going to drastically change in July so need to do something much before then. I think because I do have some back up money I'm not as motivated as other people would be. I've found since ex left that I've totally become unconcerned about most things and feel that I'm always at a cross roads but have no idea where to go.

Bunbun - hope your family can help you out.

Katiehound

Just written a longish post. Answered the phone...tried to post and it wiped out what I had typed!!

Don't know if this will be of interest but yesterday in Sainsburys they had very nice and cheap towels- limited colours and limited availability. My brain didn't kick in until much later- a couple of the bath sheets would have made very acceptable presents. Grrrr

Hand towels: £1.35, bath £2.25, bath sheet £3.45. Colours include aqua, teal, grape, white
Worth having a look if you have a local store. You can order with free delivery with Click & Collect if you spend £15 or over
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop/home_and_garden/bathroom/bathroom_sale/list.html?sort=default&SRC=LPJAN14SALE&POD=JAN14SALEPOD14&pageNumber=1

they also had mugs (4) Kew gardens design- were £20 for £6 in store. £10 on line