Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

rufusdog52

Anglea, yes he will miss the surroundings I suppose, but think its the actual house itself and the garden that he wil miss most.

mum2one

SugarSpun wrote: »

DH is home! Thanks for your good thoughts. Long road ahead but things are heading in the right direction

That is absolutely brilliant news, u all take care xxxx

mrs-moneypenny

sugarspun, brilliant news, i hope the road to recovery is a smooth one.

angela, card sounds just right for an anniversary

rufus, hugs for you re your Dad, its so hard to know what to do isnt it he loves his home and still wants his independence. If lonelyness is the main problem is there a local group you could contact? we have a bus in the area that picks up elderly people and takes them shopping, or the local age concern does meals and bowling afternoons also odeon do senior screens on wednesdays round here and put a cheap showing of a film on just for seniors they also get tea and biscuits.
sorry cant think of more at the mo.

nipped Ts last night and got some 10p wrapping paper.

rufusdog52

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

sugarspun, brilliant news, i hope the road to recovery is a smooth one.

angela, card sounds just right for an anniversary

rufus, hugs for you re your Dad, its so hard to know what to do isnt it he loves his home and still wants his independence. If lonelyness is the main problem is there a local group you could contact? we have a bus in the area that picks up elderly people and takes them shopping, or the local age concern does meals and bowling afternoons also odeon do senior screens on wednesdays round here and put a cheap showing of a film on just for seniors they also get tea and biscuits.
sorry cant think of more at the mo.

nipped Ts last night and got some 10p wrapping paper.

Thanks Mrs Moneypenny, Dad wont join one, we have asked him plenty of times, he used to belong to something similar when my mum was alive and they used to go out on trips etc but he wont go on his own. It is also more at night he is feeling the worse. He has to go to the hospital today as he has water on his lungs now and they might be keeping him in for a day or two.

mum2one

A good day just had £43 paid out in survey money so a little bit (1.8%) off the holiday...

A quiet weekend here, may do some cooking with Miss Hoodie, see what she wants to do, Ghost hunting next weekend, can't wait, it was the one postponed from last year.

Got off my rear and started putting some energy into crafting - since Jan I've done

1st - hasn't come out as good as pattern looked

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/KAREN-TOSH/005.jpg.html?filters[user]=83921821&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=1

2nd - crocheted blanket

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/Sanats%20challenge/004.jpg.html?filters[user]=83921821&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=11

3rd = my fav - ladies shawl (only cost me £2 in wool)

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/Sanats%20challenge/006.jpg.html?filters[user]=83921821&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=14
xx

rufusdog52

mum2one wrote: »

A good day just had £43 paid out in survey money so a little bit (1.8%) off the holiday...

A quiet weekend here, may do some cooking with Miss Hoodie, see what she wants to do, Ghost hunting next weekend, can't wait, it was the one postponed from last year.

Got off my rear and started putting some energy into crafting - since Jan I've done

1st - hasn't come out as good as pattern looked

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/KAREN-TOSH/005.jpg.html?filters[user]=83921821&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=1

2nd - crocheted blanket

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/Sanats%20challenge/004.jpg.html?filters[user]=83921821&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=11

3rd = my fav - ladies shawl (only cost me £2 in wool)

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/Sanats%20challenge/006.jpg.html?filters[user]=83921821&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=14
xx

I am getting error messages on those links Mum2one xx

mrs-moneypenny

rufusdog52 wrote: »

I am getting error messages on those links Mum2one xx

me too im afraid, i think a few people have had probs with photobucket today

lushlifesaver

Ahhh I have been awol from Christmas threads for ages! Not much more progress though to be fair - finally managed to get a reduced Christmas pudding; I would usually look for individual ones but they were nowhere to be found this year so we have a medium sized one for all to share for £0.48. That's joined the 6 jars of mince meat in the cupboard!

Fright of my life once home today; we don't have an oven just a combi microwave we use everyday currently, preheated it to make my tea then when I opened it to pop it in the glass turntable when bang and shattered! Shocked and frustrated as its not ideal at any point but trust it to happen on pay day! The manufacturer want £31.99 plus p&p for a new one from them so I've ordered one of eBay and 'upgraded' to first class post. Hopefully they will post it tomorrow and it will be here on Tuesday when I'm off!! At least that way it should arrive before bf gets home from the airport on Tuesday! It cost £16 including delivery which is coming from money I had left from last pay check (didn't have much left and wanted to put it in the Christmas tin) but as it was pay day today so its not quite as bad...still a massive shock and frustration though!

Planning on making some presents once I go on mat leave so going to finally get a list started of what I want to get together...I will eventually get back in the mindset!

mum2one

fingers crossed these work

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/Sanats%20challenge/004.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/Sanats%20challenge/005.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

http://s431.photobucket.com/user/mum2one2002/media/Sanats%20challenge/006.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

xx

mum2one

Its that time of the month (the one we look forward to - Santas Challenge as always use it as a pick and mix...

Birthday and Christmas Present Buying[/COLOR]
Hopefully we managed to get some bargains in the sale, and saved ourselves a pretty penny or two whether it was 1 gift or 20, it is that less to find. If your putting them up safe, remember where there are and also have them listed (ideally more than one place if you lose a list you wont have the mad rush.

Remaining Presents - Budget
As we always try not to spend the allocated amount on presents, - but when working my budget I always go for the maximum spend (incase there is no bargains) - if you work out how many people you have to buy for (birthday and xmas) and total the spend eg 20 people - budget £200. SO say Feb to Nov - 10 months - divide your budget by 10 and aim to cover this each month, whether that is by surveys, reviews or putting by, so that way if there is a bargain that comes along your have the pennies ready, and hopefully by Nov, there be a little left in the pot towards the sales.

Cards
Hopefully your Chrstmas cards have found a new hoe whether that is next Christmas tags, towards new cards or even shopping lists.

Birthday Paper
[This is the added expense, so if you see any paper on offer, sometimes at market stalls - they can be 20p a sheet, may be worth stocking up (mens, ladies, kids, - which ever you find your liable to need more of

Money Pots
I know some of collect change / sealed pots, but have you thought of rounding the money up in the bank account, - anything incoming yyou take off the loose change, anything outgoing you round up to £1 - maybe keep a running total and take out when you get £5, or if you have a saving account going spare - transfer as and when

A month for us
That does sound like luxury a month to us, exoitic beaches, cocktails, the mind goes wondering... but joking apart, set yourself a challenge for a month, whether it is checking online banking more regulary, writing cards at start of the month, through to cleansing and toning, - start this month, with one small thing, then next Santas Challenge add another task in so by now the 1st one will be 2nd nature.

Christmas Food

Hopefully we have all had the turkey sandwiches, turkey curry, turkey stew... and Christmas Cake, Chocolates - now is the time to think do I really want to do that again next Christmas -
-Write your christmas food list as thou for real, leave it a day or so, then go back and cross off those items you don't really need, the key to being successful is communication within the house

(not like ours where we all got tins of biscuits/chocs as a surprise for others in the house - 8 tins of sweets, 4 boxes of chocolates, 6 tins of biscuits) but only 1 packet of crackers for cheese...

Miss Hoodies Corner
That special part of the challenge we all love... This time it is the freezer...
I'm sure we all crammed every inch of the freezer before Christmas, and I'm sure with the umpteen times the lid was opened, bags moved, items grew legs and ended up in different sections to where you put them. Now is the time to be Us 1 - Freezer 0. Give an empty, defrost, and then when the food is out see if you can it sorted into sections, or foods how ever is easier for you and do an inventory

Added Challenge - Make a freezer meal -

Meal Planning
When you have done the freezer it will be easier to see what you have and plan some meals around it, whether it is just putting a and b together and chucking in c for the fun. anything goes.

Crafts
A lot of the time when we craft it is generally for someone else or something for a present, - so now is the time to dust down the patterns, raid the cupboard and see if there is something that you can make for yourself, whether it is a scarf, a make up bag, - just something for you, we do a lot for everyone else - so its our time, sure we all have something hidden away.

Money Making
I know we all have our favourite sites to try to stretch the pennies, and I'm sure with all the rush to Christmas that we may have slipped from the money making, - give it a surge, maybe try a new site (theres some suggestions on 1st page).


SalesI found this a while ago, but just over Christmas took advantage during the clean out - but have a look if you have a facebook or a local selling group, theres no fees to pay, - you can either deliever to the person or they collect of you, you may need to "bump" your listing, as it can get lost - but people do buy all sorts.
I've sold - clothes of Miss Hoodie, DVD player, camera, TV, freeview box, warmer than a car boot sale

As always treat it as a pick and mix, hopefully have been gentle. have to say Miss Hoodie has had itchy feet waiting to get her cleaning challenge on