Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

mum2one

mum2one wrote: »

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

Where I am with these challenges...

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.

Birthdays all done, - there safe in shed - Xmas prezzies waiting to go in loft

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.

Excluding family £110 budget left for everyone, £100, mum and dad bday, £100 xmas mum and dad, £150 Miss Hoodie bday £200 xmas - £660 (£66 a month - to be honest bank balance wont allow that - again be creative...)

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

All christmas cards now cut down into tags

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
Got couple of kids rolls from Home Bargains, do have some spare from last yr - stock up at the markets

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

Opened a new bank account with my main account - since 1st Jan - transfered £8 - be going to Miss Hoodie for holiday spends

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.

My Jan task has been to keep a spending diary - so I know when every penny coming in, and out - feel inclined to spend less so hoping by end of month be a 5 min job a week, Next task will be make sure cleanse and tone (used no 7 vouchers pd £2 for bottle toner

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

Christmas list in planning - going to sit down as a family and do that

(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...

also going to speak to each other and set limit - 3 boxes biscuits, 3 boxes chocolates - just us, and we do each other a little stocking with tubes sweets in

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

Daddy darling... you have a job. Stuff is all over the place good to be sorted
Added Challenge - Make a freezer meal -
we do have 23 packs of reduced veg from Asda on Xmas Eve - plan-
Sausage and tomato casserole
Beef and veg casserole
Chicken and Veg soup

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.

I I'm doing some knitting as presents, but had a cross stitch ad a dolphin cushion cover )hook latch kit (they were kids ones!!), for Xmas - there going to be my guilty pleasure

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).

Cashback - I have a habit of forgetting to go through for smaller things and also going to pay more effort into free items (i forsee 20 sim cards coming)

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

wood we have done ok, it is a bit of pain when your waiting in and then they send a message can i come tomorrow - but touch wood got rid of a few extras we didn't need. next item is Miss Hoodies bike she grew out of.

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

xx

I def recommend the facebook sellers/local group - just a good photo and quick description, as always people barter, but sold
DVD /video player £15
5 x jumpers Miss Hoodie £15
Camera £5

xx

mum2one

I just had to share this

Yesterday Miss hoodie comes home from school - she had won a bar of chocolate - really proud - what did you do..

We had to write a letter of complaint - and the teacher said mine was the best, so i told him (and the class) that my mum complains all the time but its good as we get money back, gift vouchers and free gifts sent us.... Dreading seeing the teacher again!!

Thou I have had to complain... we've been trying to sort bank account for Miss Hoodie in her own name, - Santander were brilliant, - shes up and running, I also got her to open an account where I bank so that she can keep the Santander for her pocket money etc and the 2nd account I will round up change and transfer it across with the plan that either at Xmas or holiday (next yr - planing in progress0, - she'll have some money.

I wouldn't send passports in post - we took them into branch along with my ID, - the account manager - didn't take copies of all documents so they can't open the account - rang to sort it, apparently all he had to do was tick a box saying i am existing account holder (had to provide my ID as shes u17) even thou the account solely in her name - I said you have a child that wants to save and we'd made a special journey to sort the account... wham - as a an apology - we'll push the account through instead of 7 day opening be 48hrs.. and we'll put £10 in as an apology.. One happy Miss Hoodie. xx

rufusdog52

mum2one wrote: »

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

Lovely work Mum2one, well done. I wish I could do my knitting again but my arms are too painful to knit nowadays xx

Anglea

Hi Ladies,

Mum2one, thank you as always for the great challenges. We have some extra ones this month I notice but good eg adding one new habit each month this year, that's a brilliant idea.

Well done on Miss Hoodie following your example with complaining lol, and that she got an extra £10 after your complaint with the bank.

Thanks too for the links to your craft makes, they are lovely. Like Rufus, I no longer knit and crochet but I really like to see what everyone else makes.

I had to laugh at all the extra choccies and biscuits you bought yourselves at Christmas.

Lushlifesaver, lucky you didn't get hurt with that glass plate shattering.

As I got a lot done yesterday morning, I decided it was time to start going out again because one of the big negatives to staying home is I don't get my long walks and have noticed how much my feet, ankles and knees have started hurting, think I spend too much time online now. This time around I'm going to try and get more balance eg not do anything else on the same day - so no bank card with the idea of going food shopping then spending it on meals out, drinks for others or spending it on shopping and lugging heavy bags around all night. Nor cramming in a visit to parents between socialising and shopping.

So this is going to be that part of the Santa Challenge where we introduce a new habit. In my case trying to make life easier on a daily basis.

As they are habits hard to break I nipped out after meeting friends to buy some toothbrushes and a bracelet. It was only 50p in the charity shop and looks very expensive so pleased with that. I have a thing about bracelets recently but never seen one that cheap, they've reduced their jewellery in there.

I felt guilty all the time I was out as though I shouldn't have gone, also feel like that today as I'm probably going out this afternoon.

Like mum2one, I'm trying to write a list of my expenses.

mum2one

Sods law just wrote a post and deleted....

Flying hi to see how everyone is, and hope the weather not to bad, think we all the freak storm at the weekend, touch wood no snow here yet...

Its not to Snow till after Sunday ngt... off on a Ghost hunt on Sat ngt, - meant to have gone last yr but got postponed when it snowed, - at least were in a pub, but its an alcohol free evening, so the only spirits i'll get be the real ones....

xx

rufusdog52

Hope it isn't postponed this year Mum2one, bet you will have a great time.


I've not got much else to tell, I'm not really doing much at the moment what with one thing and another going on.

mrs-moneypenny

morning all
well done misshoodie on the win, and glad you got a good result and her banking sorted out. love the knitting you did.

thanks for the challenges ill come back to those soon as im a bit busy today and got to nip out in a bit.

we did a annual review of the expenses at new year, all outgoings dds etc noted. outgoings compared with incomings and see whats left. have worked out what we can afford to taek out each week for food etc and i just use the card to get that money out. if i wrote any cheques im writing down what for and the amount so i know what extra money is coming out also if i but anything off amazon i make a note as that ran away slightly before christmas and was a silly amount, but will be cleared by february.

February's not too bad a couple of card only birthdays, then Dads birthday plus valentines.

bunbun2

mum2one thanks for the info anout cineworld. I don't think we have a cineworld near us:( we are going to santander at the week end to open accounts for the boys. I hope we don't have a wasted journey as we will have to get ds1 up early to get there for 2.30. it is shocking the time he sleeps in till but I don't think he goes to sleep very early eother. ds2 has a friend over for a sleepover on Friday so I don't think he will get much sleep either. well done to miss hoodie. thanks for the challenge

sugarspun I hope DH is making a good recovery.

anglea how are you doing with not going out?

rufus hope your dad is OK

mrs moneypenny I too have started looking at our expenses. It needs to be done now DH's income has gone down so much. The hardest part is getting the message through to him:(

I have had some good news today. 6 months ago I had a blood test to check my blood sugar levels. I rang to get the results and was told all was fine but to repeat the test in 3 months. 3 months later I went back to see the GP to be told my blood sugar level was 46 (48 is a diagnose of diabetes). so for 3 months I had been eating normally with no idea I should be watching what I was eating. 2 1/2 months after that I had a retest and got the results today. My level has gone down to 40 and my cholesterol has gone down. I just have to keep it up!

mum2one

Bunbun - when I opened Miss Hoodies account we were only in there for about 10 minutes - I took her passport as ID, I did take some ID for myself but they don't need it as the account is purely Miss Hoodies (but the cashier told me to take it when booking the appointment).

From the app it took about 10 days to get her debit card and pin, they were slow with online info (30 mins on hold last ngt - before got it sorted) apparently slipped throu the clutches of Royal Mail...

--
If there a pain with the account, try Natwest - I did a 2nd one for Miss Hoodie - that took 2 weeks from start to finish - but was held up as the bloke in branch forget to authorise my ID - but they did credit her account with £10...

xx

Anglea

Hi everyone

After my 2 weeks self imposed ban from socialising I went out Friday and Saturday and it was non stop drama and on Saturday I went to meet the texter and he got banned - however that was the least of it, after he left all sorts happened to me that night. So I've stayed away from any socialising since then.

Sunday I returned from MIL's house with 4 bin bags of stuff for my house - was this a good idea?? - not sure as they are still cluttering up the hallway.

Well done Bun Bun on your results. I'm thinking maybe I need to get checked as some years ago I had a cholesterol one and it was high but changing my diet got it right down. Since then I've put on weight and just lately can't stop eating stupidly.

Swings and Roundabouts - I stopped socialising as I was eating, drinking, timewasting, encountering too many dramas and spending a lot.

Now I feel worse as my legs are stiff, I started worrying a lot more than for years and feel really tired all the time and am eating worse than ever at home. During my daily pub days I'd be buying salads to have at home even though I ate some naughty things n the pub.

Can't win

Today after years of putting it off I got ex's name off the phone bill. The reason I put it off was that I couldn't decide on the best phone company to go with. Too much conflicting advice. I needed to call about another matter but as his name was the primary on the bill couldn't do it, so decided it was time to make a change so stopped our old account and ended up with a new deal in my name.

I know I could get it much cheaper elsewhere but I can't deal with the hassle, it was enough palaver today and ex said he could have called them to cancel t but I would have had to decide what to do myself and I've been attempting that for years and not done anything. I have until 7th Feb to change my mind. They are supposed to be sending me an email with all the info tomorrow and I can compare that to my phone bill. The ladies on the phone were all very nice - I got 3 seperate calls to sort it out - but as they were foreign I couldn't quite understand everything and it was all happening too fast for me to take it all in.

Friday I'll attempt to get through to the electric company and try get his name off the account. The waiting time is usually about 45mins hence I haven't been successful after upteen weeks as I'm not going to wait that long.