Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

Tiggermad

Hello everyone, I am a bit of a lurker but post occasionally. Love to hear about all your ideas and bargains

Our local garden centre were having a sale on Yankee Christmas scent candles so I got two Christmas presents from there as well as a birthday present. I've been working on my mum's calendar and have completed 5 pages and have nearly finished MIL's present, a cross stitch, just the back stitch to do.

DundeeDoll

Oo candles. My dds lerv yankees so will keep an eye out for a bargain that will fit in a loo roll inner :-)

DundeeDoll

mum_2one wrote: »

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[

budget done, pressie drawer sorted and only have one place this year so hopefully wont lose things! Dd2's 21st in June :eek:

mum_2one wrote: »

Cards

when the children were at school i used to use them for notes for teachers and got back smiley comments. Now they're waiting for shopping lists

mum_2one wrote: »

Birthday Paper

another excellent reminder. Have bought 2 rolls in a sale of fairly neutral birthday paper - no more having to dash to the shop at the 11th hour and then buy other things while i'm there!

mum_2one wrote: »

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

due to marital split i'm currently concentrating on separating finances where sensible - have been certainly taking heed of names on shared bills and xoh's name will be doming off my credit card asap!

mum_2one wrote: »

A month for us
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.

writing down all spending was last month's beginning a good habit. Meal planning will be this month's good habit (see below)

mum_2one wrote: »

Christmas Food
(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

rofl. This inspired this month's new habit :rotfl:

mum_2one wrote: »

Miss Hoodies CornerThat special part of the challenge we all love... This time it is the freezer...

done and found several bags of chicken pieces so usee one to make delicious chicken noodle soup for supper - ps is a freezer meal as per added challenge a meal from freezer bounty or a meal you then put back in the freezer?

mum_2one wrote: »

Crafts

will give some thought. Currently knitting friend hottie cover from wool stash

mum2one

The Ghost hunt was amazing, - we did table tipping that was estatic, ouaji boards, and got some messages through that, dousing rods - even brave and did a loan vigil in a bathroom in a haunted room...

It was so weird as your looking for a logical explanation, but there wasn't any, when my friend and I did the lone vigil - we went into a haunted bedroom, and I decided to go into the bathroom as earlier in the evening there had been activity there, - lights off nothing...

Came out then decided needed the loo... thought as I'm here I'll use this loo - next minute this figure is grey bustle skirt, jacket and bonnet - walks straight past me...

My friend was oh heck,she was I need the loo, I go and sit on the bed, she's on the loo with the door ajar... and by me on the bed was a machine which picks up activity - started going flashing - started talking to this spirit, introducing myself and saying don't worry XXX is on the toilet we're not here to hurt you..... my friend shouts out... keep them in there I don't want them seeing me on the loo!!

I would be there tomorrow if I had the chance, once in a lifetime experience.

Got home 4,30am.... lie in - then went for lunch with my friend, her husband, (bless him he was dumped in a local hotel room last ngt!!) and Miss Hoodie... Bless her heart as my friend and I had gone halves on lunch, Miss Hoodie offered to give me her debit card as it had £10 on it and she wanted to pay towards dinner... how the heck I never burst into tears I do not know... there was a small tear, couldn't take the money off it, but how many 11 year olds would offer to do that... xx

Anglea

Hi all

Mum2one, what I love about this group is that we can talk about all our lives, not just about Special Occasions. So it was really funny when I read about the conversation with a ghost about a friend on the toilet !!!

What an unusual experience to say the least and one you are unlikely to forget - neither will we!! lol

And yes, how lovely your Miss Hoodie was so thoughtful, no surpised you felt tearful. Sorry to hear you still don't know what is causing the reactions after her tests..

Dundee Doll - I think the meal was meant to be made from your freezer contents. That's a great idea about the socks - and they will be easy to pair up after a wash.

Tiggermad - well done on your progress, I've forgotten what the calendar is like that you are making

Friday friend I was expecting to meet cancelled so I met another female friend along with texter. Usual rubbish with him. Then I made a bad error of judgement. Saw an ex bf who asked me round, I thought it would be ok as friends but he wanted me back and was desperate for me to stay with him, he was back to his extremely chaotic lifestyle (addict) and when he is like that he lives in a fantasy world without responsibilities and expects me to drop everything and be there for him. I left with him pleading me to stay. I only had about 2 hours sleep and the whole of Saturday was a right off I had to stay home and keep lying down as my eyes were stinging and I received a series of strange texts which didn't make sense so I was annoyed with myself for allowing that sort of dysfunction back into my life.

Out of all the b/f's I've had he's the one with the most in common, yet I can't see him again, not even as friends. Not after that.

Sunday I felt ill (after the lack of sleep) and felt exhausted when exH picked me up to see his mum at the care home, then do more sorting at the other house. We did longer than normal and as usual I brought back loads of bags to my house (including very nice blank greeting cards)- plus I made a list of furniture I want. Then I showed ex the email about the new phone deal as I wondered if I'd made a big mistake.

I had another sleepless night worrying about the furniture as the other house has very big rooms (with large items) and not sure if I'm going to complicate matters and if things will fit. I will need to get rid of my old furniture. I also said I'd have the vacuum which is bigger than mine, and a large new carpet washer. Where I'll put them heaven knows.

We also took photos of the antique furniture for the sales rooms who want to see them before they come out - most of it is too big for any modern house.

What are you all doing today?

rufusdog52

Hi everyone,

Dundeedoll, sounds like you have a lot of change coming up with the new furniture, best to make sure it fits in before you get rid of your old stuff, can you do a room at a time's worth? Hope it all fits in, its nice when you get a change round.


I have been round my son's today to help him mend his fence, it blew down in the gales before xmas and his drill stopped working so he couldn't fix it, and every time he was off I was out so he couldn't borrow mine. All sorted now though.


YD applied to join the army, had her interview last week and passed. Was told they would send her on a three day course end feb but have just rand and said she did so well in her interview they want her to do a weeks course at a military school instead and if she passes will go straight in. Not heard of that before but sounds really good. So pleased for her, she is hoping to get in the medical corps and eventually train to do her paramedics there.


My Dad still not right, isn't coping very well on his own but seems a little better today. Seems like some days are better than others.


I have hospital tomorrow and weds, MRI tomorrow eve then ultrasound the following morning. Not much else going on at the moment. Hope everyone is well xx

Anglea

Hi all

Rufus, how exciting for your DD.

You must be very concerned for your dad.

All the best for your hospital visits. Good news the fence has been sorted.

It was me and not Dundee doll re the furniture -It's not possible to do a room at a time as the house clearance people will be doing it at the other end as the house is in a very difficult place to access, and I have no room at my house to shift anything temporarily. Also I won't know until the last moment if I'll be getting everything I wanted as two items are antique and may go to auction.

There are various things I did today relating to DS1 as he uses his home address for important correspondence and my stress level was going up about this particular matter which I tried to sort out on the phone but of course they need to speak with him (ongoing for at least a year) so need to get in touch with him.

The summerhouse doors broke few years ago in a storm, the plastic I nail on the front ripped (as usual) so had to sort it out.

Discovered the nice cards I brought home yesterday don't have enough envelopes. I can't face the rest of the clutter and clothes I've got downstairs and will leave it for another day as I kept wondering what I was going to do with it all.

rufusdog52

Sorry Angela, I just noticed I put the wrong name lol.

mrs-moneypenny

Angela, hugs hope you are feeling more settled now

rufus, brill news for your DD you must be so proud of her, sorry to hear your Dads still not coping well.

mum 2one, sounds totally facinating, id loved to go to something like that

DundeeDoll

Congrats to your dd rufussorry to hear about your dad, all the best with mri scan
mum2one goodness your ghostly night sounds exciting. I saw a ghost at work a few years back when we worked in an old building that had been a grand family home. 9:30 in the morning! She was elderly in a long blue dress and with her grey hair scooped up into a bun. She didnt stop to speak, just scowled then carried on up the stairs.
anglea you sound busy. I too have so much to do round the house - maybe i'll make march's challenge a dcluttering one.
We have a polish friend staying this week (so house superficially tidy and clean). I was going to try out a girl called jack recipe for supper (yellow split pea pasta sauce) but he wants to cook us a polish meal. Will let you know how it is :P
Have a good day everyone