NST December Challenge - Festive and Frugal

maria3104

Hi

Keep your chins up everyone. Small steps. It took us years to get into our situations, we have lots of time to make our changes. Lets enjoy Christmas, our families, travel and food adn try to stay as well as we can in budget and then begin all over again in 2015.
That said, another NSD for me. But I am sure I will manage to spend lots of money with mr T on 22nd. Next delivery day and I fear it will be colossal. Oops.

sazzlebgood

last of christmas present bourght today. Spent more than expected :eek:but alot less than last year so I'm fairly pleased:D since i'd not done a proper budget . Started a christmas saving pot at the beginning of December so hopefully that will cover presents next year. Does anyone know if tesco's still do their saving stamps? If they do i might start one of those also to cover some of the booze and food costs next year. Hoping OH brings our trees home tonight the girls are really looking forward to decorating them tomorrow with their friends. Out tomorrow with friend but already budgeted for:p Its starting to feel alot like christmas:xmastree:

mothernerd

Busy (and spendy) day but pleased with progress. DS3 had an energy spurt in the middle of the night (might have been 3 am) so he got dressed, rounded up all his pizza boxes and other rubbish and went to put the bin out (was trying not to stress as it was very full but I couldn't do it).

Spent £2.50 on a taxi to the infirmary for my appointment with the health trainer. Weight loss heading in the right direction. I am 14st 5lbs (lost 8lb since I last saw him) so the small portions and limiting treats is working. Next appointment mid-March. Had decided to allow myself a chocolate bar and a diet coke as I had two bags to carry and didn't want the added weight of water. They had bananas so I spent £3.19 (but still supporting the WRVS, rumour is that a chain is to take over).

Meeting up with mum and her driver went well (except that other people kept arriving and being seen before mum) so had a lift to mum's, was fed and had a hot shower and hair wash (also got toenails cut) and a lift home before school pick-up time. So transport could have been about £10 if I had had to pay.

Stayed up until midnight and did an hour sewing this morning so handed over the 3 Christmas decorations (driver and her two daughters as Russian dolls) plus straws and birthday candles (clearing out kitchen drawers) plus supplied mum with stuff for sorting out her recipes (lever arch file, dividers, paper, plastic pockets and glue) so next time we bake hopefully there will be no tidal wave of cut out paper all over the floor (and no panic phone calls when she can't find the tea bread recipe when she's already soaked a pile of dried fruit - told her to get one of the girls to get a recipe on-line).

In exchange I was given 3 puzzle books and some chest rub (decided assorted tat was going in the bin). Also have a viewing at the house tomorrow - not getting excited yet.

Today I am grateful for hot showers, for losing weight and puzzle books (I could get bored, maybe?).

LoveaDove

Hey all,

Haven't had a chance to catch up with the posts from yesterday and today- hope you are all well?

Super speedy check in as I have a memorial to go to this evening.

Spend day yesterday- purchased £60 of food bank food- lady working in the co-op shed some tears as she was so overwhelmed by the donation! It was also OH's Birthday yesterday so I treated him to the last part of the Hobbit at the cinema!

Up to 10sfds

Got to dash x

nannygladys

Not a sfd, I've been into the city for a couple of bits and then to add@ for some Xmas food, I know I have spent my Dec grocery spends but I still have the points and vouchers left to get the fresh stuff next week. Next Xmas I think I will be going elsewhere for Xmas so I don't have to spend money on things I don't even like, sorry for rant, I do like having everyone for Xmas but a little more help with the money side wouldn't come amiss, sorry starting again, just feel fed up perhaps going up to the city was the wrong thing to do, all those expensive coffee shops, fragrance shops and lovely Xmas decorations, it's not the same drinking cheapo coffee looking at the same decs at home, even if I'm snuggled under a cuddly fleece!!!!!


Anyway going before I get too maudlin
Nannyg

traveller

Hi all. As expected a spendy day. Bought a leg of lamb and a beef joint, towards the Christmas dinner. Still plenty to go

Coffee and Stitches, I know how you feel, but keep going :T It takes a while to pan out, but it does happen, I promise and this time of year is always difficult! Nanny Gladys, I so hear you! I love having the whole family round, but it does get expensive and no-one even offers to wash up let alone contribute,lol. This year, it's just me and the kids, so it doesn't apply. Mothernerd , glad Ds had his burst of energy Maria, you really hit the nail on the head :T Well I know I'll be spending right up until christmas eve, so I'm just concentrating on limiting the damage Well have a good evening everyone

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for getting to both dd's cheerleading and nativity, for my car, for cheese scones, for a cheery stripey scarf, for only having 2 cards left to send.

traveller

Hi everyone, the limo company got back to me. They've agreed to refund 50% without issue :T I was expecting hassle, but they've held their hands and done the right thing. It does have to be halved with the ex but at least it should go some way to limiting the damage caused by Christmas dinner, although I'm being frugal, it's never frugal enough!!!

apple_muncher

Excellent news!

Fmess

Brilliant news traveller

Hope the memorial goes ok Loveadove

Seems like several of us are having down days today. Coffeeandstitches, thrifty and nannygladys keep your heads up. As you say coffeeandstitches, we would all be in a worse situation if we didn't keep on trying. It is hard at this time of year. I have bought my presents, but have done so frugally, and I'm trying to stay strong and not be tempted to get more presents for my family.


Today has been a spendy day as bought a few top up items, my next spend day should be Saturday and then Monday for the Christmas food shopping. So should rack up a few SFDs before Christmas


Heads up turtles, keep swimming, the choppy waves of Christmas will be over soon.