NST December Challenge - Festive and Frugal

liltdiddylilt

Hi all

Calling lots of love and Jelly snuggles for you today. She is a 'snuggy' child this last couple of weeks which is gorgeous; I can share it out I hope you can get over your fug and get some Christmas Spirit back. Hugs

traveller excellent news on the limo company. Damage limitation on their part, but great that you get half back!

apple how was the nativity?! I can't wait until jelly is a sheep or an angel or something!!

Loveadove what a fantastic donation; well done you. That is true Christmas spirit. Bet you got a very warm feeling and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Caeraugirl I have added a few bits and bobs to Jelly's xmas gifts too, and am sure that I will fall into the trap of it getting more and more expensive year on year. I have to say, over the 2 and a half years she has been here, through 3 xmases and 2 birthdays, we have spent less than £200 ourselves on presents. I co-ordinate the family on my side down to handing out Arg0s catalogue numbers when asked in August/Sept & in the case of my big sis, buying the gift, having it shipped here, wrapping it, and then asking for the money :rotfl: or jelly would get nothing from little miss disorganised!! Don't feel bad. It is your hang up, but the key is to make sure the items are small, and exciting, not bits of tat that will be looked at then put away. I am sure your kids excitement will make everything worthwhile!

fmess ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh caffeine... Just don't go for the fizzy drinks. They are murder, the 'hangover' is terrible! (even without the jaegermeister!)

Not a SFD. Wasted on a £4.90 taxi due to lateness but I don't even regret it. Not one bit. I got to see my utterly beautiful little lady, dressed all in her party get up, with tinsel in adorable bunches in her hair, clonking about in black patent party shoes all excited to go to nursery for a party and to meet Santa. I bought utterly nowt of her outfit or shoes. It was a collaboration between two Nanny's and a Gee Gee (great granny) down to the tights on her legs. So I think that £4.90 was cheap to see that personally. Especially as my fab daddy gave me £10 towards taxi fares this week

Groceries - let us not discuss this hmm?
Christmas budget? I thought I blew it, but Him has stepped up for the item I forgot I had to add to my Xmas spends. A grand total of £42 of Christmas pyjamas :eek: will report back later once confession is complete.
LTWs still every day I have been at work
Exercise - missed a couple due to taxi's. made up for it tenfold walking the length and breadth of Mr A's 30x trying to bore Jelly to sleep

Hugs peepities xx

stewby

having a bit of a rough evening. credit card will likely get decimated over the next few days.
sorry but some things are just more important.

struggling to think just now or focus on anything. will be back tomorrow when hopefully i will have a bit more perspective on things.

sorry for being awol and sorry for sounding a bit weird. my head is just kinda all over the place.

traveller

stewby wrote: »

having a bit of a rough evening. credit card will likely get decimated over the next few days.
sorry but some things are just more important.

struggling to think just now or focus on anything. will be back tomorrow when hopefully i will have a bit more perspective on things.

sorry for being awol and sorry for sounding a bit weird. my head is just kinda all over the place.

Take care Stewby, it gets like that sometimes. Hugs to you

speakingofart

Hope things improve for you both soon stewby and loveadove - this time of year can be really hard!

SFD yesterday and a much better day on the eating front, so I'm feeling more optimistic in general, although doubtless there will be yet more junk food today as it's our christmas dinner tonight - so a spendy day planned, but will try not to go mad! Then there's only two days of work and it's christmas!!!

Groceries £20/£150 15th december till 15th January
SFDs: 5/15
Petrol £34/ 60 15th December till 15th January
Lunch to work: 13/15

maria3104

Hi Traveller,

Well done that limo company. The season of good will abounds. I will keep my fingers crossed for bobarella who has an insurance issue, maybe this can be sorted for her???

Hope we all have a good day.

apple_muncher

Sending morning hugs to those who want them. I've just had a lovely cuddle with dd on the sofa, all snuggled under the big fleecy blanket.

Dd was a simply perfect angel in her nativity yesterday. And her cheerleading - she's a 'flyer' so is the one that gets lifted up or who climbs on others.

Today I'm popping up to the Sally Army shop to drop in a contribution from my work - money for their Christmas appeal for their work with the lonely and homeless. I hope I can gift aid it too.

Dh phoned yesterday to say that they may be able to come home on Sat instead of Mon. Fingers are now crossed that the bosses agree, and that they can get flights. (inserts crossed fingers smilie!)

thriftylass

Good morning and hugs to everybody who needs them x

Great news traveller

Another 13 quid :eek: spend in the post office to post a parcel to my parents. Soon be cheaper to fly it over myself. Almost more expensive than the content. Just send them a calendar with kids/family photos, a hand & foot cast of DD that we made, choccies, HM limoncello.

And 20 quid spend in the butcher for a ham (although it looks more just like a pork loin or is that the same, as the hams were all out for order), chipolatas and streaky bacon. Got enough of all three that should last extra meals, breakfasts etc.

Need to pop to shops too to get bread and fruit tonight.

stewby

Rough nights sleep but have kinda gotten a handle on things. OH's mum has had a health scare. It is the first time any of our parents have been unwell so has kinda thrown us both quite badly.
If I know anything OH's mum is a fighter so hopefully it won't be an issue, just a speedbump in the road but it is a scary thought.

We have £22.30 left of our food budget and we received a £5 voucher from morrisons the other night (OH buys all his fuel from there so we make our points up quite quickly).

I have used my credit card this morning (ordered some stuff to cheer me up). I am very sorry guys but when the s**t hits the fan, I hit the shops. An extra £60 has gone on to the card.
I have also bought the flights down to London for next December (£480), although I will be getting £360 back for that.


Starting my debt journey again in January. Going to keep going with the challenge but we will probably be over on everything. My heart just isn't in it at the moment.
Sorry. Will try to be more positive next time. Just trying to put everything down on 'paper' to try and organise my mind.
Hugs to everyone.

P.S: went a bit daft on the charity thing... bought a heap of puddingy stuff (cookie mix that only needs water, jellies, rice pudding, custards). Came to a grand total of £6.72ish. Then the xmas fire engine came round to do their charity run, so we put a tenner into the pot. Erm... hardly very debt friendly but hoping that might be my good deed for the month?? The only other thing I have is chasing after some woman in a shop because she had left her bag behind in the toilets.

CoffeeandStitches

Lots of love Stewby xxx

Calling14

Loveadove how awesome are you.

Will do food bank donation next Sunday sainsbobs.

Had a lovely day off yesterday carol service for animals, so funny, all the Church decorated with animals. School brought their cat along. Saying prayers for lions tigers cheetahs I was trying not to laugh. Had to make animal noises as well. Grandson bit grouchy rest of the day too much excitement.

Cheered me up after hearing day before one of my friends mid forties got matter of weeks to live, routine op and found her riddled with big C
Bawled head off but makes me realise be grateful for family, friends you have. Lilt stole lots of hugs off grandson yesterday.

Cheer up guys enjoy life and we will smash these debts next yr.

Good news received m & s vouchers for bank switch over so will help rest of xmas bits I need.

Off to a gig tonight, to bounce up and down like an idiot. Watch out for bad back moaning tomorrow x