NST December Challenge - Festive and Frugal

nannygladys

Thrifty, just seen your reply as well, thanks for all the help. I think the slow cooker is my choice cos I'm hoping it won't smell as much (can't stand the pong!!!

Nannyg

Fmess

apple_muncher wrote: »

Told dd that I hadn't got any crackers yet and she told me it was okay, as Christmas is about more than crackers and presents. I have an adorable child!

Ah bless her, that is so sweet!

LoveaDove

Hello all! Another busy couple of days- very sorry for lack of communication! I had my work Christmas ball last night. A few pounds spent on extortionate soft drinks before they finally opened the free bar! Grrr, but otherwise a really fun night and no hangover today for the return back to work!

Have finally received 2 Christmas presents I have been waiting on tender hooks for- one of them has taken nearly 3 weeks to arrive despite being shipped 3 weeks ago in the UK! Got to love Christmas post!

Still at 10 SFD's. Will finally get some time to myself tomorrow for a good ol' catch up with you lovely lot! Happy Friday x

Fmess

We are all super busy aren't we!

Today has been SFDS number 11 and LTW number 13 and I have broken up for Christmas :j I'm so excited to have more than 24 hours without working or thinking about working.

Started making some plans for saving and debt reduction over the next 12 months and I've joined another couple of challenges with this in mind

mothernerd

Congratulations on keeping your job, traveller. The last ditch attempt at online shopping was because the order I tried to do on Wednesday was meant to be delivered late today (there were no Thursday slots left) and I expected (if I had been able to get through) that the Friday ones would have gone as well. Since DS3 is off before lunch tomorrow, this left little or no margin of error if things went wrong and I was truly terrified of going alone.

Anyway he woke up too late for bargain shopping, but by explaining how bad the shop would get even if we went at 6 or 7 am, I persuaded him (he was out of cordial which may have contributed - he still had half a bottle at the old house but I decided he didn't deserve it so left it there).

For those who can do it, I heartily recommend the 2am SM shop. Had two small trollies (no bending) and sent DS3 off to the furthest corners of the store with a soft drink and bread list, whilst I started on the veg. Mostly stuck to the list but it came in higher than predicted (DS3 may have contributed to this - I selected 2 modest own brand choc bars, he picked 3 larger branded ones for himself).

So another £66.64 on the food budget but it will all get used - plan is to have at least one large salad meal a day, with tiny amounts of 'party food' or moderate meat or cheese portions (resisted the 'special cheeses - they'll all be reduced after Thursday). Very few 'bad' foods - chocolate wafers to give a low calorie choc fix, wholemeal toast with diabetic jam (please don't post any links to 'sorbital' - this jar will last all year or until it goes off, got tired of reading the tiny print to find how much sugar was in them) or fruit loaf instead of cakes and didn't get a cheesecake as couldn't face another aisle. Nuts were expensive so settled for a plain (not roasted/salted) bag of fruit and nut for £1.

May have over-estimated the taxis cost - first one was less than the second but we did come back in the airport bus (easy to load and unload and loads of room for my leg. Asked DS3 to leave everything on the couch and chair for me to sort today (he put the dairy stuff away in the fridge - some things have got through over the years). Retired to bed with a carrot, small hm quiche and a couple of wafer biscuits.

Slept well and then read/dozed until 2 this afternoon - so much tension has left my body.

Most of the veg has been decanted to a large basket on the corner of the kitchen table, the majority of the bread is in 2 slice packs in the freezer (DS3 found 3 ww thick wholemeal for 20p each) and a couple of surfaces in here have been cleared off - tools and embroidery supplies have been sorted and shelves are now in order. Not simple as I had to think how each heavy object could be moved safely in stages from where it was to where I wanted it (DS3 did some of it and moved washing downstairs for me).

Very tired (have applied pain gel to the small of my back) but relaxed and happy and consider myself to be 'on holiday'. Some things still to be done - need to finish the Christmas stocking (one of the cleared surfaces is needed for cutting out the backing and lining fabric) but will continue to work at my own pace, resting when necessary and what doesn't get done will still be there another day (there is always more that 'could' be done - I could start ironing underwear but who would choose that over curling up with a good book).

Don't think the charity bag will leave the house for now -did wonder if we had a wheeled bag to put it in, so I could tie it round my waist and pull it along like a husky but am getting to the 'find somewhere to hide it' stage (could use DS3's room - maybe he will take it if he can't get in bed when he comes home). Would like to spend a day 'cleaning' - only wiping any surfaces that are easy to reach, but life in the slow lane rules.

Also want to take time to consider each of my goals and list things I already do and what further steps I could take (+ some sort of priority list, pick a few things that can be easily put into practice or work on things that get done 'some of the time - the bags the caulis etc were taken out of, were turned inside out to make more bread bags - also re-used the ones that I used last time and some that were separating individual strand of tinsel and beads (will probably be available for re-use when the 'tree' comes down as I wouldn't normally keep such a high stock of bread.

I am still using my cc for food purchases as the only income atm is my tax credit plus whatever DS2 decides to pay me off what he owes (DS3 ran out of money 3 weeks ago, but may have some to give me next month when he should start receiving sales money for this latest game) so I am using that to cover all the standing orders and cc monthly payments. I will try to switch to 'cash for food' soon (may try to have a no spend January) but don't want to try doing too much (there is very little money and it can only go so far) but obviously have to look at making changes to my business, trying swagbucking etc - may even be well enough soon to try for agency work (depending on public transport and them choosing me over the thousands of available strong, young people).

Would also like to 'give more' next year so possibly sign up for the shoebox appeal or work in a charity shop or for a voluntary organisation.

Today I am grateful for fresh fruit (have put a cloth over the chest of drawers and arranged my satsumas, apples and bananas - the sharps box and box of crispbread are hidden inside a bag which says 'Christmas is Good'), for having enough when so many have too little and for central heating (not been on the past two days but felt chilly a while ago).

Calling14

Hi guys. Great night out last night saw Starsailor Coffee and Stitches.

Sazzlebegood and Stewby don't be too hard on yourselves.

Today good news besides traveller keeping her job;-) I get a wage rise in January can't remember ever getting one in this job, my moaning over the year has paid off. Last time I had a review 2008. Happy and grateful for little extra it is. So many worse off.

Applemuncher your daughter is a star.

Needed milk today little food spend as well.

Tomorrow may just enjoy time off and leave xmas pressie shopping until Sunday.

Got a new diary let the budgeting begin. Who's January leader? See Kat has had a wash on her fbook Page lol.

Night folks x

thriftylass

Fmess wrote: »

Thrifty I couldn't help but smile at your ham with "half a dozen gloves"

Sorry, the spelling monster strikes again-cloves

speakingofart

Finally managed a SFD day yesterday, today won't be as I need to buy food and am having (another) Indian tonight - this one will be cheaper though as takeaway with some good friends as our pre Christmas meet up! 2 weeks holiday now, so challenge is not to spend lots of money and get all my studying done to start 2015 with a bang!

Groceries £30/£150 15th december till 15th January
SFDs: 6/15
Petrol £34/ 60 15th December till 15th January
Lunch to work: 15/15

maria3104

Hi

Had a lovely Church party, resisted buying quilting material, super gorgeous, £60 material for a baby blanket, plus about 3 months work. Decided to restrain myself. Just as well as I needed to go to S Bugs and spend £57 on milk, eggs, bread, YS chicken, etc. Boring, but much needed. Am quite impressed with my power of resistance re material. The shop in Lampeter is really amazing, a joy to visit.

Calling14

Hiya everyone.

Productive day, washing done, dried on line. Marzipan stuck on cake. Food wee shop lidl, wasted some more money in home bargains on stocking fillers. Two long dog walks, rest of xmas cards delivered.

Shopping few more pressies tomorrow and that is it.

Putting lamb in slow cooker tomorrow with redcurrant garlic and rosemary first attempt!!!!

Trying out make up range lidl 2 items for£3 anyone used their stuff. Got nail varnish and mascara to see what it is like.

Leftover quiche tonight no food is getting wasted here x