NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

GreyQueen

Siebrie wrote: »

An English colleague went to England for a long weekend, and brought me back a pot of custard powder. I like custard, and cannot find the powder in Belgium. They have something called 'yellow pudding' powder, which is NOT the same. She did not want to be reimbursed for her expense. So, I gave her a bottle of champagne I had lying about. I don't like the stuff, and it was given to me by my horrible former boss. My colleague likes it, but cannot afford it. Closed purses and happyness all around!

:T I love this, custard powder trade-off for champers, and both parties pleased with the arrangement.

Jackie0, as always, I love your posts. Such great good sense. I spend the Christmas period with family and like to use the immediate post-Christmas period to make out like a bandit on reduced Christmassy food like fancy joints of meat, Jac0bs crackers in those orange tubs reduced to £1.50, stuff like that. Must eat up some freezer stuff this month so's to have room for discount shopping in early January.

Brought November and October's grocery spends in at under £40 for this singleton household, but have eaten well on bargains, thrifty recipes, storecupboard items and home-grown lottie produce.

I will be spending a little more in December on Christmassy consumables to take to the family but, other than that and the bills, have no particular expenditures planned (and hopefully fate hasn't got any unplanned ones waiting for me, lol).

DuranGirl

JackieO wrote: »

So set it in your mind that you really don't need those bags of nuts that you may possibly bin, because Gt Uncle Charlie can't eat them anymore because of his plate , or the dates that only one person seems to eat but won't touch once Boxing Day has gone

Thinking about what you will buy and use, and not just buy and bin afterwards will save you quite a bit of cash.

I remember one year I didn't buy those Newberry fruits as once the red ones were gone no one like the other colours ,or the crystallized orange and lemon slices that folk ate the orange ones, and left the lemon ones.

Buy what you need and will use, and not what the supermarket folk think you should buy.

You're so right Jackie. Wish I'd seen a post like this years ago. Lesson learnt in time for this Christmas, fortunately

nursemaggie

I have to admit I learned that lesson years ago. Even if you forget something no one notices. Not had any stress over Christmas since I cut everything down to the minimum. I even realised no one actually eats any mince pies on Christmas Day too much other food, so we have them on offer well before Christmas and very cheap after. I don't make them oven too unreliable. May make them when I buy cooker after we move.

candygirl

I'm very atypical when it comes to Xmas food. I am veggie, but am sick of nut roasts, hate mince pies, xmas cake , pudding ,dates etc, but love cheeses, crisps, nuts, trifle and fruit
This year i'm visiting DD n the Grandkids at lunch time, then Mum later on , but will come home in the early evening to chill and spend time with my oap pooches:D
No idea what i'm having for Xmas dinner yet, but feel quite relaxed about it all this year

eandjsmum

Jackie O you're so right . We only buy what we will eat so no nuts, dates, sprouts for us Do like orange and lemon slices though and the kids big as they are love choccies on the tree.


We're not big drinkers either so save there too and I hate Christmas cookery programmes and mag articles that pile on the pressure buy suggesting that to have the perfect Christmas you have to have this , that and the other. Our home gets a good clean up and a Christmas table cloth that's it.


Our trees are aged and I do think that a set of lights that I brought 26 years ago gave up the ghost last year. I haven't brought any new decorations this year and don't intend to either.


I've told both of my two not to waste money on prezzies for me I would rather they put it away for a rainy day.


I'm going into town at the weekend and I am going to try to get tickets for the festival of nine lessons and carols at the Cathedral.:)

HOWMUCH

Many years ago I reduced the size of the turkey we buy due to living on it after because of e size I'd bought. I meal plan and only buy what we will eat, gone are the days of good food going into the bin. I too love the cheap aftermath of Christmas in the food isles. I also take advantage of other meats at cheaper prices because they are not popular for Christmas normally half price beef and lamb. This year the gammon I've bought from Sainsbobs is my cheapest so far £3 per kilo ideal for slicing and then grilling.

pm2326

Hi guys

Haven't posted for a while but have been reading every day

I'm still using up stuff from freezer and cupboards but I too grab bargains after Xmas.

I'll be eating at mums Xmas day and she comes to mine on New Year's Day, there's only me so no need to buy all the extras in just because it's Xmas. I'll hopefully bag a nice YS roast for new year and we both love HM Nutella cheesecake so that'll be pud.

I may make a mincemeat & marzipan cake as have YS jar from earlier this year but there'll be no prawn rings, Xmas cake, mince pies, 'posh' chocolate biscuits, tubs of sweets, nuts, crisps etc

Too be honest all that food does nothing for my digestion, I'd rather sit on an evening with an indulgent tipple than lie there feeling sluggish and uncomfortably full!

Lynplatinum

Hiya

A brillaint post Jackie O - I agree with you Bathory!

I have cut down on the amount of food and wait for the sales for cheaper luxury items - most of the Xmas stuff is HM anyway!


What do you that is NBI activities for Christmas day? we always walk the dog (s) and play a board game (a favourite is the Terry Prachett Disc World game!). One year my jeweler son's present was the materials to make ourselves a pendant and he taught us how to do it - so interesting and a real insight as to how long these things take ! When they were young we would then spend ages constructing their lego toys!! Now we may spend time doing some crafty type thing.

What NBI things do you folk do on Christmas day?
Nite all

boultdj

Lynplatinum wrote: »

Hiya


What do you that is NBI activities for Christmas day? we always walk the dog (s) and play a board game (a favourite is the Terry Prachett Disc World game!). One year my jeweler son's present was the materials to make ourselves a pendant and he taught us how to do it - so interesting and a real insight as to how long these things take ! When they were young we would then spend ages constructing their lego toys!! Now we may spend time doing some crafty type thing.

What NBI things do you folk do on Christmas day?
Nite all

NBI for Christmas day....I'll be at work,then come home get changed and go see bro & sil.

[Deleted User]

NSD today and day 4 so far in December.I'm trying to use up as much of my existing stuff as possible.My new freezer drawers arrived and I want to defrost my freezer before I change them over anyway,apart from there being too much stuff in there at the moment anyway.
On Christmas day I spent it with family and usually we play with the boys and in the evening Dd and I and family go to her sisters for a big family party so its all family orientated. Boxing day we take the boys and the dogs ,depending on the weather down to the coast Westgate or Herne Bay and have a good walk along the beach and get a bit of fresh air in our lungs and blow the cobwebs away .A flask or two of hot chocolate to warm us up so NSD that day either and we all feel better for it