NST: October: Letting go of the love of stuff.

thriftylass

Ok, where do I start. The one year I'm not in charge of christmas dinner and things go wrong. Thought it would be a good idea to go out for christmas dinner this year. Safes me cooking for the masses which I did since MIL passed away (although I do enjoy it) and people coming to ours, having to go back at night, not being able to drink etc etc. Can't do it at FIL's as he doesn't have a table (trays on laps) and DD and DS need a table to have a "peaceful" meal atm. So we thought maybe book the restaurant across from FIL's house, £45 will be dear but it's a treat. Oh no - it's £60 :eek::eek::eek:, £30 for kids under 12. No way I'm paying that for a 1yo. He just booked as DH said go ahead although I was just waiting for final numbers who's going and would have double checked things first. But no-one spoke to me and told me a decision had been made :mad:. FIL paid a non-refundable deposit so can't get out. But will phone them today to make sure DD (18 mo) is not paying. Also a service charge of 10% will be automatically added in December and we need to pay upfront. NO WAY am I paying the service charge upfront, ridiculous. Better get the money together soon and have it sitting there so although I despise paying that much I still want to try and enjoy the dinner, after all it's christmas :xmassmile

UPDATE:

1yo DD won't cost anything if she doesn't order her own christmas dinner and the 10 are discretional and not in the prepayment.

Just back from LIDL and spend £23 on fruit, milk, cheese, bread, shampoo, cold cuts, chicken and lasagne sheets. I was tempted few time, like oh look leeks only 69p. But I stuck strictly to my list of only needed things for the next 7 days menu plan. Might only need fresh bread and milk sometime next week. Oh and got a free bottle of biological washing liquid for free with the loyalty card.

dolly84

Morning all.

I did my Lidl shop yesterday and spent £71.34, this included a big box of dishwasher tablets, a big box of washing powder and a big bottle of fabric softener, also beer, wine, a big bag of peanuts and some chocolate. We have no need to be going in the shops at the weekend to buy treats and spending nearly £8 which DH did last weekend.

It is cold and damp here today, me and DS wore our hats for the school run and I put some long boots on too.

Yesterday I got my knee length, very lovely, waterproof coat out to wear and was sort of thankful for my previous spendy habits, I have this coat, a similar one but much thicker, another one which is quilted and super warm, 2 knee length wool coats for more dressy occasions, a wool pea coat, a 3 in 1 waterproof jacket, a pair of mid calf boots, two pairs of knee length dressy boots, a pair of fur lined timberland boots, leather walking boots, suede/nubuck walking boots x 3 (only 1 pair in use), 1 pair of knee length leather riding/yard boots, winter trail running shoes :eek:. I think I am all set for winter.

thriftylass

dolly84 wrote: »

Yesterday I got my knee length, very lovely, waterproof coat out to wear and was sort of thankful for my previous spendy habits, I have this coat, a similar one but much thicker, another one which is quilted and super warm, 2 knee length wool coats for more dressy occasions, a wool pea coat, a 3 in 1 waterproof jacket, a pair of mid calf boots, two pairs of knee length dressy boots, a pair of fur lined timberland boots, leather walking boots, suede/nubuck walking boots x 3 (only 1 pair in use), 1 pair of knee length leather riding/yard boots, winter trail running shoes :eek:. I think I am all set for winter.

Wow, that's a lot of coats and boots, no?

Calling14

I may cry just typed a long post and it disappeared again.

Apologies for absence, had a days holiday yesterday plan was to make xmas cake and get some fencing put up. However my back decided to go out. Made my cake but was on my hands and knees crying trying to get it into the oven. Laugh at it now what did I look like?

Mothernerd was tearful reading your post, please make sure you have a food budget in place, I hope stepchange can help you out. Can't you rent the house out if it is not selling? Come back here next month its some form of company even if we are a weird bunch, might help your depression chatting to us.

In work today but still in lots of pain, luckily only work till 12 on Thursday, not sure how I will manage tomorrow. Need to get it moving about more this afternoon exercises and a gentle walk.

Bob I will leave off calling social services just untie baby bob lol

Thrifty ouch to your xmas dinner costs, hope it is lovely.

Mothernerd I am on your side come the heating, I am guilty of having hot baths though to help my back and warm up sometimes. Grew up with ice on the windows so hardened to the cold. Just keep moving about my solution when I start feeling cold.

Dolly any spare coats ;-)

Calling14

Oops forgot the important bits SFD yesterday and today 7/20.

No progress off debts as still playing catch up with what I ran up on the card last month. Must hide them this month.

Fmess

Evening all,


Calling - hope your back is easing up


Thrifty - £60 wow! But I'm sure it'll be lovely.


Dolly - I am in awe of how many coats and boats you have.


Bob - keep thinking of that big picture - that is something I need to learn to do better


SFD here today But will go over budget tomorrow and Saturday as I need to buy food for a meal when family visit at the weekend and I've been invited to a colleague's leaving do. Not much else planned, hoping for a day in my pjs!

crazy_cat_lady

Hey all
Time for a quick check in from me. Hugs to all of you that need them, and I hope things are looking up soon. Tight month for me this month, and I'm still a fortnight from payday as well. No sign of dh making it back to work any time soon, I had to pay the remaining balance on the holiday, cat cost another £100 at the vet last week, and I've got those increased payments to be df. I keep meaning to go to the frugal living board to see what other cutbacks I can make between now and Christmas.
Not a NSD today - had to do an emergency cat food and cereal for kids run. Got both at home bargains though, so pleased with that.

nannygladys

Hi everyone, long time no write.
Have read the last couple of pages and proud of you all, and sending hugs to all who need them, especially mothernerd.
I haven't managed the tech free days, but managed quite a few computer free days, but can't seem to do without the TV especially with a 3year old in the house. Sfd are mounting up but more slowly than I would like, and the grocery spends are within budget. I still have visitors, but hopefully they will only be with me another couple of weeks.
BOB congrats on baby Bob and you still sound so busy, I don't know how you fit it all in.
Anyway off to bed as I'm still not sleeping very well, no reasons why but now I keep wondering why, so that doesn't help!!!
Nannyg

mothernerd

Thank you for all the kind words but I will be okay, I always bounce back. I originally thought I was going to run out of money last December so getting this far is quite an achievement. Just wish this cough would go away.

Bobarella

Morning All

Mothernerd -well done for running along so much further than you originally intended. Managing for almost 22 months on a 12 month budget is damn impressive. Someone should give you a TV show rather than these silly so called experts. I'd watch.

Calling - Sorry to hear about your back that sounds so painful. Take it as easy as you can.

Fmess - thank you for the cheerleading how are you feeling now about it all?

Dolly - wow you have an impressive array of clothes going on there.

Thrifty - so glad all is well for the Xmas meal. I agree that places really do over charge in the so called festive period.
I suppose all you can hope is that the management pass along the extra cash to their employees in some way. Bonuses extra hourly pay etc.

CCL - you are so close to the end now. If this was a marathon I'd say your at that difficult 20+mile stage where you can't yet see the finish line and are so tired you feel you can't do it. But the end is literally in sight now just around the next corner. Keep going. Sorry OH isn't feeling up to more still.

Nanny- good to hear from you too.

I don't feel that I've been particularly busy compared to usual. Haven't done any YSing in a while and my wombling/roadkill finding are both minimal this month. I've made my min payments plus a tiny bit extra. But as I feel I keep saying my carrot dangling seductively is £750 towards the debt for December due to no rent. I dream of that moment plus should have around another £700 extra in December due to the way husbands work are doing benefit package. So add those plus the monthly minimums between now and end of December and that's around £1600 off my signature total. Not quite the full amount I'd hoped for but a bl00dy good go.

Also the baby is doing so well I am not finding her too much work so far. We are being signed off by the doctors on Sunday as she has already exceeded her birth weight which I am thrilled about as they don't half bust your chops about whether you are bf ing properly. I knew she was and feel quite irritated by all these jumped up people who always address you as 'mummy' which is a tad grating. ...

Have a great Friday everyone.

Bob