NST December: Frugal festivities

thriftylass

Hello,

not much to report apart from I'm not sure what my rights are here. DD is 19 months but already got moved up to the 2-3 year old room in nursery as she fits in better developmentally (nursery suggested it). Now they tell me she will still be charged under 2 prices till she's actually two as they can't change that. But surely their pricing structure is based on staffing ratio not age as such. How can they now justify charging her more than she's due?

EDIT

Just heard back from the nursery. Suddenly they are able to change the billing (initially said their online system wouldn't allow it) and we'll get only charged 2-3 year old prices as of this month (should save about 80 quid at least). So if I hadn't queried it they would have over charged us by 320 pounds till DD is two :eek:

Just back from works christmas lunch and only spend 12 pounds of the 16 budgeted

dolly84

Justforme - When my children were very small and I worked part time I used to have a cleaning rota. I had a couple of jobs on it each day in addition to things like cleaning up the kitchen etc which get done everyday. It really helped as the whole house got cleaned through the week and I never felt overwhelmed. Well done on your fantastic weight loss.

LSD - I've been to Chester Zoo and wouldn't bother if I were you, it is very expensive and totally not worth it, there is tons of stuff and grass etc around the enclosures and you can barely see any animals at all. I know they have to create a habitat but if you can't see anything there is no point going.

dolly84

Today will be a spend day as I am going to Sainsburys tonight with DD to get food for her birthday sleepover tomorrow night. I have a voucher to use which will help. I bought another christmas present yesterday and have ordered one on ebay today for DH.

I baked DD's cake yesterday and then whilst tea was cooking I decided to make the buttercream filling and managed to cover the entire kitchen in icing sugar - I'm not exaggerating at all, the floor, walls and appliances were totally coated and the dog was going crazy licking the floor. I was trying to do too many things at once and not doing any of them very well at all.

Bob - good to hear baby Bob is gaining weight nicely.

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone

Hope you're all having a good day.

Misstara - How do you do yours? I used to wax mine but I'm not very good. Thinking now I've got them shaped I will pluck out the stragglers until I go next time haha.

So did a MS today and didn't have chance to have lunch before I went (had work straight after) so I had to get something while doing the MS. I do get £1 back though so not too bad I suppose. It is another £2.50 (with £1 off) to add to groceries though and means I've lost a NSD!! :mad:

Tomorrow off to have my hair cut and get a couple of Christmas bits, I have two MS's to do tomorrow though both paying something towards the total amount so going to get a couple of gifts

My three things I am grateful for today:
1. My eyebrows are looking nice (vain I know lol)
2. Cuddles of my fur babies
3. My hubby woke up early this morning so he could go and get his hair cut and was nice and tried to make too much noise and gave me a kiss before he went

littleskintdragon

Hi all,

Spendy day today!
Dh needed some new black shoes, his were aincient and we've got my works doo next week in a really posh place.
Dd needed a new dress for a party on sun, and while we were in town i got ds feet measured as there is a sale in cl4rks, and he needed a new pair! So expensive day, but all needed, and probably the last time me and dh will go shopping together before next xmas!!

Today i am grateful for-
1. Having money available to buy the few bits we needed
2. A friend offering to take dd to her school disco
3. not having to cook tonight as i double cooked last night

mothernerd

Still not spending money. DS3 and his friend left at 10am (friend is interviewing him as part of his media assignment and after two equipment failures they are doing it at the college recording studio) and I had the bed stripped and all the dirty clothes/ pots and cutlery/ rubbish and recycling rounded up before they left. Then spent most of the day dealing with it.

Had a nap this afternoon (they were watching anime and other internet stuff till the early hours).

Today I am grateful for being save inside on a miserable day, being able to wear questionable clothes (so much drying so rocking long sleeved top with mens longjohns bought for DS3 but reclaimed as my painting clothes) and for DS3's trainers arriving today so don't have to stay in all day tomorrow waiting.

short_bird

Spendy day but lunch to work and done something for my mental health.

Grateful for:
Not having to go out in this rubbish weather!
One of my medications actually having days of the week on the packet so I can check I've taken them
An event I couldn't attend turning up on You Tube...

Fmess

Hi all


Sorry for my absence. I am really struggling at the moment - the mental health part of this challenge could not be more relevant for me at the moment. I have never felt like this, I feel like my own mind is dragging me down and by the end of every day I am tired from the inside out. I started my counselling last week but I think I could do with it everyday


Budgets for this month are set:-
Human food - £75
Animal food - £70
Petrol - £80
Personal - £160
Christmas - £50


I have most of my food in for the month now, and have spent most of my budget. Animal food is stocked up and the car is half full of petrol. I also only have one Christmas present left to buy and £10 to get it. My personal budget is big this month and is to cover 3 dinners out (one with alcohol and taxi costs), one lunch out and a hair cut and colour.


My strategy to improving my mental health includes:-
- spend more time with friends and family
- regularly visit the counsellor
- restrict time spent working at home (try to readdress the work/life balance)
- eat healthier and drink more water
- try to worry less
- accept that I always try my best and that this is good enough


Loving all of your posts. I do read along everyday, even if I can't bring myself to post (daft I know but the last few days it has felt too much)

Bobarella

WelshKitty - your new cape sounds lovely..it is good to have a treat sometimes..glad your shop is still doing well.

Just for me - Glad you feel a bit better about it all.

MissTara- good luck at the dentist.

Dolly - I've done that so many times. The secret is adding enough water or whatever moisture you are using, like lemon juice etc to make the icing sugar wet enough to mix. Or you get the cloud effect.

Today I made another payment to the stretch total bringing it up to £90 in overpayments so far. Also it was a NSD..

Thanks for all the kind wishes on the baby front. She had her first imms today and it was pretty rough to watch. Now that they include a meningitis jab too it works out 2 in one leg, one in the other then an oral supplement for the rota virus. She screamed the place down..then seemed ok at home but she just cried uncontrollably for an hour. Husband has researched a new way to hold her that seems to relieve the pain so that is currently bringing some relief. It might be a long night...

Thrifty - Glad to hear you got the nursery situation sorted.

Mothernerd - sounds like a good days cleaning.

Night all

Bob

misstara

chocolatelover I use tweezers and pluck my eyebrows fairly regularly to try and keep the shape. Think I will treat myself and get them threaded soon

Fmess sorry to hear you're struggling, sending hugs.

So today has been a spendy day - paid for the PVG update, bought a birthday present/card for my friends wee girl plus more christmas presents, made a charity donation and of course the dentist. However, fab news at the dentist - I only needed a scale and polish so £10.76 spent :T I had saved £200 for it so the extra cash will come in very handy

I went to the gym this morning I really need to try to keep it up as I feel so much better when I go regularly but it's the first thing that gets neglected if I'm busy. I've gone through my diary and written in the days that I plan to go to the gym in December, hoping that if it's timetabled in my diary I'm more likely to go.