NST: December 2016: A pared back Christmas

swimminginaseaofdebt

Evening everyone,

Another spendy day for me today!

Went to a mother and toddler group with the wee one. It cost £1 but catered better for the smaller children than the group we normally attend so I think I’ll go back to this one.

I wasn’t going to do Christmas gifts this year but my sister has bought my son something so now I feel obliged to buy my nephews too. They live down South but will be visiting just after Christmas and as my niece will be around when they’re up, I felt I had to buy for her too so she doesn’t feel left out.

I've decided to give each of them a Santa sack with similar gifts to ensure there’s no bickering. I bought them each (a) the same selection box (b) the same bubble wand (c) marvel body wash for two nephews/minion bubble bath for the niece and (d) ‘the dinosaur who pooped Christmas’ for my niece and six year old nephew/’rudey’s windy Christmas’ for my three year old nephew.

Just need to pick up some Santa sacks from the pound shop and that’s me all sorted!

WantToBeSE

Sorry, been a bit MIA, but am back

Planned a very spendy day today...ended up not spending as much as planned!
My best friend and i got together for our yearly shopping trip, for which i had budgeted £100. I spent £15 and that was it. And that was on lunch!

I couldn't find anything that i liked enough to part with the cash.

So i am going to put that money towards a new coffee table and bookcase, both of which are secondhand and £40 for the pair of them They need sanding down and painting, but that's OK i can do that.

Tomorrow will be a spendy day. I'm doing my big Christmas shop...well, actually what that means is that i am doing a normal weekly shop with about £20 added for some extra nibbles. I dont drink alcohol, so that makes it cheaper. I'm also going to be buying quite a bit of fresh fruit and veg though, which will push the cost up. It'll probably even out.

I'm also posting my mums Christmas present tomorrow morning, so that'll probably cost about £7.

abundant1972

Quick check in for me tonight...

Had a spend day today - but ended up making money so am in a positive balance haha. Also had an offer through to do some market research for £40.00! Not checked it up yet but might be a good little earner...

Catch you all tomorrow...

mothernerd

A few things done. Investigated the phone problem - when the grand chinchillas escaped earlier in the week, one of them chewed through the wires (line was working, bit between phone and jack was cut).

Looked at Argossey and I have decided to upgrade to a twin pack (cheapest single was £30, twin was £54) so that I can have one up here and not have to drag myself out of bed and 'run' downstairs. I sometimes don't hear it either. I was worried about a couple of things (would I need a jack up here as well) but phone seems to be being bought by people my age so that was the first question in the list, followed by questions about hearing aids and how loud the ringtone was - so reassuring.

Beloved checked elsewhere on-line and found a twin pack for under £30 - the one they had at home so reasonable quality and she knows how it works. As this is only the third landline handset I have ever bought, I have decided the upgrade is sensible prepping (who knows how mobile I will be in twenty years, especially as I am not doing great atm). They were going to pay but I have let them off. Not had to pay out any cash as they are going to deduct it from the rent payment.

Grand chinchillas have been sharing the large (escape proof) cage since Tuesday. They had an initial scuffle then settled down in the pet carrier and were taken out for a cuddle one by one. The boy had his advances rejected, so hoping that the possibility of grest-grandchinchillas is remote. He sat guarding the food bowls for the first 24 hours.

Tried to get some of their presents sorted. I had looked at a couple of websites but didn't find any duvet covers I liked - neither did they. Searched through DS3's wardrobe (getting to it isn't easy) and found his king size cover so have suggested buying aa new quilt to fit that and continue the hunt for a super king. Also suggested various websites for DS3 to look for socks (mens size 13- 15). Several say they cater for larger men but then think those men have small feet. I find it very frustrating having to click on individual packs to see if they actually make it in the larger size (why don't thay have a filter that just shows the ones in the correct size) and then sometimes you have to put it in the basket to see if it is in stock. Delegated the problem to them.

Have made inroads on the washing up and waited downstairs for the food delivery - freezer stuff fits perfectly in the available space (bit of wiggle room in there). I have food, I can cope with anything.

Today I am grateful for sleep, for reading and sewing (was going to do the cards whilst waiting for food but he arrived 5 minutes into the delivery slot) and this cough seems to be going away.



I have let them off paying

greent

Went out Xmas shopping with bestie yesterday. She paid for lunch as I paid last time we were out Other than that I bought books (all for presents), bday and Xmas cards, a calendar (DS1) and a bag of giant buttons (OH) Then nipped to local N*xt after coming home to pick up the slippers which bestie liked to go with her present. I am mainly done now - I am waiting for things to arrive in the post and need to buy DS1 something chocolate-y and something small (both in size and price) to go in his stocking but think that is it (oh - may buy OH some boxers from M*S to throw in with his things as he could so with some more) - all of which can be achieved with a quick trip into town one morning this week (I need to go in and bank a cheque anyway) I then have 2 presents to post and maybe 2 or 3 cards (OH has about a dozen he needs to post (cards) but he hasn't written them yet) Card postage will go through business account - parcel postage will be mainly paid for by stamps from RM surveys

(ETA: - I also need to poach some pears in red wine/ spices for my mum and jar them up as the last bit of her present - have pears, have wine, have spices, have an orange, have jar - just need to put it all together! )

Food wise - I have the bird, I have sausages and bacon for pigs in blankets. I have made and frozen red cabbage and will make and freeze bread sauce in the next couple of days. I have 4 small 'special' cheeses and a pack of crackers - will get a pack of water biscuits too and a small piece of pate (close to Xmas) and that is savoury snacks done. Bargainous tub of chocs bought back in Sept and yummy M*s biscuits bought few weeks ago. We have Xmas pudding and an alternative. Need to get a tub of nice vanilla icecream and fresh veggies and then we are done - we have more than enough alcohol around already (will be prosecco with raspberry liqueur for dinner for adults, Shl0er or milk for smaller ones)

I want to get my food shopping done 22nd or 23rd at latest - which will be the fresh veggies, fruit, lots of milk (get through around 5-6 pints a day when children at school, more in the hols so need LOTS!! ) and any 'normal' things required. I will be baking bread and rolls over the hols (as normal) so need to ensure I have enough fresh yeast. I then don't plan on going into a supermarket until 28th (probably for more milk!!)

DD is coming back from uni today - yeay!! - and it's her bday on Sunday

Have a lovely weekend

xx

dolly84

nannygladys - you should spend some of that inheritance on yourself. If you pass it down to your children and then they feel that they can't spend it and save it to pass to their children, no one is getting any enjoyment out of it at all.

greent - wow that is a lot of milk, for 4 of us we use about 10-12 pints a week.

WantToBeSe - well done on being sensible on your shopping trip and not buying for the sake of it.

Seasidegal58

Finally checking in after a few days off the thread. Unfotunately no NSDs since Wednesday which means only 2 NSDS so far this month.

On Thursday DD, sis and I had our Orient Express trip. Which was fabulous and one of the highlights of my year! We were chatting about Christmas on the train and we have made a pact for next year to finally limit what we buy each other and the OHs (although DD did state that wasn't going to apply on how much she spent on me! This was lovely of her - she is so generous but I would like her to rein it in!). Anyway for the adults we are hopefully going to buy a couple of things to wrap up to give on Christmas Day and then buy a present of a "day out" I.e. theatre, etc.

The trip was already paid for by DD and I used my season ticket and Oyster card to get to Victoria. However sis and I did book a cab home from Victoria in the evening and went halves so with the tip it cost me £55!:eek:

I was hoping to have a NSD the next day which was yesterday but went straight to bed when I got in from the train trip and didn't make my lunch for the next day. Was running late the next morning so ended up buying lunch. Still it was £1 cheese and onion sandwich plus crisps from Boots and not Pret so slightly more MSE! Off to DD's in the evening - train already paid for.

Went out with DD shopping today. Absolute bedlam in town what with all the coach trips bringing in the shopping trippers! We decided to cut it short and will go back either tomorrow or Monday. I still managed to spend on muffins and coffees and bought Christmas cushion for DD in Next - £16, but she is such a good, generous girl. Also bought some mince pies and also some shortbread for boss in the lovely cake shop/ cafe they have here. Anyway DD and OH are making crab mac n'cheese for me and OH's DS2 and crab cakes for them for supper tonight (they're on a more healthy diet plan!) and will then sit down to a nice film and glass of wine!:)

Am going back on the really early train on Tuesday morning so I can then go straight into work. Then I haven't really got that much on till just before Christmas so will be really knuckling down to rack up some NSDS.

One positive- I got my Amex credit card yearly Cashback which was £122.68 this year! :j. I was expecting it in Boots vouchers as received in other years but they told me they've stopped the vouchers and you just get the rebate straight onto your card. I always used the vouchers for my make up / toiletries so will just put an extra £122 onto my YNAB toiletries / make up category and this should last for a bit! :T

Enjoy the weekend everyone. :rudolf:

mothernerd

A NSD, hoorah.

Wrote cards last night (well 4 am this morning). Dropped some in the post box and hand delivered a couple. If I can't get more hand delivered ones out in the next few days, another few will go in the post. Overseas ones will be sent on Monday.

New phones arrived at about 2pm, have been set up and are charging. Spent the waiting time mostly sewing. DS1 came for his parcels so that is another chair free. I have organised a couple of drawers and sorted a pile of clutter into approx 6 different categories. Short on sleep so will be having an early night (and a bath, hopefully).

Today I am grateful for a visit from DS1, chinchilla antics (they were sleeping in one furry pile) and getting things done slowly.

FurryBeastOz

Yay. Sent off my phone today - should get £60 for it. Yayyyy. Made a profit today.

Had to get butter and golden caster sugar for baking. Stollen muffins duly made for DH to take into work tomorrow. Tomorrow I need to make the spiced red cabbage for Christmas Day.

I still feel like death. My voice is all croaky and my head feels full of cotton wool. I'm feeling thoroughly sorry for myself.

abundant1972

Evening!


Today = NSD number 8

Went into town and deposited all my spare cash into an online saver... I figured it may as well be earning interest, no matter how small in there... and I will transfer it back into my regular bank account each week as I need it.

Resisted going buying anything but went to the gym instead. Another £50.00 went off the credit card too.

Having another quiet weekend in. Re-did all my budgets and annual expense sheets ready for 2017. Feeling positive

See you all tomorrow