Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

Finally_Solvent wrote: »

Sounds like plenty to me:eek:. Don't overdo it, you're still recovering from a nasty lurgy.

I'm scheduling in plenty of tea breaks too .

jwil wrote: »

I love Christmas lights too, they are a real lift at a gloomy time of year.

Yes they are .

Willowtree222

That's a lovely idea about the lights. I bet that does cheer people up as well. I know I love seeing Christmas lights.

Have a lovely day. Perhaps you can join him and watch TV too? x

HairyHandofDartmoor

I'm having plenty of tea breaks and watching a bit of tv then Jwil, but I get bored watching tv all day, unlike DH who never seems to tire of it :rotfl:. I have a restless nature and enjoy being active.

teafor2

Hi HHD I love looking at other people's lights as well although there doesn't seem to be as many up around here as usual. Maybe people are watching their electricity bills

Enjoy the coffee with your stepdad tomorrow. xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 wrote: »

Hi HHD I love looking at other people's lights as well although there doesn't seem to be as many up around here as usual. Maybe people are watching their electricity bills

Enjoy the coffee with your stepdad tomorrow. xx

Thanks TF2 . I hope our electricity bill won't shoot up, but it's only once a year.

I'm looking forward to going out tomorrow, I soon get stir crazy.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well I've done four loads of laundry, sorted out three bags of rubbish and put up the card ribbons and hung the Christmas cards on them. That's taken most of the day believe it or not, although I did have lots of tea breaks. There's lots still to be done with the cleaning and tidying but it's a start anyway.

I'm getting a bit stir crazy as I'm not used to being indoors all day so I'm looking forward to going out tomorrow. We're watching Love Actually at the moment :xmassmile.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like you had a very productive day. HHOD:T:beer:. I bet your card display looks lovely now it's finished. Don't worry too much about the Christmas lights adding a lot to your electricity bill. I think the power they use is pretty negligible. It's appliances etc that heat things that cost:mad:


I know what you mean about DH loving his TV;). Mine's the same but he never just sits there watching. He's usually doing something else at the same time. It tends to be more like a radio on in the background as far as he's concerned and if an exciting/dramatic bit sounds as if it's happening he stops whatever else he's doing and looks at it for a bit:rotfl:. Neither of us watch the same film twice though, can't think of anything more boring when there's so much unseen stuff to watch. There are maybe a handful of films that we would watch again but that's it. We both groan when we see the Christmas and New Year schedules, it's wall to wall repeats:mad:. As for Love Actually, how many times has that been shown over the years?:eek:


Does your DH have any other hobbies, more active ones? Maybe you could give him a gentle nudge in that direction as you've said he's in his late 50s, slightly over-weight, works indoors and is often stressed over his business. Does he have a bike? A quick short bike ride every day takes very little time. DH swears by one most days in the early evening just before we eat. If it's already dark by then he fits one in at mid-day. Just a thought. Or what about swimming? We used to do that as family when the children were small, a relatively cheap family activity that was fun, as gentle/energetic as you want to make it, and had health benefits:j. DH and I were always keen swimmers and made sure we taught the children when they were very small as their Primary Schools didn't do swimming:(. They all loved it, thank goodness, and although the nearest pools were quite a long drive from here it was our regular Saturday morning family time and at least we were all going to the same destination so only one lot of petrol needed:j. DH and I try to go for a swim once a week now we're retired and definitely feel better for it. I wish we could do it more often.


Have a lovely coffee catch-up with Stepdad today:coffee:. Will it be just the 2 of you or is his fiancee coming too?

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thanks FS . Sadly DH was never taught to swim or ride a bike as a child and he is not keen to try either activity now. He does enjoy walking, but by the time he finishes work it is dark and often raining and a rainy walk in the dark does not appeal to him. He only takes half an hour for lunch so doesn't have time to go for a walk then. His main hobbies are films and computers. If someone doesn't enjoy being active you can't force them. He's a grown man and has to make his own decisions.

We made sure that our three children learnt to swim. Like you their schools didn't offer swimming lessons, so we took them for private lessons every Saturday morning and they all got very good at swimming and learnt all the different strokes and how to dive in properly, etc. DS1 is like DH now he is grown up and not massively keen on exercise, although he does enjoy a country walk, but DS2 and DS3 take after me luckily and enjoy being active.

I'm only meeting stepdad for coffee. After that I have a few stocking fillers to buy and a few bits of food we forgot to buy on Saturday. For example I forgot to buy myself something to eat on Christmas Day :rotfl:.

jwil

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas :xmastree::xmastree::xmastree:

Sun_Addict

I'm like you HH, I get restless very easily so I'm not one for watching much TV. I'd rather read a book with the radio in the background. It's killing me being unable to do much at the moment, I can't wait for this cast to come off, still got another 5 weeks to go.