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

HairyHandofDartmoor

doingitanyway wrote: »

Funny about the secret freezer :rotfl:
It isn't raining here so I'm going to go for a walk before it begins.
I hope you find a break in the weather so you can walk too.

WannabeFree wrote: »

Have a lovely day HH
Hope Christmas food shop goes to plan
x

Thanks both .

HairyHandofDartmoor

The Christmas food shop is accomplished :xmassmile. Mr T wasn't too busy, quite bearable in fact. We had coffee first to give us strength (well I had coffee and DH had cake, I drink and he eats :rotfl:).

We bought some bits that weren't on the list (this is why I won't allow DH in a supermarket normally :rotfl:) but we spent £70 on food for Christmas day and Boxing day :beer:. I've already spent about £30 previously on drinks, crisps, cakes etc, so £100 in total for the Christmas food for five people. £10 per person per day. It could be a lot worse I thought :xmassmile.

We bought two value chickens (£3.50 each :money:), one for each day, because the price of a turkey shocked us and we laughed incredulously when we saw how much a goose would cost (£43 :eek: :rotfl:).

We bought a Mr T finest yule log, but everything else was Mr T bog standard brand and was perfectly fine. We took advantage of the half price carrots and parsnips for roasting, and value spuds were 29p for a large bag reduced from £1.09 so we got two of those. We even got some crackers and Christmas serviettes.

It's not fine living but it's good enough for us and we will eat well on Christmas day and Boxing day :xmassmile.

elizabethhull

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

The Christmas food shop is accomplished :xmassmile. Mr T wasn't too busy, quite bearable in fact. We had coffee first to give us strength (well I had coffee and DH had cake, I drink and he eats :rotfl:).

We bought some bits that weren't on the list (this is why I won't allow DH in a supermarket normally :rotfl:) but we spent £70 on food for Christmas day and Boxing day :beer:. I've already spent about £30 previously on drinks, crisps, cakes etc, so £100 in total for the Christmas food for five people. £10 per person per day. It could be a lot worse I thought :xmassmile.

We bought two value chickens, one for each day, because the price of a turkey shocked us and we laughed incredulously when we saw how much a goose would cost (£43 :eek: :rotfl:).

We bought a Mr T finest yule log, but everything else was Mr T bog standard brand and was perfectly fine. We took advantage of the half price carrots and parsnips for roasting, and value spuds were 29p for a large bag reduced from £1.09 so we got two of those. We even got some crackers and Christmas serviettes.

It's not fine living but it's good enough for us and we will eat well on Christmas day and Boxing day :xmassmile.

It all sounds lovely, and properly Xmassy without paying silly prices.

BUT, do hide some of it - you may have a secret eater in your house !!!!

HairyHandofDartmoor

Since getting back I've hidden the non perishables in my bedroom and used a shelf in the fridge and freezer for the rest. I've messaged DS3 and told him not to eat it!

I've washed some thick hoodies and put them in the garden on the clothes horse because it is actually NOT RAINING today! I've also opened my bedroom window and the bathroom window as these rooms feel damp.

More laundry is washing and I want to do a bit of tidying up this afternoon. We bought DS2's second present in Mr T (DH thought he might like some speakers) so I need to wrap that up this afternoon. We still need to buy an Am@zon voucher for stepdad as we need to give it to him tomorrow.

I feel like we're on top of most things now to do with Christmas :rudolf:.

The house is a mess though so a good clean and tidy would be a good plan for this afternoon.

HairyHandofDartmoor

elizabethhull wrote: »

It all sounds lovely, and properly Xmassy without paying silly prices.

BUT, do hide some of it - you may have a secret eater in your house !!!!

Thanks Elizabeth . It's no secret who the eater is :rotfl: DS3 is eating us out of house and home :mad: :rotfl:. I've hidden all the dry goods in my bedroom and messaged him to tell him not to eat the Christmas food. He won't eat it if I specifically tell him not to .

elizabethhull

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

I've also opened my bedroom window and the bathroom window as these rooms feel damp.

I just wanted to check, and please forgive me for doing so, but are you careful you're not getting any black mould ? We used to have it in our first house, as there was no central heating and especially in the winter, all the bedroom windows had a lot of condensation and then mould. We didn't know it was a health risk at the time, we just mopped it up with towels, which got rather disgusting with the wet and the black.
Anyway, it is a potential danger with no heating and all the wet weather we've had recently. I would hate you to have health problems to add to the things you have to worry about.

Hopefully, this does not affect you and it was an unnecessary warning !

jwil

Well done on getting the food shopping done :T That's a job for this weekend here.

doingitanyway

Sounds like your shopping went well. Must be good to know you are done now.

I don't use the heating a great deal and never in the daytime but I am a fresh air fan and find as long as I ventilate well even when it is cold damp isn't an issue (at least for me)

Chicken instead of turkey tends to be a moister option anyway.

beanielou

You will be glad that the Christmas shopping is done

HairyHandofDartmoor

elizabethhull wrote: »

I just wanted to check, and please forgive me for doing so, but are you careful you're not getting any black mould ? We used to have it in our first house, as there was no central heating and especially in the winter, all the bedroom windows had a lot of condensation and then mould. We didn't know it was a health risk at the time, we just mopped it up with towels, which got rather disgusting with the wet and the black.
Anyway, it is a potential danger with no heating and all the wet weather we've had recently. I would hate you to have health problems to add to the things you have to worry about.

Hopefully, this does not affect you and it was an unnecessary warning !

doingitanyway wrote: »

Sounds like your shopping went well. Must be good to know you are done now.

I don't use the heating a great deal and never in the daytime but I am a fresh air fan and find as long as I ventilate well even when it is cold damp isn't an issue (at least for me)

Chicken instead of turkey tends to be a moister option anyway.

We get a bit of mould under the windows and behind furniture, but I clean it off with antibac wipes when I see it. The house gets damp when it rains anyway because the render is cracked. And the back of the house has original Edwardian single pane sash windows which stream with condensation in the winter, even when we used to have the heating on.

The central heating doesn't reach mine and DH's attic bedroom so we've never had heating up there. We just have a warm duvet and jump into bed quickly. Although the tip of my nose gets cold some nights :eek:.

I think we'll be okay because we try and open the windows when it's not raining to air the rooms. It can't be helped anyway because we can't afford to have the heating on.

What can't be cured must be endured. I love a good cliche .