Dusty's Frugal Fortnights

beanielou

500 on Christmas seems a lot to me.
But we are all different

GlendaSugarbean

Can you use the loss of shelf space as an excuse to chuck some stuff out?

Hope DH is recovered and less grumpy

dustydigger

beanielou wrote: »

500 on Christmas seems a lot to me.
But we are all different

Its not really a whole lot when you are buying presents for 14,making Xmas dinner for 10,drinks,snacks and stuff for visitors for over a week, plus cards,wrapping paper and all the other oddments that crop up.It also includes for New Year too, remember,and I have carefully worked everything out. I normally spend £30 per person,have cut that down a little,and I will be spending less on food. My original budget was my usual £800,so I actually feel quite frugal with spending £500:D:D.And knowing I have the whole thing sorted and the cash and vouchers all available means so much less stress.
I remember the bad old days of have catalogues to get presents etc through them,and having to pay for the whole thing with 29% APR.Nightmare:eek:.

dustydigger

GlendaSugarbean wrote: »

Can you use the loss of shelf space as an excuse to chuck some stuff out?

Hope DH is recovered and less grumpy

Its a work in progress. Yesterday I sorted through 2 boxes and chucked some old paperwork out,and so amalgamated 2 boxes into 1,and stored some other things in the newly emptied one,so thats tidied up some stuff lying around,though I still have the same number of boxes!:D
I peeped into the cupboard under the stairs and hurriedly shut the door. The last few months when I have been so depressed and lethargic,I have just been shoving things in there willy-nilly,and its a mess.I might make that a Sunday project,see what I can rearrange. I know all my Xmas wrapping paper and possibly some cards etc are in the rubble somewhere.:)
Mr D is almost back to normal,but now he once again fixated on going to Africa. He is attempting to negotiate with the squatter,as he calls her,who is making impossible demands - £17000 and two of the properties! - and he is forever on the phone quarrelling with her and then slamming down the phone. She refuses to talk with his daughters at all,and he is so blinded by bitterness and a feeling of injustice that he cant be rational,so that they are not getting anywhere. I am just biting my tongue and not getting in the middle of it all,but I'm sure my stress cortisol levels must be rocketing.It will be 6 years next month since he innocently permitted her to temporarily move into the property for her daughter's engagement,and she is still there,court has allowed her to stay like a sitting tenant,the house is ruined and nothing has happened except we have spent thousands of pounds to no avail.:(

dustydigger

I was disappointed not to make it to our local cenotaph this past Sunday for the WWI centenary ceremonies,but I was very busy helping my daughter with her moving.It was 100 years in April 1917 that my grandfather was killed,I would have really like to have been there.I watched the highlights programme in the evening.I always get a huge lump in my throat when they play ''Nimrod'' and the Last Post!
How sad that war never goes out of fashion.I am reminded of the song ''Where have all the Flowers Gone?'' Nope,we never learn.I know some people say we should stop having the Remembrance day ceremonies,but I disagree.

I was reminded of Robert Southey's poem, written in 1796,about the Battle of Blenheim which was a famous victory in 1704 .Memories do fade,and in the past once the last tie of living witnesses was gone (as is now almost complete in regard to WWI) it all faded away. But today we have pictures and films,and indeed the aftermath has overshadowed our modern world,so we since feel a resonance,so we still remember.
And of course the madness of war is still raging in many places.It never ends
.........you can read Southey's poem here - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45178/the-battle-of-blenheim

dustydigger

Sorted my Xmas drinks at Tesc*.The total cost was £96,but through Top Cashback I got £10 off for first home delivery,and had £59 worth of vouchers,so only had to pay £27in cash.:T:T
In particular I was pleased about a special offer for Cockburns Extra Special Reserve Port at £8 a bottle instead of £16.DS1s fave,which I rarely get because of the price.I bought two,I will put the second bottle away for hisbirthdy next year :)

As for Icel*nd,I have now completed 3 out of 4 £8 spends,to earn a £5 bonus.That will make £41 towards Xmas frozen stuff and sweets for 10 people,as 4 are already sorted. For now I must use up my frozen veg from the freezer to make room for the Xmas stuff,its full to the brim at the moment:)

beanielou

Well done you

dustydigger

Hi,its been a fraught week. I was having problems with my laptop charger,and couldnt get online. Then someone loaned me one for a few days. I am still waiting almost a week now for the charger I've ordered,still not in sight.All this Black Friday stuff seems to be making an awful lot of parcels needing delivering. I have to give this charger back to my neighbour tomorrow.
But then 5 days ago when I was connected I tried to update on here to explain my extended absence,and was editing a post when things went wonky.I couldnt manage to save the post,so in the end I deleted it,and immediately got the message that I had been banned from this site!No explanations,and it has taken 5 days for them to sort it out,still without explanations.I was allowed back this evening,about 4 pm,but just checked my emails right now.
Am off to bed,here's hoping I will still have access tomorrow!:)

beanielou

Hope to 'see' you again tomorrow

dustydigger

beanielou wrote: »

Hope to 'see' you again tomorrow

:wave::wave:
Yep,here I am:T Going to post my budget and make a couple of posts,then I have to give back the charger. If my new charger hasnt been delivered I will come online at the library this afternoon.Its straight opposite Her*n where I get my frozen veggies,so thats convenient.:)
Its one of my pet peeves that electronic goods all come with different shapes and sizes of chargers.Why cant they just have a standard size,like we have standard wallplugs? Brcause they want us to stay tied to the company of course and make more money from us.:rotfl: