Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

@Baileys_Babe - If you & your family like to have crackers, then it's defo worth stocking up at half price, I agree. They can be an outrageous price for something which very often ends up in the bin & cant always be recycled due to their composite materials. We always had pretty paper Christmas napkins at home & I've carried on buying them because they remind me of those family times with Mum & Dad's big dining table set for us all, including grandparents who would come to stay. So I always look out for a couple of reduced packs of those too. 

@QueenJess - Free cards & paper? Even better! Well done on snaffling those. 

@marionmgcars - Oh no, sorry to hear you went down with Covid in time for Christmas Day. What bad luck. Glad that you are on the mend. Homemade soup is very nourishing when one is lergyfied. I felt suspiciously like I was starting to come down with something a couple of days ago (nephews were both full of ex-cold gunk & coughing like ancient lifetime smokers) but I was completely symptomless the next morning, which I am putting down to having home made turkey soup for dinner. I'm sure there will still be a couple of little sale bargains waiting for you when you feel well enough to visit the shops.
F x

foxgloves

Afternoon Campers!
Didn't fancy gallivanting around the city centre in the pouring rain so we took one took this morning & postponed our shopping plans until a drier day. Felt a bit of a wimp because we'd have been in the shops mostly, but it's a bit of a walk to & from the car park & we'd intended to visit shops situated at both ends of the long high street, so we bottled it & popped out to a local-ish farm with an ice-cream parlour to sample their festive flavours instead. Nothing planned for the rest of the day. We never celebrated New Year at home growing up, as it wasn't part of the Christian calendar. I did usually go out on New Year's Eve during my teens & 20s, but even by my early 30s I was sick of it......drinking too much, pubs heaving, Auld lang syne (makes me want to cry) & invariably managing to stand next to some or other bloke I'd least want to kiss as the clock struck midnight....I couldn't be doing with all that again - over-rated in my opinion. We'll have something nice to eat  - Mr F informs me that his dessert will be the frozen gin soaked fruit from my blackberry & pear liqueur with ice cream, so I might join him in a small amount of that - it's very alcoholic indeed but is nice sweetened & heated up. And we'll watch a film too.
Today's small money saving wins - well, I guess using that leftover ginny fruit is a little one, plus still eating tasty leftovers for today's meals. Did one survey & cashed out my Dec PA earnings at £46.25. November's earnings (£25.98) were still sitting in P*ypal so that will be a nice chunk of £72.23 to add to my Personal Spends. Still haven't finished B-i-L's sock for the presents stash, still sick of the sight of it, so will make sure I knit while we watch a film. I received a lovely kit from my sister which knits up into a quite complicated shawl. The yarn is fab & I'm looking forward to getting started on it, but I've promised to knit Mr F another pair of big thick hiking socks first, as he refuses to wear slippers (apparently this is a lifelong thing) so he likes these big cosy socks for wearing around the house. Defo a money saver, as I shall be knitting those from leftover yarns from my stash - a completely no-spend project. I also intend to finish the book I got for Christmas, write the last entry of my journal & get my lovely new 2023 diary out ready for setting up tomorrow. We do stay up to welcome in the New Year, just in case this post sounds as though I am being a Ms Miserly A*se!
Enjoy your evening, whatever you are doing. I can tell you now that I will be stepping up money saving behaviour big-time in 2023 - see you there, anyone who wants to stick with me.
Love F x

Sun_Addict

Happy New Year Mrs F, let’s hope it’s a good one 🤞

I used to love NYE when I was young, especially the Hogmanay parties my Scottish neighbour used to have. Good times long gone. I’m not bothered about it now and rarely make it until midnight. 

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, excellent PA earnings there! I've neglected it of late, should get back to it really. 

Have a good evening - gin soaked fruit sounds like an excellent way to celebrate! We'll be sat in separate rooms with separate boxes of tissues I think 🙄😂

Makingabobor2

Happy New Year to you and Mr F. The dessert sounds tasty....enjoy! 

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Happy New Year foxgloves and friends
I look forward to reading about your money saving adventures in 2023.
We have been down to your fave county to visit family but are now back home in the NW. I insisted on a trip to gaze at the north sea even though it was uncharacteristically cold and rainy!
love Deni x

foxgloves

Thank-you for your New Year wishes, everyone, which are returned in full, whatever you are doing tonight.
@Deni_debt-free_dreamer - Lol, I don't think I'll be having adventures, but I CAN say that 2023 is definitely going to be a year of money saving.
It won't be shared in this diary though. I've been thinking that the goals I had when I began it have broadly been achieved & that it's time for a new chapter.
To everyone who has followed my mission to remain debt-free, thank-you for your interest & comments. If you have read quite enough of my daily financial ramblings & are ready for a permanent break, then it's goodbye (waves). For those who'd like to continue our chats & sharing, then all being well, there should be a new diary tomorrow.
Onwards we go.......
Foxgloves xx

try_harder

Love your diary and looking forward to the next one ..Happy New Year to you

Sun_Addict

I’m also thinking about starting a new diary IF I can think of a suitable title. Anyway will be following your new diary.

Four_Seasons

Wishing you both health, wealth and happiness for 2023 x  looking forward to your new diary and to see what your new goals are x