Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

@weenancyinAmerica - I'm very envious of you going to see Donny.  I can imagine that he is a great showman and knows how to give his audience what they want.  I did see The Osmonds (without Donny, Jimmy and Marie so a fairly depleted selection of the family) a few years ago at a show that included David Cassidy.  The Osmonds were fun - David Cassidy was not and I felt very disappointed that my childhood crush hadn't lived up to expectations.  I was a grown woman in my 40's but still felt like he had let me down 🤦‍♀️ Glad I didn't actually marry him as my much younger self had seriously planned to do 🤣
Happy Christmas to you too - it's lovely to hear from you when you pop into my diary 

Blackcats

We had a nice Christmas Day - cooked at home and transported our Christmas lunch in lots of tubs to my dad's.  It was a good mix of quite pricey meat from our local butcher and bargain 15p veggies.  The meat was delicious and we have lots and lots left for turkey and chips tomorrow.  I made bread sauce using Delia's recipe.  It was my mum's favourite part of Christmas dinner and I found myself having a little cry whilst I was blitzing up breadcrumbs.  She loved Christmas - mince pies, Christmas pud and Christmas cake, none of which I particularly like but I had a morsel of Christmas pudding on her behalf.

I think my Christmas budget that I saved over the year was just about right but I have blurred December's grocery budget with the Christmas food budget so I can't definitively provide a set of accounts for any auditors.  I'm going to scoop up any leftover money from December's grocery budget to kickstart the 2024 Christmas pot.  I was also able to send £20 to Crisis at Christmas and £20 to the Salvation Army which was mostly from interest earned on Christmas; holiday and entertainment pots which felt good.
Its a nice feeling to know that we don't need to spend any more money this year 😉

PennysIntoPounds

Happy Christmas, glad your Dad is feeling better enough for Christmas dinner. It is a day for a little cry isn't it.
Lovely that you could start your Christmas 2024 pot, and contribute to charity.

You've said now you don't need to spend any more money this year so I'd better not see you down Harrods while I'm flashing my PiP tenner!

amber03

We went to a pub for Xmas dinner this year for the first time. Didn’t think it was worth the money and much prefer mine. Think I will cook one on New Years Day, feel as tho I have missed out not doing one.xx

savingholmes

Glad you got through the day - even if it was with a little cry. Hope the rest of the festive season goes better / is easier.

Blackcats

@PennysIntoPounds - I'll keep away from Harrods for now - there probably won't be much stock left if you are planning to spend the whole £10.  Just remember this is a money saving site so please only chose sale bargains.
@amber03 - I agree about pub Christmas lunch.  I used to feel a teency bit disgruntled that we have to go to my dad's on Christmas Day but actually we've got it down to a fine art these last 2 years and I know I'm lucky to still have dad.  We have family who go to the pub for Christmas dinner - £94 a head excluding drinks!!  They came to us on Boxing Day for a leftovers lunch and really enjoyed cold turkey, ham, chips, pigs in blankets etc, as they never have this at home.  I think a New Year's Day feast is a great idea and you might pick up some bargain ingredients.
thanks @savingholmes - it was a momentary little cry that came out of nowhere and was also about happy memories of my mum.  I've had a lovely few days.

back from more visiting of family today.  MrBC and I are truly blessed to have 2 great sets of kids and grandkids between us.  We genuinely don't differentiate between each other's families and are so lucky to be able to be part of the various celebrations.  We've had some nice gifts including tickets for a west end show which was totally unexpected and very exciting.

my purse has remained shut but we do need milk ..... we found a £3.85 Tesco voucher so it can stay shut.  I've been reading some posts on the old style board which are inspiring me to hunker down and get money mindful after the Christmas spending spree.  Although it was all budgeted for but for me there is a certain psychology attached to spending money that could easily continue.  

we have a free day on Saturday so we are having a "bored" meeting to plan for 2024 and look at our priorities for some spending on the house.  To be fair MrBC is much more engaged with our household finances so our annual meeting is now much less of a bored meeting. 

savingholmes

How lovely to have show tickets - that sounds like an excellent memory making opportunity.

Glad you are both finding ways of making the previously bored meetings more riveting.

Blackcats

thanks @savingholmes
I have enjoyed a quiet day today after lots of lovely socialising with family and friends.  

Re-calibrating for 2024 with a refreshed focus on managing finances well in order to enjoy a happy and sustainable 2024.
see you next year! 

PennysIntoPounds

As my nye gift to you, you may openly laugh at our last couple of footie results x

Blackcats

That's very gracious, and in return you may laugh at how £1billion can be spent and achieve ..... 10th place