Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

It's a good goal Saving Holmes - freedom to chose.  Foxgloves you do inspire me - you and Mr F work hard together as a team to give yourselves a great quality of life.
i had a hospital appointment today and I'm so grateful for the people who work so hard to look after us and give their best effort to all that they do.  All ok with me - follow up on Christmas Eve.

I nearly fell into a familiar trap today - finishing off an online Christmas present shop - the message flashed up on my screen "just spend £2 more for free postage".  Great I thought and off I went with great haste and put a £32 pair of earrings for myself into the basket.  FREE postage for an extra £30 - the new me just paid the postage 😇

savingholmes

Well done. Those are the kind of spending traps I fall into - I am only just learning not to.
Do you have to go to hospital on Xmas Eve or is it a phone call?

Blackcats

SavingHolmes, I only just stopped myself from adding the earrings.  I reasoned that they were beautiful, very festive, would complement sooo many outfits etc etc but I did resist and like the plastic cactus and the £95 plastic bouquet I will manage very well without them.
feeling very Fredagsymys (cosy Friday) today.  I surprised myself by Being able to make  a very pretty display of seasonal garden foliage, some sparkly lights and some baubles.  I put a sparkly red runner on the table and a large shiny red plate to put the bowl on and it looks really nice.  Zero cost and very satisfying. 

My admin task list seems to be never reducing - as fast as I cross a task off another one takes its place 😅

savingholmes

Festive display sounds very cheerful

Blackcats

thank you thank you Saving Holmes. I'm not creative or rtiatic like you are so I'm happy to have tried.  

Last few presents bought today - so much wrapping up to do now.
i need to focus on a realistic Christmas budget next year as I think I've spent too much this year.  I think I've over compensated because I haven't seen people in this tipsy turvy year.  I'll make that a savings goal for 2021.  

joedenise

I don't spend a lot on anyone at Christmas and budget £20 per month.  This is enough for the people I do spend on but you do need to work out how much you want to spend on the people you personally want to spend.   You may want to spend more or less but you need to work out what you want to spend personally.

Blackcats

SavingHolmes - I meant to type artistic not "rtiatic" which sounds like a painful condition 🙄

Blackcats

JoeDenise - you are right.  I need to write a list of everyone I buy for and work out the costs and then divide by 12 and save the appropriate amount of money.  It's so obvious but I'm still a bit of a novice that I find things like Christmas still take me a bit by surprise which is daft! 
i realise it feels like I've spent a lot this Christmas because I've also done the shopping and wrapping for an elderly relative.  I've now got third party authority to use their debit card which is easier than getring cash from their account to reimburse me. 

I'm very pleased with the savings I've made by signing up for newsletters or new customer discounts before present shopping.  I've saved nearly £40 doing this plus using £co when available.  I'm going to pop £40 into my "accumulation of marginal gains" savings pot.  And then I'm going to unsubscribe from all the newsletters in case I'm tempted to spend more than I've saved 🤷‍♀️

savingholmes

Well done on the savings - and the plan to unsubscribe. It has taken the last 18 months for me to finally get I saved nothing if I bought something I wouldn't otherwise have done. I enjoy being artistic - but I don't think my wider family want anymore artistic presents for a while LOL.

Blackcats

I agree savingholmes - saving 10%on something. I didn't need and/or couldn't afford and then paying exorbitant interest on the credit card I used is hardly a bargain.
i received a cheque for a Christmas gift this week and used it to buy the earrings I wanted so I'm very happy about that.