First Steps to Solvency

stymied

Hmmm think you should ask BIL to contribute if they do come. Either the booze (you don’t have to drink any but I’m sure he will want to) or the dessert. I feel a bit sorry for BILs mum, why should she have the choice of having to cook a big roast if she doesn’t want to or being alone at Christmas? 😟

ladyholly

Tell your BIL that your Christamas will be alcohol free this year. It might put him off or encourage him to contribute (make sure any you do happen to have is well hidden).

RelievedSheff

I'm sure you will enjoy your big family Christmas. 

Looks like it is just us two and the dog again this year. MIL's husband is still too ill to travel down from Scotland. I don't mind it just being us two though. We can do what we want when we want that way  

enthusiasticsaver

Sounds like you may have a house full then this year.  We have a quiet Christmas day, just DH, me and eldest daughter and then Boxing Day Bedlam all over at my youngest daughters with her, my SIL and 2 grandchildren and border collie pup. They alternate between us and her PIL. Saw my mum and brother this week and my sister visiting next week. We cannot be doing with large Christmas groups. 

Glad your wife has seen the light as far as BF goes.  We don't bother with it. 

Legs21

I love a big gathering for Xmas dinner. Even nicer once everyone goes home 😁

Just take it as a compliment that they all want to come to yours for Xmas dinner.

alt80

Day 176 through 

Haven't quite got through Black Friday entirely free. My Mrs got an amazon email and ordered a Spirograph for those old enough to remember them lol for a silly Christmas present for son. It was £15 I think. Apart from that, not touched the cards. Quite proud of my Mrs today generally over BF and for telling a girl who keeps pestering her to get her lips done she doesn't want to. She's looking forward to not doing so many nails when the girl she's helping is back from her maternity leave. Generally she's finding it a bit of a toxic environment and not just talking about the !!!!!! she paints on girls' nails ha. She's doing well in the gym and has put on some weight so actually fits in her clothes thank god for that almost had to buy her a new wardrobe and that would have been really !!!!!! bad for the credit cards. Her current plan is to get to 50kg to weigh enough to give blood. For some reason I've told her I'll go with her and do it too don't think I can shed enough weight to have an excuse fml ha.

@efes_shareholder the EQC is a great car 100%. It is somewhat tempting tbf. 

@rugbymadfamily thank you! I'll have to check it out my boy would love it so would the Mrs entertaining them on the cheap lol. Tbf sounds good and I can cobble together a few treats, light the fire and watch some rugby definitely sounds a nice day when we'd little planned. 

@warby68 haha thanks mate just need to get you out of that X6 and into an EQC now. I still smile about the X6 fml what were you thinking on the day you thought that was a good idea lol. Seriously with the EQC the BIK is practically nothing, you get half the VAT reclaimable and payment is tax deductible. 

Definitely struggling with sleep tonight. Some of my staff went to the pub after work, usual lot ha. Did have a bit of a moment tbh seems I get more distant from that group by the day still work well together tbf which is what matters but bit of a !!!!!! realisation that they are only 'mates' for as long as I'm paying them had it before with staff when they move on I never see them again. 

@RelievedSheff we just have to take each day as we find it and do best with the info we have I need to keep remembering that.

@ladyholly thank you, I am not rushing into making any decisions but you're right I have to take some time to work out what is right for me now I don't use it's like learning who I am and hopefully working towards being a better version of myself than I was.

@Humdinger1 thank you that means a lot. I'm trying to be a little better today than I was yesterday each day one at a time in the hope the effort compounds. Idk sounds a bit mad written. Fortunately usually when I want to do something, stick with it and work on it I do get there and I want to get there with long term recovery and working towards financial stability if not free from debt (I never will be realistically) it only being used for the right reasons and in the right ways. Some of the debt I have taken on hasn't been for stupid reasons and has allowed me to buy income producing property so I'm never going to be some advocate for living a life free of debt / risk etc. just hope one day I can maybe get through to being in long term recovery in every sense including personal spending - don't want to go down the road of binge spending again.

alt80

@stymied haha fml not a chance he'll contribute anything. I am planning not to drink no matter who does. Apparently his mum is a bit of a miser generally where he gets it from lol.

@ladyholly everyone will want to drink I'm sure, I'll be ordering booze as usual. This is the main Christmas day I'm talking about not work lunch with staff. They don't need it to be AF because I want to choose to personally have an AF Christmas. 

@RelievedSheff two and the dog sounds absolute bliss to me mate although sorry to hear about your FIL.

@enthusiasticsaver I can't blame you tbh. Having his cousins to play with will be brilliant for son but I'm already on edge last time I saw this sibling of wife's I'd relapsed at one of FIL's family bbq. !!!!!! mortifying looking back. One of the reasons I've volunteered to cook the roast. MIL has said she will help me which I'm pleased about she and I get on quite well together in the kitchen. Added to that lot my mum and dad want to do !!!!!! kitchen side FaceTime lol 'can all cook together' over FaceTime it's going to be a !!!!!! madhouse.

@Legs21 lol they want to come to mine because I own the biggest house not sure what compliment that is, it's not about seeing me. They'd probably be glad if I !!!!!! off for the day. Nicer when everyone goes home though 100 !!!!!! %. 

enthusiasticsaver

I remember Spirograph and for £15 that is a good present for your son. It is the high end expensive tech I think is inappropriate for an 8 year old. Your wife sounds like she is starting to embrace a life less centred round social media too which is great. 

Going for an AF Christmas is good if you don’t trust yourself round it. Since my husbands heart op we are AF here too since September due to the drugs he is taking and I cannot say I have missed it. Just makes me feel tired and generally sluggish. 

I hope you got to sleep eventually. 

ladyholly

I agree it doesnt need to be AF but why should you be the one to supply it all when you are not drinking it. Perhaps a couple of nice bottles for dinner but anything after that everyone can bring their own or contribute in some way. I know your in laws will almost certainly contribute but so should everyone else even if its only a bottle of cheap plonk.

Well done to Mrs alt on almost resisting the temptations of Black Friday. £15 spend is really good. Long may it continue. From what I have heard on radio and TV most of the "bargains" arent cheaper at all.

Have a good weekend and dont get blown away.

alt80

So much for the rugby 🙄 @rugbymadfamily

@enthusiasticsaver did eventually get to sleep and had a lie in actually not totally whacked for once haha. 

I’m not saying I’ll never have a drink again just not really enjoying it affects my mindset imo and leads to craving the other stuff. Just better off without it personally I think. 

I had to laugh when she ordered it tbh lol.  My wife is fed up with IG just thinks it’s the same stuff over and over which tbh it is. 

@ladyholly it’s !!!!!! awful weather today.

Haha we were having a whinge about the BF ‘deals’ at work lol. Few funny memes going about too. 

We’ve plenty of booze in the cellar tbh. Parents in law probably won’t bother much and might stay. Wife’s siblings will and 100% they expect me to drive them home. Already said they aren’t staying im not feeling uncomfortable in my own home for more than a few hours. Sister yet to say if she’s even coming up here told her she needs to let me know by second weekend in December else 23rd will roll around and she’ll call saying they’re coming up here and staying over. Cba with it told wife we should go to Greece next Christmas lol.