Cutting it Fine - the challenge is on!

savingholmes

Sounds like your self care is paying off and you've come into the weekend at a good place. 

I feel lucky as my parents still do xmas dinner for all of us that want to go - so even with the price of fuel - it still saves me money compared with the odd year when I tried to recreate it at home. It was extortionate! I have lots of family to buy for but buying less this year too.

Chiglepig

And to add to the Christmas theme, we now only do stockings (plus one large gift for dd - a pair of Dr Martens for the last two years!), but the stockings are nice toiletries for DD and Mr C, and packets of seeds for me, so I spend Boxing day planning the year in the garden, and the other two smell nice until at least June!

SandyShores

I haven't done stockings for years @Chiglepig but I think I'll start it up again.  That sounds really good and its such a lovely start to the day.  

SandyShores

Thanks @Kittenkirst, he's calmed down a little, but I think something really spooked him yesterday as he kept going out then coming in and going out again last night.  Each time I had to open the door and go out with him, or open the window so he could look out.  He's due a visit to the vet for a check up as he seems a little irritated by his skin.  I don't think its fleas, but I need to find the last receipt as I didn't write down when I gave it to him.

@twinklie and @savingholmes, you sound like you have your day organised.  I think the biggest problem is DH wanting to stay so long, whereas I want to just have dinner, stay for a polite time and then go home and put my PJs on.  Its so awkward as there aren't really any excuses to make to be able to leave.

LadyWithAPlan

@SandyShores yes there is nothing like being stuck with difficult relatives over Xmas. 

@Chiglepig those baubles sound fabulous. I bought my mum  a few over the years, they always look so lovely when they appear each year. Particularly the  handblown ones.  

savingholmes

Hope your cat is okay.

SandyShores

Thanks savingholmes, I think he's being bullied by another cat that keeps coming into our garden.  He's a bit nervous at the moment.

SandyShores

@LadyWithAPlan I know, tell me about it.  It seems so strange to me to spend so much time with people you don't normally spend a great deal of time with, especially when they are so close by.  Anyway, I think this year, I have a little plan to make it a bit more bearable this year.

Had a fantastic relaxing day today.  Got all my steps in, baked some bread and it was just generally positive all round.  End of the month is nearly here, and I have a little payrise to look forward to, as well as some expenses to come back - so its nice to feel a little bit flush before xmas comes along.  Things moving in the right direction again.  I was reading something yesterday, was it on Instagram about kids being bullied on social media and it being the last thing they see when they go to bed and first thing they see in the morning - so sad.  Then I watched the GP programme tonight and the poor lad who was worried about what his friends thought about him.  It reminded me that not everyone on social media is very kind.  So grateful to have joined two very positive forums (mortgage free and debt free wannabes).  There really are some lovely people on here.

savingholmes

Great news on payrise

I agree mse positive place to post

debtfreeoneday

I’ve always found this a positive place, hence why I’m still here some 12/13 years later. 

We do stockings even though the kids know about FC. They are more practical, pants, socks, toiletries type of thing. 

Don’t lose heart with the big numbers on the mortgage. It does come down little by little. I still feel I’ve a long way to go