Santas challenge 2017

Happy_Kitties · 28 December 2018 at 9:52AM

Many thanks for ur kind thoughts Chanie. I've just finished my antibiotics and DD is now on antibiotics and had a much better night. No getting up at 5am with her being sick but we had everything ready just in case.

It's a shame about the pyjamas scanning in at £3.50. My DM was adamant that she didn't want PJs this year as that is what everyone buys her. Myself and DD were the same, but we all got them from one branch of the family despite saying. My DM was quite upset as we had put alot of thought into their presents but they clearly hadn't with ours but we've found there is always someone in the family like that, it wouldn't be a Christmas otherwise!
I've worn mine but DD doesn't want hers, they're going to charity.......its only bec we haven't got the store close to us....if we had I would have took them back to try and get an exchange which would have been very handy

We did find with B@@ts on Boxing day that it was easy to get caught up in the hype if u weren't careful. Some people had baskets and baskets of stuff. Me and DD had a basket each, we found a quiet corner and went thru what we had and who they were for. A couple of things I wanted for people for birthdays.

chanie and CCL uve both done really well with paper and cards. Our C@rd Factory is 50% off at the minute. Hoping for 75% like last year and their cards went down to 5 for a £1. Picked up a couple of really nice cards on 50% that I know wont be there on 75%. Went thru the cards I had got, need a couple more family ones but I think I will wait. Did pick up Christmas bed socks in C. Factory down to a £1.

Managed to pack some of the things away last night. Will do the rest today and try to be productive

Anglea · 28 December 2018 at 1:31PM

Hi everyone, wow you've all been busy since the 25th with bargains.

Happy Kitties, sorry that you and DD have been ill and missed the tree decorating, is she any better today?

DS1 and his gf left for the airport at 5.30 am this morning so it's now myself and friend until about Jan 2nd, we're going geocaching later on. We went to Iceland yesterday as in the past they had freezer bargains but none at all were found. I would have struggled with it because there's no room in my freezer.

The kitchen is still full, fridge blocked up with food, and I've got a box of veg on the kitchen floor, still other stuff in the garage. I froze some of the meat last night.

This year seemed to go smoother than ever. Unexpectedly had two dramas - Monday afternoon I couldn't into the garage to take out some of the food/drink - the sliding door (overhead on metal castors) got stuck, luckily I have a back entrance via the patio so managed to fix it, the cause was the box of food accidentally pushed against the sliding door.

Drama 2. DS didn't bring his door key so was going in via the garage very late at night and the exact same thing happened with the door getting stuck, but of course he couldn't get into the house any other way. I thought it was odd he was outside so long after I heard him arrive and was wondering what on earth was going on.

Happy_Kitties · 29 December 2018 at 10:44AM

Many thanks Anglea DD is doing much better. Still sleeping alot and not eating much, feels like she has been hit by a bus but much better than she was.

U sound like uve had a few garage dramas.......I would love a garage just to put a small chest freezer in if nothing else as freezer is also stuffed full. A shame about Iceland having no freezer bargains even though u would have struggled to store......even one bargain would have been nice.

I picked up quite a few chocolate bargains yesterday that will go back with DD for uni as she needs a high calorie diet. Picked up tubs of quality street for £2, so 3 tubs in her uni food bags and other bits.
Been very lucky this year picked up another couple of birthday presents in Tesc@s just as they were reducing. I'm determined to try and reduce Christmas and birthday present budgets-going to work out the 2018 present spends today.

Kitchen still looks like a right state, things just popped in any available space so going to try and sort out and put things away or into store today. I will get sorted!

chanie · 29 December 2018 at 11:44PM

happy kitties you did so well with your bargains this year. Well done.

I bought 4 hair brushes today from TK Maxx, saving £33. I had been wanting one of these brushes for myself and when I saw how cheap they were, I picked up a couple for Xmas prezzies.

Happy_Kitties · 30 December 2018 at 12:24PM

Oooo well done Chanie with the hair brushes. There is nothing better when u spot something that u were after cheaper, so u are able to treat urself, get some for Christmas prezzies plus save some money-thats a win win in my book

Been doing my year end totals. I set a budget of £500 for birthday and £500 for Christmas
Haven't worked out Christmas yet but my birthday totals are,

2018 birthday spends 511.56
2018 birthday savings 375.39-made up from bargain hunting, sales, using B@@ts points and coupons, vouchers from RM surveys

Pleased with the above considering the amount I have to buy for........if I can just get it below the £500 mark for 2019 i will be happy

chanie · 30 December 2018 at 11:07PM

Wow, happy kitties your savings this year have been amazing. I roughly worked out that we spent about £500 on presents (excluding, me OH and the children) and saved about £100. Am pleased with this, as I got some good presents which people enjoyed,but I think I could do better in 2019.

I have got my first Link to Hope box. I bought OH some trainers for Xmas and I kept the box, so I can work out how much stuff I will need to fill each box. So, I now have 3 collections going; 1 for my link boxes, 1 for the Salvation Army toy appeal and 1 for the school fete. I really want to do more charity work and as I am quite good at finding bargains, I thought it would be a good use of my talents.

chanie · 31 December 2018 at 11:47AM

Christmas is over in our home

We took the tree down yesterday and put the decorations away for another year. We could have kept the tree up, but wanted to get everything back in order ASAP.

Happy_Kitties · 31 December 2018 at 4:40PM

I did fall lucky on the bargains I managed to get this year and have 3/4s of presents in for next year now. But I need to have a big operation that will keep me out of action for 4-6minths so it is always in the back of my mind and I know now I will always have a present for someone.

I always used to keep my decs up until the 6th but as ive got older I've always thought I've still got a tree up but Christmas was last year once the New Year was seen in.
Have packed some lights away and took the Christmas cards down, but hoping to pack the rest away tomorrow-not that there was alot to begin with!!

Now that is quick off the mark Chanie. I went on the Link to Hope website the other day to see if they had any 2018 pictures of box delivery but never actually thought about getting boxes now. If I'm in town the end of the week I will pop into the shoe shop for my first box and aim to actually get 4 done this year.

Have a happy new year everyone, quiet night in for me. Hoping to stay awake for the bells.......whether I will manage it I don't know!!!!!

chanie · 1 January 2019 at 10:20PM

I have gift ideas for 3 people, which I think will be well received. I have written them down so I can buy them in a few weeks time. I have managed to find the items at a good price, so it’s MSE!! I am determined to get better bargains this year. I think I did okay in 2018, but I want to save more this year.

Happy kitties it’s great that you are ahead for 2019, particularly as you have a big op planned. At least the presents will be one less thing you have to think about.

Anglea · 2 January 2019 at 1:01AM

Happy New Year everyone.

My friend is staying her last night with me today (Jan 1st) then returning home tomorrow. We've been on long walks since DS1 and his g/f left on Friday and done geocaching. Still got lots of Christmas food around, I froze as much as I could and my freezer is totally full, still got some cheese, cream, cakes etc which I'll be eating this week.

Coming up in January I've got two birthdays, one only needing a card sent and the other is DS2 who will need gifts, this week my main priority will be cleaning the house. I'll be keeping the tree up until last moment but luckily I didn't have as much decorations and a different tree to previous years so easier to tidy.

Santas challenge 2017

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