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Friday 15 December 2017

Frugal Friday


This has been a very quiet week as all the snow has meant I have stayed home every day ! The one expense was paying for taxi to get MasterShoestring home from school one day when I tried to get the car out of the drive and did not manage !

A big win was that I got all the letters and parcels posted before the snow arrived and used the stamps I had got free from the Royal Mail survey, so it didn't cost me a penny ! I always make sure that the gifts are no larger than 'small parcel' size if they have to be posted and check the airmail charges online, so I know exactly how much needs to go on the envelope. I've already made a list of 'easy to post' presents for next year so I can keep an eye out for those things in the sales or plan to make them.

We made salsa, tortillas, waffles, pancakes and shepherd's pie from scratch and did a lot of playing in the snow, which cost nothing !

Once the post was being delivered again I got a letter to say that because we have built up such a large credit with the new electricity and gas supplier they are going to reduce the monthly direct debit by a third ! This is such a large reduction that I'm pretty sure it is a mistake, but I have been submitting my readings online so maybe not ! Anyway, it will be useful extra money this month to buy s few tasty treats for Christmas !

We ate the very last of the vegetables from the polytunnel and they really are the very last as MeShoestring has pulled out all the plants now ! I've checked through all the seeds we've got and we only need to buy a few for the Spring. With our free subscription to Kitchen Garden magazine it might even turn out to be none !

Staying at home such a lot means that I had plenty of time to sort out the stocking stuffers and the present cupboard. I've made a list of things to watch out for in the sales but actually we have enough Christmas supplies for next year, apart from needing a new oasis ring for the wreath, so I'll keep my eye out for one of those. I've also made a list of all the birthdays next year and will only need to get MasterShoestring a present as I already have enough for everyone else ! I also went through the crafting supplies and started to sort out whether I could make some gifts for Christmas 2018 as my aim for next year is to spend as little as possible on gifts and use up what we have !

I hope that you have all had a great week !

5 comments:

  1. Enforced staying in certainly stops spending! Staying warm has been the priority this week.

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    1. Yes, it certainly has, we have burned a lot of wood !

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  2. I would love to see your ideas for easy to post presents, as I send to a cousin in New York and the price of the postage often takes off the gloss of the present. helen s.

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  3. I would love to know what light gifts you might look for, too. I’m in the US. I sent a package to daughter in Fl. And it was almost 35.00! I told my husband that everyone gets a gift card next year. (But, I really don’t want to do that.)
    Debbie

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  4. I made a list just for myself, but here are a few ideas ! I agree, the postage does often take the gloss off the gift !

    CD, Table runner or cloth, napkins, oven gloves, photobook, paperback book, jewellery, scarf, hat, mittens, DVD, small game, small chocolates or sweets packed flat e.g.) in a bar, straw decorations, pillowcases, cushion cover, calendar, sachets of tea, cover or hot chocolate, A4poster or sign. Anything really which will fit in an A4 envelope !

    I hope this helps and maybe I'll do a post about this next year, thanks for the idea !

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