Friday 3 January 2014

You can't win them all

I realised this afternoon that the girls are very much a work in progress for me.  The EFG went out with her friend shopping yesterday to Cambridge, far to the south, and then the YFG went with a whole bunch of girls to Peterborough today, across the Fens.

Both of them came home with some bargains, but the EFG definitely scored higher on the frugal front! She bought three dresses from one shop, for the grand sum of £13, all from the sale rail.  The YFG bought herself some shoes which were not reduced at all, a DVD at half price but still £6.99, a half price jumper at £10 and some "Lush" bath bomby stuff, which I hate because it makes the bath a pain to clean!  Where the YFG does score is on the generosity front: one of her friends lost her shopping [several books] during the course of the day and was devastated when she realised, so the group all chipped in and bought her some new copies.  That was kind, I thought.

However, on a positively frugal note, both of them have put half of their Christmas money into their savings accounts, and only took the other half out with them.  Needless to say, the EFG brought more home that the YFG. Experience will tell, in the end, I hope, and the EFG will be adding to her bank roll this weekend with another babysitting job tomorrow evening.

My own shopping for the day has been limited to some bargain balls of wool in a local shop as I saw the offers advertised as I took the YFG to the station this morning.  I popped in afterwards and bought four balls of wool, in my favourite shade, which are enough to make two scarves or 8 hats, so that will be enough to keep my needles clacking for months to come, when I have any spare time for knitting.

Our thoughts go out tonight to all the folk on the west coast of the country in particular, battered as they are in the storms today and tonight.  We think in particular of the people of Aberystwyth as we saw the very hotel we stayed in in October being lashed by the waves, but I spent a very happy week in Perranporth as a teenager and it was very shocking to see the height of the waves crashing over the front there tonight as well.

Good night, all - keep safe and warm and dry, wherever you are.

1 comment:

Angela said...

Daughters are always a WIP - but bring many joys along the way. Your two are lovely, and it was a joy to meet them in the autumn. Friendship and generosity are two skills they have already learned from you - the budgetting skills will come along later!!! Happy New Year xx