Cards

Not a good few days. Life is certainly throwing things at us, not big dilemmas just enough for the one step forward two steps back feeling.
After the car next comes the tumble dryer. Now I know tumble dryers aren't particularly green or part of frugal living. This particular tumble dryer is 8 years old and we actually won it in a local store competition. It is the only kitchen appliance that hasn't let us down. It doesn't get used in the warmer months. This week it died. Mr Marbles and I had a discussion about whether to replace or not. For once I was the one saying look we managed before, we have a clothes horse etc. He was the one that said yes that was before we had football mad, active kids, sock chewing dog etc.

I checked online via Quidco and there was one - unknown brand - for £130, 5% cashback, delivered. Mr Marbles then flashed his nil balance 0% for 15 months credit card and made the decision that to buy online meant it being delivered during the week when no-one was in, getting the old one taken away etc. So local Electronics store got an instant sale and we had it delivered, installed, old one taken away within the hour for £150.

It hurts to do that, felt extravagant, but if I look at it properly Quidco clicks will pay for it before the 15 months are up.

Two paragraphs on replacing a tumble dryer, what an exciting life I lead.

I'm not faring too well on the budget, haven't started Christmas shopping yet. There is a secret Santa scheme at work - which I loathe. I haven't been in a place of work over the Christmas period for nearly 4 years and forgot about all these rituals. I've never enjoyed the Christmas card ritual either, probably did at school, but now I find it a waste of time and money. Sending cards to people once a year, that you probably haven't seen since the millenium, and then the same thing to people you see everyday. I'd rather donate £10 to a charity and be done with it.

Once again this post turns into a I hate Christmas post, when I don't. Am I just getting old ?