Cassandra | 3/500 | The Diary of a Frugal Family

Why you should LOVE your freezer….

44737Leave a CommentWhy+you+should+LOVE+your+freezer....2025-12-29+11%3A37%3A12Cassandra December 29, 2025 By Cassandra
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If there’s one kitchen appliance that deserves a little more appreciation, it’s your freezer. It quietly works away in the background, saving us money, reducing waste, and making weeknight dinners so much easier. I honestly think learning to make the most of your freezer can completely change how you shop, cook, and plan meals. And please forgive me for repeating myself again but... Meal planning is one of the quickest ways to bring your food costs down — and your freezer makes it even easier. Food shopping is something we all have to spend money on and I promise you that … [Read more...]

What I’ve learned by slowing down this Christmas….

December 22, 2025 By Cassandra
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This Christmas has felt a little different for me and I shared a little bit about why that was a few weeks ago so I'll not bore you with that again. (You can read my post here if you want to though) I wanted to be really intentional this year and to enjoy the build up to Christmas without putting any pressure on myself to make everything perfect - in the past I've stressed out over everything from advent calendars to days out and from finding the perfect presents for everyone to presenting the perfect Christmas dinner. There was no way I was putting myself through all of that again … [Read more...]

Christmas Movie Night {Free Printables}….

December 16, 2025 By Cassandra
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I don't care how old the kids get, a Christmas movie night is always a must-do in December. It started when they were younger and every Christmas Eve we would make a big deal of going to the cinema to watch a film. It was a tradition that the kids loved and looked forward to every year as did I but for different reasons - for me, it was a few hours of peace amidst the chaos of Christmas eve. I could relax while the kids were happy and quiet. 🎄These days, it's a tradition that we have continued even though they're all grown up. It's a little bit different now as … [Read more...]

Meaningful Gift Certificate Ideas for Your Grown-Up Kids {and a free printable certificate}….

December 15, 2025 By Cassandra
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When your kids hit their late teens or twenties, it suddenly gets a lot harder to buy for them. They’ve outgrown toys, they’ve got their own taste, and sometimes what they really want can’t be wrapped up in a box. That’s where printable gift certificates come in — thoughtful, personal and perfect for giving experiences instead of more stuff.For a few years now I've been making my own printable gift certificates for my grown-up kids, and honestly, they’ve been a hit every single time. They’re fun to create, lovely to give, and a great way to show you care without spending a … [Read more...]

Five easy ways to wrap a wine bottle….

December 12, 2025 By Cassandra
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Ever wonder how to wrap a wine bottle? Read on...Wine (or gin) is always my favourite go-to gift but until recently, I would really struggle to make it actually look like a presentable gift so today's post is all about easy ways to wrap a wine bottle. 1. Use a wine bottle jumperYes, jumpers for wine bottles actually exist, and not only can you buy a cheeky Christmas jumper to take your bottle to the next level, some even come with little hats too! This set from Amazon is £9.99 (aff link) for four jumpers and their matching hats which might seem a lot for wrapping but … [Read more...]

24-Inch Bikes Explained: Sizing, Safety and Knowing When to Move Up….

December 11, 2025 By Cassandra
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Before we get started, a quick hello from me. If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you’ll know me as Miss Frugal. I’m helping out a bit more while Mum takes some time to rest, and I’m learning the ropes of blogging as I go. This post came about after a chat at work with someone who’s trying to buy a bike for their daughter for Christmas and feeling completely stuck between sizes. It’s one of those purchases that sounds simple but turns out to be anything but. We spent ages on Google and CHat GPT learning everything we needed to know and I now feel like the World's biggest expert. If … [Read more...]