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MULLED WHINERS
I charge family to see me at Xmas even though I’ve already made £25k babysitting grandkids, I need to top up my pension
Do you think her actions are fair?
DUMPING four bags of groceries on her kitchen bench, OAP nan Caroline Duddridge carefully scans her receipt and circles two items she’s bought for 50p.
She then adds it to a stack of other sales slips in a special box.
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It’s only October but already the 65-year-old widower, who controversially revealed earlier this year she had made £25,000 babysitting her own grandchildren, has begun meticulous menu preparation for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
It includes sending out emails to her adult children, telling them she’s charging everyone - including her grandkids - for her Yuletide spread.
If they want to celebrate Christmas at her house in Ely, Cardiff , the adults will all pay £15 each and her eldest grandchild, a 14-year-old girl, will have to fork out £10.
The three youngest grandchildren, including a five-year-old girl, will each be charged £5.
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I don’t care if I’m called a money-grabbing granny who takes advantage of her family - people have said worse so it’s water off a duck’s back
Caroline Duddridge
Caroline, who is dating retired police officer Dean Jones, 66, shamelessly said: “I insist on getting dosh for dinner.
“I’ve been charging for Christmas since 2016.
“I don’t care if I’m called a money-grabbing granny who takes advantage of her family - people have said worse so it’s water off a duck’s back.”
Caroline is adamant it’s the fair thing to do.
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She added: “I shouldn't have to pay for presents, all the food, do the shopping, cooking, electricity and cleaning.
“Plus it costs to heat the house when they are there.
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“I’m not being a scrooge. I am being sensible. My festive finances depend on it.”
This year, as well as simply paying their mum, Caroline’s five grown children, aged 39, 36, 33, 30 and 26, are insisting on receipts for everything from paper napkins to the last sprout.
Caroline said: “They’ve turned the tables on me. It's a Christmas coup.
“They want a post-dinner audit of all the costs I incurred for the meal to make sure I’m not ripping them off.
“I won't be providing them with neat spreadsheets and an itemised list. I’ll dump the box of receipts on the table and let them sort it out.
"They’re in for a shock when they realise just how much everything costs.
"And if they think I’m doing neat book-keeping… think again.”
Each Christmas Eve, Caroline provides a buffet including finger sandwiches, dips and mini quiches.
This year shrinkflation has hit the supermarkets and grocery prices are still rising.
Caroline Duddridge
On Christmas Day, she does a three course dinner including turkey and beef with all trimmings, roast vegetables and Christmas pudding.
She said: “I also do a buffet of snacks that night and on Boxing Day another mini buffet of leftover food."
Included in the financially-savvy festive fare are soft drinks and squash for the adults and children, ice cream and hot drinks.
The mum said: “I have the kettle on constantly for tea and coffee. The kids have to bring their own booze.
“My kids get real value for money. They come for Christmas dinner and pop in the night before and the day after and I always have a spread out.”
Last year Caroline cooked Christmas dinner for 15 adults and five grandchildren, charging £10 for her daughters and £15 for her sons.
She admitted: “There was a revolt over that.
“I was told it was discrimination. The lads told me it was unfair.
“But I just think the girls help more, so they should pay less.”
According to Caroline, it was after a family tragedy that she began to think more carefully about her finances.
She revealed: “My husband, Brian, died aged 67 in 2015 from pancreatic cancer.
“I had to cut my expenditure. The cost-of-living crisis hit, and the price of groceries skyrocketed. I had to make every penny count.
“I had to go back to work part-time as a teaching assistant just to pay the bills. Paying for presents and meals at Christmas was proving impossible.
“This year shrinkflation has hit the supermarkets and grocery prices are still rising.
I am on a widow’s pension of £1,000 a month. So, I will start early. I am spending more time than ever visiting supermarkets and checking deals.
Caroline Duddridge
“I am not the only pensioner and grandparent hit by financial fear during the festive season.”
An online survey of Fabulous readers in December 2022 revealed 58 percent of people agreed with charging for the special meal while 21 percent were against it and the remaining 21 percent were sitting on the fence.
To keep the festive spread costs down, the gran-of-seven, who revealed in Fabulous she made an eyewatering £25,000 babysitting her kids, starts buying items in October.
She shared: “I always nab the best and most economical deals.
“I am on a widow’s pension of £1,000 a month. So, I will start early.
How to save cash this Christmas (and not ask your kids to pay!)
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents - buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you're not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead - if you've got the stamina and budget, it's worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you're not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales - some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores - you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
"I am spending more time than ever visiting supermarkets and checking deals.
“I’ll drive to four supermarkets to get the cheapest sprouts, cut price carrots or peas.
“I’m spending dozens of hours finding the cheapest prices, best bargains and timing supermarket trips to get the pick of cut-price yellow label items.
“Every week my meal budget buys less and less so I must be tactical in buying ingredients.”
Caroline admits she was "shocked" when her children demanded ‘receipts’.
“I have nothing to hide,” she said.
I’m not a wimp or a walkover and I don't offer IOUs. I have told them the amounts now and they can send me the money via a bank transfer.
Caroline Duddridge
“I reckon it will be a revelation for them. Next year one of them can provide food from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day and I’ll go and eat them out of house and home."
Despite the demand for a dinner table audit Caroline is asking her children to "pay in advance".
She added: “I’m not a wimp or a walkover and I don't offer IOUs.
“I have told them the amounts now and they can send me the money via a bank transfer.
"I check my account each week to update who has paid.
“Once my ‘naughty and nice’ tally is done I do a quick ring around chasing the delinquents and remind them to meet their payment date of December.
“It’s a phone call my grown children are used to. I know some will moan and I will get excuses like ‘my pay hasn't gone through’, ‘my bank account has been frozen’ and ‘can I leave it another week’ but I will eventually receive cash from them for the meal.
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“I know people will label me greedy. I will get trolled for being grasping. I don’t care. I must cash in to keep Christmas cooking.
“If they don’t pay… stay away.”
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