Just for fun

Black eggs, banisters & Bramley apples – this week's MSE Forum highlights

Laura Foulger

Features Writer

4 November 2022

What's been going on in the MSE Forum of late? I'm glad you asked. Here are a few of this week's highlights.

Not a member yet? Here's how to register for the MSE Forum.

A few of this week's top threads

Our eyes are always peeled for handy, interesting or cheering threads. A few that caught our eye this week:

My flat's roof collapsed – who’s liable?
I’m forgoing the turkey this Christmas and making curry in the slow cooker instead. Anyone else doing an alternative lunch?
On five separate occasions I’ve received a PCN for parking my car overnight in an M&S car park. I have never done so
Bold-coloured banisters – yay or nay?
Did Nationwide change their clocks in the wrong direction?
My eldest left for uni six weeks ago – without his Xbox and gaming PC our electricity usage has dropped dramatically

What are your thoughts on coloured banisters?

New month, new challenge

These recurring challenges have kicked off again for November, so it's a fine time to hop aboard.

Sealed Pot Challenge ~ 16This one's an annual challenge, beginning now and ending in October 2023. Get yourself a pot and use it to stash away as much cash as you can, so that you can be proud when you open it one final time in October. You can choose to set a target, but that's optional.

November 2022 Grocery ChallengeThis ever-popular challenge helps you to lower your grocery budget for the month, and stick to it. A wealth of tips are yours for the mining, eg, saving your receipts.

Caucasian hands holding a jar of coins against a yellow background

Will you be attempting the sealed pot challenge this month?

Photos of the week

Forum Ambassador and accomplished cook sarah1972 used her leftover Halloween pumpkin to make a spicy soup. Full marks for such skullfull presentation. Let us know about your own creations in the Leftover pumpkin after Halloween - any ideas? thread.

A pumpkin hollowed out and filled with soup. Two fake skulls and plastic spiders surround it.

Sadly, edwink's duck Hoppy passed away last week. She was just shy of 10 years old. This week, edwink posted a photo of one of Hoppy's incredible black eggs. The Keeping hens and ducks chat is a wholesome, eye-opening corner of the MSE Forum and well worth a look, even if you don't have birds of your own.

A black duck egg on top of some kitchen towel

Important: we're big fans of your photos so please keep 'em coming, but make sure they don't contain any personally identifiable information such as your face or your address.

Money Moral Dilemma

Every week, the Money Tips email features a real-life Money Moral Dilemma (MMD for short). They're intended to encourage debate and, as such, they're usually among the most discussed threads each week.

Our friends' wedding is smaller than ours, so should I get them a smaller gift?

We're going to a wedding soon and the couple getting married came to ours which was an all-day event with three-course meal and evening buffet. They gave us £30 and a bottle of prosecco as a present. Their wedding doesn't start until 5pm, and only entrées will be served. I'm planning to give them a gift of similar value to the one they gave us - usually I'd spend more, but given their wedding will be a smaller event, is it OK to spend less?

You can find out what our MSE Forumites think and add your own two cents on the Money Moral Dilemma discussion thread. Heed the MSE Forum rules: keep it kind and keep it clean. Remember, there's a real person behind every Money Moral Dilemma.

Got a Money Moral Dilemma of your own? Email us at MMD@moneysavingexpert.com and it could be featured.

Latest comping wins

One of our busiest sections, the Competitions Time board is where compers come to find and share competitions. There are always plenty of success stories. This week, DavidHolland3103 which included Airpods and a beer dispenser.

Want to peek at some MSE Forum highlights from recent weeks?

Squeegees, skylines & sausage fingers – this week's MSE Forum highlights (28 October 2022)
Paperbacks, packaging & Peru – this week's MSE Forum highlights (21 October 2022)
Birds, boxes & birthday bashes – this week's MSE Forum highlights (14 October 2022)
Fungi, flooring & fairy godmothers – this week's MSE Forum highlights (7 October 2022)
Creepers, cushions & candlelight – this week's MSE Forum highlights (30 September 2022)

Your two cents

This Saturday (5 Nov) is bonfire night. Have you got any fun and frugal plans, either at home or bundled up in warm gear outside? Let us know in the Free bonfire night activities thread.

If you're not a member yet, it's easy to register for the MSE Forum.