2016 - A year of 16 Challenges

craftingmad · 2 January 2016 at 4:53PM

Hi all,

I have decided that 2016 is going to be the year I become seriously focused and have therefore decided to undertake 16 different challenges which will hopefully improve my financial situation and wellbeing.

Some I have found on MSE and others I have come up with of my own back.

So here goes. I have chosen the following challenges for this year:-

1. No Craft Spending. I have a mountain of stash in my house so have vowed not to spend any money on crafting goodies for the whole year (apart from essentials such as adhesives, photo printing etc which will allow me to complete projects). I aim to make at least 2016 items from my existing stash this year

You can follow my progress (and join me on my mission should you so wish) here:-
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5386359

2. Declutter 2016 items from my home in 2016

You can track my progress here:-
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5385570

3. Make £2016 in 2016. I am aiming to do this with de-cluttering sales, craft fairs, surveys (in fact anyway I can raise some extra cash)

4. Lose weight and get fitter. This will involve exercising regularly and eating at least 5 portions of fruit and veg everyday

5. Sealed Pot Challenge. At the end of each week I shall empty all of my loose change into a sealed pot and not open until the end of the year

6. NSD Challenge - I am going to aim for at least 10 no spend days each month. You can track my progress here:-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5384578

7. £200 Amazon Pot - Get £200 in Amazon vouchers by Christmas this year. I am hoping to gain these using Swagbucks, GiftHulk and Superpoints and any other ways I come across.

8. Sell my craft items via 16 different outlets. As well as the usual craft fairs, facebook and supermums outlets I hope to be able to sell in local shops, other online outlets and any other way I can think of.

9. Store Cupboard Challenge - Use only store cupboard items for at least one meal every week for the next year.

10. Try a new meal each month for the next year

11. Fly lady challenge. This year will be the year I get a clean and tidy house

Thread found here:-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5384172

12. Handmade Christmas - if it can be made then I shall make it and not buy it. This includes presents for people, decorations, food (if it works out cheaper) etc. I am determined that at the very least everyone will get at least one handmade gift.

13. Save / pay off £16k in 2016. As the target is so huge I am going to include any payments I would usually make towards my mortgages etc but hopefully it will also inspire me to try and add lots of money to our savings pot to be used when necessary

14. Project Life - I WILL scrapbook in the pocket style every week of this year and aim to take at least one photo a day

15. Spend quality time with my kids. All to often I am always busy doing nothing so I vow that at least once every week I will sit down for a whole few hours and just enjoy their company.

16. Phone my parents at least once every week. Life often take over and sometimes I tell myself I just don't have the time to speak to them but this year that will change

So there we are. 16 challenges in 2016.

Let's see how I get on

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply!
[purplesignup][/purplesignup]

craftingmad · 2 January 2016 at 5:43PM

Reserved for progress

last updated 1st Sept 16

1. Stash Busting - 223/365 days of no spending

Items made 516/2016

2. Decluttering 961/2016

Decluttering sales Me 303 - £606 Dan - 8 - £14 Tash - 1 - £8

3. Make £2016 - £1540.99/£2016

4. Starting weight 12st 4lb - Weight Now - 12st 0lb

5. Sealed pot challenge - money started to be added

6. NSD - 117/120

7. Amazon Pot - £134.76/£200 (£29.76 left over from last year)

8. 16 outlets - 5/16

9. Store Cupboard Challenge 50/52

10. New meals 4/12 - tuna fishcakes, savoury bread and butter pudding & savoury pancakes

11. Flylady Challenge 194/352

12. Handmade Christmas 1/50

13. Save/pay off 16k - £8295.19/£16k

14. Project Life 3/13

15. Quality Time 48/52

16. Phoning Parents - 31/52

devonsaver83 · 2 January 2016 at 10:29PM

Awesome idea!! Good luck you seem very organised so I am sure you can do it!

debbie_debt · 3 January 2016 at 10:47AM

That is a huge list of really quite mega challenges! Good luck crafting mad! Just try not to stretch yourself too much and risk becoming demoralised though. But you seem majorly organised (much more so than me ha ha) and am sure you can stick with them all. I look forward to reading about your progress :beer:

Debbie

Cutcostsandsave · 3 January 2016 at 1:09PM

What a fantastic list of challenges and what a brilliant idea. How do you feel about others joining you? I'm not a crafter but I would love to think of 16 challenges that I could do. I'm totally new to these forums but I'm guessing that doing something like this is a great motivator

craftingmad · 3 January 2016 at 5:16PM

Cutcostsandsave wrote: »

What a fantastic list of challenges and what a brilliant idea. How do you feel about others joining you? I'm not a crafter but I would love to think of 16 challenges that I could do. I'm totally new to these forums but I'm guessing that doing something like this is a great motivator

Hi cutcostandsave

It would be lovely if you wanted to join me. We could motivate each other

I think it would be great to have personilsed challenges to you as mine are to me but pleasetag along - the more the merrier

craftingmad · 3 January 2016 at 5:17PM

devonsaver83 wrote: »

Awesome idea!! Good luck you seem very organised so I am sure you can do it!

Thank you -not sure how organised I will be by the end of the year but I always start January with good intentions

craftingmad · 3 January 2016 at 5:19PM

debbie_debt wrote: »

That is a huge list of really quite mega challenges! Good luck crafting mad! Just try not to stretch yourself too much and risk becoming demoralised though. But you seem majorly organised (much more so than me ha ha) and am sure you can stick with them all. I look forward to reading about your progress :beer:

Debbie

Thank you Debbi

I am hoping it won't stretch me to much but rather motivate me to keep going. Only time will tell. Please keep popping back and cheering me on

craftingmad · 3 January 2016 at 5:22PM

So don't feel like I achieved masses today but have had a quick declutter so added a further 13 items to that total

Some of those items dated back to 2011 so I'm hoping my target of 2016 decluttered items is do-able. I'm obviously a hoarder!

Also been completing some surveys which will all help towards my Amazon voucher totals (and there for my make £2016 as well)

Plus I've not spent any money on craft at all today and phoned my parents

Also managed to save £30 on a bedframe for my son by waiting and having it delivered in a week's time (don't worry he's not on the floor - he already has a low car shaped bed but wanted a "normal" one)

Used Quidco as well so a further couple of ££ tracked ready to be paid out later

Maybe I have achieved more than I thought

Cutcostsandsave · 3 January 2016 at 11:44PM

Hi again Craftingmad. Will be great to motivate each other. Been out to visit friends all day so not had chance to list my 16 challenges but I will do it tomorrow.
Sounds like you've had a good productive day today in starting yours

Cutcostsandsave · 4 January 2016 at 1:37AM

Hi again

After re-reading your challenges I found that many of them would be what I would have chosen myself! I've changed some of them as I'm not particularly 'crafty' but most are essentially the same. Have to say I'm getting really excited about this now

So here goes. I have chosen the following challenges for this year:-

1. Make and take my lunch to work at least 18 days a month. Will try for every day but occasionally I meet up with a friend. If I don't take my own then it usually costs me around £5 a day so will keep packed lunch cost down to less than £1 and use savings towards much needed new washing machine

2. Declutter 2016 items from my home in 2016 - definitely need to do this one!

3. Make £2016 in 2016. I am aiming to do this with de-cluttering sales, craft fairs, surveys (in fact anyway I can raise extra cash)

4. Lose at least 2st in weight and get fitter. This will involve exercising regularly and eating at least 5 portions of fruit and veg everyday

5. Sealed Pot Challenge. At the end of each week I shall empty all of my loose change into a sealed pot and not open until the end of the year

6. NSD Challenge - I am going to aim for at least 15 no spend days each month.

7. £200 Amazon Pot - Get £200 in Amazon vouchers by Christmas this year. I am hoping to gain these using Swagbucks, GiftHulk and Superpoints and any other ways I come across.

8. Make at least 3 evening meals a week that cost less than £1 a portion. Do this every week (apart from when away on holiday) for the next year

9. Store Cupboard Challenge - Use only store cupboard items for at least one meal every week for the next year.

10. Keep grocery bill down to an average of less than £50 per week for the whole of the year. As we are real 'foodies' then this is going to be a tough challenge

11. Fly lady challenge. This year will be the year I get a clean and tidy house

12. Handmade Christmas - if it can be made then I shall make it and not buy it. This includes presents for people, decorations, food (if it works out cheaper) etc. I am determined that at the very least everyone will get at least one handmade gift.

13. Save / pay off £16k in 2016.

14. Home improvements - will do some much needed work in the house, including bedroom and kitchen renovations. Will make at least a small amount of progress each week so that by Christmas 2016 they are completely finished

15. Grow some of my own food - make full use of greenhouse, grow lots of herbs and other veg. Go foraging for free food. Record savings made and save the money it would have cost to buy in supermarket. Aim for a fruit and veg savings pot of £500 by end of 2016

16. Phone my parents at least once every week. Life often take over and sometimes I tell myself I just don't have the time to speak to them but this year that will change.

Will hopefully be able to report some progress really soon.
x

2016 - A year of 16 Challenges

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