Michelle's Big Push to Christmas Challenge

gratefulforhelp_2

wealth -buy nothing unless we really need it until Jan sales.

Boden got me with a killer 35% off deal, bought a jumper.

health - lose 2 stone, walk 40 min minimum weekdays.

My first day of this today.

up the ante-alcohol fridays and saturdays only, no excuses.

This is going ok if an already-opened bottle doesn't count;)

frugal fun - shave £100 off food budget each month.

This is going really badly, DH keeps ordering booze on the shopping budget:eek:

[Deleted User]

gfh
darn that DH and his alcohol! :rotfl: (no open bottles dont count I dont think! )

Must go back and check which goals I set.... hmmm....

Biggie for me I would like to lose 1st by xmas...
not sure now how many weeks are left but am thinking 1-2lb a wk should be doable ...need to get back into the groove of it (already lost 3lb since starting this idea but its tailed off and Ive got much more lax with eating/exercise! trouble is depending on where you put the scales it weighs you differently so its hard to tell accuratley which direction its going! )

Also would like to stick to budgets for food £120ish p/m and spending £150 p/m as have been quite "relaxed" too with going over these...
will report back at the weekend, hoping will get head back into gear on the challenge by then!

ajmoney

I have been away working all hours over the last week so all this kind of went out of the window. I am giving myself the weekend to recover and then I am starting again in earnest next week.

Sepa74

My goal was to get to 56.5kg before Christmas... I think!! Something like that, anyway.

If anyone is concerned that I might be already anorexic, I'm only 4'11.5 and a bit... and don't forget the bit :rotfl:

I'm doing quite well, so far, largely thanks to the 'myfitnesspal' android app (but what a dreadful name!!).

I weighed in yesterday am and was 59.1kg. I briefly dipped down to 58.9 earlier in the week, but bobbed back up again later in the week. I'm not too worried - my weight varies by 0.5kg on a day to day basis, so as long as the general direction is down I'm OK with it.

chelly78

Well lets see:

Health
- Loose 1/2 stone by christmas by going to the gym/for a run/wii dance at least 3 times a week - I have slacked recently and it shows
- Stop eating rubbish between meals - need to think of some health snacks apart from fruit

Up to twice a week on the exercise front so got to build this up to 3 times and as for eating between meals definately doing better apart from the odd slip like colleagues birthday cakes

Up the Ante
- Get my brother round to sort out all his stuff that is still in my house - he moved out a year ago!
- Decorate spare room by Christmas
- Start doing surveys again to make a bit of extra cash for Christmas

Have at least got him to agree to come round and do this just don't know when!!! On the plus side have an extra £5 amazon voucher to add to the Christmas fund thanks to Sony Backstage

Frugal Challenge
Stop buying lunch at work - aim to take packed lunch at least 4 days a week

This I have managed successfully, infact I have already made lunch for work tomorrow and its in the fridge

Lets see how I get on by the end of the month..

Ruthy1604

Hi all,

Well here goes another update....

wealth - Start OP mortgage in September & get the balance in the £88Ks by Jan 2012 (currently £89K+) Previousy, I have been disheartened by the tiny effect that the OP's I can afford will make, but I am determined to start. Well, after paying out £130 to fix the car, I only had the funds to make a very small OP of £20. I will watch the balance online to see when it takes effect as Halifax only show a balance, not any transactions.No major progress, but a baby step

health - lose 5lbs before my hols in October. I go to SW & have just got back within my target range after a blip, but I want to lose more so that I can eat what I want on hols. I also want to continue to run 3 times a week and not find excuses. The kids go back to school next week & that will mean I'll have to get up earlier I recently completed the Couch to 5K programme (took me a lot longer than 9 weeks tho), so I really want to keep it up. Hum - mixed efforts this week. I lost 2lb at SW this week :j but it was a real slog and I really felt deprived so i'm not sure that's the way to go on. No running at all this week - DH has been working all weekend so I have the kids to look after. I did do the Wii fit 5 days for 30 mins instead though.

up the ante - I am going to try for no takeaways or meals out until our hol, then maybe once per month in Nov & Dec. I am going to get back to doing surveys to get vouchers for Xmas - I have recently got sidetracked by Farmville :eek: I am also going to stop drinking wine except for Thursdays & Saturdays (we take turns with our friends to host an open house on Thursdays so no wine isn't an option unless i'm driving). But I will open no more than 1 bottle of my own wine per week. Hum - this is where it all falls apart. Opned a sneaky bottle of champers on Tuesday to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary. Poished the bottle off on Wed & then had a glass of red on Thursday No meals out though!
Yougov have sent me 1 survey & I've done 2 for IPSOS this week. All up to date on that front:).

I am also going to clear our the kids clothes and sell them at our local NCT sale this month. Done this. Sold £50 of stuff & the returns are packed away for the spring sale. Unfortunately they take 30% commission & I'll have to give the kids their share for the toys, but every little helps

frugal fun - I am gonna try to spend more quality time with DH, without going out and spending money. Had a quiet night in on Tuesay with no PC/housework - we both stuck to the no presents/cards so that was a relief.

Work - I have a full time job, but I also do some accounts at home. MY september challenge is to do the 2 sets of accounts sitting on my home office floor, and also do last years tax return. I know I will feel better for doing then, but I am findng any excuse at the moment.:o I have done one set up to date & am just waiting for another months receipts so that I can do the VAT return, I have also done the other set & am waiting to meet the client to go through the results. I've also done and filed mine and DH's tax returns. Yay!!:T

Keep the updates coming!


Ruth

Ruthy1604

Sepa74 wrote: »

Anyway, I have downloaded a food diary app for my android phone (MyFitnessPal, if anyone is interested - it's excellent!) and am now keeping track of my exercise and food. Went on a bit of splurge yesterday and had a hamburger and milkshake (!) with a friend... oh it was GOOD, though, so I don't mind that I went over my nett calories. You just have to live, sometimes!

!

Thanks for this Sepa74 - I have downloaded this too & will try it this week. Am finding it a bit of a faff with homemade food, but I am loving the bar code scanner thingy.

Apparently yesterday I didn't eat enough !!!:rotfl:

Ruth

Buffythedebtslayer

Just doing a little up date!

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

Hello,


Health - Exercise dvd. at least three days a week. 3 portions of fruit and veg - I struggle with this! and once a week either exercise bike or water aerobics.

been on the fruit and veg, and not bad on the walking not done the exercise video tho.

Wealth - By Christmas having 3000 in the Savings. I may pay for dental work which could put a spanner in the works but we shall see.
That is not going to happen going to have dental work done in Oct and hope to have 1000 in the bank still at the end of the year.

Up the Ante - Get back to doing surveys, cashback, having packed lunch, making a budget, . look for extra ways to earn money.
Oh dear!

Frugal Fun - Christmas is very much on the mind here, going up to the loft and see exactly what I need to buy. Lists and all the jazz, selling on e bay, to try and make Christmas "free" using sales money and vouchers.

got some gifts and begun to make lists and plans.

So how is everyone else doing?

xx

Brodiebobs

Brodiebobs wrote: »

Health- loose 1 stone.
lost 2lb this week!!
* walk to work at least twice a week done
* walk dog for at least 30 mins every evening (rather than sitting on bench in park and letting her off her lead :rotfl:) done
*Join subsidised gym through work (see wealth) not yet
*reduce takeaways + ensure stocked up on healthy meals. no takeaways this week.

Wealth
* pay at least £500 to mortgage
* start to make a dent in 0% card, £500 minimum £100 paid this week
* try to make christmas as money neutral as possible (have £30 boots points, £30 river island vouchers saved) also cut down on presents as as mean as it sounds we always buy DH's family, who he's not very close to presents, but they never do for us. Time to get tough! :cool: bought a few bits in ELC sale, also used my college card to get 20% off some bits from new look for xmas box.
* urgh, do over time at work it will be worth it!!!! to make gym membership money neutral and help with OP's. done a bit of overtime, but may have a new job in the pipeline, lots more money so gym is on ice at the moment.

Up the Anti/Frugal Fun

Spend more quality time with the kids and DH, cheap days out, meals in etc as we have let this slide recently and need to do more as a family unit. Also need to organise meal plans to use the freezer we have full of meat, meaning food bills should be no more than £30 per week.

Last week was my DS birthday so we just had a little party at home, mostly family, although i spent quite alot on food, it was a lot less than if we'd have had it at local playgym where everyone else seems to go! Also had a day out for his birthday using vouchers and took packed lunch so it was pretty cheap. Apart from the birthday food we have done really well using the freezer stores, DD did complain that we were having odd combinations lol.... like fish fingers and stir fried veg!!

Hurdler

Health Been a bit manic at work so I missed an entire week - so have to fit in at least ONE session this week (probably Wednesday).

Wealth I paid my VR money into the mortgage as planned, and I think I have finally sorted out my accounts to give life to Vernon the Virtual Mortgage Pig.

Up the ante Been eating my way through veggies and made myself a HUMOUNGOUS Bubble and Squeak for brunch on Sunday! yum!

Frugal Fund I have decided to cut down on spending for points/cash back on my credit cards - living within my "piggy banking" where possible unless it's things like diesel, Oyster card top ups which has to be done for work. I will have plenty of time for getting oodles and noodles of cash bank and points once I am Mortgage Free!