Michelle's Big Push to Christmas Challenge

gratefulforhelp_2

Thanks brodiebobs. x

originalmiscellany

Well a little update;
I want to save 10k between 1/9/2011 and 31/11/2011 and exercise 50 times.

Currently have 1.5k saved, (should get it upto 2.5k by September) and should be on track, and have exercised 4 times this month so far. Fingers crossed, I could go to the gym tomorrow and on Sunday, which will put me on track for this months (12 times) target.

Lois_E

Update:

Health - Be in bed with the light off by midnight at least 6 nights a week.
Er, yes, well, I've managed it a few times.
Must try harder!

Wealth - OP £500 by Christmas.
Still dealing with building work so no chance to start this yet, but still hoping to get there on schedule.

Up the Ante - Walk up the rather large hill behind my house at least once a week.
Yes! I can report success. I did this on Wednesday.

Frugal Fun - Reduce family takeaways to one per month (not including the kids' birthdays).
Still none so far, but expect there may be one tomorrow because we will be out for the day with friends. If so, it'll have to count as Sep/Oct's takeaway. (For spending diary purposes, my months run from 7th of one month to 6th of the next month)
ETA (10/9/11) We didn't have a takeaway! So I'm doing better than expected on this one.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Have stuck to it so far except that the weather has prevented my daily walk a couple of times... Will try to do extra this weekend,
Best wishes to fellow challenges
Squirrel

Sepa74

Well, I'm focusing on my health as I'm going to be very stressed over the next few months!

However, I have got down to 59.5kg (after hitting 60kg over the weekend :eek: ) and aim to get to 56.5kg by Xmas (when I will promptly put on another 2kgs!!)

Apologies to everyone who speaks lbs and stones, which is all gobbledegook to me, so we'll just have to remain incomprehensible to each other!

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!!

I have also taken a leaf out of Pavlov's book, and have taken to going to bed at 10pm, and am definitely starting to feel the benefit. I'll try and keep it up as much as possible next week, but as choir and Italian have both started up again, I think I will struggle on those days.

Good luck with your goals, everyone!

teapot2

Health

Excercise for at least half an hour 3 times a week. Have arthritis and sore knees so its painful to go on the exercise bike [from Freecycle :j] but good for me so will build up to that. Errm building up v slowly - must try harder!

Drink more water every day Been doing this most days

Cut down on cake and biscuits Made a conscious effort and not eaten so much carp - easier now its not my TOTM


Money

More into ISA Waiting for a small cheque to clear - doing OPs to get below £40000 at the mo

Take lunches to work don't buy them Only bought 1 sarnie and taken lunch in other days - just need to be organised to do this

Only buy a max of 2 coffees a week 1 coffee [bought for me] and an earl grey tea when I met a friend for a catch up

I know myself well enough to know I need to build up slowly to better habits otherwise I self-sabotage . Going gung ho at anything never really works for me. So haven't put in a target weight but would like to have more energy and feel fitter. Off to have a big glass of water...

Forgot to say I did the Mr A price guarantee thing with my till receipt for this week and got a voucher for £2.68. Thats the first time I've had a voucher from that as I don't work it out before hand or compare cheap deals particularly. Where I live theres only Mr A and a not very well stocked co-op so not much comparing to be done usually - wayhay

Ruthy1604

Hi all,

Seeing as the weekend is almost over I thought I'd update my progress (or lack of it:cool:)


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, I called the Halifax to get the details of how to make overpayments & thats about it. My car broke down on Friday :mad:so I need to pay that bill first (won't know how much til the part arrives on Tuesday). So no real progress

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 - another poor effort on my part Ran on Monday morning, but it was a bit dark so decided against running on Wed & Friday mornings. Need to find time in the afternoons, but I am so not motivated after work. I did do 30 mins on the Wii fit each day though. Didn't lose any weight either, but I have tried really hard this week so fingers crossed for weigh in on Tuesday.

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. No wine at all this week! DH has been working away so I haven't been out. He did bring home a takeaway one night, but his work paid for it & I only had a taste! No meals out either
I've registered with yougov, but not had any surveys sent yet & I've got up to date on my IPSOS surveys too

I am also going to clear our the kids clothes and sell them at our local NCT sale this month. I have labelled almost 50 items of clothes & toys to sell & will scout round the kids bedrooms for more stuff tonight. Spare labels (I am allowed 80 items) will go to my friend as she always has loads to sell & will really appreciate them.


frugal fun - I am gonna try to spend more quality time with DH, without going out and spending money.Its our Wedding Anniversary on Tuesday, and we've agreed no presents/cards & we're gonna stay in and cook, so no cash spent there either

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 on the client to get back to me on some queries - so I have been a busy girl. Not started on my own tax return yet though.....:cool:

Keep the updates coming!


Ruth

themadvix

My goals:

It's been a week of mixed achievements, still lots of work, so that will be good for the wealth (less so for the health when lots comes in on a Saturday)

Health: Lose 10lb - I've already lost 5 and would like to get to a steady 10st by Christmas (and keep it off over Christmas). Make the effort to play badminton every week - no excuses! Try to get out for a ten-minute walk three days out of five. Down to 10.10.8 this week which is marginally better than last week but it has been well below this at other points in the week. I went to badminton and there was only myself and fiance, so that was good exercise! Hmm... walking I did a geocache yesterday but haven't really cracked this yet...



Wealth: Save £2000 for wedding (about £600) and house (yes I'm a fake mfw, no mortgage yet!). As I mentioned, work has been busy (I'm self-employed so this is a good thing!), so that should help the coffers. It looks like it will be busy for a while too:j. Also sold an old car radio for £40 on Ebay which will go straight to wedding fund. Took some jeans back to Mr A which didn't fit, so money from them can be added to savings too. As I type, I've remembered I need to transmit Shop&Scan for this week, so that'll be another few pence.

Up the ante: Be disciplined about business admin, including invoices - do it straight away. Get accounts in order and tax return filed for last year. Oh dear, as I type there's a pile of texts waiting to be added to two separate invoices....BUT I will do them today! Honest! (To be fair, most of them were from the weekend when I was working whilst away with my mum and nan).

Frugal fun: Make the time spent with fiance quality time - less mindless tv and computer! Does playing badminton count?!:(



Must try harder!!

Emsky123

Update:-

health - i could really do with loosing a stone by Christmas, Thats less than a pound per week so a manageable target.
Started this week, Brought my Gym kit in for the aerobics class run by our works social club at lunch time. Have brought into work packed lunch which only contain calorie controlled meals.

wealth - I want to get the Mortgage down below £65K

On Target, Will reach my OP limit in September so once that is up to limit i should be able to get the Mortgage below £65K by end of year

up the ante - Dare i say it - No Chocolate 6 days per week - Could not face cutting it out completely.

Big fat fail!, Will try better this week.

frugal fun - Need to save for the Christmas fund so will aim to cut back so i can save around £30 per week.

Not saved anything yet but i have bought 3 presents so i think that counts

Well done everyone

misscousinitt

Health
1) eat better, no skipping breakfast - include seeds and wholefoods in my diet, cut down on meat - but do it all on a budget. only one breakfast skipped since starting and thats when I went to the dentist yesterday.
2) More walking required.... no doing so well with this one - must try harder.

wealth
1) surpass my MFW target for 2011. well on target for this - only need to OP £80 a month to match target.
2) start putting a little into my own savings (just paying into joint savings a/c for the last 12 months). haven't started this yet - will see what I have leaft in the bank accounts at the end of the month.

up the ante
1) cut down and stay cut down on my glasses of wine - been good lately - really need to keep it up. just had 2 small glasses last week
2) cut eating out back down to once a month (except for holiday). Ate out last week, so no more for this month (hopefully)!

frugal fun

1) start planning for Christmas presents and the large amount of birthdays we have in November! 2 birthday presents bought - list still not done!
2) make a list of what's in the freezer and formulate the rest of the months meal plan from that. meal plan done - but FULL inventory still not completed.
3) desperately try to cut down on vegetable waste by making HM soups. Still haven't made any soups - but no waste on the veg front at the moment.
4) make the most of my small veggie plot and see what I can get going for winter. have some cabbages to plant - looks like I might be getting an allotment:eek: