Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

Indeedy, shs!.

Dh got busy with a stanley knife to slice off many layers of paint until he got down to dry plaster. And dug a bit more into the ceiling. The radiator is switched up high in the hall now and we have had the downstairs loo window open a lot (it is an all-or-nothing window, so plenty of air got in) to help to dry it. Tis another flashing job...

Apart from that, a whites wash + lights wash have been done; dd finished some sorting; dh is sorting out my 'new' phone; I have done bunny slope workout 14; dd+ friend did some painting, so I've cleaned up after them(!); another NSD to claim; dinner will be ready in about 5mins.better go!

greent

Is that (doing whatever with the flashing) a relatively easy job....? (I have no idea!) xx

apple_muncher

Dh mended the flashing on the sloping roof, where our house is offset from the neighbours a few years ago. So yes, it is competent diy-er level. Shame he loathes ladders and heights!!! So a milkshake double thumbs up to him for going up there.

He'll need to mend 2 bits this time. One on the big roof and another on the flat roof. We have considered the fact that we may need more expert help to replace/mend the damaged ceilings and walls though...

apple_muncher

No more leaks, so the drying-out process has begun.

Day 7/50.

Exercise done: ZWOW 38, using my ever-so-heavy 12k kettlebell.

8+ veg consumed for lunch.

£400 paid off the mortgage, keeping us on track to finish by the deadline. (but not early)

April's NST challenge is live and it is a good 'un. No need to mention that I've signed up to it already.

Dd is still under the weather so we are not venturing out. She is happy playing out in the garden and the green behind with other kiddies.

And Imay just go and make her some curtains from a duvet cover she loves...

smallholdingsister

You are so clever to make curtains.

apple_muncher

smallholdingsister wrote: »

You are so clever to make curtains.

Why, thank you .

It involved a single duvet cover, a stitch ripper, scissors, oodles of wunderweb and an iron. Then the curtain tape stuff that I'd removed from her old curtains just needed pinning and sewing on. It was very satisfying to finish quite quickly, but I'd not get through to the next round of Sewing Bee! Anyhow, dd thinks that they (and me) are wonderful and perfect. And that's good enough for me .

She overdid the playing (is that possible...?) And came in very cold and wet - they had been playing with water... So I got all her warm Christmassy clothes on her!

It is raining again. And part of the water problem is next door's dodgy guttering which means that water tumbles down and splashes up and over our dodgy flashing. So a towel has been deployed to save us!!!

apple_muncher

And it is pelting down again! Grrrr.

But a good day has been had. Dd and I used the car to go shopping - neither of us being up for the walk + carrying shopping. Bought 41 items for £31 in aldee, and £25+ of stuff for 39p in sainz, as they accepted the vouchers (yay!). 11 of that was for dd, and she has repaid 6. So, successful!

A vague meal plan is in place for April.

No exercise has been done, as my throat was sooo hurty this morning.

Plenty of veg and no sugar today. Made a 'crumble' yesterday, which was rejected by dh! It had home grown backcurrant + rasp, plus blueberry as a base, and a concoction (ooh, 3 cs, go me!) of coconut (ooh, 2more!) oil, gf oats, sultana and salted peanut as a topping. Absolutely no added sugar. An acquired taste, perchance.

Tomorrow, dh is out at 9am, and dd and I need to scuttle back to the library to re-take out a book I posted back through their letterbox today, as she hasn't finished reading it. Pesky mother. We shall also hunt out gf ready-roll/ready-mixed icing. Exciting times...

apple_muncher

This is the NST April challenge:

:T NST APRIL SPRING INTO ACTION

TICK TOCK - The Clocks have changed have you?

Welcome to the new Monthly NST (Ninja Saving Turtles) Challenge! NST's are a group of Money Saving challengers from across the UK who are always up for new money saving challenges, fighting our way to debt freedom, sharing tips and new money saving discoveries, general chat, support and good banter! This challenge is open to everyone- so please join us.

Have you been hanging around various challenges and not really putting 100% effort in? Could you do better? This month we are going to shake you out of hibernation as most of you have all gone too quiet lately, some turtles have buried their heads in the sand and disappeared, come back we miss you.

This month it is All about little things we can do to make our lives better, Aim is to have a happier less stressful future.

If you can reduce/cancel any of your bills make every penny count,
Stop all reckless spending. No coffee shops, Takeaways, Cakes, Chocolate – often sugar craving is a sign we are lacking certain vitamins. Look at your diet and by the end of this month we will fit into the clothes with labels on still in our wardrobes.
Make lists – Weekly action plan to do jobs at home, shopping list what you need and stick to it. Use up everything in your cupboards that has been there a while. Batch cook and freeze.
Can you earn an extra 50 pounds somehow, selling, overtime, crafting?

Prepare, plan budgets, get moving, the clocks have changed don’t just flake out in front of the tv at night, whole world out there to explore but it is up to YOU to do it.


This Challenge commences on the 1st April 2016 @ Midnight and closes on the 30th April 2016 @ 2359.
Rules
1. Aim for 20 SFD's (Spend Free Days) GULP :eek: Going to be tough month
Have made 19 in March, so will give this a shot

2. Pay to your debt after usual bills. Live off whats left. YOU CAN DO IT. If you get paid weekly set monthly target to pay and be focused.
Yep. Although am not knocking extra off the mortgage just yet - putting it into savings for if we need it later. It is an offset mortgage, so will still be useful.

3. Set Budgets before the start of the month, can you use up food, loyalty points?
Budgets set. May use the envelope system for some categories that dh and I share. Used some Nectar points today in their double up to get dd a couple more zelfs!

4. Check in daily to be accountable for your actions, the naughty step is waiting !
Will do.

5. Unnecessary spends are unnecessary for a reason. Stamp them OUT please.
This is my plan for April.


6. Plan, plan, plan what you are doing this month. How many nights out do you need? Can you do anything which doesn’t cost money instead? Can you get your little one to make a birthday card for a relative instead of buying one - simple things count!
Mostly done so far. Only outing is taking a friend for a back massge (and having one myself too) to thank her for having dd a lot.

7. Random acts of kindness, try for at least one a day. Be the annoying smiley person.:D
Will be grinning like a goon!

8. Donate to Foodbanks/ charity of your choice. Wont’t set an amount up to you what you can afford.
Done.

9. Treat time, you can either set some me time each day or treat yourself with a budget of 15 poundsfor the month. Whichever works best for you but chill out/enjoy life.
See above - costing waaay more than £15 though...

10. Don’t spend on credit cards. It does NOT cheer you up in the long run.
Don't do this anyway, so safe on this one.

11. Review your DFD(debt free day) anything you can do to bring it forward?
Have been pondering this one - every 450 extra brings the MFDate a month closer. But also need to balance maybe needing the money for living late in the year....

12. Shake a tail feather – exercise walk, jog, kettle bells – whatever you body is up to at least 30-40 minutes a day. Exercise releases endorphins (happy hormones) which helps us deal with stress. Up to you set weight target for the month (in private or openly whatever gives you more motivation and check weight weekly(Friday)
Indeedy! Am on day 9/50 of my personal challenge and have done 8 workouts so far. Weight loss? Would like to lose 8 by the end of the month.

These little things can change our future

.
Now where to start? Put your name down, I will give you awesome turtles a number and let the challenge begin.
[FONT=&quot]We are all here to support each other and have fun on the way

Lets make April count:T[/FONT]

So, there we have it. My life for the next 30 days :rotfl:.

apple_muncher

And the week's focus:


I have set my budgets/targets in my signature. Don't worry if you haven't got room just note them down. REVIEW budgets each Friday. There is five of them in April to see that you are on track. Jotting down all your expenditure helps just for any newcomers.
I always write down my spends and now feel lost if I don't do it for a day or two!

I weighed myself yikes 13st ( not expecting you to disclose your weight) if you want to look fab for summer just state weight you want to lose this month 7lbs for me.
I also have weighed and would like to lose 8.

WEEK 1 challenge-Your health to start each Friday (tomorrow!!!!)

In this section we get to grips with all those regular check ups we have been avoiding. e.g. Opticians, Dentists, Find out if you are due for any general screenings or vaccinations. Regular check ups are important could save your life.
Need to get an optician's appointment. Have put it off during winter as my eye is often dodgy with the lights/darkness difference.

Eating habits can you do better? Vegetables/fruit are cheap at moment with supermarket wars. Aim to eat at least 5 a day. Cut out sugary foods, save money and have perfect looking skin. Have you enough Iron, minerals in your diet?
Still doing ok on the 7+ veg per day. Mostly avoiding fruit too. Once I start on sugar it is sooo hard to stop! I know what to do, I just don't always do it...

Exercise If you able join in I am aiming to walk at least 1hr a day, can't afford gyms, exercise classes. Do want you feel comfortable doing, we don't want wounded turtles clogging up the naughty step.
Still doing my ZWOWs and Bunny Slope workouts. Done all the BS ones, so back to #1 tomorrow.

Have a pamper session at home pay attention to those feet, exfoliate use all the xmas pressies up. Skin will be on show soon.
Yep, need to moisturise...

Keep your mind active, jigsaws, reading, quizzing, chatting to new people, join local interest groups, whatever works for you.
5 more library books out today...

Finally I apologize now, I haven't gone mad with this challenge I want us able and ready to cope with everything life throws at us.We want you fighting fit for the financial challenges in the weeks ahead.:D

Hope you all don't run out the door now:eek:

Would love to run, but the rebound from certain body parts makes it very tricky at the mo!

apple_muncher

Dd and I made it to the library to discover she had finished the book! However, she took out 14 more, and I took out 5, so we are set for a little while.

We doubled up some nectar points and now have 2 more zelfs - for just £2. They will belong to dd at a later point. We also got some gf ready-made icing which she loves on my cakes.

Day 8/50 and I did my scheduled workout, so 8 thus far. ZWOW 39. More veggies + coleslaw for lunch - yum.

Dd is happily playing out; the hall is drying out; Thunderbirds movie is on the box. All is well in appleworld .