NSK; February 28 Days Later!

NinjaSavingKat

:):) 28 Days Later :):)

Avoid the Rage Virus :mad::mad::mad: and Get Back To Basics

Hello Contender!

After a rather “thinky” January I felt compelled to drop this challenge down an intellectual notch or two and look to what can only be the weirdest analogy yet in order to compel you to sign on the dotted line. Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse.

In the movie 28 Days Later our protagonist awakes in a hospital alone, the world has gone to riot and our planet has been taken over by the walking dead. The aim of the game - stay alive. He finds companions to help him along the way; in return he eventually helps them (see where I am going with this?). They survive on meagre rations and only take with them what can be carried on their person and that’s going to be useful.

I have used this analogy before but bear with me. I am a closet prepper, it’s not something I admit to many folks and to be fair not something I actually buy into with water purification systems and multiple tins of beans stacked high in my bedroom but I am intrigued and relish in the challenge of living with the absolute basics.

1. What is important to you?
2. And what do you insist you can’t live without?
3. Has it contributed to your debt problems?

To be fair - bar food and water there is not a lot we actually need (ok medications as well but you get my point). The rage virus is that which compels us to spend but makes us feel instantly guilty - you need new shoes right? Wrong! You need the latest iPhone right? Wrong! The rage virus is the over-riding feeling of “want” beyond what we actually “need”. It’s *forcing you to spend, it’s making you waste food, and it’s making you accumulate debt.

The rage is the anger you feel right now having manufactured debt up to your eyeballs, with possibly nothing to show for it, and an uneasy feeling about the future! But we can change that! How? - We prep that’s how? Weed out the bad behavior now, truly look at the type of person you are and the reasons you spend and tackle those desires now before it gets too late.

Prep for those days when your car window gets smashed by a rogue lacrosse ball (happened to a colleague last week ), prep for the days when your expensive car tires get ruined by nails and you have to replace them a few days later (happened to January contender), prep for the days DD payments come out a day before you get paid and risk a hefty OD fee (happened to another January contender who had adequate funds elsewhere because SHE IS A PREPPER)….. get my drift?

The aim of the game; back to basics. There are rules, we pull together, we help each other, we work together, we look after each other. Simple as that! Now stand back….

• This Challenge will commence on the 1st February at 00:00 and finish on the 28th February at 23:59.
• You will aim for 15 SFD’s. (with best intentions please) - EXEMPTIONS - (please read carefully). You can claim an SFD on days where you pay for a kids club that’s budgeted for (see below), only buy yellow sticker items, petrol that’s budgeted for and medications. Everything else - food (despite being budgeted for) clothing, toiletries, pet food, house cleaning items (yes really) and such like = non SFD.
• Pay towards debts first. Telling yourself that you will use whatever’s left at the end of the month to put towards debts DOESN’T work. The reason you are on MSE is because your debts are now a priority. Starting acting like it. Decide how much each month you have to pay towards your debt and DO IT!
• Set your budgets before the beginning of the month. Reduce your food budget by £20 and stick to it. There are only 28 days to survive remember. Estimate your petrol funds, kids club/activity money, necessary clothing items etc. Withdraw this money and envelope it.
• Reduce your supermarket expenditure. 80% of your food NEEDS to come from supermarket basic ranges and yellow sticker items OR Lidl’s / Aldi - whatever is cheapest/closest. Get those costs down and PLAN ahead - make a list! Reduce the range of what you eat - I have lived on rice and yummy smoked chilli black beans for 4 days - still not tired of it because it’s so yummy! Eat cheaper!
• Food cupboards are to be honed and toned first. Use up the weird ingredients you can’t seem to throw away or use - make use of what you have. Think what you would do if you had no other choice…..(yes I still have millet left).. Until then your food budget is for essentials - milk, bread, fruit & vegetables only.
• Meal plan and use your freezer. Get some cheap Tupperware tubs from the 99p store and keep “home made” ready meals in there. Full meal for when I come in late from work. Better than toast for dinner right?
• Plan your supermarket shops around yellow sticker timing. Get over the embarrassment and ask someone who works there. Why pay £1.50 for a loaf of bread when you can get it for 34p and freeze it? :rotfl:
• £3 - £5 must be spent on your local food bank. I truly believe what goes around comes around. You could buy food items OR toiletries as they are always needed as well. Why not make up a toiletries “bag” - large sealable food bag from the 99p store with EDV Tesco items?
• Personal Development. This works in three stages. Sit down with a cup of tea for 30 minutes of quiet time. You might either have to stay up late or get up early. Now you must plan -

1. Decide your projected preliminary Debt Free Day (because circumstances mean it might change).
2. Choose the name of one person in your life that you will confide in that doesn’t already know about your debt but who will support you and offer encouragement.
3. Get a notebook which will be used to plan what you will do once debt free and be used to keep track of all spending. How do they tally?.. How much are you spending could be put towards a course to improve your work life..?

• Fitness. 3 times a week / 30 minutes each time. I don’t care what it is you do. Strap the baby to you while you vacuum? You have to be fit to outrun the zombies. Walk instead of using the car and expensive liquid gold!!!
• De-clutter. Can’t escape to safety if the bookshelf is over-flowing with c-rap and you trip over yourself. Sell it. Clean up your finances, clean up your home, clean up your mind and make some money while doing so.
• Outings must be reduced. If you could afford to go out every Saturday night you wouldn’t be on this thread. Set up dates with friends how before the beginning of the month, budget for them and put that money aside. Take into consideration all aspects - taxi home?
• When zombies attack you won’t be able to stop for a coffee. Wean yourself off this expensive and unhealthy habit - buy a travel mug cause Costa / Starbucks / Nero, independent cafes, restaurants, work canteens, smoothie stalls, vending machines and such like are hereby off limits. And always always always bring your lunch to work - it’s cheaper, tastier and you can look forward to it so PLAN ahead!

That's it! Are you ready to join in? And remember - this challenge is not for everyone. At the end of the day it's a bit of fun. If you don't agree with it, like it or it simply doesn't appeal to you just move on. There are numerous challenges here that will help you get to the goal you want.

*** Please do not re-post / quote this entire opening message of rules. If you sign up you are basically saying that you are giving everything a go. re-posting makes this thread longer than it has to be***

*When I use the word force it’s not the same as someone standing behind you telling you that you “have” to spend. This “force” is the depths within you that make’s you think you need something new every lunchtime. It makes you think you will only be accepted by your friends if you have a new pair of shoes/bag each time you go out. It makes you think you will only be beautiful, sexy, handsome, or amazing if you are in new clothes all the time, with hair done every month, nails done, new gadgets and a nice shiny car. It makes you think your children need every after school activity going - is there any chance your daughter will become a world class ballerina? Would that money be better off in a savings account for her first car? IT’s ALL A FARCE! Nothing you buy will improve your social standing, improve unrealistic friendships that might flow from an undercurrent of fakery, nothing will make your child happier than swings and roundabouts or an unadulterated ice-cream before dinner and nothing will make you more attractive that confident in who you are as a person not how expensive your watch is. Drop the act, save your money, get out of debt and make plans for what really matters! Real life!

NinjaSavingKat

Saved for Contenders.

1 - NSK
2 - Shyspender
3 - Moomin
4 - Pheonix
5 - Lillian1977
6 - ThriftyLass
7 - Avogirly
8 - Stewby
9 - RosieCheeksBlossom
10 - His Missus
11 - MountainGirl
12 - Countingdownthedays
13 - Missyv30
14 - Dolly84
15 - B17c
16 - Siouxsie32
17 - Kangadoo
18 - Chickadee
19 - Tea-Lover
20 - RainbowBridgeReturns
21 - EmilyTee
22 - LivingAGoodLife
23 - Abundant1972
24 - Rubywhatashmoo
25 - Waywardbird
26 - Crazy_Lady2009
27 - TwistedCherry
28 - Calling14
29 - KarmaChiLoveThing
30 - Billie-jo
31 - Superdopsa
32 - Fmess
33 - MrsGSR
34 - Luckystarr
35 - Loveadove
36 - TiptoesDB
37 - Splodgethefirst
38 - Themarsbargirl
39 - CEW
40 - Crazycatlady
41 - Xspender
42 - Liliyanna
43 - Travellor
44 - SarahB1989
45 - Clippy_Girl
46 - Ikesmummy
47 - LIttleSkintDragon
48 - Applemuncher
49 - Bellagiobaby
50 - Munchin
51 - Cottage_Retreatist
52 - Everhopeful09
53 - Plzhelpmesave
54 - Speakingofart
55 - MaisieM
56 - Habibiboo
57 - Shady2307
58 - Pinklyds
59 - Bex296
60 - Kittyboo
61 - Catshark88
62 - Eyeswideopen
63 - Midgie
64 - Mothernerd
65 - £ashcow
66 - LearningToBudget
67 - Wizzypop
68 - Lyneee

shyspender

I'm in!!!!

mooomin

Sign me up please NSK

I was going to reduce my SFDs to 15 for February anyway as I'm going away for a weekend and have a couple of other things planned, so I'm glad to see that won't exclude me!

I'm in a different place to a lot of the contenders as I'm already debt-free, but I want to use this month to put as much spending money away for my holiday to Oman in March :j

PheoniX

I've not yet read the challenge but sign me up please!

lilian1977

Go on. I think I can manage 28 days of it If not, I will respectfully bow out in future.... x

thriftylass

I'm in for month number 16!

Thanks

Avogirly

I'm in again please!

Calling14

Oh Go on then, I am in. Hoping to find a cute Zombie:)

rosiecheeksblossom

me too please xxx

his_missus

Count me in (though I'm on holiday for 9 days - all paid and spending money already in place)