NSK;The Tortoise and The Mad MARCH Hare!!!

CrazyCatLady1_3

Hi everyone,


Being a bit of a tortoise, late in posting this month, but things started looking up yesterday when I found out my Gas/Electric direct debit is going down from £107 to £81, and as I'm in credit the balance of £214 getting put back in my bank later this week Planning to pay off my smallest debt of £158 this month. Still got some food in freezer from last month so not spent that much this week, not going to worry so much about SFDs this month as long as I stay within my budget. De-cluttering going well, have got rid of loads of stuff this week. Hope everyone else is doing ok this month


£10/£60 Food
£30/Birthday
£0/£158 towards debt

TiptoesDB

Feel better soon Thrifty..

I like that Fmess – I think I run on solar power too! Lovely day doing outside jobs with DH (lawn mowed, flower beds and pots sorted, car inside cleaned) and then chilling, as well as a run and then a cycle (too nice to go the gym and swim indoors so got on the bike for the first time this year). A very nice tired now, and hoping to sleep well before first day back to work tomorrow… to see what has happened with ofsed in my absence - fingers crossed I still have a job after they have been though my files...

Right, off to make my lunch for tomorrow and tidy the kitchen before collapsing with a book before bed.

Let’s hope this sun stays with us for a while yet!

• 3/20 SFDS
• £86/£180 groceries
• 0/15 LTW
• 8/20 Exercise

NinjaSavingKat

Hello Torties.....

Well now you have all been busy - wracking up SFD's, keeping those pennies in check and enjoying the fine weather!!! Glad to see you are all in good spirits though. It's amazing what a little rest and some sunny weather can do for you!

I am sat in my room having created a little haven now that my landlord is back in the house with his girlfriend and hogging the living room. I didn't think I would be welcome wedging in beside them... so pillows arranged, fluffy blanket over my knees, big laptop playing The Walking Dead, little netbook typing to you...:T:T:T...candles on the go and moggy on the floor as well...

I am attempting to create a meal from Wagamama's ( Yasai Katsu Curry) which is currently on the go - might post some pictures if it doesn't turn out a complete mess....

All in all, after a night shift, a nice sleep I am a happy NSK..shame next week is double OT shifts. I am making the most of today....

So SFD today, not yesterday though as nights see the need for a little something special so I went to Tescos (naughty) but its better than using the vending machines at work and I just needed crisps. Yes they are a need! :rotfl:

Moggy has been making friends... a little calico cat from next door with half a black face and half a ginger face kept darting in and out of the garage. Moggy is small but this little one makes her look like a giant..:rotfl:....

So I went through my garage items. It's been weird having most of my stuff out there while I wait the arrival of this so called wardrobe.... but I manage to get rid of many boxes, narrow everything down and realise I could wittle it down even more when I go. Shoes with heels do me no favours right now so they might go sooner (there is a lot of them)..however it's a little satisfying knowing that I own very little. Less reliant on possessions.... that's my aim.

Oh dear this is turning into a right prattle.... I shall end this now and bid you all good night.

Heres to another splendid week!!!

luckystarr

Hello All :hello:

What a lovely day it has been ... today has been an unplanned spendy day :mad:and i have dentist etc over the next few days so got to be careful on how i am going to get SFD's in:think:
anyway on a more positive note today has been very productive i have mowed the back garden,cleaned the front garden and cleaned the car (inside) so feeling quite happy with myself today.:dance:

Keep up the good work my fellow tortoises :T

mothernerd

Another no spend day today. money has been spent, but not by me and not under the food budget. I now owe some money to DS3 and more is yet to be spent but he will get it back when the 'expected' cheques arrive and have been banked. But we have progress.

Thursday night I painted the ceiling and the blue walls in bedroom 2. Didn't get much sleep (just flopped on the bed in the newly painted room) then up early Friday to remove my bedding, put the curtains back up and make the bed with clean bedding for DS3's friend (coming to fix attic stairs). Was waiting for DS3 to go and collect his friend as wanted to do a finishing off bit in his room.

Nearly didn't go to see mum as so pushed for time but went in the end as at least I could sit down without seeing a thousand things that need doing. Spent far too much time running around trying to do a simple errand. nearly sure the Zombies bit me last month as felt half dead all day.

Phone call for me as soon as I arrived - Mr builder-did I want cardboard (yes -for weed deterrent/mulch in garden), oven (yes - mine broke New Years Eve), 2nd hand laminate flooring (yes,please),old big tv (no thanks). Bringing at weekend.

Quiet day then home to make up bed in smallest bedroom for me. DS3 and friend arrived before I had finished. Friend wanted a tour of the house - helpful as it helped me gain some perspective.About a year since he visited.so he could see what I have achieved -damp proof course,new kitchen,whole house (except bathroom and smallest bedroom) repainted, much more space. All I can see are all the little snaggy bits that still need sorting.

Good sleep (though could have done with more). Saturday-dismantled attic stairs (older stairs underneath are much stronger,new set basically propped up with random bits of wood and glued with carpet glue). Came up with a plan for stairs. I did some of the work. I also cleaned the kitchen, made a shelf for a base cupboard from 2 wall shelves, de- cluttered stuff in to it, made 4 smoked salmon (packet of trimmings) baked eggy things,did 3 loads of washing and after DS3 and his friend retired to play games I did 2 hours in the garden in the dark (2 lots of potatoes and 5 of onions in bags + box plant in a large container.

Tired and sore today but more gardening (shrub planting) and 3 more de-clutter points 6/30 for three large bags of rubbish. Mainly garden bits - things that are broken and can't go in the recycle bins (wrong sort of plastic) or things that have already been mended 3 times and are now beyond further repair (accumulated over the past few weeks but now gone). Accepted deliveries from Mr builder and reminded him that he
promised to get me bark (to tidy front garden) so he brought that when he brought the oven (only13 months old)and took the old one for scrap (another de-clutter point as I have already had my3 freeitems taken this year so would have had to pay the council £75 to take it). Gave Mrs Builder a pot of mini daffs as Mr builder kills any plants in their garden (Japanese knotweed invade from his neighbour and even that died)

Finally feel that I am getting somewhere with the house (must have done 90% of what needs doing). Mum also thinks I should go to look at a house that is for sale -perfect location but I think they are tiny. She thinks if I saw it and it didn't suit,at least I wouldn't keep regretting missing it later

Good wishes.to all -may your bathroom never invade your kitchen and hope no-one steals your bricks.

SiannieLaz

Evening All,
first post for a couple of days due to being too tired after working late Fri and early Sat.


Managed to spend most of today out in the sun, had an abortive run this morning as DD shouted 'poo poo' after only half a mile, so ran home quickly only to discover she was fibbing! I don't think she likes it when we go for long runs I've got one of those posh three wheeler prams (out of a skip!) which my cousin cleans and maintains for me but I don't think she likes sitting down for longer than 10 mins. I'm running a half marathon at the end of the month but so far my training is not going to plan at all, so am starting to get a bit nervous about it. Spent the rest of the day digging my auntie's veg patch so am feeling sore but pleased with myself. Wasn't a SFD for me today, as popped to local co-*p for a few bits but am still ok to hit budget I think.


Picked up first lot of Avon books today, 40 given out, 29 returned, 1 order! Still, onwards and upwards, will drop my remaining 29 out on Tues when I'm off work, and keep smiling! My Sales leader still hasn't given my any territory so I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'm not stepping on anyone's toes.


Totals so far:
5/15 SFD's
£33.99/£100 groceries incl cat food
5/18 LTW
0/£40 petrol
0/30 donations/declutter


Hope everyone has a good start to the week xxx

ikesmummy

Coming to the end of a lovely weekend, wish weekends were longer . We had a trip to a fairly local (about 15 miles) country park today. My plan is to have no more than two daytime paid outings with the children a month and this was one of them, I had budgeted £15 to cover parking and an ice cream today but the overflow carpark was flooded and the good weather meant the main one was full so we parked on the road (I don't think you are supposed to and until today had never seen people doing it) this saved us parking money so actually only spent £6 today

We stopped in to see my parents on the way home. They have just brought a van which they are going to convert into a campervan, we are hoping to help and then be able to use the van sometimes so quite excited about this . My hubby is a panel beater so knows quite a bit about doing conversions and my dad is the type of person who seems to be able to do just about anything after watching a video or two on youtube. I will hep mum with some of the inside furnishings etc, actually will maybe make my dad some nice cushions as part of his birthday present, he is always hard to get anything for.

Need to check my signture s up to date tomorrow when hope to add another SFD and exercise session. Will also find a few more bits to try and sell/declutter in some other way.

Night all

chickadee

Evening everyone. I've been away over the weekend so I haven't been able to post or catch up on the thread. I'm glad everyone seems to have been enjoying the sunshine. Hopefully it will make an appearance up here in the North tomorrow, as promised. I was away with DH on a bargain weekend break in the Lakes. We had a lovely relaxing time, even though the sun was notable absent. I had a 'first' on Saturday. The first time I have ever climbed Jack's Rake up Pavey Ark. It was very scary and I only learned afterwards that two people fell to their death from the same place in 2012. It was exhilarating to get to the top, but about a third of the way up I got a bit frightened but by then we were committed and couldn't turn back so we had to go on. Anyway, I'm back home safe and sound and I lived to tell the tale.


Here are my stats so far:
Walk to work 1/4;
SFD 2/15;
Exercise 4/12;
Groceries 59.01/240;
Meat free days 4/14;
Lunch to work 4/16;
Food Bank 0/8;


I'm doing terribly on the SFD front, I'll have to do better this week. I managed to fix the panel on the greenhouse that was coming loose today. It is has plastic panels and one was flapping about a bit in the wind as it had come loose. I have gone a bit mad with the No More Nails so hopefully that will fix it. I also picked up some of the seed potatoes from L*dl at £1 per bag. I have some potato growing bags from a couple of years ago so I'm planning to use them again. The potatoes need chitting so I need to google that so I can put them in the right place. I also sold something on ebay tonight and the buyer has paid right away so the item is wrapped, addressed and ready to go. Hopefully it will do better than the other one that didn't get delivered and ended up being returned to me.


Right, off to make tomorrow's lunch then go to bed.


Night all, have a good week!

SarahB1989_2

Back from my trip away and ready to tackle the rest of March! Mostly stuck to my budgets but had forgotten how much of a rip-off airport buses are - my local one is only £3 but the other two were £6 and £7 each! Managed two SFDs this week, slightly overbudget for food and travel at this point in the month but should come in ok in the end, got about £100 to last til April now with all bills still to pay.

Tomorrow is a big day as I find out where my first grad job will be! Fingers crossed I've scored highly enough to be allocated somewhere nice... Wherever it is I know I'm very lucky to be in a profession where I'm guaranteed a job straight out of uni.

apple_muncher

Morning all!

I flopped into bed at 8 last night and was probably asleep before dd. Dh woke suddenly at 6ish this morning, which served as my alarm clock!

We have yet another hospital appointment for dd this morning, so I can let her sleep in for a while. She certainly needs it.

It was a super busy weekend - and I had to spend most of it inside, boo hiss. But I collared 1 NSD and some knitting, so I'm happy with it overall.

Can't quite register that it is already the 10th - we are 1/3 of the way through the month. An extra thing for me to do soon is to make dd a new sling. The original one is a gauzy wispy thing that is quite frayed, thin and grotty now. I have an old pillowcase or sheet that I can use, so must get the sewing machine out tomorrow and have a go. My challenge is to NOT use wonderweb stuff for the hemming!

Today I shall spend - parking for the hospital this morning, then the C00p have 3x 4 pint milk for £3. Same as Aldee but I'll have the car so will be able to get them home! We have a £1 off a £10 spend so will get loo roll too.

mothernerd I am in total awe at your home improvement scheme! You get so much done every day - truly awesome and inspirational.