NSK: MAY the Odds Be Ever In Your Favour!!!

MrsGSR

Right, I've just got in from work so am winding down, I smell of tumble dryer sheets and it's horrid as I hate artificially scented stuff.
Really pleased with myself as I filled the car with petrol and I have allocated the money for the children's activities until the end of July (get me) I've stashed away savings and car expenses and have budgeted for some new clothes for me and new shoes for the kids and I still have a decent amount left in my account AS WELL AS general spending money in cash for the month.
Nothing can go wrong (famous last words!)

mothernerd

FOCUS AND ORGANISATION
Food budget reduced to £80 but aiming to come in well under - freezer and tins stock high.

Travel staying at £30 - 5 Fridays in the month, anybus ticket is £5, this Friday I will be going to mum's and have a physio appointment = 6 journeys. Aim to be walking to mum's by end of month.

Exercise - continue with leg exercises, as leg improves add other exercises. Aim to build up to an hour a day + return to exercise class.

Walking start with little walk 15 minutes from house. 3 circuits by 8 May. Aim 1 hour daily walk (2 x 2-3 hour walk weekly) by month end.

Cook using existing stores - convert to hm freezer ready meals. Try one new recipe per week and find/ work out one new low fat version.

Budget put money aside for first 1/2 of water rates (due in June - check date).

Housework small improvement every day - focus, 15 min tasks.

Garden - lots to do. identify most urgent tasks. Priorities for this week check seedlings/ potatoes and onions/ peas and beans. List heavier tasks dependent on leg recuperation (still can't push spade with foot atm).

DIY Go through lists - identify less strenuous tasks (anything to be done sitting down?) and work through.

Sewing Curtains still need doing. Clothes situation getting critical.

Clutter clearing/ selling Identify next targets, here and at mum's.

Business Look through ideas - identify opportunities and resources.

Return to study Ask some questions. Answers in writing if possible.

Have fun. Think creatively.

speakingofart

My goal for the first 15 days of this challenge (I hate being paid in the middle of the month solely because it means I don't get paid at the same time these start ) is simply to spend as little as possible- I have done my food shopping etc for the month, so will only need milk and veg, and haven't got anything exciting planned as I have my last exam of the academic year next wednesday, so a very frugal staying in and revising bank holiday weekend. This month has been quite expensive as my car passed it's MOT and then promptly needed more work, so I'm desperately trying not to have to take money back out of my overdraft before I get paid. I will have a think about budgets for May... big one I'd like to reduce is my food budget!

traveller

My goal too is to spend as little as possible a week at a time. This month is tight and I need to remember that. Two biggish parties for my two boys. One is completely budgeted for the other not so. I have seen raybans very cheap and are genuine. I have always promised my daughter a proper pair of sunglasses as she suffers VERY badly from some form of dry eye-it's absolutely awful. I'm considering getting these for her. But, we'll see how it goes, but a proper pair are needed. Other than that, I don't expect any spending! And shall NOT be doing any! Let the games commence, good luck all

mooomin

Good morning all

Here's my commitments for the month:

• Daily check-ins here
• 15 SFDs
• 19 LTWs (based on 22 working days with two days off and one day of jury service. Bah.)
• 20 exercise days
• Add money to my ISA - £50 minimum

My budgets are:

Food: £37.50 weekly/£150 for the month
Birthday fund: £10 weekly/£40 per month
Car fund: £25 weekly/£100 per month
Entertainment: £30 weekly/£120 for the month
Petrol: £20 weekly/£80 for the month

My entertainment costs are high this month, because I have one gig, one lecture, two weddings, a night out and a birthday do to attend - and that's just what's planned so far :eek:

Munchin

Morning all:)

I have sorted out my budget for this challenge -

• Food - /£100
  
• Odds - /£120
  
• Exercise - /£40
• Diesel - /£150

• SFD - /15
• Exercise -/16
• Post daily: 1/31

Well that should keep me going

abundant1972

Morning!!!

The games have begun!

So I've been thinking... and saying - that I want to bring my DFD forward. My birthday is in November and at the moment, whilst I'll clear end of October - I'm not going to have a whole lot of cash for the 2 weeks I've booked off to celebrate my freedom. My plan had been to save excess and make a lump sum payment... However - the only sure way to make it happen, is to do it automatically.

My Direct Debit has been changed. As of June 01st - it will go up from £560 to £672 per month... and my DFD will be brought forward by 1 month!!!

I have opened a new ISA - and am going to scoop excess change and overtime into that so it's out of my current account. This will be my new Emergency Fund.

On to this month's budgets:

I actually started watching the Hunger Games last night to get me in the mood. I'm at the part where all the tributes have just surfaced into the arena, and in front of them is a stash of provisions and weapons. The temptation is to dive for these but it ends up being a bloodbath with contestants fighting each other...

Food:

Now normally on payday - I'm straight off with my cash to the shops to buy food - like my money is burning a hole in my pocket. No!!! This time I'm going to 'find the higher ground' and take stock. I'm taking a week out before I can go shopping - and I can only spend at the end of each subsequent week... Meaning come the end of the month I should have money to bridge me between payday and 01st of June. I have tried different ways before to ensure I'm in pocket at the end of the month and failed. This is my new strategy!!! That way hopefully, I'll avoid haemorraging cash too early on.

This month's theme is about survival and determination - how better than to leave my cash at home (or in the boot of my car just in case of emergencies) and live off what I have left. There must be no wasting food. I need to be creative to survive.

Entertainment:

In the quest to survive this month - and come out on top with at least 15 SFD's I am allowed to go to the gym and watch Netflix (both pre paid and budgeted for - so effectively free), and read my books of which I have LOADS! Socialising will be done at home or visiting people at there's so as to avoid temtation to spend. I have slashed my food/spends budget to reflect this. I have only £80 (~£20 per week) to survive on to reflect this.

Fitness:

Exercising and training is paramount for survival... and now I have an end goal - my DFD and 2 week holiday in November - I want to be in the best shape I can. I am keeping to going to the gym 3 times a week and if I can make a 4th then brilliant. I will not use my reduced budget as an excuse to eat rubbish either.

Good luck everyone!!!

mooomin

Daily check-ins 1/31
SFDs 1/15
LTWs 1/19
Exercise days 1/20
ISA savings £5/£50
Food: £0/£150
Birthday fund: £0/£40 saved
Car fund: £0/£100 saved
Entertainment: £0/£120
Petrol: £0/80
Misc spends: £0/£100

So, I'm already reposting because I forgot an "other spends" budget. For this month I have good budgets in place for all sorts of stuff, but already know I have other commitments including Fat Club (£5.50 per week) and possibly a haircut before the many weddings I need to attend. Today I will definitely manage a SFD and have got my packed lunch ready. [STRIKE]I might get the exercise done but the weather isn't too hot so I'm making no promises [/STRIKE] Nice long walk at lunchtime achieved and despite driving rain I walked the 25 minutes from the bus stop to the office too!

My miscellaneous spends budget has been slashed. It was £160 last month and I still overspent. This month it's £100. Bring it on!

XSpender

Morning Tributes

Here are my budgets:

Food £100 (including some for s/c hols and DS party tea)
Diesel £20
DH social budget £70
Holiday stuff £250 (huge I know but from saves for clothes etc)
Hair x 3 £70
SFD 15
Post every day (except hols) 19/
Walk the dog everyday
Exercise 2 x week when not on hols
Eat my 5/day
Debt/savings - already paid out:)


This is a funny month for us as I have 1 family holiday and 1 girls holiday. The holiday budget is summer stuff for me and DS and clothes for my girls holiday as I don't even have a bikini to take it is so long since I have been on that kind of holiday. It's my besties big birthday and the actual holiday was quite cheap and the budget has been saved up. I just want to keep an eye on what I spend.

The SFD target will be a challenge as I am on hols 12 full days this month but as my job ends towards the end of the month I am hoping I can achieve it.

I have been off ill last month so the exercise and healthy eating are to put me back on track.

Another goal of mine this month is not top dip into savings for anything even though we have DS birthday, 2 holidays and I get made redundant at the end of May

Aiming for a SFD as the weather is foul and I did a bit of shopping yesterday and will be in town again Friday, I'm not including the couple of quid DH snaffled from my purse this morning;)

Oops, rambled on a bit there.

MagicCat

Good morning Tributes and Happy May Day!


So - games have begun, dinner is in slow cooker, and am determined to start with and NSD today.

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

However looking at the budget you are right to over-cook things a little but then there is the problem of thinking "well it isn't included in any other budget so why not spend it".. the groceries - is that just for two people? Any pets or kiddies?

This is why it is great to do the challenge - you are right, I maybe need to look at it more carefully and challenge myself. No pets of kiddies sadly - just me and OH. To be honest, I find it hard to do less than #50 oer week, once you add in washing powder and toilet paper and all the things that add up! But I will rethink and try for #200.

Abundant - I love your attitude of survival in the food budget - this is how I need to think about it. So my task for today is to check foods available and make a plan.

NSD 0/15
Groceries £0/£200
Birthdays £0/£60 (May is a bumper birthday month including my sister and my nan's 90th)
Petrol £0/80
Personal/toiletries etc £0/£10
Entertainment £0/£80 (includes going to nan's 90th party)
House - £0/£50 (paint for bathroom)

Have a good day all.