NST;September Squirrels

Fmess

Evening all

Quick check in as first day back at work and I'm knackered!

SFD number 1 (just realised I need a new signature) and did an hours walking. Got free lunch at work, which saves me some money

Will do a full update of totals etc ASAP.

lubava

Good evening everyone. Quick update as Im too tired after mad day at work as predicted yesterday. Spendy day as had food shopping delivered and had to buy a kettle as my is busted. Ive tried for a month to boil water in the pan but enough is enough. Luckily the one I wanted was half price in argus and I also had £5 voucher-so only £24.99 for £60 kettle. Plus had to fill up petrol for £43 but shoul last me for 2 weeks. Early start for me tomorrow so off to bed. Night night

nannygladys

Hi everyone

First day done and my first nsd. I won't be spending anything until Friday which is my pay day, so I will be getting a few in early. I must say I have plenty in so I won't starve and I have enough fuel in the car to last me until then, so I can get to work.

10 mins reflection done, it felt s bit naughty just taking time out for a bit and I must admit it turned out longer than 10 mins!!

So that's me for today, 1 down - 29 to go

Nannyg

apple_muncher

moohound wrote: »

No time like the present, done my first Tilly tidy of £10.50 into the ISA

:T:T:T

Well done! It gets addictive - and disappointing when there isn't one to do!

[Deleted User]

Morning turtles! I have also just done my first TT, moved 74p into my amex card (in anticipation of offsetting a book I said DD could get for her kindle!).

I also just reviewed my accounts and paid £150 to the parental debt (from paying guests). With the direct debit I have set up for payday, this hits my repayment target this month...but no excuse to let up...summer hols are a lucrative time with guests, there are far fewer in the winter months (good job really, as house gets so cold!). So will overpay as much as I can during Sept.

There is an additional £350 from paying guests sat in my account at the moment, but as this is almost exactly the amount I have in theory spent yesterday on new glasses, contact lenses etc (over my planned budget by £52 once all the processes were taken into account) so I am saving that for that. I arranged to pay next week on collection, so it can sit safely in my account for a week or so

Glasses and contacts weren't the cheapest, but I am very grateful for the care shown to us by the optician and their team. Really feel they give you a thorough check up and as we have glaucoma etc in the family this is good. The optician has also ordered me several sets of very expensive lenses for free to use in my go bag for my NGO work...he said they could be a trial but no need to buy, 6 sets is about enough! The technology has come on so much in the last two years -its that long since I last ordered any :T I ran out of contacts (almost) about 14 months ago and have only had them since if I have found some odd ones tucked away anywhere (they are the daily disposable ones). This is my big credit card debt free treat to myself contact lenses, and at last a spare pair of glasses...I had a few terrifying moments when my only existing glasses broke/lenses fell out etc. Definitely best to have a spare when you are as blind as me! I was very grateful for the ladies and gents in the opticians practice - staff and customers, who all helped me choose new frames. I wanted some for once that dont look as if you are pretending not to wear glasses. Came down to some purpley half ones, or some black quite assertive looking ones. Everyone took a vote...it got some of the customers talking anyway! Also...I learnt something new! The optician patiently explained exactly how to put in and take out the lenses and gave me some tips. I've been wearing these type of lenses for about 15 years...but not had them explained since I started, so thought I was doing it right...but there were easier ways! I am glad I didn't take the prescription and go to an online store as I was thinking of doing.

Spends yesterday: We didn't go to the waterpark (teenagers, hormones) so I spent far less than planned. Kids all chilled out at my place, made some brownies (all from leftover ingredients :T), walked into town, went to pizza exp with tescimos vouchers gifted from my mum..total spend, £5.70, which parents of kids we were looking after later insisted on paying! Bought some waxed cellaphane for jam making (to use excess raspberries, and is one of my try this year goals..excited about having a go today!) and also got BOGOF on the marmalade tins - for £3.50 have enough to make 12 lbs! These will do for various xmas gifts as well as getting through a lot with the guests. I've put spends there under food. DD and gang to old fashioned sweetshop, £2 each. Parents of other kids covered theres. My DD also got a birthday gift, so £5,50 down (put within Ents).

Had a lovely evening with DD and paying guest eating random things from freezer to make space (DD had baulked at yet more tomato and courgette based meals, so this was the alternative...create me space to freeze them instead!), watched a borrowed DVD (MI-2, DD likes a action movie!) and eating brownie...there is enough left for DD today!

So yesterday and today were/will be spend days. Just trying to plan my spending so that Wed, Thur, Fri can be NSDs! This does mean I have to decide today what to make on Friday - six mates coming for dinner...one a coeliac, one a veggie (as am I) - menu will include courgette and plums, obviously!

MrsGSR

Hello *waves*
Can I join please? I've had a few months off but ready to attack now. I've already set my shopping budge and paid towards my CC this month which is now in the freezer. Is number 33 available?

MagicCat

Hello squirrels,

Day 2 and still feeling positive. :jShould be a SFD for me today. I've been applying to do different focus groups, and had a call yesterday to say I've been accepted to do a telephone interview next week - £40 for approximately 60 mins, so hoping that works out. I've also been doing surveys via the MSE link to swagbucks - got enough points to get the joining offer of a £15 amazon voucher so I'm going to keep going and hopefully squirrel away some vouchers to pay for Christmas presents.

Abundant - fab news on being so close to debt free - almost there!

XSpender - hope you're feeling better

Crazylady - it sounds a really good idea to get the glasses and contacts you need - it's really hard when you need them, they are effectively an essential but so expensive! New frames sound lovely - it's always nice to have something new, it's a whole new look!

Stewby - good luck with the French!

Mothernerd - good news on building work starting

Hello MrsGSR, good to see you back.

Happy terrific turtle Tuesday all!

SFD – 0/15
Groceries £61.74/£180
Petrol/parking £20.02/£90
Personal (prescription/toiletries etc) £0/£15
House £10.78/£25
Birthdays £0/£150
Car Tax £0/140
Social £0/£40
Exercise 2/25 Steps 4842/186000
Mindfulness 1/30
Foodbank 0/3

traveller

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday Feeling a lot better today. My youngest two go back to school tomorrow, so back to the normal routine. I haven't spent anything today, but tomorrow will be getting my monthly travel card, which as it's needed for work, is always budgeted for. Take care everyone

LoveaDove

Hi Turtle Squirrels!

Sorry for missing yesterdays check-in, I was feeling quite run-down again so avoided too much time on the laptop. However, I acquired my first SFD! :T

My month's starting stats are as follows:

1/15 SFDs
1/20 Exercise
1/30 Reflection
£0/£3 Foodbank donation
£40 Fuel (I may have to adjust this once I have a start date with the new job, I am still waiting on dbs & references).
Learn something new: Signed up to a course via futurelearn.com
£50 - Private vaccinations. I have to have the varicella (chicken pox) vaccination x 2, so this figure is just a guess as I have to find out how much these will cost via B00ts. I was one of those rare cases as a kid who never had chicken pox, and apparently I require a vaccination for this in my new role- the NHS do not offer this for free and my local drs can not order it in, not sure yet if I can get this refunded, but to be honest I think I would rather still have them anyway to prevent any concerns when I eventually start a family).

Caeraugirl wrote: »

I've seen the OU's free site, https://www.futurelearn.com, but never realised there were so many others!

Caeraugirl- Thank you so much for this link!! I have just signed up to start the: Psychology and Mental Health: Beyond Nature and Nurture, starting next Monday! This is something that interests me and is also something that will benefit me in my work.

Clothes challenge- I have sorted a couple of items for the charity shop, but I have a dress with an under-layer, which I have had to stitch back up a couple of times where it has ripped- the under-layer has ripped down the seam yet again making it especially difficult to just re-stitch. I think it must have just kept catching on furniture. The under-layer shows on the dress as it is longer than the top layer, so I have just removed the visible part of it and am now wearing the dress as a top over jeans (as removing the under-layer has really shortened it), and thus not parted with it. mothernerd- I am all for layering come the cold weather, and I tend to keep shabby clothes for decorating or messy tasks, but this mini challenge has made me more mindful of what I do have and how I can mix it up (rather than wear the same few outfits every week!) so thank you!

Trying to be more mindful as well of my fruit and veg. in-take! I do not eat much meat anyway, but am having to ensure that I am eating at least one piece a day as my iron levels are terrible. I eat very lean meats (white meat and fish), so keeping it healthy in that sense.

Hope you are all having a great start to September! Let's enjoy the sunny days and start prepping for those cooler months to come! x

Calling14

Day 2 will be a SFD as tummy no better, been to Drs again today, test results all okay so different tablets and go back next week. Glad live in Wales free prescriptions.

Need some shopping but not brave enough to go shopping till feel tad better. Lost 7lbs so far so not all bad.

Yesterday I felt okay so did a 5 mile walk, most uphill so at least did some exercise, nice to be out and about in the sunshine. Today will be a wee scurry to a nearby field with the dog after work, so won't count that one.

Collected lots of blackberries yesterday, all in the freezer.

Forgot to have reflection time so will double up on that one tonight.

Abundant -wow nearly there wish it was me so much.

Loveadove - Eggs good source of Iron if you can eat them. I always struggle with iron levels but luckily I love black pudding.

XSpender - Glad your on the mend been a long time.

Enjoy the sun squirrels