Three choices in life; Give up, Give in or Give all you've got!!

please-let-me-be-lucky

Chev, she just said there were things that they could help us both with rather than specifying anything in particular. However, her line of questioning leads me to believe respite was the kind of thing she was thinking of. She also asked if we'd ever had a social worker (we haven't) and if DH has ever accessed help and support groups for himself and what kind of support I have too. I'm looking forward to seeing what they get back to us with.

So, talking of respite, I have had a morning to myself as DH has been for a cycle ride with Paramedic Mate. I used the time to do a few jobs (rang S@nt@nder to reduce my fixed direct debit to them so I could pay the extra to Bcard in the hope of clearing it before the 0% runs out, got the washing out of the machine and strung around the house to dry, stripped DS1's bed and then filled the machine again, counted out and bagged up coins from the penny jar (£8 to go to the bank), cleared the top of my wardrobe - much embarrassed about the dust!!, washed the breakfast dishes) and then sat on my butt watching tv and reading diaries .

I have been thinking about NSDs and what that actually means for me, following a conversation on EE's diary. Because I don't have a separate account/budget for food shopping, any spends of that nature will mean that it is not a NSD. Nor is it a NSD for me if I buy diesel, or indeed spend ANYTHING at all, except direct debits etc leaving my account. Therefore under these rules a Tuesday can never be a NSD as I pay for chub club, but perhaps I should accept this as a regular payment and still count a NSD if I don't spend anything else throughout the day. The reason I'm thinking that was is that I'm more likely to be stricter with my spending if I know I can claim a NSD. It's mental trickery really! What does everyone else think?

Bubblesmum

I agree, with you I think oh well I've got to pay for petrol so I will spend on X

I think, NSD should be unplanned for expenses ie chub club as you so delightfully put it, is a regular spend, and should be ignored.

Yes, it's mind trickery but that's what NSD is all about setting yourself a goal and feeling the reward.

Whatever works for you x

October_Starter

Hey Lucky

I have been considering the same as I do not include food and petrol into my regular spendings and therefore when I buy either it is no longer classed as an NSD.

I think you should definitely include chub club as part of your regular spends and perhaps work on a shopping and petrol budget so that can be excluded too. I am currently struggling to do this myself as it is a little more organising than I am used to.

Hope that helps.

October xx

please-let-me-be-lucky

Thank you both. I think going forward I will count a NSD for a Tuesday if all I spend is the £4.95 class fee. This also means that I won't buy anything else while I'm there (raffle tickets, cereal bars etc) Xx

I put an average of £30 diesel in the car per week, less if I'm struggling, and sometimes it lasts longer than a week depending on what we are up to. I am currently trying to work out a food budget as I've completely lost track on what we've been spending over the last few months, as so many trips to the supermarket included Christmas present purchases too. So far this week (since Saturday) I've spent £76 and I'm determined not to go over £100 per week, though even that might be excessive. I'm going to just buy as normal for this month and see what our true spends are, and then try to reduce it in February.

Knit_Witch

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Thank you both. I think going forward I will count a NSD for a Tuesday if all I spend is the £4.95 class fee. This also means that I won't buy anything else while I'm there (raffle tickets, cereal bars etc) Xx

I put an average of £30 diesel in the car per week, less if I'm struggling, and sometimes it lasts longer than a week depending on what we are up to. I am currently trying to work out a food budget as I've completely lost track on what we've been spending over the last few months, as so many trips to the supermarket included Christmas present purchases too. So far this week (since Saturday) I've spent £76 and I'm determined not to go over £100 per week, though even that might be excessive. I'm going to just buy as normal for this month and see what our true spends are, and then try to reduce it in February.

That makes sense Lucky - oh and another here that if it is a regular spend (milk bill, window cleaner, pension) then I don't count as a spend UNLESS I spend something else!

Bubblesmum

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Thank you both. I think going forward I will count a NSD for a Tuesday if all I spend is the £4.95 class fee. This also means that I won't buy anything else while I'm there (raffle tickets, cereal bars etc) /QUOTE]

I would include cereal bars in the planned expense if you see them as part of your weekly menu plan, rather than extras x

beanielou

I would include hifi bars in chub club cost & count as a NSD if nothing else spent.

mary_hinge

I see NSD as days when I have actively spend nothing at all. if it is a DD then that is ok but everything else counts as "spending" regardless of which budget it comes out of.

could you not buy a countdown pass that way it's cheaper and only the one spend in 6/12 weeks? or see if you could weigh in free in exchange for helping out at the meeting?

beanielou

No free weigh in for the social team

liltdiddylilt

I budget every last bit of my expenditure but even so, if I spend money other than DD's and standing orders then they class as a spend for me. Having said that, I take money out of the bank on a Monday to cover an expense I cannot avoid the following day. For instance, taking the money for my haircut out yesterday as it had to be paid today. As long as I don't go over what I took out and budgeted (90p under whew!) then I haven't ruined the day.

I sometimes put a £1 away for a loaf or milk and then as long as I stick to purely that when needed, it has not gone over budget. So many people do it differently; just do what your mind agrees with and get the boost out of it