NST December Challenge - Festive and Frugal

traveller

Hi everyone,can't believe we are literally at the end of the year and what a year its been! Well today I completed day 1of the 30 day shred and have the pain to prove it lol! I know I've over done the spending due to the festive season, but Will shrink my coat next month, that's for sure! I have been paid today, but need to make payments to credit card and do a balance transfer, but my debt has fallen below 4k now once I make my payment tomorrow :j Well have good evening everyone

mothernerd

A NSD. Very quiet day. Reading (a book as well as on here). Trying to fill out my goals for 2015. Some people are doing 15 in 15, so thinking about some of my goals but adding snippets I like from other people's signatures, filling in the detail on some things I've already thought about doing (15 lines of scribbling on making my own clothes), principles or key words and then trying to pare it all down to 15 'f' words for alliteration (fashion/fabulous/fuss free/ festive/feasting/food/finishing). Needs (a lot) more work.

No sign of DS3 - wondering if it would be premature to advertise a room for rent (renter has this big room, I'd move into the little bedroom and DS3 would have to sleep downstairs, when he returns - I'd have to keep some of his things in the room with me, but he couldn't get them messed up again could he). Do people rent rooms in scruffy households (bit dirty in places, until I'm allowed to bend down, takes an effort to pick something up, not even going to worry about the skirting boards).

Many thanks to Fmess for running this challenge and to LoveaDove for picking up the gauntlet. Any new contenders to run the thread after that? Will throw my hat into the ring now but no ideas for themes etc yet. Willing to drop further down the list if anyone wants to join the rota or if someone who's already done it finds February more convenient for them.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for a warm duvet, for my trusty dustpan and brush, for the beauty of the frost, for tickle fights with dd, for lemon curd tarts.

mothernerd

Today I am grateful for a good read (cover made me laugh but it's quite engrossing), for the library delivery service (introduced me to lots of 'new to me' authors and thoroughly enjoyed nearly everything they have brought) and for cooking/preparing ahead (having a lazy day but had salad/dip/cucumber sticks and cauli florets waiting in the fridge and had defrosted the raspberries so finishing the day with no-sugar jelly with raspberries in).

Fmess

Evening all

Have had an unexpected SFD so now up to 16 . Went to lunch but mum insisted on paying and I resisted all the shops Nothing much else to report, although did go swimming

stewby

Good news... My daddy paid for afternoon tea.
:j

However, I used my xmas money to buy some lovely pressies to myself from the garden centre so still a spendy day... but pretty much everything I bought was half-price (even some stuff that wasn't meant to be).


Can't wait for the new year to start all over again. OH and I have big plans for 2015... can't wait for the 1st to arrive.
:T

Hugs to everyone and good night.

mothernerd

After much deliberation, this is what I have come up with. Fifteen words to encapsulate 2015, a blueprint or manifesto, grouped under my 5 goals but in many cases they would be equally appropriate in another category and are intended to underpin the whole strategy.

FIFTEEN FOR 2015

Be Debt Free
FREEDOM from debt, from worry, from possessions that no longer have a place in my life
FINANCE Set and monitor budgets. Be in control.
FRUGAL Explore all other options to buying

Be Healthy
FOOD More about sowing and growing than buying. Build meals around simple, healthy ingredients.
FITNESS Exercise will be mainly walking. Also about things being FIT for purpose, they needn't be perfect, just suitable.
FLEXIBILITY of body and mind, open to change and new experiences.

Be Selfish
FABULOUS Not Frumpy. Taking time to look after myself and recognise my needs
FASHION Want to return to making my own clothes. I know what suits and flatters my shape.
FUN AND FEASTING Doing the things I enjoy but also living in the moment and enjoying the everyday things I do. I already have some ideas for things to make as presents, using and recycling what I already have.

Keep Learning
FIFTEEN IN FIFTEEN Will put together a list of fifteen projects for the year, some craft activities, some practical (need more storage in the kitchen). These should enhance my well-being whilst developing skills in a number of areas - problem solving, creativity, imagination. No/low cost where possible.
FINISH WHAT I START In January I will be working on completing a number of part completed embroidery projects but need to follow up on other projects (or know when to quit and put the energy into another area).
FEED MY SOUL Reading. Quiet time. Mindfulness. Zen habits. Appreciation of my surroundings and good moments in each day.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
FRESH START A new chapter in my life, post children (even if the 23yo is clinging on to the nest). A sustainable life.
FEARLESS life has knocked the stuffing out of me, I want to attempt to regain some of the clarity of purpose and certainty I used to have.
FIFTEEN MINUTES A DAY Lots to do. Lots of old habits to erase and new ones to develop so I am going to start with 15 minutes a day. If I can only spend 15 minutes a day working on one goal, that is what I will do. Some days I will do more and some things will become automatic but all the little bits will add up and changes will come.

Thank you for reading.

traveller

Morning all:j Feeling slightly emotional for some reason, probably time of the month,lol. For me this year has been an emotional rollercoaster that will never be forgotten, but has hopefully taught me some lifelong lessons.

Mothernerd, I found your goals very inspirational :T

Today I aim to do the shred again and start reading my newly bought Alex cross books, that were a Christmas present. I'm also going to try some decluttering and getting rid of lots of unused toys.

FMess, thanks for a wonderful challenge and fellow turtles, thanks for the friendship,encouragement and laughs along the way. Have a great day everyone and enjoy your new years eve

speakingofart

Good morning turtles... last check in for 2014!! I can't believe the year is ending already, it seems to have flown by and so much has changed. This thread and group of people have played a major part in me becoming debt free and in charge of my money for perhaps the first time in my life, and I can't wait to see what we achieve in 2015. Thanks very much everyone (and Kat, wherever you are!) - see you on the January thread!

Groceries £56/£150 15th december till 15th January
SFDs: 10/15
Petrol £34/ 60 15th December till 15th January
Lunch to work: 15/15

apple_muncher

Thank you Fmess for a cracking December challenge!

It's been a day of mixed mse. I've washed the 4 jackets that my lovely neighbour gave me yesterday. And dd and I have had a great play at the playground...followed by a visit to a coffee shop. Gulp! Just drinks, tho'. And then a pop in to Clarks where we got dd a beautiful pair of pink pumps with shiny silver 'toe caps' - £10, down from £28.

And we have dusted down the wii - hope to use it in 2015!

Today I am grateful for fun playground play, for good coffee, for texts from my niece, for dd's faith in me that I can craft anything at all, for the Christmas lights.

Night night to 2014; already looking forward to 2015!