NST December Challenge - Festive and Frugal

CoffeeandStitches

thriftylass wrote: »

Oh no, hope the physical pain isn't too bad though.

Thanks It's getting to be very painful atm, hence the original reason for the visit, but all booked in to get it sorted tomorrow. I've been assured it won't hurt after that... here's hoping!

Yay for new clothes! What did you get?

CoffeeandStitches

And I've just discovered that a subscription service has re-activated my cancelled subscription for no apparent reason and taken £13.25 out of my bank! GAH! Quick call to the customer services department and I've been assured that once I receive it, I can send it back and get a full refund, but still. Pain in the bum Tuesday or what!!

thriftylass

CoffeeandStitches wrote: »

Thanks It's getting to be very painful atm, hence the original reason for the visit, but all booked in to get it sorted tomorrow. I've been assured it won't hurt after that... here's hoping!

Yay for new clothes! What did you get?

Fingers crossed then.

I went to H+M rather than really cheap Primarni or too expensive N3xt and got a camel coloured longish cardigan, a flower print blouse for christmas dinner and a long wooly jumper with a wide turtle neck. Hopefully will get N3xt vouchers again for christmas from FIL and will replace some of my other wardrobe in the sales. Had a interesting chat with the girl in my office how one always just ends up wearing the same three or so things that are on top on the pile in the wardrobe. So will have a rake through today and bin/donate what I really don't wear anymore and rotate some wearable stuff.

And my other problem is that I have got some lovely thinnish/medium jumpers but they are too cold for the house unless I crank the heating up and too cold for work as our office/lab is often chilly

CoffeeandStitches

thriftylass wrote: »

Fingers crossed then.

I went to H+M rather than really cheap Primarni or too expensive N3xt and got a camel coloured longish cardigan, a flower print blouse for christmas dinner and a long wooly jumper with a wide turtle neck. Hopefully will get N3xt vouchers again for christmas from FIL and will replace some of my other wardrobe in the sales. Had a interesting chat with the girl in my office how one always just ends up wearing the same three or so things that are on top on the pile in the wardrobe. So will have a rake through today and bin/donate what I really don't wear anymore and rotate some wearable stuff.

Sounds like a lovely little haul I must do the same, kick me in the bum to do it this weekend please

Caeraugirl

Just a quick check in from me, a SFD today as have been volunteering at school as part of master plan for career change...


Have been thinking about this year's achievements, and think I have 5:
- Producing some useful work in my current job, which in turn has increased my confidence in my abilities and encouraged me to......
- Start volunteering at my local school and apply for teacher training, don't know how far I'll get but at least I can say I tried if I'm not successful in my application
- 170 mile Way of the Roses bike ride, raising over £200 for Cancer Research
- Started non-league netball nights for a group of like-minded ladies who want to play without all the competitive argy-bargy
- Joined this forum and a couple of others, learning the ways of the Ninja, the joys of OP'ing the mortgage and making serious headway into becoming MF in the next year or so, starting to budget properly and live within it (mostly!), meal planning and hopefully teaching my children the value of financial planning and security


Struggled to think of five til now, but could actually keep going! Thanks for putting it on the challenge, Fmess, has really made me think positively about how far I've come this year.


And Lilt, would recommend the fresh start button on YNAB - I'd got myself in knots and found the budgets weren't really tallying with what I had as had moved so much stuff around, closed some accounts, opened others... Now have made sure every penny in savings etc is accounted for so what it says I have is what I actually have in cash or accounts.

nannygladys

No. 16 calling in.

OK yesterday was a sfd and today I have spent £8.09 in homeb getting bits for Xmas.

Sfd - 1
Grocery - 8.09/100
Fuel - 0/80

Christmas preps nearly all done, just the fresh stuff to buy now and will do that just before the big day. Really looking forwards to it this year as I have kept in budget and my cc and od are still clear and I intend to keep it that way!

Well I will now go and catch up on the thread.

Nannyg

applejack07

Hi all! Hope December's been treating you well so far.

Finally managed to figure out some budgets for this month. Bit of an odd one!

Groceries: 1.75/20.00
Misc: 8.10/80.00
Presents: 34.30/150.00
NSDs: 1/10

Groceries are low this month as I'll be at my mum's for most of the month and she refuses contributions, bless her heart Have put money aside for a treat to say thanks. Most of "misc" will likely end up going on apparently obligatory christmas shenanigans. I doubt I'll need that entire budget for pressies but want to play it safe.

Bit annoyed with myself for buying lunch today, but in my defence I wasn't expecting to be out over lunch. Not off to the best of starts! Wasn't too much of a blow though. Skimped the best I could

thriftylass, you've inspired me to rummage through my wardrobe now. God knows what's in there. I always seem to rotate the same three outfits so am intrigued to see what's lurking in the depths.

nannygladys

So ...... five achievements in 2014

1. OD and CC cleared, just one small loan to go and its interest free (from family)
2. Been speaking up for myself more and saying no when I need to.
3. Went on holiday on my own, fully paid for by cash before I went and really enjoyed doing what I wanted when I wanted.
4. Ending the year in a lot better place than last year.
5. Have to think about ......

The rest of my Xmas food shopping will be from vouchers and points that I have been saving all year, my lunches/breakfasts I have to make as we haven't got a canteen, just a microwave and kettle!!!

I always fail at menu planning, I make a plan but never keep to it, so perhaps that's something I can improve this month.

Nannyg

skintscotslass

Fmess wrote: »

Wanna bee free if the only thing you spend is direct debits then it's a SFD. I think you can definitely count that as your good deed, well done

Synonymous it's Ninja Saving Turtles in honour of Ninja Saving Kat who started these challenges and is now debt free and travelling the world on her savings. Think it started when someone associated the word ninja in her MSE name with the teenage mutant ninja turtles.

Lol, I had no idea what NST stood for and forgot to ask! Thanks

CoffeeandStitches wrote: »

:wall::wall::wall::wall:£89!!! *cry* - That's the dentist budget blown! Double what I thought it would be

Aw bummer! My dentist lets me pay up a bill if its a large one. Is that an option?

skintscotslass

So 2/16 LTW and 0/15 NSDs. Tomorrow should be a NSD, unless I have to pay for parking. I'm training staff at another site, so can claim it back from on expenses if I do have to pay. Really need to check out where I'm going!