NST; January Challenge- The Money Saving Game

thriftylass

Hello,

today should be another SFD but I won't note it yet. Got pulled pork in the slow cooker and will have to mentally rummage through the kitchen to see what to have with it so I can avoid going to the shop for the ideal side dishes tonight.

Been for a quick swim and now HM soup for lunch and a free-be jam doughnut for afters, a wee survey or two and back to work.

Realised we have a work email for sale service thing going. So might list some baby stuff we don't need any more like the jumperoo there (was a hand me down but might as well make a penny )

liltdiddylilt

SFD again today for me. Noty sure where I am with them, as wasn't on last night. Will try and come on later and figure it out.

Not feeling good with back. TTYL guys.

PS Loveadove - July fine with me, did I say?

Fmess

Calling yes I think 10,000 steps is about 5 miles. It takes me just under 10 minutes to walk 1000 steps, so that seems about right. Keep looking at the Fitbit.

Samiszel

Fmess- I have the Flex and it does me just fine with the lights as I log in online every few hours! But I must say, it would be handy if it told me the time! Go with the Charge if you have the money.

I'm not doing very well with NSD's this month I have been doing well with earning extra bits of money at least...

Another spendy day tomorrow as have agreed to Zumba with a colleague who needs a bit of cheering up, then off to a friends bday drinks in central London. Will make sure I have dinner at home to avoid any evening munchies taking over, and just stick to a couple of slimline drinks. I hope.

WelshKitty85

Spend day for me today. DS has worn through nearly all his shoes so managed to get him a pair in the sale at sports direct reduced to £6.50. Also did weekly shop which came to £33.24.

DS found 1p roadkill which he is donating to our savings fund. I also found a whole 11p in an old coat pocket. Every little helps!

mothernerd

Another SFD. Very tired - think although I am not aware of DS3's cartoons when I am in my room (only when I go to the bathroom), I must be hearing them (vibrations?) as found it very hard to sleep and only some of it was the winds. Woke before 9am (very surprised), went to put the heating on (bathroom too cold for a wash) and brought a yoghurt back, started to read my book (one I kept back from the last parcel) and....

Woke at 10 to 2pm - yoghurt still uneaten. Fairly lazy day - still tired. Haven't been for a walk - may still go but coming straight back if I encounter any drunks.

Started to put together a 'Not buying it' strategy using the 'Anti-shopping' list.
Examples
1) A piece of laminate (I think) in the builder's rubbish pile at the old house will probably be a good fit for a splashback between the back of the sink and the window bottom (only about one large tile high)
2) Have been thinking about gardening (was trying not to, but the thread I was reading yesterday made me get my seeds out). Love some of the 'raised troughs' available but £50 in the sale (think small 'manger' with fold out legs and a smallish plastic canvas triangle of growing a space.)
However several people in the extended family have smallies/ babies so thinking of asking if anyone is getting rid of a carry cot stand or similar. These would be big enough to hold one of the large (1m x 0.5m x0.5m) black heavy duty fold out containers I have or the potato bags, with a supporting board in the bottom cut from the spare bits or 'sheet wood materials' still in the old shed.
Also have 2 tv stands (left by DS2), 2 plastic trestles (left by a plasterer - think they are broken but could go at the top to suspend pea and bean strings from) and 2 plastic shelving units (from mum's yard to form temporary kitchen when I had none and then used for seeds/ small plants outside.
Trying to put together a small version of the pyramid Diarmuid Gavin did for Chelsea a couple of years ago, made from junk (mine that is although think Diarmuid used recycled materials - it was that sort of garden).
3) Think the geishas should be made into lavender bags - more sewing but remembered when I was taking down decorations that I have 3 storm lanterns full of lavender seeds - need to use some up sometime (gave away last year's).

And on it goes. Tomorrow will be spendy as I have a viewing at the other house (have put a note in diary for when it is time to give notice to this Estate Agent). May get there on the bus but will probably need a taxi back. Will see if the bin was emptied last time and refill, find my seed trays (and a couple of other bits to come back if I get a taxi home).

Need to do more cooking/ baking but it will be Sunday or later. Need some breakfast supplies as these will run out soonest - not as lucky as one contributor on another thread who was using up Christmas leftovers by breakfasting on 'panetonne and pineapple' (I would have had to split them up).

Today I am grateful for being safe and warm, for carrot cake (it and the crumbles are now mostly in the freezer) and for ideas and imagination (even if the yard ends up looking like Steptoe's yard and makes mum shudder).

CEW

Just lost my post so here goes take 2

Haven't posted for a day or so as been busy with the technical stuff for the sale of the refurbishment project that never was. Everything going well. Survey/valuation done and all OK. EPC done and all paperwork taken to solicitors today. Buyers mortgage has been approved so hopefully everything should go through both quickly and smoothly :j

Really pleased with my progress so far in January. Still eating out of the freezer and store cupboards and should be for at least the next 2 weeks or so.

SFD's - 7/18 tomorrow will be a spend day as I postponed it today

Groceries - £5.20/£100 As I type OH has just informed me that he is making a full blown meal for my Mum and her neighbour while we are out shopping tomorrow. He will shop for this but I suspect that will be my budget hit a bit. I was hoping to really cut back this month but coming home to a lovely cooked meal will be nice.

Pets - £6.35/£50 Tomorrow I will need to buy some meat for the dogs. It won't be too much as I don't have much room in the freezer.

Haven't touched the social/birthday budget but will do tomorrow as we are having breakfast at the garden centre with Mum but that is only around £15 for the 2 of us. We rarely go out to eat and don't do takeaways so I don't mind the odd breakfast.

With regards to my goals for 2015:

I have been decluttering every day even if it is only a couple of items.

The house is in the process of being sold so debt free is definitely on the cards.

I currently have over £100 towards my cash neutral Christmas 2015 due to gift vouchers, cashback, vouchers used and loyalty points. In addition to this both OH and I have each accrued over £20 on YouGov so we should each get a payout later in the year.

Sorry for the long post but wanted to get this down so that I don't lose track.

Hope everyone is safe and well.

Chez x

apple_muncher

Today has been another NSD in the apple house. Dd has spent the day throwing up - 5 times - and I have therfore spent the day cleaning up. The washing machine has done 5 loads and there is stil one waiting for tomorrow!

Today I am grateful for getting my workout done before dd got started, for leftovers for lunch, for dd's stoical and cheerful character, for being able to tidy up, for my washing machine.

nannygladys

Hi everyone

Spend day today for a few groceries as have dgd here overnight, so total was £4.84, so total so far is £12.61 this month so that's really good for me.

Busy day at work but time there goes quickly, just how I like it. Not much else happening, but I must use a couple of spotty bananas up tomorrow, or they will have to be thrown and I'm not doing that.

Everyone have a good weekend
Nannyg

speakingofart

loveadove - yes, I am very glad it's all over! No idea about the results unfortunately - the university are notoriously disorganised so will probably be a while. Happy to run May, thanks for organising the list.

Lost a SFD yesterday to a food shop, but now have a nice full freezer and some veggies, lunch etc for next week, so that's good. Hoping to make up the walk I lost at lunchtime with one over the weekend, as well as cleaning, studying and trying not to pay anything until payday on thursday.

Groceries until 15th January £30/£31.16
Groceries 15th Jan - 15th Feb £0/150
Fuel until 15th January £20/£20
Fuel 15th January - 15th February £0/£60
Spending Money: £20/27.65 until Jan 15th.
Lunch to work: 5/20
Lunchtime walks at work 4/20
Food bank 0/£3
SFDs: 4/18