NST Challenge - Spring is here!

academiablues

Calling, so sorry to hear that. Welshkitty, well done on your roadkill!
So not only is today another NSD, but I managed to go and cancel my gym membership, even though it was scary and the woman was a bit snotty with me (I know I'm not stick-thin, but I am healthy and that's what matters!). Been at work all day, and I'm home now so won't be spending any more money
Hope everyone's had a lovely day in the sun!

Bobarella

Calling - That is so so sad, my biggest commiserations. What will happen to the children now?

WelshKitty - Amazing! You have beat my best find of £5 a month ago!

Dizzy_Imp

I haven't had a SFD. Oh no. I've taken receipt of the largest online food shop I have ever placed. It was £325, excluding delivery but after discounts :eek::eek::eek:

In my defence (should I be allowed one), this should be 90% of what we need for the next month and possibly way into next for some items (shampoo, toilet roll, washing powder etc...). I will need to top up on fresh and perishable but lots of dried, tinned and frozen items purchased to cut this down to the minimum.

I've come to the conclusion that I can't plan well enough, nor do I stick to my budget, to shop weekly and I work better if I do a monster order once a month. I'm honestly in awe of you who are able to make good, short term budgets. Try as I might, all my plans fall apart within 3 days. Life is so frantic and subject to change at a moment's notice that it feels an impossible feat. I may have to return to lurking in the background until I can sort something out I can work with/to.

I am also failing on all the other parts of the challenge - no idea what I've spent on fuel and days out over the Easter Break with the kids being off school and since sorting out DH's pants, no decluttering either. I'm taking my sleeping bag to the naughty step. I fear it might be a long stay. Feeling miserable.

TiptoesDB

Hi all

So sorry! I REALLY have got out of the habit of checking in every day. Naughty me. I will go back and read posts in a bit but just wanted to say Hi first.

So, we saw the house on Friday and both fell in love. It is an eco development more than an eco village Lilt and LittleSkint Dragon, (sadly not tree houses or anything!) the houses are all super sustainable etc, and the site has a community 'hub' (like a community centre) and cycle paths to town, shared cars if you want to use them, a shared green space and a lake etc. The house we would like has not yet been built and we don't have any deposit as yet, but we are hoping and scheming. DH got offered a new job today, with a slightly higher wage and in a location which means we could sell his new car we bought last year, which would give us a good chunk of the 5% deposit we require. A good few months of totally hard core saving would give us the rest, and DH's and my mum have both offered to lend us any shortfall in the deposit/ fees / etc. We will be speaking to a mortgage adviser this week to see if it's totally a pipe dream or not. Fingers crossed. eek.

However, I can only boast 2 SFDs so far this month, which is terrible, and I have had chocolate today - bad me. I did a shred tonight, and run yesterday and we had a spring clean and steamed all our carpets / rugs / sofa yesterday so are feeling good about that. Still need to work on the other targets and REALLY REALLY start saving hard.

Right, off to catch up with what everyone's been up to...

TiptoesDB

Oh calling and Lilt... just caught up on your sad news - hugs both of you.. x

apple_muncher

Hang in there Dizzy! Try to note down ALL your spends, regardless of being within or over what you put as your budget. School hols play havoc with 'miscellaneous' and 'food', and are super hard to plan for. We are only on day 7, so try to keep detailed notes for the next 23 days. After that, look ahead at May: bank hol monday + half term.

And if doing the big shop works for you, keep doing it! I personally can't do that at all and the weekly system works best for me - partly because I shop on foot - imagine several months of loo roll to carry!

Don't despair - turtles may disappear into their shells for a while, but they always reappear and keep moving forwards.

Tiptoes - the house sounds so exciting. Hope the bank are amenable...

academia - well done on cancelling your gym member ship. What will that money go towards now?

My budgets and targets will only apply for 20 days once we get home. 15 NSD? Ha ha! No chance! But may be worth a shot...

mothernerd

Big hugs Calling and Lilt.

Yesterday I had my second bath and got in and out by myself. DS3 said he didn't really pull me up the other day, just sort of steadied me and I did the work. I did ache on and off at during the day.

Solved the indolence mystery. I think I have had a Bank Holiday weekend. Don't know when I have had one before. When I worked outside the home my jobs usually required Bank holiday working (and no extra pay) and as I now work from home I don't really have bank holidays or weekends even (though I do try from time to time). Such a long time since I just did what i wanted without stressing about all the things that need doing,

Very spendy day today and a wanting things day but managed to resist. Took the two cheques that came last week to the bank (was hanging on hoping the big one might arrive) so £4.20 on a day ticket. Took a sandwich and an apple and found the two bottles of water that got left behind last week. However despite resting between walking I ended up having to go into a shop to buy cheap ibruprofen and a bottle of coke to wash it down (had already eaten and drunk the things I had taken) so that was £1.70. Really resented spending £1 on coke but couldn't even walk to the next alternative shop and still struggled to get back to the bus station (chanting keep going, you can do this, one step then another, I will not feel sorry for myself, I will not cry).

Don't know if it was the sunshine or what but kept seeing things I want (and even some things I didn't even know I wanted until I saw them). Took the diagonal shortcut through one of the department stores. I had noticed some of the men's clothing last week but the sunshine either lit things better or made me feel more optimistic and I just saw them in a different light. Some were for the boys, some to replace some things from my brother's wardrobe that I wore after he died.

Then the outdoor clothing was on sale - actually got caught looking by a shop assistant. Said I needed to start walking properly then increase my speed and distance before buying. But they were gorgeous lots of turquoise as well as olive and khaki/beige. Then the assistant pointed out the c r a g h o p p e rs stuff - I had on the top I bought in December 2013. Got it in the sale (can't afford the full prices) but they had the fluffy all turquoise/ peacock blue one that had sold out by the time I let myself buy this one (black with turquoise trim).

So its stuff I definitely want when I can walk properly and when I have lost more weight and meantime I will keep my eye on it in case there are any drastic reductions (the stuff I was looking at was very reasonably priced and waterproofs would be okay being a large size as it just leaves room for lots of layers).

So then walked past (telling myself I did not need) bowls (having finally whittled my salad bowl size bowls down to the one I brought back from Italy) even if they were bamboo inside and a gorgeous bright green/turquoise glaze on the outside, a display of R a d l e y handbags and finally a range of clothes. Saw the shop last week R o m a n, then noticed some of the items in the department store - again some useful items but when I have lost weight and used up what I have (need to work my way down to these hanging off me and sell the house).

After the bank I nipped in another department store to use their toilets and had to tell myself how I did NOT NEED anything for the garden, particularly a pink paper stork (flamingo?) or a plastic fish that looked like it was supposed to be a fancy bubble blower. To get to the toilets I had to walk past all the smallies' clothes. Honestly I am not broody or desperate for grand-children but I love little boys clothes. Think it is because I can picture what mine would have looked like in them, if anybody in the house except toxic ex ever got new clothes unless everything was down to rags.

Anyway did not buy (I have splashed out on another three pack of boxers for DS3, from his birthday money) and have worked hard this evening, making three trips back to the other house to bring back plant pots and other garden bits (and filled the bin from the shed and things I had hidden in DS3's old fitted wardrobe). Think I will have to buy the weekly ticket at some point as there are 14 of the smallest size pot with soil and 10 - 12 of the next size (can only carry one at a time in the rucksack).

The third trip I had to stop on the town hall square and split the rucksack contents. Carried own bag and rucksack to middle of carpark, then went back for the other bag/sack. brought that nearly to my end of the carpark and asked the 3 remaining skateboarder/ bikers to keep an eye on the rucksack whilst I went for the dolly truck. The largest of the three went for my bags (asked the other two to mind his bottle of vodka but he did look old enough to drink), then helped me carry everything home (could see my yard but had to walk round the edging fence for the carpark). He was telling me his mum has had MS for fifteen years and now has cancer, but she is in Scotland.

Today I am grateful for help from unexpected quarters, for my recovery so far, for being able to have a bath, that I am gathering my garden bits together and will be able to do something, for being able to refine what things I may need when I am able to afford them (mentally building a new wardrobe, based on what I have but adding more colour and some things I haven't been able to afford before), for convenient buses (last trip was hard because I had missed a bus and had to wait with the rucksack on my back for over 20 minutes) and for DS3 working out his earnings for the last year and feeling positive about his new game. I am also glad that I chose the day ticket as I may not be able to move much tomorrow.

liltdiddylilt

Hi guys

Quiet check in from me. Here before YNAB so got nothing to add to budgetdom except for my 3rd SFD yesterday.

Today was my dads birthday treat out which as £10 more than I expected but that can be explained by the fact that he wanted a giant joint starter to share with us all. I also splurged £15 on a king size seersucker white duvet set that I have been ogling for nearly a year and they have finally reduced it from £45 :j that means I can finally get rid of the two misshapen and cheap and nasty ones with hundreds of thousands of bobbles inside and a top that catches on your skin and reminds me of cotton wool between your teeth. Cannot wait to throw those out!

Thank you all for the thoughts about Pop. Calling what absolutely horrifying news about your friend. Leaving two children... that is my worst nightmare. I have lost 2 friends to motorcycles and my best friends little brother is paralysed from the chest down since the age of 18 after a very low speed accident in the rain shattered his spine I hate motorbikes.

mothernerd lovely to get help from people you least expect it from. Not all bad, todays youth

Will be a bit quiet, as my mum is here until Thursday night and am making the most of it. Love to all xx

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for playing jump-ovrr-the-shadow-of-the-cars-as-they-drive-past with dd, for the map app on dh's phone giving good directions, for a cool bath, for colourful birds, for cuddles with dd.

speakingofart

Calling, that's awful, I'm so sorry!

Back to work yesterday <ugh>, still didn't manage a SFD or any revision. Definitely going to be on the naughty step this month - ended up transferring yet more from savings to cover a tesco shop and I think I'm going to have to top my car up as well. However, get paid a week today so on downward slope now. At least it's finally warm and sunny

Food until 15th April: £38.91/£40
Spending money until 15th April: £23/£20
Food 15th April - 15th May 0/£150
Fuel 15th April - 15th May 0/£60
Spending money 15th April - 15th May 0/£40
0/15 Spend Free days
0/£5 Donated so far
Lunch to work: 1/ 19
Leave the office every lunchtime and take a walk.
1/19