NST: May the odds be ever in your favour!

Fmess

CEW wrote: »

The Only Girl I can't say how pleased I am to hear of someone else who does not exchange gifts with their OH on birthdays, Xmas and particularly valentines Day. We made a conscious effort not to exchange gifts and it is so funny to see people's reactions when they ask either of us what we are getting the other one for said events. They really cannot accept that neither of us want or need these gifts.

We have been doing this too. We now only do birthday presents and a card on other occasions. This year OH bought me a hoover, that I really wanted but wouldn't have wanted to spend my money on as it was a fancy one. I thought it was fantastic and have used it everyday since. Someone at work said they would divorce their husband if he bought her something like a hoover for a present!

Doris17

Today has been a spent day here,£20.00 on a small grocery shop and £1.50 at the local car boot sale. Mr Doris treated us to lunch out,which was lovely,we don't go out for Sunday lunch very often as I am so fussy with my food and have been know before to have walked out of somewhere because I don't like the look of the place.

This afternoon we walked the dog and spent sometime in the garden before it started to rain again. Also been catching up on me time with Mr Selfridge just finished watched the last of session 3.

I agree people spend far to much on a wedding, my stepson spend not far off £18,000 in late 2013, 9 months later they separated and are now divorced. When I got married to Mr Doris in 2012 we had a very small wedding,children and grandchildren,both been married before and we had a great day.

Hope everyone has a relaxing Sunday evening.

apple_muncher

Am loving the thoughts on time spent on tinterweb! I considered putting a suggested time limit on internet usage in the rules, but must have forgotten.

My dh is a techie/geek yet even he baulks at fbook and we only use it for knowing roughly what his grown up kids are up to, as they are on far-flung continents at the mo. Personally, I know that I get overwhelmed at times just by my email, and that is after reducing the incoming and un-subscribing. I would NOT want a clever phone where I get told every time I have incoming, let along fbk/tweeter gubbins. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I do not wish to be connected 24/7!

We have had a short outing in the sunshine to the playground, and it was goooood to get outside!

Bobarella

Hi All
Just joining in on the present giving discussion. OH and I don't give each other gifts anymore really. Partly because I don't believe in things for things sake & have spent huge amounts of time culling items from our home in general.
We do buy for our son but keep it to things we know he really wants or needs. I always look for them 2nd hand first and have been glad of it as children go off things so quickly. For example for his 6th birthday he wanted a Tecsta puppy. Brand new they retail at £60. I got him one on eBay for £20. You know what? He doesn't even look at it 6 months later. But I can sell it on again easily enough. His bike however was an instant hit at Xmas and he rides every day now. Getting him that changed out lives as seeing how keen he was to cycle we both got bikes and cut our public transport spending in half (oh still needs a travel card as he commutes further and doesn't feel comfortable going that far on his elderly bike)

We really don't spend on things much full stop. None of us bother with clothes or shoes buying. We make do until something breaks or is grown out of. We do spend money on classes though, piano & dance plus if we are having treats they will be food based but inexpensive. We can entertain ourselves playing word games and puzzles for hours when we go out. So cheap dates
I love the Minimalists ' I am not my stuff. The best things in life aren't things' mantra.

Bob

Calling14

Hi everyone.

Didn't get to 11k steps today more like 9k. Still I tried.

Fitted rest of carpet in my wardrobe today, may not seem a big deal but as I have sliding wardrobes since they fitted new carpet under only one side of the rails was uneven and nightmare to slide. Works perfectly now, dug out summer clothes from boxes washed and dried.

2sfd today. Made a liver bacon casserole. No pudding need to cut down somehow.

Tomorrow plan to use my National Trust card weather permitting. Hopefully no spending will take drink with me. Feeling determined this month.

DrCarrie

Motivation – what is your personal motivation for joining in with the turtles?

I would like to have a structured approach to making my money work for me, rather than working to service my debts. I don’t make myself accountable to myself, so I hope that by being here – I will not stop ‘fessing up to myself. It might make me understand my triggers to spend what I don’t have, so that I can work on that!

Money – know your income and outgoings.

Cor blimey the next couple of months are going to be hard while I work 3 days a week. But I know what is going out, and have spending targets.

Me time – look after yourself.
I am really hoping I am going to get into some good routines again over the next couple of months. Looking after myself encompasses so many things; eating. Sleeping, keeping on top of the housework and looking after body beautiful.

Move. – I am going to go to yoga x3 a week (apart from whan I am on holiday at the end of the month then it will be everyday), walk up and down the stairs at work at least once a day (3 floors, 6 flights); walk home from the station instead of getting the tram (it is only 12 minutes).

Activation: what spurs you on to keep on the path? Remembering the ‘Obstacle is the path’ – front it and face it out; over and over. All of the turtles inspire me; that is helpful.

You. Are you happy in yourself? I am really, apart from when I don’t keep to my values and beliefs – Not stealing being the most relevant here. I steal from myself and the world whenever I get that credit card out.

The Rules:

20 NSD – I am going to go for this but it will be tight as I am on holiday for 7 days and will be needing to spend each day then so that if I make it I am going to have to be very focused. (Day 2 today though!)

Foodbank donation of £5 –I will do it via food donations.

Pay to your debt/savings FIRST and live off the rest – This is going to be hard – but I am going to pay a little bit extra on my 0% credit cards; but I really am tight this month.

Plan the month – I am, I am. Trying to be strict with some flexibility. Holiday this month; it will be low key but will still be more expensive than being at home.

Check in every day – Defo, apart from while I am on holiday in Turkey.

Phew...that was hard with a hangover! Looking forward to settling down until I go on holiday - done my first 'week' in my new job and know the practicalities re taking lunch to work. That will help with the NSD's.

Thank you all for being here!

DrCarrie

Bobarella wrote: »

I love the Minimalists ' I am not my stuff. The best things in life aren't things' mantra.

Bob

Love that.

nannygladys

Another sfd so that's number 2
So £2.25 spent so far.
Been at work today and back there tomorrow so should be another sfd I hope. I had salad, fish and jacket potato tonight for dinner and hm soup for lunch whilst at work. So not very exciting but sufficient to fill me up.
Anyway off to bed soon after I have had a quick look around, by the way another one here that's trying to cut down on the internet time!!!!
Nannyg

Samiszel

NSD number 3 achieved today. Can't believe it! Would never have managed 3 days in a row over a weekend a few months back!!

Have spent the weekend so far with family (my parents, OH parents & sis and my grandma), which has been lovely. And also listing bits on GumT and FB selling sites

themarsbargirl

Hi, I don't want to join the challenge (this month, I did do them a while back) just throw something out there....

The £5 foodbank donation....
I've recently been doing some volunteering at a foodbank and become aware that money is as important to foodbanks as food is (they have to pay running costs, storage costs, insurance etc) so if you don't have time to shop and drop it in or don't have a collection point locally to you then they will appreciate a monetary donation just as much.
Also toiletries, especially toilet roll are always appreciated.

If you buy food from Tesco to donate then please make sure you put it in the instore collection basket if they have one as Tesco donates an extra 30% of the weight of all donations which the foodbank can take as cash to cover the running costs or food that they need