NST: May the odds be ever in your favour!

Calling14

Welcome newbies.

Gretchen2012 I always post my budget/debt totals in my signature. It is up to you. Just helps me stay focused.

I have ordered monthly shopping from Sainsbobs with a 12 pound off voucher, so will post tomorrow exact total. I do so much better meal planning like this. Will pop weekly to lidls veg/fruit/milk.

My social budget will be high - London end of the month Well just food and tube travel hopefully. Tickets already got for train, gig, theatre. Hotel paid for and we get breakfast so will fill up then. Need to pay for kennels for few nights ouch as well.

Hope to try and avoid buying petrol this month over 1/2 tank so may last out.

Synonymous

I'm in please Apple, going to be a spendy month as I'm going to Norway, eek!

traveller

Hi Apple, brilliant challenge, can you count me in please

CEW

Hi All,

Well after a month off (supposedly) I'm back in for May.

Although I didn't join in with April I did read every post and still listed all my spends and SFD's etc but it did mean I didn't have to confess to going over budget on groceries and pets and definitely didn't have to mention my purchase of a vitamix blender at the Ideal Home Show :eek: In my defence I have wanted this item for the last 4/5 years and could only now justify the cost as all the debt is now gone AND I have used it at least 3 times a week since it arrived.

I will post my budgets for May tomorrow.

Chez x

littleskintdragon

Can i join please, didnt get much chance to post in april,
Budget at the ready for May.....

apple_muncher

Welcome to all lurkers, all previous non-finishers, all old-hands!

Synonymous - Norway! Eek indeed! But awesome xx

nannygladys

Well for the month of May I'm spending as little as possible on everything, so rather than post budgets I'm going to put in a running total. This will include all food, fuel etc, I really need to save some serious money to help dd out and don't want her resorting to ccs and loans, we are both doing this so we can keep an eye on each other.

So I will be eating out of cupboards and freezer and to be honest I have enough in to only have to buy fresh veggies and milk, I have a cheap month entertainment wise as I'm not out anywhere and I don't need to buy clothes or anything, so I think I'm just about ready!!!

So I'm at the starting blocks raring to go ....

Nannyg

Bobarella

Hi All
Did a small amount of debt slaying today. Not masses over the minimum but it's better than nothing.
I recieved my settlement (part 1) today from the insurance. Plus the ombudsman have called me and offered me £200 as an apology for their poor service. The man I spoke to was lovely. He really seemed to care that I've been passed from pillar to post.
So all told a good day.
Also managed to pay myself another £100 out of cash flow. Tommorow is the last day before I have to start saving for other bills again but I'm a lot closer to having my needed figure in place for the month than I thought I'd be.

I didn't ever answer what my motivations are in doing this challenge. I think first and foremost I want to feel secure financially. Which I haven't been since I went self employed 3 years ago. I want to pay off as much debt as I can then start to pay down my mortgage whilst also improving the savings and investments we hold.
I am often held back by an extremely variable income. Which makes financial planning a challenge. But I'd be a lot worse off if I didn't focus on my situation and keep battling away. So here's to another month on the good ship Turtle.

Bob

nannygladys

Motivation - well this month it's helping dd, but now I'm debt free and mortgage free it's saving so I can afford to do things when I finally finish work (I am now a oap-eek!!)

Money - well I know when my dds go out and I check my online banking every day and record any movement in my account book.

Me time - I can improve on this big time, by just taking some walks and have thinking time, I'm thinking about mindfulness.

Activation - I've been frugal for some time now as I don't want to add to my carbon footprint, and these forums have been instrumental in my paying off debt and mortgage so I'm usually OK.

Arm yourself - well continued reading of this site keeps me going and I read some frugal blogs as well.

So that's me, off to prepare lunch for tomorrow which I eat about 10am as I work early shifts.
Nannyg

speakingofart

Hi everyone! Just to let you know that I'm still here, I read on the other thread that I was down to do may, but I thought I'd said I couldn't do may because it was when my university course was finishing and June would be better - if I've got mixed up then huge apologies, but real life has been (and still is!) somewhat insane at the moment. Anyway, I'm glad someone has put themselves down for May/ June - please just add me to the end of the list if that's easier.

Awesome challenge Applemuncher - I will be cheering you all on from the sidelines and be back in june when I can call my soul my own again My exciting plans for the bank holiday weekend include writing 7,000 words - hope everyone has a good one.