NST: May the odds be ever in your favour!

traveller

Morning everyone! I still haven't decided what my goals ect are yet as between coming home yesterday to now, ive barely had time to myself! However, the carpet situation is being resolved. Ive discovered flooring super $tore and the prices are very good. I can afford it too. I cannot afford right now to spend my than I am able. This, I remind my self, is why I must keep fighting my debt, so I can do what I need to do with relative ease, instead of wondering how I can afford something all the time. Today I need to measure up properly, order the darned carpet and get it over with. Apparently, ordering a slightly cheaper carpet, but a good underlay is the name of the game, if your on a budget, so thats what I'll do.

I'll be back later to update my goals for the month. Take care everyone and go turtles :T :T :T

apple_muncher

And we are off!

Good to hear from you speakingofart. Yes, you had told us, but it took us a while to remember - oops. Good luck with the 7000 words.

nannygladys - I like the idea of a running total. Do you have a figure you want to stay under?

Bob - self-employment is tough. Well done you!

CEW - vitamix blender, eh?! At least you confessed, tho omitted the price...! Enjoy it!

Messymare - one way to stay until the end is to resolve to post every day. Hope to hear from you often!



Thank you for sharing your motivations. Mine is to ultimately be financially independent and not have to work right up to state pension age, because I have enough income and a frugal lifestyle. We only have a mortgage because we bought a house for my mum 2.5 years ago, and dh has never ever complained about that. He was made redundant 2 yrs ago and started a new job 1.5 yrs ago. It seems secure enough, but... And I would like him to have the choice to work or not, to work part-time, to find a job he loves. So, paying down the mortgage is my priority. The total I want to pay off it this month is £1250, of which £1100 is 'normal', so another £150 to find.

Aphidgirl

Happy May 1st everyone,

A good budget for me to track this month will be the entertainment budget as spending in pubs/cafes/restaurants is my biggest non-needs spend each month and could definately be reduced with some will power.

At the moment I've got a very generous £150 budgeted as fun money till the end of May. If I could spend less than £100 I'd be happy and could put the extra £50 towards debt.....so here goes!

Getting out of debt is my biggest goal so that one day I can actually save up some money and be financially secure - imagine that! Current savings: £0

Synonymous

Thanks Apple, I've clarified my goals a bit now. Budget to follow when I've weighed everything up!


Motivation – Apple, my personal motivation is also FIRE, since the start of this year. I have quite an ambitious goal, but even if I don’t meet it I’ll still certainly retire early! I’m cutting my spending and increasing my income where possible, and gathering skills to be super-employable once I finish uni. Splitting my monthly savings between my mortgage and passive investing in an ISA.

Money – I know the ins and outs, although my part-time work is casual so pay changes every month. I’m always a bit wooly about annual payments because they come out of my slush fund, but want to plan them into my budget better. I have recorded all my spends since December and haven’t made an unnecessary one this year I don’t think.

Me time – For me this is meditation, and not in a rush whilst in bed at the end of the day (where I just fall asleep)! Also need to go to the docs for some ongoing problems.

Move. Cycle commuting now and hardly using the car. Need to sort out hip problems and get running again.

Activation: Reading the MMM blog, and sometimes other FIRE blogs and monevator for passive investing. Learning more and more about Buddhist ethics and mindfulness and wanting the freedom to choose whether I sell my time to others or use it for things I enjoy. Keeping track of my progress also keeps me going.

Arm yourself – you have chosen to follow a path that many mock and despise. My goal is classed as extreme early retirement and lots of people either look blank or tell me I’m living in a dream world. I’ve run the figures, and I’ve got the motivation so I’m going for it!

You. Are you happy in yourself? Need to get outside more on the allotment and in nature, and be with people who are supportive and kind.

Budget! in my signature, aiming to cycle and lunch to work every day too, meditation 6 times per week.

I've put Oslo trip separate - the travel and accommodation are covered out of my research fund as I'm partly going for a conference, and I'm going to take some food, but still don't know how much to budget and don't want to worry unnecessarily about money when I'm there as it's a holiday too. Already bought a ticket to the opera house to see a symphony at student rates.

Calling14

Synonymous sounds as if you have everything under control.

Tired today and found this week hard going. End of month so busy in work and daughter not picking up small child until 7pm each night, love him to death but by the time I walk dog, clear up and make tea - have no me time at all. Think will ask nicely for early collection as stops me going out and having any sort of social life. Too late for him last hr is niggly one.

Day 1- Monthly food shop done. 65.74/100

Going to aim for 20 SFD should shake me up a bit.

Animal budget set at 40 pounds this is to include kennel fees. Hopefully got enough dog food in to last this month.

Today grateful for
1. Having left weetabix in my desk. Got up late and at least had brekkie.
2. Sun trying to come out and off this afternoon.
3. Friend offloading clothes onto me. Raincoat for work and Fleece for dog walking. Happy days:)

Have a lovely weekend x

wishus

May I be a May Turtle please!

Today, I resisted the urge to buy crisps at the shop.

I am going to aim for 15 SFDs

Motivation – what is your personal motivation for joining in with the turtles? I am £23K in debt, trying to rescue my OH from a horrible place, and find a new creative life for myself outside of the day job.

Money – Last month I let things slide a bit. This month has a family wedding, an anniversary, and the sad beautiful memory of my mother, whose 73rd birthday would have been today, but who never got to be an old lady. There are things I need to do, and for the rest there's love.

Me time – I go to WW, and Parkrun, and am charting how often I get to exercise and go to bed on time. As my OH has depression, I see more than ever how I need to be kind to myself in order to be the best help to him.

Move. Over the past 2 weeks, I have tried free taster sessions in Yoga (awesome!) and Freestyle Groove (excruciating :eek:), and have signed up for my first triathlon in August.


Activation: what spurs you on to keep on the path? Reading and writing - I am determined to do a little of each every day. And yes, I track that too.

Arm yourself – you have chosen to follow a path that many mock and despise, that of ridding yourself of debt and financial constrictions in order to be free – and it means I can only do local small birthday parties, and can't travel so much, and most of my socializing has to have a work aspect... but hey, I'm not lonely in the slightest!


You. Are you happy in yourself? Right now I am. I get to do amazing, cool things and that's down to putting in the effort, being a bit of a yes-woman. I don't think you can live a passive life and be happy, only comfortable and unchallenged. Sometimes things are hard, and I say I'm not happy. But then life reminds me of all the lovely things and people I have in my life.

apple_muncher

Aphidgirl wrote: »

Happy May 1st everyone,

A good budget for me to track this month will be the entertainment budget as spending in pubs/cafes/restaurants is my biggest non-needs spend each month and could definately be reduced with some will power.

At the moment I've got a very generous £150 budgeted as fun money till the end of May. If I could spend less than £100 I'd be happy and could put the extra £50 towards debt.....so here goes!

Getting out of debt is my biggest goal so that one day I can actually save up some money and be financially secure - imagine that! Current savings: £0

How many times a month do you go out like this? If Kat was here, she'd tut! Looking at your debt, and assuming you have 8 more payments until the end of the year, then you will need to pay about £280 a month to do it. Your fun money allocation is over 50% of your debt replayment (and are you paying interest on that debt?)

Maybe allow yourself a certain number of outings this month and keep to it - like we stick to NSDs?

And if you then save the £280 debt repayment money, within a year you'll have a whopping £3360. Go for it!

apple_muncher

Syn - how old are you? Your plans sounds amazing! Good luck!!!!

apple_muncher

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: I forgot to post the rules!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:


Twonk here has only just realised that she forgot to post the rules. Oops. Here they are:

The Rules:

We start on May 1st and continue to the very end of the 31st.


20 NSD – you have 11 days to spend, so use them wisely. Petrol, medications and emergency travel needs are exempt. As are reduced items if that is all you buy.


Foodbank donation of £5.


Pay to your debt/savings FIRST and live off the rest.


Plan the month – every single day: what you are doing, what you are eating, especially with the Bank Holidays and Half term, birthdays, anniversaries.


Check in every day. Short posts, long posts, ups and downs. Turtles are gregarious and friendly, they look after each other and encourage each other out of their shells.

apple_muncher

wishus - sending you hugs for today xx