The 'Gone Racing' Jolly June NSD Challenge at Royal Ascot

Nargleblast

Yes, the tea urn missed being skewered. Unfortunately Mrs Doyle was standing in front of it at the time

cw18

last reported in on 10th, since when

11th - allowable spends only, so NSD #6
12th - non-allowed spends (Father's Day card I'd forgotten to get on previous spend days!
13th - another TV series on DVD. had been watching the price drop in a battle for about 60 hours, so when one of the 2 lowest suddendly disappeared (presumably purchased by someone else) I snaffled the other copy at the lowest price it's ever been (another 10 hours or so to watch)
14th - total NSD (#7)
15th - total NSD (#8)
16th - total NSD (#9)
17th - total NSD (#10)
18th - allowable spends only (NSD #11)
19th - allowable spends only (NSD #12)
20th - allowable spends only (NSD #13)
21st - total NSD (#14, and 8 in a row :T)

I know tomorrow will be a spend day - there are a few junk food items I can get cashback on until the end of tomorrow that I want to pick up.....

The_Only_Girl

Hello peeps, I can't believe I haven't posted since Thursday. Work was so physically demanding and exhausting, I just crashed in to bed after work these past few days. On the positive side, I managed to put in at least 3 hours of overtime yesterday so that's something to look forward to in July. The overtime pay is already allocated to the credit card payment unfortunately.

So much has happened in my absence, I will need time to read up on the happenings here - I think I have about 5 pages worth of reading, I'm sending big hugs to all of you who need them and a pat on the back to those who are winning the battle against debt.

I have only managed to earn one NSD since Thursday - that's NSD no. 14 for me which is twice as much as I have made in May. Hopefully I could manage to put in a few more to make it past 15 and if I am a really good girl I hope to make it to 20. With regards to the monthly budget, we are still under budget in all areas. Since I reduced the household/grocery budget by £400 for the month of June (from £650 then to £500), I consider it a breakthrough to still have £30 in the kitty to last us til the month end which is for emergency top up shops as there is enough food to last us for a few weeks. I am not anticipating any need for a top up shop so fingers crossed, any left over money in the budget will go towards the credit card payment and will take us closer to our DFD. The biggest surprise for us is the petrol budget. We have budgeted £200 for both my and OH's car. This month we only spent £100! We used to spend £350!

It's DS2's birthday on Sunday and he said he doesn't want any party or big celebration, he just wants a meal at a Japanese resto and DS game console (which he is not getting by the way - it really sounds like we are mean parents for not giving him his birthday wish but DS2 is in the ASD and he will make that one of his obsessions and it's not going to help him prepare for his GCSE next year.) He says can he have a pet snake instead then (one of those I nearly fell off the chair moments!) He's getting new fish for his fish tank instead. He settled for a pair of angel fish and additional cardinal tetras and harlequin raspboras.

How did Father's Day go in your households? Ours was a quiet one. Hubby went to work til 2pm (extra pay yippee). He didn't want any gimmicks. I just made him a special dinner - beef and mushroom pie with cheesy sweet potato mash and steamed peas and sweet corn on the side, homemade tomato basil soup and homemade rocky road ice cream. It's been several years since we decided we wouldn't bother with cards or presents on occasions unless the celebrant specifically asks for something they need or really want. Experiential/happy memories gifts are better, cheaper and last longer.

Good night every one! Have a good week ahead!

Pollygarter

Only Girl, would you adopt me? That supper sounds amazing. Completely fab.

I am reporting in NSD 6. Yes. Took a card and some hugs over to my dad and played cards, dog walked and sat in garden. Lovely time.

Later, at home we burnt a few sticks the dog brought back from the woods for a midsummer solstice celebration tonight with the kids. Blimmin freezing out there! Enjoy your festival camping, or is it glamping for you guys? I'm off to tuck up in a nice warm bed. X

The_Only_Girl

THE POWER OF SAYING NO!

This afternoon, OH and I went to Costco to do some last minute top up shop - rice was running low and in my household, it could spell disaster. Like what we've been doing during the last few months, we took some money from our Household/Grocery envelope and set £40 for today's shopping. We got everything we needed according to our shopping list (another practice we have faithfully followed recently) and because it is Father's Day we picked up a box of Krispy Kreme donuts as long as it doesn't tip us over the budget. When we reached the cashier, we boldly (unashamedly) told him that our budget is only £40 and could he please let us know when we are about to exceed it. Before he scanned the Krispy Kreme I realised we were going to be £3 over our set limit (I had £15 emergency cash hidden in the secret compartment of my wallet which I could dip into). But OH and I looked at each other and we both said, no we are leaving the donuts because it's over budget. The cashier was so surprised he said to his colleague "It's over budget."

A few months/a few years ago, a). We wouldn't have had a thing called budget. b). We wouldn't have gone grocery shopping with cash but would have used debit/credit card c). We wouldn't have bothered to look at the total amount of our shopping but would have just handed over the plastic card as if on autopilot. d). We wouldn't have been bold to tell the cashier of our limit e) we wouldn't have walked out without the donut aka " the special treat which we deserved, after all, it's Father's Day" for a mere £3 over budget.

The thing is: walking out of Costco without the donuts made us feel triumphant. We feel like we have conquered Mt. Everest because we have SAID NO! NO is indeed a very powerful word. It is only made up of two letters but it can change your future. As Dave Ramsey puts it:

"IF YOU WILL LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE, LATER YOU CAN LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE."

Aphidgirl

Only one NSD last week and that was because I didn't feel too good yesterday so didn't go out anywhere, so need to redeem myself this week. Now on:

NSD 5

zenshi

I really don't know where this month has gone. I have been stupidly crazy busy with work and house and garden stuff!! The only time I seem to sit down I end up asleep!

Anyway, checking in with an update and can declare a total so far of 12 NSD

marmiterulesok

Good morning! :hello:



:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I'm pretty sure that I haven't posted this already ....

Happy Monday all.

marmiterulesok

I haven't yet read yesterday's posts,but will be back later to do so. :whistle:

I'm hoping that we have a nice few nsds to chuck into el cauldrono of
doomio,since,as usual,he's whining about being hungry.Even Igor's left overs (sprouts vindaloo mini quiches and ferret and anchovy vol au vents with a side order of mashed cauliflower and a few lemon slices) haven't filled him up. :eek::eek:

Yesterday was an nsd for me. :j

marmiterulesok

And the big question for today is:[STRIKE]who blocked the toilet,again?!!!![STRIKE][/STRIKE][/STRIKE],no.sorry.What shall July's theme be?

Wimbledon?That's the only one I can think of.

Igor in tennis whites,strolling out to woo the masses as only he can,what with those smoldering good looks,the athletic body of a Greek [STRIKE]god[STRIKE][/STRIKE][/STRIKE] frog and that super fab chest wig of his,up against the great and the good...Cheffie revealing he may just be a better tennis player than that other famous Swede Mr Bjorn Borg!!!!! Well,he certainly knows his way round a Swedish meatball...
Hubert as ball boy (girl,sorry).Nargle as umpire.... :rotfl: Tatty and sporty kerri in the women's [STRIKE]pole dancing[STRIKE][/STRIKE][/STRIKE] single's tennis final...Mrs Doyle's hand blurred in frantic tea making activity,egg sandwiches being churned out faster than a speeding tennis ball....forget strawberries and cream..we have cake,anchovy vol au vents and Rennies in their thousands...and then there's marmite in a comfy chair,champers in one hand,Cornetto in the other,enjoying the match...

But being a considerate,intelligent kind of person,I'm open to any other reasonable suggestions of course!