NST - January. Bobs post bauble debt busting challenge

Bobarella

Today has been my first NSD. We have deliberately stayed away from the shops as we shopped yesterday and the couple of items I forgot - butter and toothpaste, we can manage without till tommorow. We have enough toothpaste for tonight and the morning and butter isn't good for you anyway is it.

We went to the park to get DS out and moving and the baby likes the fresh air too. When we got there the first sight that greeted us was an enormous stack of Christmas trees left for recycling. I said to my family 'wow how much money are we looking at here?' The average tree would have cost £40 to £60. We brought our own tree in again from the garden for the 2nd year and it only cost £10 in the first place.
It is a point I made on another thread today but one worth remaking. It's all very well knowing how much something costs, but what is its value? To me £60 is a good few days groceries, a special day out, a pair of warm boots. It's not something I'd want to waste on an item that gets binned in a few days. Anyway end of lecture.

I am also sick to the back teeth of the adverts for Park that are being shown in every ad break at the moment. The main message begins ' isn't it hard saving for christmas' and proceeds to show a pot full of money which the family take something out of every two seconds for 'unexpected' costs like er the credit card bill....but if you save with Park you will be all set for next Christmas, queue photo of family opening a ridiculous stack of gifts. What a crock! No doubt they make money from taking your hard earned money and saving it all year. ..which all of us could anyway. Bah!

We finished up the soup I made yesterday for lunch and have eaten from stores for snacks. Will roast the £3 reduced chicken for dinner later.

Have a good day everyone.

Bob

DawnW

Bobarella wrote: »

We went to the park to get DS out and moving and the baby likes the fresh air too. When we got there the first sight that greeted us was an enormous stack of Christmas trees left for recycling. I said to my family 'wow how much money are we looking at here?' The average tree would have cost £40 to £60. We brought our own tree in again from the garden for the 2nd year and it only cost £10 in the first place.
It is a point I made on another thread today but one worth remaking. It's all very well knowing how much something costs, but what is its value? To me £60 is a good few days groceries, a special day out, a pair of warm boots. It's not something I'd want to waste on an item that gets binned in a few days. Anyway end of lecture.

I am also sick to the back teeth of the adverts for Park that are being shown in every ad break at the moment. The main message begins ' isn't it hard saving for christmas' and proceeds to show a pot full of money which the family take something out of every two seconds for 'unexpected' costs like er the credit card bill....but if you save with Park you will be all set for next Christmas, queue photo of family opening a ridiculous stack of gifts. What a crock! No doubt they make money from taking your hard earned money and saving it all year. ..which all of us could anyway. Bah!

We finished up the soup I made yesterday for lunch and have eaten from stores for snacks. Will roast the £3 reduced chicken for dinner later.

Our tree has gone back out into the garden too Bob. I do have to buy a new (small) one every few years when the present incumbent has grown too big and is taken to DD1's woodland to be planted out I must repot this one when it is less wet outside, but it is fine for now.

As for Park, didn't one of those hamper/ Christmas saving companies go bust a couple of years ago leaving lots of low income families without their money? :mad: Hopefully they are now FCA regulated (?) so at least that cannot happen again?

I have managed another NSD, making 2 so far for 2016 . I confess that this was mainly because it was pouring with rain for most of the day and I couldn't be bothered to get wet walking round the shops, as I would like to buy some reduced Christmas cards for next year. Hopefully there will still be some around next week

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone

Feeling a bit down today
Last night couldn't sleep, then did, then up at 2.45, took ages and dozed off again and then it seemed 10 mins later the alarm went off.
Got a couple of things on my mind so wrote in an online password protected journal but still couldn't get off to sleep.
Had an argument with hubby about money again :mad: why can he not see things how I do?! He says he doesn't want to argue and is going to talk about things with me tonight. I just hope that doesn't turn into another argument.
Annoyed when people tell me "Don't worry" because how can I not? I am a bad worrier and little things worry me. I feel like I would benefit from counseling but I don't want to ask as I feel that I don't need it and would be taking it away from someone in more need than me?
Sorry to have gone off on a massive tangent!! Just needed to let it all out.

luckystarr

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all OK.

Hugs to you chocolatelover93 hope things get better for you. We are all here for you

Welcome to the new NST that have just joined.

I haven't managed any SFD yet as yesterday I ordered OH birthday present off Am@zon and today I went to buy some groceries for a pack lunches and snack food in Asd@. It came to a total of £51.10 in total and that was with a list !!! . However on reflection I did change our coin into cash at the bank which was £30.00 and I had £15.00 already in my purse so only had to put £6.10 on my card so it's not too bad but must try harder.

Tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday will be SFD as I have no where to go apart from work and back and will be taking packed lunch. Spending in the canteen at college on an evening is going to stop too as will take my own snack and drink to reign in the spends.

I have been meaning to do my college work for the last few hours but decided to read the thread and watch the Darts OOOPS !!!.

Must crack on hope you all have a lovely evening

see you all tomorrow

Lucky xx

Fmess

bob - the spices were tiny/nil calories, it was all the oil. Glad I got it free on the shopping app, would be doubly miffed if I had paid for it!


I completely have the bug for paying off my debt again. Went tutoring today and raced home to pay that money off my debt, also added £10 that I was reserving for a contingency but decided against it. I want to stick to my budgets and not go over, so no contingency needed I have also been to the gym, only walking and swimming due to my back, and walked the dogs, so again feeling pretty positive.


I am going off to search for the flylady thread as I used to be a member and it works well for me having a list and doing a bit each day and going around room by room. Plus the hosts always think of cleaning jobs that I would never have thought of.


Today is going to be another SFD as I'm in for the evening now and have no planned spends

clippy_girl

Hope you have a productive chat tonight choc and hopefully will help you sleep.

I agree re wastage of xmas trees I have just have a fake one and it does me!

So today has been a NSD :j

Went to the gym this morning for the first time in quite a while, think my legs will hurt tomorrow!

Then did some financial admin and cancelled all my unneeded direct debits (just old ones and duplicates) and my standing orders. Opened my savings account and isa with first direct for my slimlined budget accounts. Proper savings are with tsb in 5% accounts. Need to go and dig out my purse and try and reset online banking.

Then cleaned the guest room and bathroom. Need to get on with the washing but can't until Monday night when I buy more washing supplies!

Have just been making yummy food- more curries ( my favourite!). Done a base sauce for chicken pathia which is for tonight with a lone nann bread in freezer and then made a veggie one which is squash, green beans and spinach cooked in a sauce made with Thai red paste, coriander and coconut milk. Forgot how bright and colourful healthy food is! i bought Madeleine Shaws book in the summer and it has some lovely recipes in

Fmess

chocolatelover93 wrote: »

Hello everyone

Feeling a bit down today
Last night couldn't sleep, then did, then up at 2.45, took ages and dozed off again and then it seemed 10 mins later the alarm went off.
Got a couple of things on my mind so wrote in an online password protected journal but still couldn't get off to sleep.
Had an argument with hubby about money again :mad: why can he not see things how I do?! He says he doesn't want to argue and is going to talk about things with me tonight. I just hope that doesn't turn into another argument.
Annoyed when people tell me "Don't worry" because how can I not? I am a bad worrier and little things worry me. I feel like I would benefit from counseling but I don't want to ask as I feel that I don't need it and would be taking it away from someone in more need than me?
Sorry to have gone off on a massive tangent!! Just needed to let it all out.

Hugs chocolatelover, it sounds like counselling could be of use to you, and it doesn't necessarily mean that you are taking it away from someone else, you have a need too. Why don't you go speak to your GP or you could do it independently. There are some places where you pay a donation for the counselling received instead of a fixed fee.

chocolatelover93

Fmess wrote: »

Hugs chocolatelover, it sounds like counselling could be of use to you, and it doesn't necessarily mean that you are taking it away from someone else, you have a need too. Why don't you go speak to your GP or you could do it independently. There are some places where you pay a donation for the counselling received instead of a fixed fee.

Thank you, I think I will get my self an appointment on Monday to see the doc. I didn't realize there were places like that, I will have to look into it
xx

chocolatelover93

Just realised I went off on a massive tangent and didn't post what I have done!!
LSD as I needed some lunch so got that at work and will need to get some cat litter and fuel when I finish.

Going to have a freezer raid and see what I can make for tea, sure I will find something in there. I'll make sure I get something out to defrost for tomorrow nights tea too

luckystarr

Fmess wrote: »

bob - the spices were tiny/nil calories, it was all the oil. Glad I got it free on the shopping app, would be doubly miffed if I had paid for it!


I completely have the bug for paying off my debt again. Went tutoring today and raced home to pay that money off my debt, also added £10 that I was reserving for a contingency but decided against it. I want to stick to my budgets and not go over, so no contingency needed I have also been to the gym, only walking and swimming due to my back, and walked the dogs, so again feeling pretty positive.


I am going off to search for the flylady thread as I used to be a member and it works well for me having a list and doing a bit each day and going around room by room. Plus the hosts always think of cleaning jobs that I would never have thought of.


Today is going to be another SFD as I'm in for the evening now and have no planned spends

Fmess It's lovely to see you feeling more positive, it has made me feel inspired to start being more positive about myself and life in general. I am looking into talking to someone professionally to try and rid my demons for good so thank you xx

If you do find the flylady thread can you post the link please as i feel this will also help

Thank you xx