NST - January. Bobs post bauble debt busting challenge

Fmess

Night all,

SFD today and just one day until the weekend :j

WelshKitty85

Hi everyone!

Forgot to report a freebie yesterday - a lovely bottle of prosecco sent by an in-law. It was an unexpected, but very much appreciated gift.

NSD 11 today. Have seen a special offer on some flavoured coffees that I want to buy, that also come with a free travel mug (mine is broken) but am putting it off until my next spend day and hoping the offer is still there.

Have been exhausted after work the last few days so am very glad for all the batch cooking and freezer supplies I have prepared.

Good night everyone!

Catwoman_2015

Evening Turtles

Happy to report NSD 15/21 today :j

Themarsbargirl - sounds like there are a variety of complex reasons for you not feeling for your best. I can completely sympathise with your mother's comments being a trigger - I have a similar experience of this and it can't help living under the same roof at the moment. I found some counselling sessions greatly helped me in dealing with her/my automatic reactions to her. I would totally recommend this to anyone if you can get them. Painful work but insightful! Failing that using daily mantras distracts me from my negativity sometimes - I use a free app called Transform Your Life, A Year of Awareness. Sounds cheesy but reading an insightful quote can take me to a less stressed out place as a welcome distraction from daily annoyances.

Mother nerd - I sang and danced round the vacuum to Build Me Up Buttercup earlier, also singing at the top of my lungs much to the cats' dismay and confusion!!! It did cheer me up though, thank you for the suggestion. :rotfl:

XSpender - good luck with the house viewings :T

Calling - get well soon.

Not much else to report today, apart from a friend has agreed to house sit/cat sit when we go on holiday in April which is great. :j Cheaper than a cattery for a week and the cats get less stressed out as they get to stay at home with all their creature comforts and a familiar person feeding them. One less thing to worry about on my list of worries! :rotfl:

Night night turtles

Catwoman x

themarsbargirl

Thanks mother and catwoman and everyone else for your well wishes. My mum had sworn I have a touch of seasonal attractiveness since I was a child, and I often struggle more in winter months.

I had a spend day, then a total panic when a classmate text me and told me my essay deadline was today (it's not-it's tomorrow). Tomorrow will be an interesting day, I'd like a nsd but being up at uni writing for hours in the evening, I'm likely to cave in to the vending machines.

However, I've been keeping to my weekly budget this month (other than that unexpected bill) rather than throwing stuff on my credit card, so that in itself is a major improvement, even if I don't hit 21 nsd.

The_Only_Girl

Very quick update from me. I'm absolutely shattered, need my bed so badly. Yesterday and today are both NSD's taking us up to NSD 14.

jeanangeo

Hi to everyone, late post for me again. NSD for me today. I think that makes 19. However, I think I am going to change the way I count them because the majority of people are not counting designated spend days as far as I can tell...? I'd rather stick with common convention than not... Does anyone have any thoughts on this...?

A lot of us seem to be suffering towards the end of the month so I just wanted to say a few words.

You are all amazing. Never forget it, no matter how hard things seem.

While the rest of the world is easing their pain spending, you are toughing it out, doing the best you can to try and turn your finances around.

That isn't easy even when things are going well. When a person is miserable, stressed and struggling, it's almost impossible.

You are all amazing for still being here on this thread. You have survived the dark, wet and cold and are still standing.

The force is strong in you.

Hang on, wrong film.... But you get the gist I hope...

DawnW

I think people count non-spend days in different ways Jeanandgeo. For me, if I spend anything at all apart from the monthly direct debit bills going out, I don't count it as a NSD. I guess it depends on what works for you, and makes you mindful about what you spend

GSRcat

Hello, I'm sorry I have just not had time to come on here and catch up so I have barely caught up with the pages I have missed!
Not much to tell here challenge wise ther than I am ending the month with money hurrah! DH and getting on a lot better now, talking more and understanding each other and being back on my medication again has made a massive difference, things have settled down considerably.
We went to the cinema on Wednesday on a groupon so saved ourselves at least a tenner on tickets so it meant we could have lunch at nandos afterwards which DH paid for. I bought myself some wool with Christmas money so I can carry on with my blanket project.
Get paid next week do I'm in the process of working out my accounts for the month, I haven't managed many NSDs but I'm not too concerned because I know I am being before mindful and making lists etc.

GSRcat

themarsbargirl wrote: »

Interesting question Bob. I used to, and once I'd got confident enough to not take dad with me the routine and getting me out of the house was a godsend. But recently it's been feeling more and more of a chore, and I don't know if that's because I'm getting bored of it or because my mental health has been seriously downgrading for the last month or so to the point that you could say you were talking me to one of the American diners for pancakes with bacon and maple syrup and I'd be more likely to go meh and hide back under my duvet than squee and get excited about it.
Wow, I think I'm more depressed than I realise.

Big hugs themarsbargirl, so sorry to hear you are suffering ATM. Same has happened with me, i didn't realise quite how bad it had got until someone told me that I had changed and not for the better. It's good though that you can realise that so that you are able to seek out the adequate support you need. Take care x

themarsbargirl

Jean, I don't count direct debits as spends or doing online banking and making extra payments to my credit card as spending.

Otherwise, if I'm out and I open my purse, it's a spend. If I rent a film or buy a new season of a tv series on my tablet, it's a spend.

I remember when I started the nsk challenges it was the norm that if you needed bus fare every day of the week, then you sorted it out on Sunday and only counted it as one spend day when you filled the bus fare jar. Same for if you had children who had lots of clubs that you paid weekly subs for.

I personally find it strange that some people don't count their grocery shop as a spend day, especially given that one is most likely to make impulse purchases in a supermarket and the point of having as many nsd as possible is to stop you from doing the whole impulse purchase thing.

Anyway, that's just how I see it and how I work it.