2016 - A year of 16 Challenges

craftingmad

Sorry for abandoning you rdone and other fellow 16's
I promise you are not alone and I have been continuing my challenges but I just did not seem to have the time to post

Here's my progress from my last update til the end of March (I have underestimated on a couple of the totals as I sort of lost count but I promise I have not cheated and exaggerated any figures. I estimated on the lower side

So here we go:-

1. Stash Busting - 89/365 days of no spending
Items made 185/2016
Good progress made on these. Over 30 things made for craft fairs and almost no craft spending everyday


2. Decluttering 577/2016
Decluttering sales Me 102 - £286 Dan - 2 - £7
Really pleased with my decluttering progress. I'm feeling like I have turned a corner and am now really looking at what I own and seeing clutter rather than items which may one day be useful. I am also liking the cash the decluttering is bringing in

3. Make £2016 - £482/£2016
£34.90 profit made from two crafts fairs and £10 Amazon voucher from Pinecone surveys


4. Starting weight 12st 4lb - Weight Now - 12st 0lb
Not going well although I have resisted any Ester chocolate

5. Sealed pot challenge - money started to be added
Lots of money added over the last few days. Only small coins but every little will help

6. NSD - 52/120
Quite pleased to advise I've added a further 7 NSD's since my last update

7. Amazon Pot - £119.76/£200 (£29.76 left over from last year)
£10 added from Pinecone surveys

8. 16 outlets - 1/16
Sold at two craft fairs and am waiting to drop some stock into a local shop opening the 2nd week of April :)Sadly the local shop already stocking my items has not sold anything yet

9. Store Cupboard Challenge 29/52
7 more store cupboard meals added since last update

10. New meals 3/12 - tuna fishcakes, savoury bread and butter pudding & savoury pancakes
No new meals since last update

11. Flylady Challenge 76/352
A small amount of housework has been done each day

12. Handmade Christmas 1/50
No new progress

13. Save/pay off 16k - £3739.05/£16k
£234 added from Council tax not having to be paid for two months

14. Project Life 3/13
February finished and March photos printed


15. Quality Time 21/52
four more days to add

16. Phoning Parents - 13/52
two more phone calls being logged

rdone

Ah yay, I'm glad you're back craftingmad!

1. Declutter 2016 items
Probably... I'm not very good at actually counting though
245/2016

2. Read 16 Books
Rereading Harry Potter
2/16

3. Make 3 homemade meals a week
We had vegan bangers and mash
1/3

4. 16 no spend days a month
Well it's a new month but I'm also trying a new challenge where I buy food for the next 24 hours every day. So that the food is always fresh and there is less waste. So this challenge has kind of become redundant until I work that one out.
0/16

5. Exercise 4 times a week (I have signed up to a triathlon in July so this is a must!) The triathlon is for my Duke of Edinburgh diamond challenge and a month before the wedding. Have been having back trouble but need to slowly get back into it!
Been twice already. Feel like I'm dying this morning and have signed up to a 5 mile run in May
2/4

6. I currently do the VSPC in which I do a daily, weekly and monthly challenge. Daily is on the 1st Jan put £3.66, 2nd £3.65 etc until the 31st Dec is 1p. Have done it opposite to most people as I felt I'd be more enthusiastic in the beginning and also get more interest! Weekly is rounding my bank account to the nearest £10 at the end of every Sunday and monthly is rounding my salary to the nearest £100.
Still haven't done this as HSBC are being weird

7. Clean/tidy for 16 minutes per day
It's pretty good but I have friends coming over tomorrow so I'll give a bit of a spruce

8. Do at least 3 pages of my Travel scrapbook per month.

2/36

9. Bring a packed lunch at least 13 times this month.
Yep
2/12

10. No buying any unnecessary toiletries and using the stash first
I bought a solid shampoo on the weekend to take in my hand luggage as I hate decanting shampoo all the time. Technically was unnecessary

11. When doing craft use up stash in house first, only exception is wedding craft! I have a huge cupboard full of things but always seem to buy new when I want to make something. Allowing the wedding to be an exception as some things I've never had before.


12. Two meal a week to be shopped for in the kitchen cupboards
Again, kind of redundant now that I'm going to do everyday shopping but I'm sure I'll be using the basics from the cupboards
0/2

13. Do 16 random acts of kindness that cost nothing

6/16

14. 16 days out with family/friends that doesn't include holidays

9/16

15. 16 days out with H2B that doesn't include holiday

4/16

16. Visit elderly relatives twice a month IN THEIR HOME. I often time a visit to my parents house when I know they'll be there.
New month and I completed last month
0/4 (I have two to visit)

rdone

1. Declutter 2016 items
Probably... I'm not very good at actually counting though
245/2016

2. Read 16 Books
Read my favourite chapter last night
2/16

3. Make 3 homemade meals a week
Burgers and home cooked sweet potato fries
2/3

4. 16 no spend days a month
Well it's a new month but I'm also trying a new challenge where I buy food for the next 24 hours every day. So that the food is always fresh and there is less waste. So this challenge has kind of become redundant until I work that one out.
0/16

5. Exercise 4 times a week (I have signed up to a triathlon in July so this is a must!) The triathlon is for my Duke of Edinburgh diamond challenge and a month before the wedding. Have been having back trouble but need to slowly get back into it!
Went out for a run this morning instead of the gym and my time was a lot quicker so I'm going to speed myself up i the gym!
3/4

6. I currently do the VSPC in which I do a daily, weekly and monthly challenge. Daily is on the 1st Jan put £3.66, 2nd £3.65 etc until the 31st Dec is 1p. Have done it opposite to most people as I felt I'd be more enthusiastic in the beginning and also get more interest! Weekly is rounding my bank account to the nearest £10 at the end of every Sunday and monthly is rounding my salary to the nearest £100.
Still haven't done this as HSBC are being weird

7. Clean/tidy for 16 minutes per day
Looks lovely, just a bit of washing up to do

8. Do at least 3 pages of my Travel scrapbook per month.

2/36

9. Bring a packed lunch at least 13 times this month.
Yep
3/12

10. No buying any unnecessary toiletries and using the stash first
Have put together my plastic bag to go on my hen party this weekend, no idea where I'm going but I know it involves a plane and my passport!

11. When doing craft use up stash in house first, only exception is wedding craft! I have a huge cupboard full of things but always seem to buy new when I want to make something. Allowing the wedding to be an exception as some things I've never had before.


12. Two meal a week to be shopped for in the kitchen cupboards
Again, kind of redundant now that I'm going to do everyday shopping but I'm sure I'll be using the basics from the cupboards
0/2

13. Do 16 random acts of kindness that cost nothing

6/16

14. 16 days out with family/friends that doesn't include holidays

9/16

15. 16 days out with H2B that doesn't include holiday

4/16

16. Visit elderly relatives twice a month IN THEIR HOME. I often time a visit to my parents house when I know they'll be there.

0/4 (I have two to visit)

rdone

1. Declutter 2016 items
Probably... I'm not very good at actually counting though
245/2016

2. Read 16 Books
Almost finished number 3
2/16

3. Make 3 homemade meals a week

0/3

4. 16 no spend days a month
Well it's a new month but I'm also trying a new challenge where I buy food for the next 24 hours every day. So that the food is always fresh and there is less waste. So this challenge has kind of become redundant until I work that one out.
0/16

5. Exercise 4 times a week (I have signed up to a triathlon in July so this is a must!) The triathlon is for my Duke of Edinburgh diamond challenge and a month before the wedding. Have been having back trouble but need to slowly get back into it!
We've started a 4 week challenge in the house to get this going. We have to do something every single day so hopefully I'll find this one easy!
0/4

6. I currently do the VSPC in which I do a daily, weekly and monthly challenge. Daily is on the 1st Jan put £3.66, 2nd £3.65 etc until the 31st Dec is 1p. Have done it opposite to most people as I felt I'd be more enthusiastic in the beginning and also get more interest! Weekly is rounding my bank account to the nearest £10 at the end of every Sunday and monthly is rounding my salary to the nearest £100.
Still haven't done this as HSBC are being weird

7. Clean/tidy for 16 minutes per day
Looks lovely

8. Do at least 3 pages of my Travel scrapbook per month.

2/36

9. Bring a packed lunch at least 13 times this month.
Not today
3/12

10. No buying any unnecessary toiletries and using the stash first


11. When doing craft use up stash in house first, only exception is wedding craft! I have a huge cupboard full of things but always seem to buy new when I want to make something. Allowing the wedding to be an exception as some things I've never had before.


12. Two meal a week to be shopped for in the kitchen cupboards
Again, kind of redundant now that I'm going to do everyday shopping but I'm sure I'll be using the basics from the cupboards
0/2

13. Do 16 random acts of kindness that cost nothing

6/16

14. 16 days out with family/friends that doesn't include holidays

9/16

15. 16 days out with H2B that doesn't include holiday

5/16

16. Visit elderly relatives twice a month IN THEIR HOME. I often time a visit to my parents house when I know they'll be there.

1/4 (I have two to visit)

mothernerd

Don't want to encourage you to spend money but I went in home bargains on Saturday and they had some wedding craft things. Mini Mr & Mrs ceramic bunting (+ paper bunting - a bit as though they had been cut from paper doileys). Might be worth going in (if you have one near you) to see if there are any ideas you can pinch.

rdone

Ooo thanks mothernerd I will go and take a look on the weekend! I may even have items I could use to make them and then it's just ideas and no money spent :T

1. Declutter 2016 items
Went on quite a binge on Wednesday night and sorted out the spare room, it looks lovely again now
245/2016

2. Read 16 Books
Finished HP and the philosophers stone last night. Moving onto Chamber of Secrets now!:)
3/16

3. Make 3 homemade meals a week
Yep, two nights in a row!
2/3

4. 16 no spend days a month
Well it's a new month but I'm also trying a new challenge where I buy food for the next 24 hours every day. So that the food is always fresh and there is less waste. So this challenge has kind of become redundant until I work that one out.
0/16

5. Exercise 4 times a week (I have signed up to a triathlon in July so this is a must!) The triathlon is for my Duke of Edinburgh diamond challenge and a month before the wedding. Have been having back trouble but need to slowly get back into it!
We've started a 4 week challenge in the house to get this going. We have to do something every single day so hopefully I'll find this one easy!
0/4

6. I currently do the VSPC in which I do a daily, weekly and monthly challenge. Daily is on the 1st Jan put £3.66, 2nd £3.65 etc until the 31st Dec is 1p. Have done it opposite to most people as I felt I'd be more enthusiastic in the beginning and also get more interest! Weekly is rounding my bank account to the nearest £10 at the end of every Sunday and monthly is rounding my salary to the nearest £100.
Still haven't done this as HSBC are being weird

7. Clean/tidy for 16 minutes per day
Looks lovely

8. Do at least 3 pages of my Travel scrapbook per month.

2/36

9. Bring a packed lunch at least 13 times this month.
Have been really rubbish this week. But then I've only been in 3 days.
3/12

10. No buying any unnecessary toiletries and using the stash first
Cleared out loads the other day and tidied up the stash. Now know where everything is and what I have as replacements!

11. When doing craft use up stash in house first, only exception is wedding craft! I have a huge cupboard full of things but always seem to buy new when I want to make something. Allowing the wedding to be an exception as some things I've never had before.


12. Two meal a week to be shopped for in the kitchen cupboards
Wednesday night
1/2

13. Do 16 random acts of kindness that cost nothing

6/16

14. 16 days out with family/friends that doesn't include holidays

9/16

15. 16 days out with H2B that doesn't include holiday
Hopefully we'll go and pick my wedding ring up this weekend!
5/16

16. Visit elderly relatives twice a month IN THEIR HOME. I often time a visit to my parents house when I know they'll be there.

1/4 (I have two to visit)

craftingmad

Oh I'm so sorry for not posting and keeping you company rdone Life just seems to be so hectic at the moment

I've been a bit bad at writing things down so I'm estimating (always underestimating) my totals up to today. I promise I will be back in top of it from tomorrow

1. Stash Busting - 105/365 days of no spending - did have to spend money on a couple of little bits to complete projects. No more than £10 spent though
Items made 285/2016 - at least 100 more things made including friendship seeds, bottlecap magnets, candle holders & friendship teabags

2. Decluttering 586/2016
Decluttering sales Me 105 - £292.50 Dan - 3 - £12
Four more items sold via facebook selling pages and lots of bits got rid of in recycling or rubbish

3. Make £2016 - £532.50/£2016
Craft Fair sales of £44 and declutter sales of £6.50

4. Starting weight 12st 4lb - Weight Now - 12st 0lb -
no new progress


5. Sealed pot challenge - money started to be added
Money has been added all through the month so far

6. NSD - 61/120
At least 9 no spend days in April so far


7. Amazon Pot - £119.76/£200 (£29.76 left over from last year)
Taken my foot off the pedal for swagbucks and gifthulk. Really must get back into these. And I'm still chasing my £15 owed from a shopping centre for a live web chat I took part in


8. 16 outlets - 1/16
Sold at two more craft fairs

9. Store Cupboard Challenge 32/52
3 more added to the totals


10. New meals 4/12 - tuna fishcakes, savoury bread and butter pudding, savoury pancakes & spinach & ricotta Callaloni


11. Flylady Challenge 93/352
small amount of housework done every day

12. Handmade Christmas 1/50
no new progress:(

13. Save/pay off 16k - £3799.05/£16k
£60 transferred from not having guitar lessons during the holidays and £5 bank account reward

14. Project Life 3/13
no new progress

15. Quality Time 29/52
8 more days to report including a lovely trip to a local farm, roller skating and walking along a local broad

16. Phoning Parents - 16/52
3 more calls made

rdone

1. Declutter 2016 items
Probably, I find this one really difficult to keep track of
245/2016

2. Read 16 Books
Started book number 4
3/16

3. Make 3 homemade meals a week
New week
0/3

4. 16 no spend days a month
Actually had a no spend day yesterday, still doing the 24hr food challenge though
1/16

5. Exercise 4 times a week (I have signed up to a triathlon in July so this is a must!) The triathlon is for my Duke of Edinburgh diamond challenge and a month before the wedding. Have been having back trouble but need to slowly get back into it!
Run this morning and did a 10k bike ride yesterday and the day before. I know the distance isn't far but the terrain was tough. Only putting 1 down as the other 2 were last week
1/4

6. I currently do the VSPC in which I do a daily, weekly and monthly challenge. Daily is on the 1st Jan put £3.66, 2nd £3.65 etc until the 31st Dec is 1p. Have done it opposite to most people as I felt I'd be more enthusiastic in the beginning and also get more interest! Weekly is rounding my bank account to the nearest £10 at the end of every Sunday and monthly is rounding my salary to the nearest £100.
Still haven't done this as HSBC are being weird

7. Clean/tidy for 16 minutes per day
Looks lovely

8. Do at least 3 pages of my Travel scrapbook per month.

2/36

9. Bring a packed lunch at least 13 times this month.
Nope, I've completely lost my appetite this last week. Don't know what's wrong with me
3/12

10. No buying any unnecessary toiletries and using the stash first


11. When doing craft use up stash in house first, only exception is wedding craft! I have a huge cupboard full of things but always seem to buy new when I want to make something. Allowing the wedding to be an exception as some things I've never had before.


12. Two meal a week to be shopped for in the kitchen cupboards
New week
0/2

13. Do 16 random acts of kindness that cost nothing

6/16

14. 16 days out with family/friends that doesn't include holidays

9/16

15. 16 days out with H2B that doesn't include holiday
Had a lovely weddingy weekend. Picked up my wedding ring on Saturday and had out banns read yesterday and then went out for Sunday lunch. Except the vegan/vegetarian option was curry!
7/16

16. Visit elderly relatives twice a month IN THEIR HOME. I often time a visit to my parents house when I know they'll be there.
Visited one yesterday and another this evening (but won't count this evening until tomorrow)
2/4 (I have two to visit)

MoneyMission2015

I've just come across this thread and like the idea so can I join?


I've copied somebody's list and have now amended it to suit me a bit better. I've also adapted it to 37 weeks as that's how long we have left until the end of the year.

1. Make and take my lunch to work at least 2 days per week. 0/74


2. Declutter 2016 items from my home - our house is in desperate need of this, we are bursting at the seams! I am going to try and focus on one room at a time, otherwise I have found in the past I have tried to do too much at once and got overwhelmed with it all. 0/216

3. Make £500 in 2016 - I've lowered this because I am only going to be making this through surveys and cashback, so I think £2016 is probably too much for my circumstances. However, if I do make any money elsewhere I will add it to this pot anyway and hopefully exceed the £500 target.


4. Lose at least 1st in weight and get fitter.

5. Sealed Pot Challenge. At the end of each week I shall empty all of my loose change into a sealed pot and not open until the end of the year - will do every Friday. I have changed this to 37 weeks because that's how many weeks are left this year. Currently 0/37 weeks

6. NSD Challenge - I am going to aim for at least 15 no spend days each month. This should tie in quite nicely with my taking lunch to work, because the majority of my daily spending seems to be on getting lunch at work. I do my grocery shopping weekly online. I haven't spent anything today and am going straight home, so I can write today down as my first NSD this month (obviously this month will have to be less than 15 as we don't have enough days left). 1/15

7. £200 Amazon Pot - Get £200 in Amazon vouchers by Christmas this year. I am hoping to gain these using Swagbucks, GiftHulk and Superpoints and any other ways I come across. - I already have £70.79 in my account from cashback and surveys earned over the last few months. Balance £70.79/£200

8. Eat smaller portions of food and freeze leftovers. The portions I eat are currently way too big!

9. Store Cupboard Challenge - Use only store cupboard items for at least one meal every week for the next year.

10. Keep grocery bill down to an average of less than £75 per week for the whole of the year. There are 4 of us so although some weeks I can keep this as low as £45 per week, I know that to get a good selection of fruit and veg I need a slightly higher budget. £0/£2775

11. Fly lady challenge. Don't know too much about this, but have heard people talk about it quite often. I will however make a conscious effort to get a bit of cleaning/tidying done each day, rather than leave it all until the weekend.

12. Organised Christmas - I'm not crafty or creative, so I'm not going to pretend to be able to have a handmade Christmas. I will however be organised again, as last year was my first year of being organised and it was so much better. I felt happier about the gifts I'd bought people, I saved loads of money on stuff and I felt more relaxed in December.

13. Save / pay off £16k in 2016. Balance currently £2046/£16000

14. Home improvements - I have a few little projects that I'd like to get done this year. Ensuite & daughters bedroom are top of the list.

15. Bake more - I love baking and have lots of ingredients and cookbooks, but hardly ever bake anything. Part of this is because I sometimes just don't have the motivation, part of this is because when I do feel like baking I talk myself out of it because if I make a cake I will eat it, which isn't so good for the waistline. However, if I am cutting portions anyway, I can treat myself to a slice of cake occasionally. Plus it's a nice activity I can do with my daughter.

16. Phone my parents at least once every week - I am guilty of just sending a text to say hi and ask how they are, so I definitely need to improve this. 0/37

rdone

Welcome MoneyMission2015 and please do join! There were lots of people at the beginning of the year but it seems to have tailed off! Your tasks look really good and I hope you achieve lots

1. Declutter 2016 items
Probably, I find this one really difficult to keep track of
245/2016

2. Read 16 Books
About a third of the way through
3/16

3. Make 3 homemade meals a week
H2B got exam results yesterday so his parents took us out to celebrate
0/3

4. 16 no spend days a month

2/16

5. Exercise 4 times a week (I have signed up to a triathlon in July so this is a must!) The triathlon is for my Duke of Edinburgh diamond challenge and a month before the wedding. Have been having back trouble but need to slowly get back into it!
Run again this morning and my time massively decreased so I was happy. Definitely cycling this evening and possible going to the pool.
2/4

6. I currently do the VSPC in which I do a daily, weekly and monthly challenge. Daily is on the 1st Jan put £3.66, 2nd £3.65 etc until the 31st Dec is 1p. Have done it opposite to most people as I felt I'd be more enthusiastic in the beginning and also get more interest! Weekly is rounding my bank account to the nearest £10 at the end of every Sunday and monthly is rounding my salary to the nearest £100.
Still haven't done this as HSBC are being weird

7. Clean/tidy for 16 minutes per day
Looks lovely

8. Do at least 3 pages of my Travel scrapbook per month.

2/36

9. Bring a packed lunch at least 13 times this month.
Nope, but appetite is well and truly back
3/12

10. No buying any unnecessary toiletries and using the stash first


11. When doing craft use up stash in house first, only exception is wedding craft! I have a huge cupboard full of things but always seem to buy new when I want to make something. Allowing the wedding to be an exception as some things I've never had before.


12. Two meal a week to be shopped for in the kitchen cupboards

0/2

13. Do 16 random acts of kindness that cost nothing

6/16

14. 16 days out with family/friends that doesn't include holidays

9/16

15. 16 days out with H2B that doesn't include holiday

7/16

16. Visit elderly relatives twice a month IN THEIR HOME. I often time a visit to my parents house when I know they'll be there.
Visited yesterday evening
2/4 (I have two to visit)