NST March TURTLES ARE TOUGH

GSRcat

Thanks everyone for your kind words of congratulations!
It's not quite hit me yet and I sure as hell won't be getting into debt a third time! I have learnt my lesson and the account I have paid off will be closed today. Hurray!

Yes it feels good , really good. I'm now planning to save up for a small run around, just a cheap one, not fussy about what it's like, it's now increasingly difficult managing with one car and as my youngest starts school in September and I will be looking for more work it will be essential ESP as I live in a market town within a mass of country side!

I will try my best to join the next challenge. These challenges have taught me how to budget and how to plan, and every month without fail I sit down and work out my outgoings, slam them into another account and work out what I have left, then I work out what other things I need to pay for like birthdays or outings etc. It's been hard seeing all that hard earned money over Christmas going straight on to debt instead of savings but it's taught me a lesson, I've done this to myself, no one else, and now any overtime I do the money will go into savings for my little car.

Having to sell my car last year has made me more grateful for the limited access I do have to my husbands car, it's made me realise that I don't need anything fancy or big, just something that will fit us all in and maybe a few ruck sacks and coats so we can have days out, it's made me realise that actually having a fancy car isn't important but being able to have the freedom to get out and about is.

My DH is debt free and has been for a while, ok so we do have the mortgages to pay off but at least we can focus on them now.

Thank you all so much for being there and to NSK for being an inspiration and NSK if you are reading this I have finally gone vegan, it's been 2 months now and the best decision I have made and much much easier than I have thought it would be.

misstara

Morning all, a NSD to report yesterday and today should be one as well. Nothing much planned for the day other than going round to a friends for tea later. Payday tomorrow so looking forward to making some more debt payments

thriftylass

Hello,

Not sure what my totals are this month because of holibobs and general headlessness. However, not all is lost and things could be worse. Looking fwd to next month. Got a couple of birthdays coming up and want to get a new front door, so a spend month. The more motivation to keep track of things better.

Had DD 2nd birthday yesterday and just a couple of friends' kids over after work. Thought that would tire her out, but no. She slept very well the last two years, even settled herself after a story etc recently and now we can't get her to stay in bed or sleep till 9 or 10pm :eek:. Everybody is shattered. And I'm at my wits end. Hopefully just a phase. I'm sure by the time she's a teenage we won't have this problems anymore :rotfl:

Off for a run in the sunshine this lunchtime. Not making any plans atm to get much done bar the essential at night time till DD is sorted. But will maybe start a list of gardening jobs etc that need done soon and will be able to get done after the kids are in bed due to more light at night.

Calling14

April thread up https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/70402167#Comment_70402167

Don't be scared I haven't thought up the dreaded weekly challenges yet :rotfl:

Calling14

Horrid coming back to work after bank holiday, hated getting up today.

Just looking at my spending/ budgets today.

Food 88.81/85 (close enough for me, nothing else needed this week)
Fuel 30/30 - will need petrol this week, done well for 30 pounds to last this long.
SFD 13/16 not going to make it
Going out 28/30 wee hee
BDays 30/25
Me 115/30 Walking boots/trousers didn't help budget.:eek:
House 40/30

Not planning on spending this week if I can help it.Nothing I need besides a man who can do some DIY:rotfl:Helps if cute and fit as well- Do these creatures exist?
Off to work on next month budgets, may need a big food shop then.

Have a nice day, daughter has borrowed my NT card and taken gs to local garden, where they are pond dipping so much more fun than playing on computer all day.

clippy_girl

Afternoon,

NSD so far but need milk for guests and need to book train tickets for May to get discount. Didn't get a chance to go to wickes to get the wood to fix the fence, will prob go on way home from work tomorrow. Then will fix on thur evening as it will still be light

This evening I am going to try on my holiday clothes _pale_ and make a list of anything I need (only a few bits as we have a wm in our apartment). As I use packing cubes I am going to start to pack everything and make a list of what I will be using before then so I. An tick it off on the day and not forget. Must remember to get my friend some strawberry laces as its what she wants from the uk (and ensure I don't eat them!)

Lovely colleague is taking me to collect my new shoe storage very excited about putting my shoes away! :rotfl:

crazy_cat_lady

Afternoon all - definitely not going to make the nsd target this month because there just aren't enough days left in the month. I'm blaming myself completely and totally - a combination of stress, time off work and lack of planning once I got ill.
I seem to be back on track for the time being though - and have just signed up to April's challenge. I will be doing my best there.
GSR - I don't think I've congratulated you get on becoming df. Belated well done from me, and good luck saving up for the car :j:j:j
So it's been a tight month all in all, but there are signs of hope ahead - dh is back at work, I am back at work, I've started exercising again, my relationship may well be getting back on track. And I'll start my final year of my 30's with a fresh and new attitude.

clippy_girl

Grrrr such an idiot- should have frozen my gym membership for April but totally forgot and it's too late now

Fmess

calling if you find out where these creatures are, please let me know!!!

mothernerd

Quote for the day

Your largest FEAR carries your greatest GROWTH.

GSRcat hope your car hunt goes well. One of my bosses loved the country (had only returned to this part of the world to help look after his mother). I said my experience of the countryside would be 3 under fives, no car and a bus that ran twice a week. I understand your need but think many people could profitably question their 'need' for a car

thrifty when they get to being teenagers they try to send you to bed. Mine are older (mid twenties to early thirties) but two of them have suggested at times in the last 12 months that it was past my bed time.

Calling I love the new challenge. My mum's plumber was gorgeous (the other 4 were okay looking but one was absolutely yum). However I will be sticking with Mr and Mrs builder (don't have mum's budget). Mr Builder is no oil painting but he knows how to do most things, doesn't cost a lot and never talks down to me.

However he isn't good at woodwork so may ask about the handyman used by one of my pensioner ex-neighbours (falls into a reverie.

clippy girl your packing sounds really organised. I have to have a list and check it at both ends, coming and going. Boo to gym membership.

crazy cat lady yes stress and illness can derail you so well done on being back on track and:T to signs of hope.

Well I didn't think I was doing particularly well so gave myself a talking to. In the week before I went into hospital I did lots of moving things around to get the house into a useful format, so there's no reason I can't do it now.

So am trying once more with more dogged determination than energy. Have moved/cleaned / binned quite a lot and will do more before bedtime. Tomorrow I will carry on where I left off (think this has been a failing, I lose track of where I was up to) and carry on until it is done. Need to get rid of some of the big items (would like to get rid of lots but might end up living out of cardboard boxes).

I have news. DS1 and his gf got engaged on Sunday. I knew he was planning to ask (he was bothered that I would tease him as he was anti-marriage for many years). She is lovely (they both are really - he's cynical, sarcastic and pedantic but he would say he gets that from me). So I am pleased for them.

Today I am grateful for daffodils, for violas and primroses - bright spots of colour in the grey
for getting things done, however slowly and
for ys bargains (will try to drag myself to the SM later).