NST March TURTLES ARE TOUGH

Bobarella

Hi Turtles

Hope everyone is well.

Great ideas for throwing your little one a great low cost party Thriftygirl you may already be in the cult of Netflix but we had a free trial a while back before joining and they had all the
ninjago stories on there. So you could watch them all in the free period.

What sort of raw veggies recipes are you making? Apple

Calling How frequently do you get paid?

I paid off £200 today so I've now paid £100 more off than I 'needed' to in April or to hit my target of December anyway.

However I do feel a bit anxious about money stuff for April. But will just keep burgering (with another g and no r) on as they say. DS had a good time at his playscheme today which we hadn't used before so that's a good find.

Off to do bedtime. See you on the other side.

Bob

apple_muncher

Hi bob - just a mix of beetroot(which is ready-cooked, I guess), cucumber, tomato, red pepper, avocado, brocolli or cauliflower. Nothing particularly special at all. I make up enough for a couple of days and keep it in the fridge. I know it thus loses nutrients, but I do not hink I'd bother with it if I had to do it every day!

doingitanyway

I am signing in for the last time for this challenge.

I'm thankful I was allowed to join half way through

I have managed at least 8 NSDs. They have have made me more conscious on the days I do spend. NSDs have also helped my meagre weekly allowance stretch further. Strangely, I feel less poverty stricken by being able to behave 'normally' on the days I do spend.

Not only have I decluttered but I see all the potential purchase coming into my home as future decluttering and I don't want to bring them in to start with.

I didn't do well on the house snag list but I did well on a few avoidance tasks :T

I have done well on cooking from stores and gone back to having a flask of soup on my person whenever I leave the house

I have had only one paid for coffee outside the home. A few months ago I was averaging 3 paid for coffees a week

Overall I am pleased and look forward to the next challenge

:T Thank you fellow turtles for your company
DIA xx

mothernerd

Quote for the day

Fear is an idea crippling, experience crushing, success stalling inhibitor inflicted only by yourself.

Apple hope the leak is soon fixed. I often make up three salad bowls at a time as I think it doesn't take much longer to do 3 than it does for one but sitting there chopping can be quite daunting.

Eager Elephant medicinal spends don't spoil a NSD but i don't believe in pampering sick men (it only encourages them).

Bob more debt slaying and your lamb and veg pasta sounds great.

Thrifty love the fakeaway hamper and the fifth birthday ideas. DS1 was mithering to go to the place with the golden letters one year - several of his friends had had parties there (overpriced and very short) but I couldn't afford it. I talked to him and he just wanted that sort of food, which I did at home. One of the catalogues I used for stocking filler/ party present type things had some party settings which made up into cardboard cars with holes for drinks and chip containers (and meant I didn't need gift bags as I just filled the space in the middle and they took them home. Were no more expensive than regular party plates.

doingitanyway excellent progress in so many areas. Glad you are sticking with us.

I think many of you have identified areas you need to improve and are already working on them.

Sorry I am so late, I have been tidying. Moved lots of things in the kitchen and from under the stairs so that a large unit could move across. Had to wait for DS3 as I wanted it under the stairs but on its side (6 x 2 cube shelf unit). Using the top as a shelf I have 18 cubes worth (each cube is slightly bigger than a foot square) and while I can move it about, it's too heavy for me to control the weight turning it over (and not enough space to push it in on it's side).

Have spent some while carrying lots of embroidery stuff and general sewing + stationery (mostly already in small drawer packs and boxes which fit neatly in the cubes) downstairs and drawing a plan of what is where. Still more to go but need to keep resting in between. Safest place for most of the stuff as very little work needed in the kitchen (lots of little jobs but not the mess I anticipate elsewhere).

My bed is messier than ever atm as all the little overflow bits are on here. However there is space for some A4 wooden trays on top of the drawer packs and I have four straw (on firm cardboard) boxes which I hope will hold my sewing equipment so more shuffling needed tomorrow but should be worth it. Lots of bits (cupboard door sized pieces) can go back under the stairs - just need extra foot room while DS3 was manhandling the large unit.

Today I am grateful for
getting to do a walk longer than half an hour
finding what I wanted at the shops (needed an alarm clock for tomorrow) and not buying anything else
DS3 being helpful even if I had to wait (will now go and shift the next lot of boxes to go downstairs - left them at the top of the stairs and need them gone before DS3 wakes up).

Bobarella

apple_muncher wrote: »

Hi bob - just a mix of beetroot(which is ready-cooked, I guess), cucumber, tomato, red pepper, avocado, brocolli or cauliflower. Nothing particularly special at all. I make up enough for a couple of days and keep it in the fridge. I know it thus loses nutrients, but I do not hink I'd bother with it if I had to do it every day!

Yum. I love raw veg salads too. Carrot and mint, ribboned courgette with chilli and lemon & tomatoes with just salt and pepper. It's funny how we all crave sugar when natural produce is so delicious.

Fmess

Morning all

Up bright and early and the weather is gorgeous here

Yesterday was a spendy day as had my gas safety check and which I had to get cash out for, but the cash machine was empty so had to make two small chocolatey purchases to get cash back!

Had a great day for exercise - a 10 minute dog walk, a 2.5 hour dog walk and an hour exercise class 27000 steps apparently!!! I ate awfully but by the end of the day the calories used still exceeded the calories ate :j

Today is another jobs day - got to do some work at home, then pop into work to use the facilities, optician appointment and then a builder is coming over to hopefully quote for some work and give me an answer on the possible subsidence.

Won't be SFD as have to pay for parking. I can't find anywhere in town to park for free, and believe me I try.

See you all later and hope you've got this sunshine!

greent

AN early update for me. Some good, some not so good!

greent wrote: »

Time to get tough. Time to get serious. Time to stop procrastinating. What have you been putting off? What have you been avoiding? Are there any areas where you are falling down? I need to get my b*m into gear and finish some paperwork for a charity which I volunteer for. I also should do the end of year paperwork for our accountant for the company end of year.
FAIL - both things not started. Hadn't really taken the impact of Easter hols into account here.

U will avoid coffee shops, pie shops, sandwich bars, vending machines, canteens and takeaways Should be ok. It's my birthday this month and we are going out for a meal, but that's planned for. We also have an afternoon tea at a local hotel - Xmas present
Success. Had a takeaway instead of going out for birthday meal due to poorly child. Was nice and much cheaper than the planned meal out - so good result. Had 2 afternoon teas out - one was a Xmas present (so no cost) and one was for my Nan's birthday and the cost (on a Groupon deal) was picked up by my aunty

Reduce your food budget by 1/15th (divide this month's budget by 15 and take one off). This means that those with large family budgets reduce by the same amount as lone turtles. Budget set at £350 for the month (normally aim for £400) for 6 of us and veggies for 3 guinea pigs
Just over by less than £10 - think this is a good result in reality (bought 48 pints of milk alone in the last week!!!) - have also bought lots of YS meat which will take us into at least May!

The challenge runs from 1st March to midnight on the 31st March. Bit late joining (if I can)

Lunchto work every day. Also to appointments/ other regular activities and if possible on outings. Not a problem. Children always have packed lunches. I tend to only work part days. Husband currently between contracts so is at home anyway.
Achieved

Exercise. 4 x 30 minutes a week. Please exercise with caution if you have been ill. Break it down into 10 minutes sessions if you need to. Those who already more developed regimes, continue as usual. Likely to break down into smaller sessions. Also aiming for average 10k steps / day
Averaged 7000 steps/ day and 2 x 30mins per week. Must try harder

Savings or debt repayments come first. live on what is left over. Standard

Audit your cupboards, fridge and freezer and meal plan before going shopping. Make a meal using something that has been in the cupboard for a while. I want to empty our garage freezer this month
Efforts made to use some storecupboard ingredients - this will continue in April. Lots of space made in freezer - and then filled with YS bargains:o Garage freezer currently contains just 5 bags of chopped pear, 1 bag of blackberries and 1 bag of grated courgette. Should be able to fit this into kitchen freezer today and then I can turn off and clean out garage freezer until (hopefully) late Summer/ Autumn for any produce gluts

Review your annual budget. Next year's Council tax and Water bills will be arriving. The big energy switch has just taken place. These bills have greater impact on those on lower incomes but everyone needs to factor them in (don't go overdrawn). Are all your renewal dates in your diary so you can compare ahead of time? Are there any annual/ occasional expenses which you tend to forget? My energy supplier needs reviewing
DONE! :j Supplier switched, resulting in approx. £470 pa saving :j

Eat Well. Give your brain and body the fuel they need to do their jobs. Eat more veg to boost your immune system - particularly important for those who have been ill recently. Remember the standard portion of meat should be approximately the size of a small matchbox.
Appalling eating for a lot of month. Resulting in no change to weight.

Tough. This is my aim this March. Deviations from the rules may be questioned. Alternatives will be suggested. This means that I must be tougher on myself then on you as to do less would be hypocritical. If you are putting yourself on the naughty step could you take a duster or wet cloth and give it a wipe when you are there as I am still finding it difficult to reach?

Others as ourselves Donate to a food bank or charity of your choice (time, goods or money). Someone somewhere is worse off than you. I already volunteer several hours or more a week. I will continue to declutter - I have a bag of hardly worn men's casual trousers to go to local homeless shelter and a box of general items for the local CS. Also 3 items for friend's fundraising for a cancer charity and a bag for foodbank. I need to make sure it's all delivered - it's not doing any good still here!
Much volunteering done (inc washing of lots of grubby bedding donated to the charity), lots of items donated to CS and to friend's charity. Foodbank items still here (but have been added to) Men's clothing donated elsewhere. Have also sorted out 2 carrier bags of items for Operation Xmas Child - these are being collected next week. Also have 1 regular standing order to charity.




U will aim for 16 Spend Free Days. Remember this is to help stop impulse spending, the 'went in for two things and came out with a basketful' syndrome. Also helps with small spends which can become expensive habits. A small chocolate bar won't kill you but when you get to 11 am and you are expecting that chocolate bar (and then eating tit without any awareness). If you prefer to chart your spending in line with your budget (ie half way through the month/ less than 1/2 spent) this is fine.
Ooops. This wasn't achieved - but I've never targeted SFDs before.

Get ready. the clocks change at the month end. Spring is officially upon us. Time to get fit - physically, mentally and moneywise.
SOme money fitness achieved (new CC applied for for OH to get cashback and take advantage of a o% purchase deal. Two new c/acs applied for to get cashback deals. Tiny sub acct on BTL mtge repaid. Decisions taken on how to deal with BTL going forward. Student finance applied for for DD for Sept)
Physical fitness not achieved. No excuses.

Home. This will be my main focus for March, making up for years of neglect and patching up.I would like you to make up a 'snag list'. Go round your house one room at a time and list all the jobs that need doing. You can add 'niggly' jobs if you like - the drawer that never gets sorted. Sort into things you can tackle (or think of ways to tackle them) and those you might have to pay for. Start with the no cost ones. If it's something that would take less than 5 minutes, just do it (you are allowed to put it on the list and tick it off afterwards - I know how satisfying that can be). Need to update our list. Currently decorating DS3's room. DS2's room next.
DS3's room 'done' (bar sourcing a new wall light) DS2's room currently being done. We are taking far too much time to do this, though - definitely guilty of timewasting and procrastinating.
Need to source a local electrician for some dodgy lights in our house - a priority task for April.

thriftylass

Hello,

payday today. All the bills possible, CC and savings are paid. I paid 1/3 of our debt of now with one third of the year gone. So, looking good and on track. Would have been further this month, but need a new front door and some money for the garden, so will keep some money aside for that.

DOH :doh:, my maths could be better, eh. I meant a quarter of the year gone and a third of our debt. Woohoo sounds even better

Calling14

Sitting in sunshine watching bunny frolic around. Gorgeous day. Just getting all washing done as forecast is rain next few days.

Thanks for March's challenge Mothernerd. The house list is completed upstairs and jobs done. Even cleaned shower heads out. Downstairs trickier so many will carry on however x

mothernerd

Fmess excellent on exercise and getting jobs done.

greent a lot more good than bad, I would say.

thrifty yes 1/4 of the year gone and 1/3 of the debt gone is much better.

Callingyay to bunny frolics, very seasonal.

I think you have all been excellent turtles except me - I am 'could do better' in so many categories except the money is holding up rather well. Definitely need more lists (forgot to do the repeat prescription again) and to get things done and off the list.

Only had 1 and 1/2 hours sleep and suffered all day because of it. Had to be somewhere and intended to go straight back to sleep when I got home (changing original plans which included all the bus tasks especially finding out my actual weight) but again could not sleep properly (10 minutes here and there). So hoping I sleep well tonight and get on tomorrow. Sackfuls of determination, no more excuses, a wee bit of hope.

Today I am grateful for
a good chat with the counselling volunteer (gardening, poster design, the environment and local history)
DS3's leftover pizza for breakfast (not diet friendly but that and a hot bath got me out of the house this morning)
serious fox ears (and tail) envy. DS3 has new (fake) ears and a tail. Seriously strokable. Don't understand all the cosplay/ furries stuff but a good pair of ears and a cute tail does things to you.