NST April - SPRING INTO ACTION

WelshKitty85

Forgot to report last night that I have completed an online survey/focus group which is paying me £30 in Amazon vouchers, and I have signed up to do some work on the Welsh election in May, which should earn me around £150.

Have also noticed this morning that my tax credits payment is £40 more than usual.

Calling14

End of week 1 scores

SFD 5/7 Anyone manage 7?
Food 29.11/100
Fuel 25/45
Going out 23.50/50
Weight loss- Happy dance 2 lbs off :cool:
Exercise 5/7 could have done better

Fruit/veg yesterday 2 bananas thats all, unless count cranberry juice.

The only Mary Berry energy bars were cranberry ones. Are these the ones?

SpekySquarehead

Well done Calling, 5 out of 7 is great! And congrats on the weight loss too. Amazing 7 days for you. And yes, extra keen to get my teeth into the next challenge. Wishing I'd done this sooner.

WelshKitty - where did you manage to get the extra work for the election? I'd be keen to offer some of my spare time for a bit extra money.

apple_muncher

Hey, Calling, I've got your 2 NSDs here! That's all I've managed in the first week - I think it's the lowest I've ever 'achieved'!

Calling14

apple_muncher wrote: »

Hey, Calling, I've got your 2 NSDs here! That's all I've managed in the first week - I think it's the lowest I've ever 'achieved'!

That's where they went:rotfl:

Realize that this week probably hard for a few with kiddy winks still off school.

Bob My gs was going to a private school only a short term, worked out cheaper than nursery costs in pre school stage but now costs are starting to hit. This never fitted with my socialist image but to be honest he has come on brilliantly, learning to ski, swim and basic french before reaching the age of 5! The new school is nearer my daughters home so easier for her hubby to collect.

Welsh Kitty - lucky you with the election work, let us know how get considered.

Calling14

Now we all can see properly, a picture of health with glowing radiant skin, fluffy feet and oh so fit, we are ready for a tough weekly challenge.

Week 2 challenge – Audit time

Being a geek I added up very roughly that between us turtles we have 106 years experience on this site, having approximately total debt 56k outstanding and looks like 15 of us are debt free. Haven’t included mortgages in these figures and can only go by information given in your signatures.

This week audit your finances and your lifestyle.

Finances

Make sure for get the best value for everything we buy.

Check energy deals, read meter make sure not overpaying/ underpaying
Dry washing outside, avoid tumble driers, use heating sparingly, extra layers, jumpers. Showers timed. Batch cook save gas/electric.
Can we buy food anywhere cheaper, switch to own brands
Petrol – check out online prices before buying in your local area. Check tyre pressures, drive economically as possible. Avoid short journeys WALK.
Look at every outgoing you have, any contracts near the end?
Are you setting money aside for house maint, car repairs, dentist....
Do you need to spend at all?
Cancel and cut up any old credit cards


Lifestyle

Our behaviour/ focus on what’s important in our life, changes over the years.

Personally I don’t need expensive holidays, lots of nights out, flash cars, keep up with the Jones’s – not sure made me really happy anyway. Holidays did for the 2 weeks until I got home and credit card bill arrived.

Decide what is important to you.

Can you clear your debts/mortgage quickly and still have a life?

Are you just sat at home counting every penny afraid to live a little?


“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.” ― Audrey Hepburn


Ninja turtles have to emerge from their sewers, still staying off the pizza and live life to the max on a tight budget.

List 2 things a day (within reason;)) that made your day happier and more fun.

Great start gang, I can't believe what a fit bunch we have here and special mention to Crazy Cat lady for going way beyond random act of kindness.:T

mothernerd

Will start on the audit in a minute (perhaps).

However have made a right mess of today but may yet pull a rabbit out of the hat.

Realised after spending on veg and salad last night that the reason I wanted to hang on until today was that I intended getting an all day bus ticket and running round doing things.

Decided to get one anyway and tried to have a more active start to the day. I have had a regular meeting on Thursday since before Christmas but have set the alarm (sleep pattern is worse than ever) and allowed myself two hours to get ready. Today I tried doing everything in one go (briefly went back under the bedclothes to rub E45 into various bits without freezing to death, although much milder than yesterday when my fingernails went blue and my hands purpley red) and was out the door before ten.

Quick trip to next town to weigh myself. Good news is I am 16 st 10 lb - was 17 st before Christmas and thought I had got bigger. Should have taken measurements as I am sure my stomach is (not flatter) but less, definitely bust (without bra) is a lot further out than first belly bulge. However we all have to start from where we are and as someone on another thread put it, with a bit of effort I can get myself out of the obese category and into the just overweight. Did the full thing and lots of me is fat (I knew that ideally about a third of me needed to go but it won't happen overnight).

Traveled back to my appointment. I was early but not enough to go home and come back the the other way. However I was going to visit my mum today and on the journey I remembered she is going to have the cataract on her second eye done today so no point (buses to her part of the world now stop around 6pm).

My first thought was to head to the hills (fresh air, green fields and already had my wellies on to make weighing me easier). Sky not promising, a large raindrop fell and as I got closer to the stop to check times of buses, one passed me (they are only once an hour).

Alternative was to try out one of our super-duper new buses and head for the city or do duty visits to cemetery and crematorium so back home to refill the water bottles and find healthy snacks.

However I am currently slumped at home in the overcrowded front room (much more noticeable since I am now spending evenings in here with DS3) with mum's filing glaring balefully at me (most is now in two file boxes, one for her, one for me but still lots to do). Feel hunched forward as couch has moved to leave space for an item of mum's furniture which someone else is supposed to be selling and I brought here to stop her partner's sons putting in a skip.

Must go out to save 'wasting' the all day ticket. There is some blue sky now and I have not been getting much done all week so a break will do me good.

See you later turtles.

WelshKitty85

SpekySquarehead wrote: »

WelshKitty - where did you manage to get the extra work for the election? I'd be keen to offer some of my spare time for a bit extra money.

Each council should be taking people on to man the polling stations, send out postal votes, count votes etc. I've done it for years so am already 'on the books' but may be worth contacting your local council to see if they need any extra pairs of hands.

clippy_girl

Afternoon,

Well I have managed to not succeed in pretty much everything except eating fruit and veg! Was always going to be difficult to get NSD before holiday as had to get a few things in but could have avoided spends on junk at work although done well on pamper front as have had to scrub, defluff and moisturise everywhere. Had a bikin wax last night and will not be going there again. It really hurt and I have a really bad red rash now :eek::( hopefully it will have gone by the time I put my bikini on! :rotfl:

My two things to be thankful for today are that a horrible massive project my team was doing has been pulled :j:beer::T and in two hours I will be on a plane for the first leg of my journey to Bali :T:j:beer:

Just relaxing on the sofa with a coffee before the taxi comes (airport is 15 mins from house :T)

Have had a really busy day getting all my jobs done. My room has been emptied and along with the ensuite thoroughly cleaned and made up for my Airbnb guests who are renting the whole house while I'm away. Current guest is here another 2 weeks so friend will be popping in to clean the rest for me.

ChicaBonita

Hi all, I am currently lurking on this thread, just wanted to pop in and say Hi you're all doing so well, I think I will join from next month