NST August: Cut the chaff

Bobarella

Morning All

Good start, found 2p on our way to the shop
Managed to placate requests for a shop sandwich by buying the bacon, lettuce & tomatoes at the shops to make them at home. Should make several.

On decluttering school work. Im quite hardcore. I have 1 box under DS bed and into that goes anything important like programmes from special events, photos from school etc. The occasional picture. The rest is clutter so it goes straight into the recycling bin.

Well done on entering another race Florence thats great!

Bob

Effyb4

I managed to resist buying wine yesterday, so I am currently around £20 up on the wants versus needs front.


I walked to the shops today. This will count towards health.


Unfortunately still haven't managed a NSD. Every time I think I might manage one, I am told we have run out of something else that we can't do without.

apple_muncher

Thank you for the ongoing messages and well wishes, turtles. You are such a great support, as we still haven't told many 'real' people because we were waiting for more info.

Mum is mending well after her fall and is starting to no longer look like she is wearing a mask. Dad needs a postmortem as he was pretty fit and well at 86, and 'old age' doesn't do him justice as a cause. Mum had her hospital appointment for her lump, and they have said that it is indeed cancerous and will be operating. We'll find out more next weds. Mum's memory issues are getting much, much worse and we are hoping that the follow-up home visits from the team (following the fall), plus a dr appointment will be of use in getting her assessed.

My sister has sent me home for a few days, and dd has her annual consultant appt on weds. But I'll be back up there asap afterwards. Her husband is going down on Mon, so she will have some support soon.

I am doing my best to look after myself, and be kind to myself, to eat well and to keep active.

Shy - the decluttering idea is awesome. Dad's house is chockablock full of hoarded gubbins. But important things are in between the rubbish, so we shall have to go through every single piece of paper. Your challenge will be on-going for us!

Thank you again
apple x

XSpender

Cut the chaff
… on food: not by deprivation but by replacing one ‘baddie’ with a ‘goodie’ - replace crisps and cakes with fruit and veg based snacks particularly when I am travelling with work
… on wants v needs: each time you don’t buy a ‘want’ keep a tally of money not spent and add it all up at the end. Saved £4000 today on cancelling a new boiler that I wanted instead of the repairs that I needed. Do I win a prize for the biggest saving this month so far?:rotfl:
… on exercise: make a plan and carry it out. Focus and make it count. Training for 2 runs and having 2 PT sessions a week so got this one covered
… on screen time: just 1 hour per day for leisure. I have removed the facebook ap from my phone and view it via the internet ap which has massively cut down my screen time and I hardly ever watch telly
… in relationships: reduce time you have to spend with toxic people, those that drain you; nourish the good relationships and put time and effort in to them. Made arrangements to see my Mum as soon as she can fit us in and took DMIL out last Sunday, holiday this month so spending time together as a family
… on spending: this links to wants v needs. 15 NSD please. I have achieved 3 so far this month, I have done a big food shop and this has cut my daily trips to the shop which ruin my NSDs
… in health: we all have niggles (the older we are, the more we have!) Be proactive about them. I will book my asthma check at the doctors as they have sent me 2 letters and a check at the dentist
... in possessions: we usually have far too much stuff that clutters up our physical asurrounding and our mental state. Look at this objectively: if you do not love the item and find joy in it, then let it go! We had a huge declutter before we moved so not a lot of clutter but we have 2 big items that need to be sold so will get them gone this month. I will also aim to chuck a bin bag full of paperwork we do not need anymore

Make each day count towards the goals that are important to you. Do something every day that takes you one step closer to one of them, and tell us about it. We have run up some debt buying this house as it happened before we were ready financially but was a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy where we bought and it is worrying me as I swore I would never end up with this much debt again so today I have cancelled the new boiler I was having installed as it would have added to our debt and will save up for it instead. My other goal is to build up a substantial emergency fund so I am sending small payments to that on top of a monthly DD

Budget for every day’s activities. Look ahead. Plan what is going on. Set realistic limits. I have budgeted for our holiday spends, a family swim and DS's activites. I also have budgeted for some small household items and a chest of drawers

The turtles are a friendly bunch who help each other keep on the straight and narrow. Check in every day for maximum benefit, and let us know how you are getting on, your victories (however big or small they may seem to you, we celebrate them all), your pitfalls. Will make more of an effort this month to check in daily (except on my hols )

swimminginaseaofdebt

Evening everyone :hello:

Checking in with my daily ramblings

I’m happy to report that today was a NSD. I hung out at my mums for a bit, walking along there and back which accounted for today’s exercise. I passed Costa Coffee on the way and had a notion for a hot chocolate but I resisted saving me around £3.

Sadly I didn’t manage 3 meals, ended up skipping lunch, but I did get a ‘proper’ dinner of salmon and roast potatoes (which I love).

This is the first time I’ve logged on online today and I’m happy to report the T.V. has not been switched on all day. Instead I finished reading ‘The Girl on the Train’ which overall I thought was okay, although it did drag on a bit.

I’ve been naughty on the water front, none drunk instead I’ve gulped 3 cans of Irn Bru

Tomorrow should be a NSD as well. If the weather stays dry I’ll take the wee one for a walk but resist passing any shops!

XSpender

Weekend Challenge

In our 4th bedroom/office we have a massive pile of sports wear (mainly DH's) that needs putting away and the room sorting out and the last bits unpacking/putting away.

I also have 3 packing boxes in the conservatory that need a home.

I have budgeted to buy a 6 drawer chest of drawers from eye key a this month to store the clothes and some of the boxes could go in the loft so will tackle this over the weekend.

Great idea for a mini challenge Shy x

Bobarella

Apple glad you are managing to eat well still. You need to keep your energy up with so many demands on you at the moment.

earthgirl

Not a NSD today as I picked up some essential grocery items - it was DS1's birthday and he wanted a bbq - cheaper than a restaurant and loads of fun. I managed a bike ride with the kids, and swapped achohol for green tea.

I will shut down soon so that will be less than one hour. Determined to get up bright and early tomorrow to delcutter before the children get up!

clippy_girl

XSpender- I didn't order the kitchen I wanted at £5800 so I think I win :rotfl:

I was pleasantly surprised by that quote as I got everything I wanted. I have had another company recommended so will also get a quote from them to compare.

I have to confess that I prob will end up putting it on a 0% card and getting it done in November as I'm planning two weeks off guests then (as I will have guests 13 weeks with no break) so makes sense to do it. By the time I have saved up it will be spring and then I would loose a lot more income as the demand is much higher than in winter.

I also have to confess that I have spent a stupid amount of time playing with my new doorbell today :rotfl:

misstara

A NSD for me, didn't think I would as I forgot to take lunch with me but minded that I had some oatcakes in work so just had them. NSD 2/15.