Eating – LTW is the norm. Christmas dinner will be paid this year with family syndicate Lotto money. Trying to use some of my home-grown brussels, parsnip, and carrots. I usually have a rough weekly menu plan in my head before I go shopping. I don’t like to be too strict (as food spends are ok, and so is wastage), but I need to limit Friday SM spends (i.e. drinks, snacks, impulse food for the weekend).
Presents – make your Christmas lists… Will definitely have to look at that more seriously this year as I hate the last minute rush and expense. Christmas dinner will be organized by STB-SIL and me. We’ll do some in depth planning soon.
Time – would like to get back into reading before bed rather than just collapsing after the chores.
Empty – started the kitchen this week and did our bedroom last month. Will work my way through the house.
Meet – will do a duathlon with two close friends which will double as a catch up.
Bed– Did that when I cleaned out our bedroom and removed two cats worth of fur from under it as well as bags, boxes, random socks etc. Will tackle the garden as part of my house declutter.
Exercise – Try to aim for 5 lunch time session. Gym, pool (inexpensive uni membership) or run.
Reading – see “Time” usually just read crime novels but got some more challenging ones from a friend last week.
Were you a NST last year? So what did you want to happen in 12 months -has it happened? - couldn’t find my post but I’m sure I would have liked to be debt free by now. Married September 2014 and still paying off the debt although by now it’s probably money for the car and other stuff than the actual wedding money.
DEBT 03/23: CC 46374318 4100 Family 1380 0 , Extra money earnt £54, NSDs 1/20, sober 2/31
Spends – Being a hardened turtle 14 sfd should be easy peasy.
Eating – Always take lunch to work or have supply of tins in my desk. Rubbish at fwd meal planning - will try to improve, think it is living alone I get lazy. More veggies and fruit this month.
Presents –To be honest last year set budgets with my daughters and no added debt after xmas. Hope we do the same again. I have the added cost of new grandchild arriving in Dec.
Going to try friends maybe not buy friends and just have a night out instead ?
Time – Usually come home from work and make myself an iced coffee and sit in the garden - depending on noise kids are making next door - ran back in the house yesterday so annoying.
Empty – The dreaded kitchen drawer and under sink cupboard will happen this month.
Meet – meet up with a friend/family member who you have not seen for ages but keep meaning to. Ring/email/text them now and arrange something for this month. - Nice idea will ring nephew and his wife.
Bed– Garden will try and paint decking before month is out and put away one set of furniture. Reduce pots so many over winter, windy on top of my hill and dry out quickly.
Bedding - bought lovely duvet cover and may go for new pillows this month.
Exercise – want to so much. Did a 5 mile hilly walk over weekend and lets just say hamstring hasn't healed. So take it slow. Reading – the first public lending library opened on 6th September 1852. If you have not yet joined your local library could you join it? Everyone will read a book during this month and report back with comments – hopefully it will encourage others to try new books. Books can be either fiction or non-fiction. -Novel idea may pop there lunchtime tomorrow.
Budgets will be low as I have again increased my debt - put my car insurance on as raided that fund twds all celebrations been to this month. Hopefully be back down to my signature amount mid month. September looking great no events planned, no bdays bliss.
LBM 13039 1.1.13 Now £0 Finally Debt FreeMortgage free Oct 2019:)EFund/savings £25000 10/11/22
Toni'sfriend - if the train fares are a regular occurrence, you could set aside the money for them at the start of the month, and on the day, so long as that is all that you spend, then is counts as an NSD. The same for regular activities where you have to pay weekly.
Karma - hope the trip back to your mum's house goes well.
Calling - I giggled at your statement that 14 NSD will be easy peasy...!
Were you a NST last year? So what did you want to happen in 12 months -has it happened? - couldn’t find my post but I’m sure I would have liked to be debt free by now. Married September 2014 and still paying off the debt although by now it’s probably money for the car and other stuff than the actual wedding money.
Here is your post from September 14:
Ok, my financial end goal is to be debt free, have enough savings so that we don't need CC anymore or loans for anything by the age of 40. Hopefully we will have moved considerable closer to this goal by the end of next year. My motivation are my kids and keeping them save, fed and a roof over their head no matter what and not to risk this by having credit that might jeopardise their home etc for some unforeseen reason. So I'm approaching the the big 40 in 3 years and want to feel more secure and grown up financially by then. Additionally, I am an only child and my parents still live in Germany. I would like to be able to support them in years to come should they need it.
Eating – I will make a point of menu planning this month and taking lunch with me to work every day!
Presents – I need to look at this - I never plan for Christmas this early but will write a list out with maximum spends.
Time – I will endeavour to make 'me' time - even if it's catching up on my favourite shows whilst having a lovely hot bubble bath.
Empty – the cupboard under the stairs - which is looking horrendous at the moment!!!
Meet – besties this month and have a good catch up.
Bed– Sort out wardrobe - putting away summer clothes and replacing with Autumn/Winter. Will do this towards end of the month.
Exercise – Hit 10,000 steps a day... Without fail.
Reading – charge my kindle and read. I love reading but I'm so lazy I haven't bothered because I haven't charged my kindle.
Were you a NST last year? So what did you want to happen in 12 months -has it happened? I wasn't and I wasn't in half as much debt *cough* mortgage/new house/new car!
February Grocery Budget: £190.75/£350.00
NST no. NSD 4/15
I like the sound of the roundedness of this challenge - really helpful to me. Anyone on here who's seen my mfw diary (or a few other threads ) knows that I've just retired, which means life changes a *lot* - in my case, the finances are extremely tricky, because I've retired for health reasons, so everything I have has to work really hard. I've copied and pasted the first post on here, and I'll chip in properly tomorrow, when I've worked it through.
Great to be here
Save
Ooh hello Karmacat, I feel like I should curtsey with you being such a longstanding member of the MSE community.
Thanks for coming to join the NST this month.
I think I used to read your diary, I might pop across and read it from start to finish (as I am sad like that:rotfl:).
Here is my post from last year about where I wanted to be, and my motivation:
''My end goal is in my siggie - to pay off the mortgage by the end of 2018, 40 payments to go. I am toying with the idea of trying to get it done even earlier, to hit significant birthday months, but that would require another 4 or 7 months less, which may be too much. So, I am overpaying as much as possible each month. The ultimate goal is FIRE - financial independance, retire early.
My motivation is my dh and my dd. I want him to have choices as he gets older and not have to work so hard. I want financial security for dd - who has told me that she is never leaving home...''
Since then, dh has been made redundant and has not worked since the very start of Feb. And my days at work reduced from 4 to 2 in July, and will increase to 2.5 in September. So we are not on target - however, we are focussed on getting shot of the mortgage and are both still doing what we can to reduce it. it currently stands around £29,600.
Eating – I have emptied one freezer into the other one but this is to make room for my piggies which are coming back from their package holiday!! I want to use up as much as possible from the other freezers this month, definitely have enough non-pork meat to last the month. Must get my menu plan done.Will be taking lunch in every day.
Presents – We only buy for our children and my best friends children. Family get some token presents which I will post about later on this month. We have enough wrapping paper but always need sellotape! We will be home for Xmas plus we always have relative over. Will do the usual, our own turkey, roasties, loads of veg and then dessert will follow hours later when we have room!! Boxing Day is always spent at my mum’s with as many of the family as possible.
Time – I really need to do this, I need to realise that my life does not have to be 100mph all the time and to sit and relax is not a failure.
Empty – I need to sort my spice drawer this month, then I might as well do the drawer next to it as well. I did under the sink a few weeks ago and got rid of loads – it is also where the alcohol is, we barely drink it so need to donate some of it to raffles etc.
Meet – need to meet up with my bestie, just us 2. It's usual at a charity event we get involved with and then last weekend they all came to mine but I like to meet up with just us as we love a good gossip!! Just off to text her now.
Bed– We sorted DH’s shed while we were off so that looks great, the small shed which holds the pots has a broken roof so will get DH to mend that and then I can sort everything out. DH has cut back all the bushes and next door’s overhang.
I am going to sort under the bed as well, I had to turn the mattress last night as the dog was sick on it (I did wash the cover and use bicarb etc, I didn't just ignore it and flick the mattress over :rotfl:)and underneath looks horrendous – I do it every few months anyway but it’s surprising what goes under it.
Exercise – On the colder nights I will walk the dogs further, on the hot nights we will do our normal walk – I have an American Bully and she pants a lot which worries me in the heat. Have ordered her flashing collar for the darker nights (our other dog already has one but our bully is new so doesn’t have one yet)
Reading – I went to the library last week when I was off and got some books out – am looking forward to reading them.
Budget has been done and just about to do the money shuffle ready for tomorrow.
Will donate to the food bank this month, I have seen their Facebook page and they are short on a few things so will go and donate them.
Ooh hello Karmacat, I feel like I should curtsey with you being such a longstanding member of the MSE community.
Thanks for coming to join the NST this month.
I think I used to read your diary, I might pop across and read it from start to finish (as I am sad like that:rotfl:).
:shocked: quick, have some :EasterBun
That's very kind! But there's an awful lot of day by dayness to my diary, that might be quite boring And anyway, as for royalty, you've already got Buffy!
:kisses3:
Save
Downsized and paid off mortgage 2010 Retired August 2016 Paid off French mortgage September 2018 New kitchen fully installed June 2019 Not counting this! 2020 Garden fencing completed, woohoo 2021.......... October 2021: aiming for £5,000 new money for premium bonds or a car.
Replies
Rules:
Spends –14 NSD’s will be my aim.
Eating – LTW is the norm. Christmas dinner will be paid this year with family syndicate Lotto money. Trying to use some of my home-grown brussels, parsnip, and carrots. I usually have a rough weekly menu plan in my head before I go shopping. I don’t like to be too strict (as food spends are ok, and so is wastage), but I need to limit Friday SM spends (i.e. drinks, snacks, impulse food for the weekend).
Presents – make your Christmas lists… Will definitely have to look at that more seriously this year as I hate the last minute rush and expense. Christmas dinner will be organized by STB-SIL and me. We’ll do some in depth planning soon.
Time – would like to get back into reading before bed rather than just collapsing after the chores.
Empty – started the kitchen this week and did our bedroom last month. Will work my way through the house.
Meet – will do a duathlon with two close friends which will double as a catch up.
Bed– Did that when I cleaned out our bedroom and removed two cats worth of fur from under it as well as bags, boxes, random socks etc. Will tackle the garden as part of my house declutter.
Exercise – Try to aim for 5 lunch time session. Gym, pool (inexpensive uni membership) or run.
Reading – see “Time” usually just read crime novels but got some more challenging ones from a friend last week.
Were you a NST last year? So what did you want to happen in 12 months -has it happened? - couldn’t find my post but I’m sure I would have liked to be debt free by now. Married September 2014 and still paying off the debt although by now it’s probably money for the car and other stuff than the actual wedding money.
Eating – Always take lunch to work or have supply of tins in my desk. Rubbish at fwd meal planning - will try to improve, think it is living alone I get lazy. More veggies and fruit this month.
Presents –To be honest last year set budgets with my daughters and no added debt after xmas. Hope we do the same again. I have the added cost of new grandchild arriving in Dec.
Going to try friends maybe not buy friends and just have a night out instead ?
Time – Usually come home from work and make myself an iced coffee and sit in the garden - depending on noise kids are making next door - ran back in the house yesterday so annoying.
Empty – The dreaded kitchen drawer and under sink cupboard will happen this month.
Meet – meet up with a friend/family member who you have not seen for ages but keep meaning to. Ring/email/text them now and arrange something for this month. - Nice idea will ring nephew and his wife.
Bed– Garden will try and paint decking before month is out and put away one set of furniture. Reduce pots so many over winter, windy on top of my hill and dry out quickly.
Bedding - bought lovely duvet cover and may go for new pillows this month.
Exercise – want to so much. Did a 5 mile hilly walk over weekend and lets just say hamstring hasn't healed. So take it slow.
Reading – the first public lending library opened on 6th September 1852. If you have not yet joined your local library could you join it? Everyone will read a book during this month and report back with comments – hopefully it will encourage others to try new books. Books can be either fiction or non-fiction. -Novel idea may pop there lunchtime tomorrow.
Budgets will be low as I have again increased my debt - put my car insurance on as raided that fund twds all celebrations been to this month. Hopefully be back down to my signature amount mid month. September looking great no events planned, no bdays bliss.
Karma - hope the trip back to your mum's house goes well.
Calling - I giggled at your statement that 14 NSD will be easy peasy...!
Here's a to great September:beer:
Here is your post from September 14:
Rules:
Spends – I will try and aim for 14 NSD
Eating – I will make a point of menu planning this month and taking lunch with me to work every day!
Presents – I need to look at this - I never plan for Christmas this early but will write a list out with maximum spends.
Time – I will endeavour to make 'me' time - even if it's catching up on my favourite shows whilst having a lovely hot bubble bath.
Empty – the cupboard under the stairs - which is looking horrendous at the moment!!!
Meet – besties this month and have a good catch up.
Bed– Sort out wardrobe - putting away summer clothes and replacing with Autumn/Winter. Will do this towards end of the month.
Exercise – Hit 10,000 steps a day... Without fail.
Reading – charge my kindle and read. I love reading but I'm so lazy I haven't bothered because I haven't charged my kindle.
Were you a NST last year? So what did you want to happen in 12 months -has it happened? I wasn't and I wasn't in half as much debt *cough* mortgage/new house/new car!
NST no. NSD 4/15
Ooh hello Karmacat, I feel like I should curtsey with you being such a longstanding member of the MSE community.
Thanks for coming to join the NST this month.
I think I used to read your diary, I might pop across and read it from start to finish (as I am sad like that:rotfl:).
''My end goal is in my siggie - to pay off the mortgage by the end of 2018, 40 payments to go. I am toying with the idea of trying to get it done even earlier, to hit significant birthday months, but that would require another 4 or 7 months less, which may be too much. So, I am overpaying as much as possible each month. The ultimate goal is FIRE - financial independance, retire early.
My motivation is my dh and my dd. I want him to have choices as he gets older and not have to work so hard. I want financial security for dd - who has told me that she is never leaving home...''
Since then, dh has been made redundant and has not worked since the very start of Feb. And my days at work reduced from 4 to 2 in July, and will increase to 2.5 in September. So we are not on target - however, we are focussed on getting shot of the mortgage and are both still doing what we can to reduce it. it currently stands around £29,600.
Eating – I have emptied one freezer into the other one but this is to make room for my piggies which are coming back from their package holiday!! I want to use up as much as possible from the other freezers this month, definitely have enough non-pork meat to last the month. Must get my menu plan done. Will be taking lunch in every day.
Presents – We only buy for our children and my best friends children. Family get some token presents which I will post about later on this month. We have enough wrapping paper but always need sellotape! We will be home for Xmas plus we always have relative over. Will do the usual, our own turkey, roasties, loads of veg and then dessert will follow hours later when we have room!! Boxing Day is always spent at my mum’s with as many of the family as possible.
Time – I really need to do this, I need to realise that my life does not have to be 100mph all the time and to sit and relax is not a failure.
Empty – I need to sort my spice drawer this month, then I might as well do the drawer next to it as well. I did under the sink a few weeks ago and got rid of loads – it is also where the alcohol is, we barely drink it so need to donate some of it to raffles etc.
Meet – need to meet up with my bestie, just us 2. It's usual at a charity event we get involved with and then last weekend they all came to mine but I like to meet up with just us as we love a good gossip!! Just off to text her now.
Bed– We sorted DH’s shed while we were off so that looks great, the small shed which holds the pots has a broken roof so will get DH to mend that and then I can sort everything out. DH has cut back all the bushes and next door’s overhang.
I am going to sort under the bed as well, I had to turn the mattress last night as the dog was sick on it (I did wash the cover and use bicarb etc, I didn't just ignore it and flick the mattress over :rotfl:)and underneath looks horrendous – I do it every few months anyway but it’s surprising what goes under it.
Exercise – On the colder nights I will walk the dogs further, on the hot nights we will do our normal walk – I have an American Bully and she pants a lot which worries me in the heat. Have ordered her flashing collar for the darker nights (our other dog already has one but our bully is new so doesn’t have one yet)
Reading – I went to the library last week when I was off and got some books out – am looking forward to reading them.
Budget has been done and just about to do the money shuffle ready for tomorrow.
Will donate to the food bank this month, I have seen their Facebook page and they are short on a few things so will go and donate them.
:shocked: quick, have some :EasterBun
That's very kind! But there's an awful lot of day by dayness to my diary, that might be quite boring
:kisses3:
Retired August 2016
Paid off French mortgage September 2018
New kitchen fully installed June 2019
Not counting this! 2020
Garden fencing completed, woohoo 2021..........
October 2021: aiming for £5,000 new money for premium bonds or a car.