NST February Challenge : A Winter Voyage

f0xh0les

Crazy Cat Lady, I am sitting here watching the Food Network ( I did some market research about 3 years ago and got paid £60 for looking at their website while they tracked my eyes, then after about a fortnight I got sent a huge notebook, an apron that DS2 has stolen for his food tech class and some tea towels) so I have a soft spot for them.

The Pioneer Woman is doing an entire programme based on black beans recipes, link below, I am certain you could sub your kidney beans for most of them. Serendipity?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/the-pioneer-woman/800-series/one-thing-leads-to-another.html

FurryBeastOz

Fantastic post abundant

My Unprepared/Fat spends is a category I have created in YNAB. It has a zero budget, so anything I spend that is not budgetted for - sandwiches/Pepsi because I haven't packed lunch. Off list items when grocery shopping. And my downfall - Costa Chocolate brownies, Waitrose Cafe Chocolate and raspberry cake, goes under that category and forces me to reduce my budget in other areas to cover it.

It's a really good way of having it staring me in the face every time I look at my budget. I've been doing YNAB since October. The first couple of months there was over £100 in it at the end of the month. Last month there was only the lost £10 note which I don't count against me. This may explain why I have lost 9lbs since 1st Jan:rotfl:

crazy_cat_lady

f0xh0les wrote: »

Crazy Cat Lady, I am sitting here watching the Food Network ( I did some market research about 3 years ago and got paid £60 for looking at their website while they tracked my eyes, then after about a fortnight I got sent a huge notebook, an apron that DS2 has stolen for his food tech class and some tea towels) so I have a soft spot for them.

The Pioneer Woman is doing an entire programme based on black beans recipes, link below, I am certain you could sub your kidney beans for most of them. Serendipity?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/the-pioneer-woman/800-series/one-thing-leads-to-another.html

Thank you so much for this f0xh0les - I will get onto it I'm fairly determined to do something with them this weekend.
Captain Abundant I'm afraid I couldn't resist a YS bargain, which is how I ended up with so many bags of kidney beans. But thanks to fabulous advice from the crew I am going to get some good, frugal feeds out of them. Plenty of butternut soup to go around if anyone else wants any.
I've been up and out early doing my exercise with my trainer. Other than that the basics of cleaning and schoolwork are done so I can 'treat' myself to almost a weekend off. I have tutoring and will have to stock up on supplies, but the list is made and I will stick to it.
I shall report in later when I'm refreshed and relaxed (she says hopefully).

SpekySquarehead

And I'm off and running with my NSD's. Got my first yesterday

ilovetea

Lovely sunny up north:j Feel like doing things. So I did the ironing,must look smart for the captains table.
Going to make bottom of the fridge soup,willing to share if someone washes up.
Your right Abundant .Last months aims were to raise £2,000 from e-b*y and surveys.So far have £261.57. As for the weight lose....let's forget about that:o
Today will hopefully be a NSD as don't need anything.
Will pop back later if anything exciting happens.

ilovetea xx

Eager_Elephant

Ahoy Turtles - apologies for my lateness....

I am shattered with rowing my little boat out to meet you all - but I am here now so will get on with scrubbing the decks as punishment for my tardiness.


February Goals:

Remember those lost as sea – will donate at some point this month.

Signature – I love a good signature

Food budget - £350 for February.

Spends – I allow £80 for household, £40 for birthdays, £200 for animals – what is not used is rolled over each month.

Goals – 1. I am floundering seriously with buying my house, a mortgage broker cannot get us a mortgage as DH changed jobs last month and is in his probationary period plus our credit ratings are dire. This month I will redo the budget (DH had a pay rise with his new job) and work out how much he can pay to his debts each month to try and get some of them paid off in the next 6 months.

2. This ties in with paying £3000 of debt this year (that was just to my debt), DH has loads more debt than me so needs to get his act together.

3. Income from smallholding – need to get the tennis court erected so we can house our turkeys ready for egg laying season and then sell them on ebay.

4. Socialising more – we did a quiz last weekend with some acquaintances, it was a great laugh and we came 4th out of 9 teams. Need to make some plans for the next few months.

Stock take – will do this at the weekend. I definitely need to sort my jars out, we have an abundance of marmalade so need to make some cakes involving marmalade.

Out with the old – I have 3 bags for charity waiting to be dropped off so will do this and continue my sort out.

Lucky charm – I have dug out my bluey/purple gem that my late nanna got me and it is now on my keyboard so I can see it when I type on here.

[Deleted User]

Just checking in to report a damaged ship to ship radio (mobile) which is impairing updates and may create further risks to my smooth passage this month (unexpected spend - excess of £40) . It got run over while I was away for work and the lack of comms has caused no end of faff and added mileage to our passage by lots of too-and-froing, or should that be tacking against the wind! Finally managed to communicate via convoluted semaphore with the phone provider and discovered to my joy that for once I had actually taken out insurance at the time of cover. A replacement is due to be helicoptered out to us tomorrow, but some complex logistics are needed to take place to line up this vessel with the helicopters RV point.
I will be back with detailed update later when I can access the laptop more easily. Right now, I'm off to the gym (! Yes! Me!) and then for a walk on the beach with a friend. Two lots of free healthy exercise activity, some fresh air, and surely these things will assist with some stress release. Back later, Capn.

Moll

Moll yes we can definitely motivate each other Have you tried the SW onion bhajis? Great for a snack or with a salad at lunchtime



no I haven't tried them but they sound my sort of thing


Egg wraps save syns . also minced beef/ chilli etc rolled in lettuce leaves,

Lauralozzle

Fabulous post Abundant- consistent exercise and sensible diet is the way to go!!!

I had a speedy day yesterday - Shore leave no. 1 - had a takeaway coffee and spent a £10 last night at works pub quiz. I've gone over my weekly spend budget so I must plan on lots of NSD next week and *hopefully* it will even itself out.

Today will also be a speedy day (grocery shop - I'm out of salad and fruit) - my friends leaving do but I'm bringing my own drinks from home for that and the money we need to put towards food is coming our of our joint entertainment budget (as it's both of us) so no spends directly from my personal Spending budget and to be honest - none next week either! I'll update later how much I've spent!

I have had a very productive morning so far - it must be something in the water! I've cleaned living room/kitchen - washing bed sheets, bathroom is clean/tidy and spare room is sorted (will look perfect when bedding is washed and dried)

Edit: oops I forgot to post my 3 things

1) I'm grateful for my fantastic friends
2) I'm grateful for suggests I have received about finding cheap but nice shawls for my bridesmaids on MSE
3) I'm grateful for not having to cook dinner tonight!

Moll

I have created in YNAB.




. I've been doing YNAB since October.


OK I give in , I cant work it out whats YNAB ??