NST February Challenge : A Winter Voyage

Fmess

Evening all,

Thanks for asking abundant, I am all recovered now but back at work after half term. I think lax is an abbreviation for lackadaisical?!

Sorry I haven't been around for a few days, can't quite explain it but haven't been reading either (first time in 3 and a half years of being part of the thread) However I'm feeling more balanced now and so have crept back. 3 more SFDs so I think I'm on 10

SkintTeacher

Thanks Abundant - you are seriously thoughtful. Great motivation for us all. Lots of people seem to be having a hard time at the moment - I wish you all good luck!

Today I'm grateful for:
My son's good health after a colleague rushed off to the hospital for their child
My personal trainer, who is great and motivates me so that I can't wait for the next session
A gorgeous, healthy slow-cooker dinner waiting for me after a really long day
Good weather meaning I could do my pe lesson outside with my huge year 6 class - we've outgrown the hall at 33 children and counting!

:beer: for all of you. Love reading your posts. Love the support.

mrshubbard

Thanks Abundantfor the epic catch up! The car has a nice few scrapes on it too that we'll just put up with, just a shame it's broken the washer just as the MOT is due. Luckily I've been good with not spending this month and should have enough left over to cover it all. I'm 17 weeksish pregnant - due date's July 29th. We're half hoping for another boy as we've loads of little man's old clothes left but we'll be chuffed either way

I was going to log another NSD but really it's only because I gave hubby a shopping list to get for me so my conscience won't let me he did well sticking to the list - a few extra bits and bobs but nothing extravagant apart from a toy car for little man, ( he loves surprising him ), and that was only £3 he spotted a good deal on washing liquid and bought loads. Will last me forever! Another £53.57 on the food budget but that should be the last food shop this month unless we forgot something so under target.

TodayI'm grateful for

My long shift being over
Random customers noticing I've had my hair done & getting compliments
A colleague bringing bread and butter for toast - kept me going

Bobarella

Amazing post Abundant great to have you back. Thanks for the advice as always

Calling bless you, teeth issues are never nice. Hope tommorow is better.

I'm away for a few days. Today has been a LSD.

Low point, discovering DS had around 20 angry red flea bites all over his thigh, back and tummy. He must have had one stuck in his bedclothes. So had to change two lots of bedding right before we left, and catch the cat to give him his last flea dot before we get more from the vet. It's odd as we've had no flea issues at all. The bedding gets changed every week religiously and I hoover plenty too. Makes me wonder if one of the annoying persistent interlopers has infected the bed. We have at least two other visitors that mosey in when they feel like it.

Grateful for

1. Sitting round the table enjoying a lovely meal with the grandparents.
2. For a lift from the station.
3. For DD and DS being good kids.

Bob

The_Only_Girl

That was heartening to know that you and hubby are really secure in your relationship. Money well saved! Great progress on the EF too – it’s really coming on. How do you work it with your Saver? You drip cash into it or from it..? IKEA do great food – I think given the choice I’d have done the same. You’d have wasted time and fuel sat in traffic for ages – and as you say – was within budget. Love the quotes too – very true!


Thanks Captain Abundant for your kind words. My husband and I went through a very difficult phase, we nearly separated almost 14 years ago. We decided to give ourselves a fresh start, moved to a different place, surrounded by different groups of people and now we love each other so much more than ever before. He now adores me and the kids and would do anything for us. I cannot thank God enough for this second chance. In April we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary. On Valentine's Day as requested by me, he didn't give me any roses or chocolates or cards, but that day I came home to find a freshly valeted car (which he did himself), with new wheel cover, and new car mat without spending a single penny. (He bought the wheel cover a couple of years ago and the car mat was given free by the dealer when we bought the car 4 years ago.) A very nice and thoughtful act, I thought.

The aches and pains I suffered from the legs, bums and tums class followed by the Zumba class the week after had not been in vain. I lost 3 pounds! I have also been trying to be sensible with my diet, eating more vegetables and fruits and decreasing the carbohydrates. Unfortunately, my friend and I have not been able to go to any exercise class due to my hubby's night shifts, but we're hoping to pick it up again next week.

With regards to the EF, we save via the current account and regular savers accounts. Last year we had standing order for the regular savers for £200 each per month. When the regular savers matured in December, we opened 2 new regular savers in a different bank (one for him and one for me) for a maximum of £500 each with 5% interest. My regular savers account will be drip fed from last year's regular savers currently held in a current account that earns 5% interest, and my hubby's will be from the normal monthly budget. Other monies we manage to save aside from the regular savers stay in a current account different from our spending current account. Does this make sense? It's quite complicated to explain in black and white, We also put a small amount (£50 a month) in our kids' ISA's. As I have already mentioned in my previous post, all these savings is quite a novelty for me and my husband. We used to be so bad for each other and we just let each other become flippant and unintentional about finances. To have any form of savings is quite a new experience which hubby and I both enjoy and savour, it's so surreal we both pinch ourselves sometimes,Oh by the way, we don't take any money out of the regular savers but we dip into the amount left in the current account.

Today was a small spend day. Popped in to aldee after work to pick up essentials like milk, fruits, bread, and eggs, spent only £7 though.

Today I am thankful for
1.the nice family meal we had this evening
2. Helping is to keep on track and on budget
3. A good day at work

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all - busy day yesterday so just posting my gratitudes,
Captain Abundant's brilliant posts.
Catching up with friends that we don't see as much as we would like
My memory foam pillow.

SkintTeacher

The_Only_Girl wrote: »

That was heartening to know that you and hubby are really secure in your relationship. Money well saved! Great progress on the EF too – it’s really coming on. How do you work it with your Saver? You drip cash into it or from it..? IKEA do great food – I think given the choice I’d have done the same. You’d have wasted time and fuel sat in traffic for ages – and as you say – was within budget. Love the quotes too – very true!


Thanks Captain Abundant for your kind words. My husband and I went through a very difficult phase, we nearly separated almost 14 years ago. We decided to give ourselves a fresh start, moved to a different place, surrounded by different groups of people and now we love each other so much more than ever before. He now adores me and the kids and would do anything for us. I cannot thank God enough for this second chance. In April we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary. On Valentine's Day as requested by me, he didn't give me any roses or chocolates or cards, but that day I came home to find a freshly valeted car (which he did himself), with new wheel cover, and new car mat without spending a single penny. (He bought the wheel cover a couple of years ago and the car mat was given free by the dealer when we bought the car 4 years ago.) A very nice and thoughtful act, I thought.

The aches and pains I suffered from the legs, bums and tums class followed by the Zumba class the week after had not been in vain. I lost 3 pounds! I have also been trying to be sensible with my diet, eating more vegetables and fruits and decreasing the carbohydrates. Unfortunately, my friend and I have not been able to go to any exercise class due to my hubby's night shifts, but we're hoping to pick it up again next week.

With regards to the EF, we save via the current account and regular savers accounts. Last year we had standing order for the regular savers for £200 each per month. When the regular savers matured in December, we opened 2 new regular savers in a different bank (one for him and one for me) for a maximum of £500 each with 5% interest. My regular savers account will be drip fed from last year's regular savers currently held in a current account that earns 5% interest, and my hubby's will be from the normal monthly budget. Other monies we manage to save aside from the regular savers stay in a current account different from our spending current account. Does this make sense? It's quite complicated to explain in black and white, We also put a small amount (£50 a month) in our kids' ISA's. As I have already mentioned in my previous post, all these savings is quite a novelty for me and my husband. We used to be so bad for each other and we just let each other become flippant and unintentional about finances. To have any form of savings is quite a new experience which hubby and I both enjoy and savour, it's so surreal we both pinch ourselves sometimes,Oh by the way, we don't take any money out of the regular savers but we dip into the amount left in the current account.

Today was a small spend day. Popped in to aldee after work to pick up essentials like milk, fruits, bread, and eggs, spent only £7 though.

Today I am thankful for
1.the nice family meal we had this evening
2. Helping is to keep on track and on budget
3. A good day at work

super inspiring stuff here - we've been through tough patches too and love each other more than ever after nearly 13 years. Love your savings idea - it did make sense ( and I didn't know there were 5% savers you could save up to £500, mine currently allows £300 and I was well chuffed with that!

SpekySquarehead

Morning,

Low Spend Day yesterday as I played football (£3.50).

No planned spends today or tomorrow, fingers crossed for a few NSD's.

thriftylass

Good morning,

no spend day here and off for a swim again.

Did some more painting last night and the room starts to look really nice. Just takes longer than I thought.

DS lost his fourth tooth this morning while eating breakfast. I tried to pull it out the last few days as it was just hanging on by a thread but he accidentally swallowed it with his cereal this morning. Poor soul was really upset and worried the tooth fairy might not know now, bless.

Today I'm grateful for

a warm coat in the snow storm this morning
a warm mug of tea in work
kids still believing in mystical beings like fairies

f0xh0les

thriftylass wrote: »

DS lost his fourth tooth this morning while eating breakfast. I tried to pull it out the last few days as it was just hanging on by a thread but he accidentally swallowed it with his cereal this morning. Poor soul was really upset and worried the tooth fairy might not know now, bless.

My DS4 lost a tooth this week too. He has also lost it somewhere in the hall (????) He is going to write a note to let her know.