NST February Challenge : A Winter Voyage

Dia_Pita

Coming on board
Plan your shore leave. Baby sitting for Grandchildren on 4th. 34th wedding anniversary on 5th so may go away for a day or two.
Plan your personal budgetI've budgeted £150 for food and £20 for spends, also £100 if we go away.
Aim for 15 NSDs. This shouldn't be a problem.
Look out for Dolphins Not something I usually do but only on meat and fresh vegetables as currently on a sugar free diet and not eating any processed foods.
Beware Pirates! As we do not work, we have time to make our meals, but usually have at least one child and grandchild for a meal each day.
Mid Voyage we will be stopping off at the Isle of Aphrodite – may use this day to visit a place we have not been before.
Remember those lost as sea – we usually give to the charities outside the supermarkets and place loose change in charity box.
Goals for February - Clear all paperwork clutter and have it all neatly organised. Stay sugar free and do not eat any processed food in February.
Today I am grateful for daughter vacuuming the stairs for me as I find it difficult to do. Son phoned as do not hear from him often. Did not have to go to the shops today, so first NSD.

ChasingSunshine

Checking in for the first day of Feb, apologies in advance for the length of the post. Still trying to wok out what I am doing and want to get my targets straight so I know the best course to set!!

• Plan your shore leave. Sports tournament and two nights out. Will say no to anything else unless I can keep it within my “fun fund” budget – thank you for the idea Abundant, I am going to use this to allow me to say yes to outings here which will help me meet 2017 goal of improving friendships close to where I live and not hours away!!
• Pay your debt repayments first I am lucky not in debt now but want to start saving for an emergency fund and a deposit for a place of my own. SO set up for savings and all bills etc budgeted for with DD set
• Plan your personal budget!Rations - £100. Need to do major restocking of staples this month, galley is empty!! Have never really tracked my food spend before but still hoping to come in under this, fingers crossed!! Personal spends - £80. “Fun fund” £20, first month trying this and will see how I get on.
• Aim for 15 NSDs.
• Look out for Dolphins!Don’t usually have much luck with these in my local SM unfortunately
• Beware Pirates!!Lunch to work planned. Usually one day every week where work team make a group trip to coffee shop, not sure how others deal with this but will prob just budget for a small drink and no snacks as not certain how to avoid it without seeming anti-social. It is the only thing we do socially at work as don’t meet outside the office.
• Beware!Sirens!!No plans to buy anything this month and will be avoiding clothes shops this month so just in case will keep the ears blocked to avoid siren song
• Mid Voyage we will be stopping off at the!Isle of Aphrodite!– have set money aside but will have to think what to do with it.
• Remember those!lost as sea!– usual charity donation made (to the lifeboats actually, appropriate this month!!)

2017 Goals
1. Save £10,000 emergency fund - Target £540 into savings this month
2. Develop closer relationship with my brothers - text sent to older one to plan a catch up, he's in Oz so time difference is a pain
3. Run a half marathon (having trained properly for it!!) - 3 exercise classes per week to build fitness this month, start increasing the miles by April.
4. Change my diet - Need to reduce the junk food, LTW will help as otherwise chocolate is just too tempting
5. Make more of an effort to be social and expand circle of friends locally rather than relying on those who live back home - "fun fund" created, research ideas of things to do, plan at least 2 small social events

Today I am grateful for
1. Making a presentation at work I had been dreading, glad its behind me now
2. The chance to get outside for a training session with my team
3. My batch cooking at the weekend saving me having to cook tonight

short_bird

Shore leave:12 days away already booked, need to budget for food and topping up the Oyster card as everything else is paid for.
1/15 NSD's
Health £130:that's 2 counselling appointments and 2 physiotherapy appointments.
Lost At Sea £5 already gone out to Medecins Sans Frontieres

This month's plan is to batten down the hatches and see where the leaks are...

Working on £200 for food when out and at home, taking lunches to work.
£80 other spends.
Train fare to a festival in March needs to be bought pretty quickly, so that's definitely a spend day.
Thankful for:
The roof over my head.
Freedom to travel.
The lovely warm duvet I'm going crawl under very soon indeed

XSpender

Greent - is it the joe wicks body coach 90 day plan you are considering? I am doing it at the moment.

abundant1972

Ahoy me hearties!!!

I am so pleased with everyone!!! Awesome job. I spent an hour writing a reply, pressed submit and it lost the lot!!! So - as I have just finished pulling my hair out and now need to sweep it all up - I will attempt a reply tomorrow haha!

Stock take done, charity bag up and running, and lucky charm with me...

Managed NSD number 1 today and exercised too. Also... <drumroll> I cooked up some buckwheat - and OMG - it is amazing. I just boiled with some stock, chucked in some beans and broccoli and tuna and it was yummy!!! That's going to be a few meals I can do for sure!!!

Catch you all tomorrow shipmates!!!

WelshKitty85

Hi turtles,

I'm ready to set sail!

Setting a tight budget this month. Car insurance renewal is due and will set me back around £235. My budget for all other spends is £300 - this includes groceries, toiletries, fuel, days out etc. It's gonna be really tight, but any higher spends will mean I can't clear the spending cc in full next month.

Booking 1 day shore leave for a colleague's leaving do.

Aiming for at least 15 NSDs, hopefully more.

Dolphins - do most shopping in aldi so not much opportunity there, but will keep my eyes peeled.

Always take lunch to work, so no problem there.

My main goal for 2017 is to be in a position to buy a house. To do this we need to 1) pay off our final cc and 2) DH needs to find work. Am chipping away at the cc as much as possible. DH has now passed his qualification but is still looking for work.

Have done a mini stock take of the fridge and have used up rations to make soup for work. Will do a full stock take on the weekend before the weekly shop.

We are in the middle of a big clear out, starting with children's rooms. Have made £40 so far from selling old bits and pieces, with another £29 of stuff sold but awaiting payment. Am hoping to make a total of £150 this month to use for an overpayments on cc.

I don't have a lucky charm as such, but DD has returned from a school trip and bought me a handy little note book, which I will pop in my bag. It will be useful for shopping lists, meal plans etc.

Grateful for:
A great challenge to motivate us all this month.
DD returning safely having enjoyed her 3 day trip.
An interesting and thought provoking course in work today.

f0xh0les

I have my signature done
Aiming on spending no more than £60 for the whole month on food. The larder is rammed with dolphins (sounds so wrong!) but half term is in 10 days and with 4 boys we could see a massive hole developing. Fun budget is £90 (£10 a day) due to half term but will aim at coming in much lower.
Aiming for 15 NSDs, hoping for more, remembering 15 is more than 50% of Feb.
Grateful for today's dolphins (40p jars of olives and peppers and 20p jars of mushroom and white wine FF sauces and 70p boxes of top end branded cereals) meaning a full larder in readiness for our adventure. Having at least 15 books I really want to read sitting on my bedside cabinet waiting for me to find the time to read them. All from charity shops. That there are only 10 days left until half term. The kids have just about had enough and all they really want to do is get on with reading the next chapter of Harry Potter. The teachers probably feel the same.

Re-state your goals for 2017.
1 Lose 3 stone, if only it were as easy as gaining them!
2 Pay more off the mortgage in overpayments than DH pays in the normal monthly payment (he is not onboard with overpaying - we can't all be MSE, he has other charms so I will keep him)
3 Pay £100 per child per month into a £5% interest account so they can enjoy the £40ish interest and learn about saving - it is a rinse and repeat, I do it every year, recycling money.
4 Have the top two floors decorated and finished - to include New Roof, Double Glazing, Chimneys uncapped, Shower Cubicle, Bathroom Flooring, Carpets - not thinking about the ground floor this year. Saving for it all and not borrowing any money to get it done.


No lucky charm yet, will find something suitably obscure! Stock take done. DD to Animal Aid taken out, all bills paid, mortgage overpaid, off to look at some maps - which direction are we heading in, or is it a magical mystery cruise?

The_Only_Girl

Reporting for duty Captain Abundant!

First NSD of the month already in the bag, togethernwith LTW no 1.

So here's the plan for the TOG household

1. Budget - Since joining MSE, budgeting has been a very important part Of our family life. After both wages come in, hubby calls the 2 DS's, gives them a pad and pen, and we all sit down together to set the budget. We call it their apprenticeship. All DD's have gone out of the DD current account as planned except a couple of things which we couldn't change the DD date. They've both been allocated so it's as good as. The food budget was set at £300, we've already done the first weekly shop on the 31st and we still have £30 left for this week. £210 left in the kitty. £145 left in the petrol budget, £1000 was allocated for savings, charity donations already given, and our own personal allowances of £30 which we could spend at our own discretion already allocated.

2. NSD's - I'm aiming for 15 NSD's and 1 is already out of the way so 14 to go.

3. Dolphins - the whole TOG family are a big fan of YS goodies so I'll share what wonderful haulage we'll get on our next trip.

4. Sirens - I used to be a shopaholic and a chronic window shopper. But since becoming a DFW, I've learned to curb that habit. I find that the best way to avoid temptation is not to go "where the angels fear to tread." I have stopped going to shops unless absolutely necessary and when I'm in the shop, I avoid "lurking". Harmless or innocent "window shopping" or lurking are not harmless nor innocent at all.

Goals for this month

1. To stay within budget. If at all possible to live below our means but within our needs.
2. Avoid the temptation of take aways.
3. Exercise at least 3 x a week for at least 30 minutes each session.
4. Lose "excess baggage."

Goals for this year:

1. Complete the fully funded emergency fund (£12,000-£15,000) I'm currently at £7500.
2. Garden and house renovation
3. Use up all the fabric in the sewing room and STOP BUYING ANYMORE FABRIC. I have enough fabric to last me the whole year.

Today I am thankful for

1. Productive day at work, also managed to squeeze in a bit of quality time with my bff during my lunch break
2. 2 x fabric (2 metres each) given by a fellow learner at my sewing class. I've given them a lower estimate of £20.
3. Received a post card from DS2's school congratulating him for a great result in their maths exam and for being Head of Year.

The_Only_Girl

Seasidegal58

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

Thank you so much Cap'n Abundant for your wonderful instructions and I’ve now run up the gangplank to board ship and store my sack away under my bunk!

I have my compass with me (YNAB!) and lucky charm (see below). I tried to bring the ship's parrot , but he flew away (i.e. I couldn't post his picture!) so perhaps one of the other crew will find one!

Pre-Boarding Tasks:

1) Take a quick stock-check of your cupboards/fridge/freezer. Be thinking of things you can cook up from these before you buy more. I <still> have 2 bags of buckwheat I haven't the foggiest notion what to do with hahaaaar! – I’ve had a good look through – I’ve actually got loads of stuff in the larder/freezer that can be utilitised. Will be cooking up some recipes along with the grog!

2) You can't be taking everything on-board with you. Go through your drawers and wardrobes - is there anything you never wear and can give away? Lighten your load and hit your charity goal this month all in one go! - - I actually went through all my clothes/books/dvds, etc during a major overhaul in November and donated bits to charity and sent some clothing to dress agency - so looking good on this front. There are still some things with the dress agency that hopefully will be sold – next payment date mid-Feb!

3) Look around your house and find something small that you can carry around with you... something that you think of as lucky... Where we be sailing to - a good luck charm might be just the ticket. No priceless family heirlooms mind haha. If nothing springs to mind - maybe next time you're out - find a little stone or pebble that you like the feel of... or a twig to decorate. It doesn't have to cost - be creative. – Funnily enough I have a little charm that my dear dad used to keep on his keyring – it’s in the shape of a sailor believe it or not! (he was in the merchant navy). I actually keep it in the cross-over handbag I use when on holiday for luck!I will transfer it to my usual handbag.

• A signature if you can – Already implemented!
• Set your food and spends totals – My food/household budget is £30 per week, but what I actually do is get a supermarket delivery for when I get paid for things to last the month and then whatever is left from the monthly £120 I split into three and use this for topping up – milk, fruit, veg etc. I get paid on the 25th of each month so I already did my shop for 25th January. Week 2 has started today and I have £8.08 per week till 25th February. Re other spends, I have £33.17 left over from last week and £100 for the next three weeks till payday. I do have a couple of lunches out with friends/family planned, but do hope at the end of month I can put any residual funds into my emergency fund. However, February is an expensive birthday month for me - I have already emailed an Amazon voucher yesterday to my DD's OH for his birthday and will have to top up the Birthday/Gifts budget later in the month.
• Set your NSD goal - as I managed 17 days for January’s thread (out of 16) I will try again for 17 NSDs
• Post 3 things you are grateful for – will be back this evening with this!
• Briefly re-state your goal(s) for 2017. Are you on track? – The goals I posted on the January thread were: “finish off my emergency fund then save enough for new kitchen. Also I want 2017 to be the year I finally get back to my fighting weight!” Emergency fund is currently on track to finish in April (fingers crossed!). Weightwise I joined the gym at the weekend and am going back onto the the good old 5:2 diet!

Will post later this evening with final recap for 1st February!

Following on from earlier today, as I pay my council tax over ten months and it was month eleven this month I've got £86 spare so have winged it over to the Emergency fund!. Also got home tonight and found my latest M&S loyalty vouchers had arrived -£13!

Gratitudes:
- a good MSE day today - cash left over from last week's ad hoc spends and council tax.
- lovely loyalty vouchers from M&S!
- a nice boss who helps me fight my corners at work!