NST Muddy March Marathon

mothernerd

Today I walked to crafts and back (coming back was harder today, very tired). Did a little bit of embroidery (luckily did quite a lot last night) but got sucked into working out how to/ cutting out roofs, chimneys, plant pots, shrubs and flowers for fairy houses.

Not fully reviewed all my goals yet. I know where I am going with exercise - daily walk x2 (unless other walking cover this), want to get as far as the canal bank and the woods this month (not every day and weather permitting - the mud on the canal bank makes it hard enough to stay upright so no windy days for that). SW and free exercise class should be in place in a couple of weeks. Eating - will focus on eating (lots) more veg. Should fill me up and lead away from unhealthy snacks. I have been given a bowl of chips with curry sauce (their leftover takeaway) and I can't (don't want to) eat any of it (binned it).

Technology I am more familiar with my phone. My local history partner spent some time last week playing with all the buttons, taking away ones I probably don't need, made the print bigger and trying to persuade me to log things (exercise, sleep, what I eat, steps taken, breathing, heart rate) into a health app. I'd never have time to do anything else.

I have been considering the problem of too many things to do, too little time or energy to do them and am going to focus on planning, preparation and organisation. Will have a list of three most important things to do each day. I have been told off (by DS3) for talking to myself but some mornings 'bathroom, more water, morning pills' changing to 'run bath, breakfast, underwear and t-shirt' is much needed. I bought some ys buns yesterday so will fill and freeze them.

I am going to try adding 15 minute tasks on each day, so if I am tired I will rest and then do something off the list.

Today I am grateful for the colourful primroses on the library/ town hall square, for Beloved rescuing the last post after I pressed the wrong button for shamrock leaves making lovely roofs for fairy houses and for having imroved my eating habits last month to the stage of not wanting free chips.

indigowarrior

Today I am greatful for my two healthy happy children.

Fmess

Ha ha thanks mothernerd! I'm counting down the days but then I will make up for it, with the longest bath ever!!!

Well done on the weight loss Toni's friend

SFD today Long day at work followed by training which I should get petrol and £100 inconvenience payment Btw - this is not normal in teaching :rotfl:

I'll do a big post at the weekend when I can get more than 10 minutes to read through.

swimminginaseaofdebt

Hello can I please join in with this challenge? I've started a few of them in the past but didn't manage to stick with them, will try harder this time.

M : Mantra - "Live in the Spirit of the Season" - I have an ill 8 month old at the moment so stuck in the house but the weather looked great (at times!) these last few days. I'm sure I'll enjoy it when I get back out.
U : Use it or Lose it - I have two library books out for reading at the moment and another two ready for collection. I'll try and get through them this month plus finish the book I'm currently reading on my kindle at the moment. I also want to use my George Foreman grill and slow cooker that I purchased last month, have a habit of buying kitchen gadgets then not using them. Will aim at using at least one of them once a week, started today by making a frittata in the slow cooker (yes I'm that lazy).
Debt free date - Never written it down before just had the date in my head but I'm committing to the 31/12/20. I've four credit cards and aiming to pay off one a year (starting this year).
Debt/Savings first - I'll commit to putting any extra money I make this month into a separate bank account to make an additional payment to the credit card at the end of the month. Have already transferred over £50.76 today, £33.36 from a refund and £17.40 which was the cost of a cinema subscription I cancelled last month.
Y: Your budget - All done, anything leftover will go to debt/savings at the end of the month.
M: Monitor Goals - Will update my spreadsheets as usual in addition to reporting my progress here.
A: Avoid Takeaways - I do love my Saturday night takeaway but have started meal planning for the first time this month so it's a good time to ditch the takeaways.
R: Remember those in need - Will search for somewhere where I can donate unused nappies.
C: Cupboard Audit - I tend only to buy for the current week, so my cupboards are usually quite bare.
H: Help - Will holler if I need a hand.
M: Mistakes - There are no mistakes in life, there are only lessons to be learned!.
A: Avoid Temptation - Will try my hardest.
R: Repairs - Need to arrange for someone to check out my leaky shower.
A: Attend regularly - Will do.
T: Try to follow the rules - Try I shall!
H: Health - Need to eat more fruit/veg and less junk. Oh and drink more water. My gallstones have been giving me a bit of pain again.
O: Outside - Will walk to where I'm going as much as possible.
N: NSDs - 10 is the target more will be nice. Had my 1st one today.

The_Only_Girl

NST: MUDDY MARCH MARATHON

M March - March has already given us a bit of a shaky start with a few things going wrong - as always it came in threes! DS2 managed to break the only surviving apple charger in the house, I spilled a whole bottle of juice in my work bag, making it unsalvagable (I will still try to repair it this weekend when I am a bit less busy) and the expected water rates break didn't happen (on the positive side it is much lower than we used to). But as a Turtle, I will not let this few shaky starts get me down.

U Use it or Lose it - Decluttering will start this weekend. Our church scout group is running a fund raising activity at the end of the month so everything we could donate to raise funds from them will be much appreciated by the group and it will be a good cause.

D Debt Free Date - As we have been debt free already, our focus is on building the 3-6 months emergency fund which we are hoping to achieve this year. We are currently on 78%.. There's also a few projects in the pipeline hopefully to start in the spring or summer.

D Debt or Savings First We love by Warren Buffet's words of wisdom, “DO NOT SAVE WHAT IS LEFT AFTER SPENDING, BUT SPEND WHAT IS LEFT AFTER SAVING.”

Y You will set all your BUDGETS The budget has been set and ready to go. Cash envelopes have been filled and most of the direct debits have gone out. We revisit the budget and balances once and twice a week to make sure we are still on track.

M Monitor Your Goals. - The goals this month are as follows: 1) stay within budget or live below our means that so we could add some more amount to the EF 2) exercise once or twice a week 3) lose one pound a week.

A Avoid takeaways, - We have been doing well with Lunches To Work but still have one or two take aways a month. We'll try to cut it down by half or not completely avoid it.

R Remember those in Need. £20 has been already allocated for the food bank (we have our own food bank in the church and they will doing a big collection this weekend,)

C Cupboard audit (+ fridge and freezer), The fridge, freezer and cupboards are a bit sparse at the minute but we try and plan our meals around the YS shoppings that I do twice or thrice a week. We are hoping to cut down the food budget by £10 a week.

H HELP and Advice - I feel so lucky to belong to a very supportive and welcoming group here on MSE.

M Mistakes. Two of my favourite quotes on Mistakes: "A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new." (Albert Einstein) "The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." (Henry Ford)

A Avoid temptation. My mum used to say to us kids, "don't go where the angels fear to tread." As a recovering shopaholic, I have found it extremely useful in curbing my impulse buying tendencies by not going to shops and malls, unless I really have to and if and when I do need to go, I go with a plan or a shopping list. I'm in then I'm out as soon as I am done.

R Repairs - Like you mothernerd, learning how to sew has been very handy for saving money. Majority of my work and church clothes are handmade by myself, half of which are recycled, refashioned or made from fabrics given to me by friends or wombled in our sewing class. Last week when I went to the clothes shop to buy my work trousers (I haven't learned how to sew them yet) I saw some nice tops and dresses that In the past I would have bought on impulse and out on my credit card. Now I look them, and I think "I could make that, or I have a pattern for that," and walk past.

A Attend regularly. I will try my very best to post my updates everyday.

T Try to follow the rules. . Will do my best.

H Health. Another important facet of the turtle gang. . As stated above, one of my goals is to maintain a good exercise regime, be more mindful f what I eat and try to eat more vegetables and fruit, have adequate sleep and lose a pound a week.

O Outside. . I am not naturally an outdoor type and neither is my hubby. Will try to get out more and enjoy the (hopefully) warmer weather.

N No Spend Days. . I am aiming for 15 NSD's this month.

The_Only_Girl

I was on my way to the fabric/craft shop to buy buttons for my sewing project for my sewing class (I am making a long sleeved shirt for my hubby), but I decided to cancel the trip as the traffic seemed horrendous and I didn't want to spend my allowance. It saved me at least £1 for the buttons and the cost of petrol. When I got to class, one of my friends in the class said she'd give me the buttons that I need as she has loads of them in her house. Another friend gave a me a brand new pattern worth at least £5.

Moll

Count me in again please

Lauralozzle

Morning Turtles

I am going back to work today after my dodgy stomach so up fairly early to get ready. Yesterday was a NSD and I'm hoping today will also be a NSD. I just want to get to work, do my work and go. I'm feeling better but still not 100% but I can't really have anymore days off so I'm trudging through it, however tired I may feel.

ChasingSunshine

Yesterday ended up being a NSD as had forgotten to bring out any money or cards. Thankfully realised that before filling the car, could have been embarrassing. Hoping today will be NSD too as won't need car again until the weekend and have to wait until Monday to buy my tickets for the dinner.

Today I am grateful for waking up to a lovely text from a friend, great nights sleep for first time in ages, being up and about very early (for me) so have time to have breakfast and catch up with myself

SpekySquarehead

As expected, yesterday was a NSD.

Late night in work meant i couldn't prep my lunch, so today won't be NSD.

Stag weekend starting tomorrow, so Friday - Sunday won't have any NSD's either. Probably leave me skint, so the rest of next week might have to be!

Have a nice weekend all.