NST - Amazing Aperire

Toni'sfriend

It was a beautiful day yesterday as it is today, Walked into town along the river (about 5 miles). It was lovely. Lots of blossom on the trees, spring flowers and wildlife. Had a walk through a market. I do love markets and we don't often get them here.Had some lunch and got the bus back home. C was up very early, as he usually is, and there was a duck waddling around the communal back garden. I don't know where it came from as there is no water nearby, One of the neighbours said it waddled into her house as she'd left her door open:)
CCL = Hope you're feeling a bit better today.
Have a nice Sunday

Lauralozzle

Sorry,

I've been quiet. Still decorating!!!

Wednesday and Thursday were spendy days. Friday was a NSD so I'm at 10/16. Hopefully today will be one too. Yesterday was spendy as went out with friends for drinks.

Hall way is now painted and first undercoat has gone on all the woodwork skirting boards, stairs and banister, nine doors and door frames. Hopefully it'll be finished next week!

At work tomorrow but then I've got the rest of the week off although Tuesday and Wednesday are already called for as I have funeral to attend.

crazy_cat_lady

Feeling loads better today thanks Toni'sfriend. Just trying to relax and enjoy a last day before going back to work and school tomorrow. Much as I love my job it's always tough going back after time off.
Been to visit my mam for a good catch up and a free feed - and now I'm home I can declare a nsd as well as I won't be leaving the house again today.

SkintTeacher

Crazy-cat-lady, yep always tricky going back. I've kept my mind off it with a play date for the little one and two gym visits today (the second purely to kill time so I didn't start stressing about the imminent return to work).
Money is going well, not really spent excessively this holiday and all within budget - May is another month and I can't believe that all my new year targets are still being achieved. I've never ever managed to keep anything up this long and I am really proud of myself. My savings pots are on target and I'm hoping to be able to think about things like overpayment on the mortgage and my pension next year. By then I should have the magic '3 months emergency pot' which was one of my aims for the year. It's frustrating that you can't save any quicker than pay packet by pay packet but such is life...

I'm rambling a bit, I realise... sorry!

ilovetea

Sorry I've been mia. No excuses.
Spent £14.87 on Tuesday on fruit and veg and £4.06 on a few bits and pieces yesterday. Up to 17 NSD now.
The weather here has been lovely,feeling envious of all the people who have gardens.Would love to have a potter about.

ilovetea xx

abundant1972

Evening folks

Today I am grateful for:

• A lovely drive in the sunshine
• For the new nature walk I did with my friend
• For a peaceful and restful evening

Yesterday = NSD number 11
Today = spend day as ran out of milk.

Just a week until pay day! I am planning a spend free week if I can. Going to do some batch cooking this evening, and then I'm good to go for the week! Have a great evening all!

Eager_Elephant

Glad to see people have had good weekends (except CCL with her illness).

I did allotment stuff yesterday in the morning and then visited relative in the afternoon followed by shopping for supplies for today.

Today we did a bit of allotment work and then the rest of the day was board games - it was a really good laugh and DH brought Indian for tea so I didn't have to cook.

Not counting today as a NSD even though DH and I keep separate finances.

Eager_Elephant

Tomorrow we enter the last week of April - can we all double check the rules and the goals we set for the month and see how we are getting on?

If you are low on NSD's could you plan what you need for the whole week and get all shopping/spending money out of the way on one day?

Has everyone redone their budgets? If not could you have a look at them this week ready for 1st May?

Have we all met up with friends/relatives? If not can you make contact this week even if you don't meet up until after April?

Hopefully people have taken the time to rest and relax - if you haven't spend some time this week just on you and no one else.

How are people's gardens coming along?
I don't think the weather is going to be too good this week but if it is nice where you are could you get out in the garden even if its just a quick tidy round?
If you are planning to grow fruit/veg could you start any seeds off or buy some seedlings?

Hope everyone has a fab final week of April. I am so proud of you all for staying with me throughout April.

I think we had a volunteer for May but can't remember who it is...

greent

Update on my 'progress'

Aim – for at least 16 NSD’s (unless you want to set your own). - - I will monitor, but am not setting a target - as long as I stay in budget I am not fussed too much on NSDs. surprisingly on 12, with more expected this week

Plan – it’s a new financial year, everyone needs to write a new budget taking into account increases in bills. - we have an instant access savings account where monthly budget amounts for things go (eg: water, car tax/ mot etc) and then the bills are paid from here as they come in. Have today revised some of the amounts transferring across each month in view of expected increases.
Our first OP to the BTL mtge (int only) will be going out this month - have waited for the start of the new tax year. DONE
In April I do need to check out energy suppliers (our fix comes to an end 30th April) and look for a new deal - and also car insurance (both cars due 1st May)Energy transferred to new supplier. Car insurances a priority this week
Some budgets:
Food £500 - increasing due to extra people - 2 hungry teenagers for the full 2 week break (DD + bf home from uni), plus it's the Easter break (more snacks, usually) and DS1's 17th bday. well within! Even if I added the takeaways in we'd still be well under (not sure how?!
Fuel (me only - OH's covered by expenses) - £60 (full tank) -none spent so far
Gifts - excluding DS1's bday - £50 - £0 so far
Debts - repaying Sainz loan in full by Monday, so the only other payments due out will be £302 (OH's car) + £150 (tax credit op) - both by DD. Extra monies will now be saved towards car debt - new instant access account opened specifically for this purpose - sto set up for 2/3 of Sains loan pymt amount (keeping other 1/3rd at mo for DS1's bday and to ensure school residential trips are fully paid for) Sains loan repaid in full. £600 saved towards car
Will be looking to make extra money again (Mar quite successful with over a dozen fleebay sales, a facebook sale for £30, Ziffit of c £7, a customer service payment of £30 after making a complaint, £15 in high street vouchers from a product trial, being asked to go back on RM Survey (free stamps each month - use them for fleebay post) and several claims of payable cashback from quidc0 and tcb - oh - and £350 in total from jobs 2 & 3 I do not expect this to be the same in Apr, but hopefully a few more fleebay sales and more RM stamps at the very least - oh, and a bit of pay from job 2 (no hours worked for job 3)quite a few fleebay sales - and have been using free RM survey stamps for ones posted at PO


Rest – make some time for yourself this month to just rest and recuperate. - - am not making ambitious plans for Easter break, to ensure rested (suffering with chesty cough thing atm) Hopefully more reading (7 books read in March, another started tonight) and some pottering in gardenNothing challenging done and chest much better - will start Zumba and c25k again this week

Invite – I would like everyone to arrange to meet up with family/friends this month. - meeting cousin and her kids on Sun (1st) - out for afternoon tea with mum & aunt on 8th and will def arrange to see sis in hols (she's a teacher) all done :T

Love – I want everyone to love their garden this month.
- will plant seeds in Easter break (start off sunflowers and pumpkins with children) - lots of salad leaves and nasturtiums. Need to weed flower beds and add some compost from bins to them. Strawberry bed needs some attention, too. Patio needs cleaning (may be ambitious to try for that) and fence painting.... I have £45 in vouchers to spend at local GC, so plenty available for some new plants [/QUOTE] -OH bought 450 tiny plants on a Grooopon deal, so I have potted all of those on (all flowers) Sunflower seeds sown and lettuce leaves also sown (although packs were v out of date) Will aim for pumpkins and nasturtiums this week


Not too bad overall.

Not a NSD today - trips to Tesc0 and A5da - sig updated.

ETA:
Grateful for:
* getting 450 tiny seedlings potted along
* watching a chaffinch in the garden
* a fantastic night's sleep - meaning I was fully rested and wide awake before 6am
* using things up
* 'shopping' from the loft for clothes for DS3

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for a chilled day with dd, for watching The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with dd - awesome film, for getting more done on my knitted (blue) gingerbread wedding couple, for a long chat with big sis, for a brief chat with dh to sort out my next visit to mum's, for cherry blossom carpets, for my 12k kettlebell, for watching the marathon, for making something out of not much for lunch, for the robins playing in the garden.