Bonfires and fireworks - NST November challenge

Toni'sfriend

NSDs- NSD 2/12.

Organise!-Goodness. I’m shattered! Moved most of what needed putting back in it’s proper place and the food cupboard is looking so tidy. Just don’t know what to do with all the jars of chutney, etc that C has bought over the years and has secreted under other things. We have jars that he has no recollection of buying. Good news is that the boy has conceded that he has drawers full of clothes that he will never again wear and they have to go. Promised that he’s going to build two bookcases he bought years ago this weekend so he can sort out his DVDs and computer games. I’m not holding my breath but I’ve told him I’m not helping him move anything until he does. Done all the washing and amazingly it’s still outside drying. Made a curry for tomorrow and chicken for tonight from freezer.

Value for money!- Haven’t bought anything today.

Exercise!- Moving everything back? Doesn’t really count, does it?

Mental health!-Feeling quite positive really.

Be Christmas ready!- Still abandoned for the moment

Eat well!- No too bad today

Gratitudes – Things looking a bit more normal.
Visit from the teensies next door (they always make me laugh!)
A better night’s sleep.
The lady from the council saying we could have a little towards decoration following the installation. It’s only £75.00 but it’s unexpected.

I just want to say I am amazed at the things that you all do - looking after children and parents whilst working and volunteering for charities etc. You are such good people. Wish there were more like you.

Pauper1

NSDs- Yesterday ended up *not* being a NSD as I bought some Christmas presents and booked DS's birthday trampolining. Darn it. Today also wasn't as I bought some groceries. I doubt the weekend will be as it NEVER is, but we can live in hope. I might claw some back somewhere...

Organise - Groceries £10.48/£200. Petrol £0/£150.

Value for money - I'm torn on this one as I popped in to c0-op which isn't the cheapest, but to go anywhere else I'd have had to take the bus which is £3.70, which wasn't worth it for such a small shop. I think it just comes down to being more organised.

Exercise - walked to the park with a mum chum, then spent an hour or so chasing after the toddlers and walked home, via the shop.
Week 1 2/4

Mental health - struggling again today. Not as bad as last week but there's just too much going on and I feel like I'm shutting down a bit. I didn't do the washing up before we left today and I've done no housework at all. DH wanted to go out for the day tomorrow as my birthday treat, but I think I'd just like to get some house bits done and then see how I feel on Sunday.

Be Christmas ready - bought a couple of advent bits for DS, and got another two people ticked off our list yesterday. I'm going to get a couple more advent things this evening I think.

Eat well - too.many.carbs.

Report - goodness, this is hard today... I'm grateful for a handy dad who will be able to sort our mould problem. I'm grateful for getting out on a playdate for the first time in forever (even though I really didn't want to and was probably hideous company), and I'm grateful for it being the weekend.

DawnW

Evening all
Checking in 3/30

NSDs - 2/12, nothing spent today

Organise - Decided to tidy the front garden this morning. Looks much better now

Value for money - Not bought anything today

Exercise - gardening this morning, walked a couple of miles with the dog this afternoon

Mental health - After struggling yesterday, and not sleeping well last night, the exercise has definitely helped! A bit worried about DS atm, he has had to give up his job as he wasn't coping, and is also dealing with a marriage break up

Be Christmas ready - Can't think of anything today

Eat well - Not bad today, all HM meals as usual, but no naughty snacks and no wine

Grateful for - seeing a friend who popped in for a cup of tea this morning. Haven't seen her for 2 years as she lives abroad. Lovely surprise
A nice day for walking
Warm toasty chair by the wood stove this evening

DebtFreeDuo

Day 3

NSD: 2/18
Food: 44.95/£100
Exercise: 10k Steps - 3/20
Cycling - 0/10
Study 1 hour: 2/25
Clear out: 11/30
Extra income: £30.30/£100
SB daily goal: 3/30

Today has been very spendy, stocked up the freezer a little so I'm hoping I won't need any meat/fish for a couple of weeks at least. Haven't studied yet today, hoping I will this evening but I haven't included it above just incase I don't. Had some sales come through for a total of £25.30 after fees which I have potted.

Today I am grateful for finding the motivation to get on the treadmill this morning, for having had the whole week off uni (even if I do have tons to do) and for it being friday (movie night in our household).

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for getting out with dh, for a good chat about plans for summer 2018, for taking a bag to the Sally Army, for awesome bus connections both ways (unheard of, hence why I'm mentioning it!), for dd's teacher being back at school, for a yummy tea, for watching an awesome firework display - we were hanging out of the upstairs windows just to be able to see most of it, for a good chat with big sis, for a plan for next weekend, for a friend offering to lend us a metal bin so we can burn some stuff.

ilovetea

Another NSD.:j
2 so far. Said I had spent £60 with mr.T ,got £6 refund today on things I'd ordered wrong. Didn't really want 4 lots of grapes!
Ate fairly well.Still eating chicken I cooked on Wednesday.Hope to finish it tomorrow. Listed a few more bits on e bay so maybe a few extra pennies coming in.
Did some knitting,very calming but I can't find my sewing up needle. Know if I goand buy one it will turn up. Also did some diamond painting.Calming but addictive.
Haven't got round to organiising anything. Maybe tomorrow.

ilovetea xx

Kerry_Woman

Day 3
Was a spend day. Spends have been put into notebook.
Organise - Did a list of what I had to do and started one for tomorrow. Did pop into M&S on way home from work, brought a couple of food items. Saved me doing this tomorrow.
Mental health - Started a Christian book/study guide about thoughts, mood. Hopefully it will help me to improve my thoughts to being more positive. It is the 2nd book from the same Christian woman who teaches/preaches that I have. Already read the 1st book.
Value for money - Had a 50p off bakery produce in c0-0p. Got 2 apple Danish which was reduced and with the voucher it only cost 16p.
Grateful for:
It being Friday.
Payday.
Mum and I chilling out this evening. Both enjoying drinking some brandy.

Timetopullmysocksup

Hey youuuu guys (there really should be a chunk smiley:rotfl:)

Going to post for yesterday first then again for today.

NSDs - 1/18

Organise - sorted out the boot of the car and made sure there was de icer, anti freeze etc in there (topped up from my stash in the shed)

Value for money - very low budget for Christmas this year means each present really must be value for money

Exercise - moving swiftly on...

Mental health - pretending I work in the Bahamas is normal right? (it gets me through the day)

Be Christmas ready - I have decided to do my daughter an advent calendar with 24 very small gifts and one main one this year. Will start this off tomorrow.

Eat well - If you don't count the cookie no one saw me stick in my mouth at lunchtime then yes.

Today

NSDs - still 1/18 as its Friday and my little payday. As I said before I budget and pay myself weekly and this keeps me on track. I have spent £20 of a £50 grocery budget and that includes a couple of small things for daughters advent. I actually spent dead on £20, I am THAT good :rotfl:

Organise - I have done next weeks meal plan and Sundays fresh shopping list so I know what to get to add to the meals I'm having.

Value for money - me, I'm value for money, well at least thats what I told my boss today when he asked for a coffee and I told him to stick a broom up my trump tower while hes at it

Exercise - if I move more swiftly on from this than yesterday does that count as exercise as in theory i have increased my pace. So a big fat 0/30

Mental health - Watched Russell Howard last night and he showed a clip of someone playing La Bamba over a white supremacists speech and it was very difficult not to laugh as it totally undermined the speech which was great imo so I though I would adopt the same tactic at work and the minute someone who was annoying started talking I'm Ritchie Valens in full swing in my head. I know what your thinking but im not mad honestly.

Be Christmas ready - I have located my reusable advent so I can get each item wrapped and stuffed in its pocket as I go along.

Eat well - I did. Anyone tried the Fiber One squares? oooh they are delish.

I am thankful that there is a question called eat well and I am in a fortunate enough position to not have to answer 'didnt eat at all'.

mothernerd

Just got back from mum's and read to catch up. Finished 3 sets of cardboard drawers yesterday, one left to do (needed to find the other pads of paper as I was using up one with not much left in). Making them fit for a few more years duty has saved about £40 - haven't found anyone selling them and plastic alternative would have cost £60. Also took all the ripped insides from my old expanding file and used it to store card stock. Hoping I can re-use the ribbon I wrapped round the stock pot handles to make it more cauldron like and suspend the card file from the side of the shelves using an over door hook (bought several weeks ago).

Took a bit of shopping to mum's (I have only spent my money on 1 day so far) and dug out another 3 buried edging stones. The ones I cleaned earlier in the week are looking good. More outdoor work to do but I will do it one little bit at a time. Someone else has been given the job of buying more fence paint - they do their big supermarket shop facing the diy store and can put it in the boot.

Tried to do a bit of sewing but fell asleep after a quarter of a snowflake. Made tea, read for a bit and watched a film. I have measured a cupboard, rearranged the toilet rolls and toiletries and done a stock take of mum's food cupboards, fridge and freezer. Not sure if it will be an on-line order but will stock up on tins, cheese and cooked meat plus milk and bread (again).

More room and kitchen cleaning anf organising this weekend but lots of reading and sewing too.

Today I am grateful for helpful taxi drivers (he offered to carry some of my bags and nearly collapsed under the weight of the rucksack), a shop assistant who beckoned me over to an empty till and DS3 (it's the anniversary of our accident and I always worry until the day is over).

DancingDragons

Excuse me for arriving late. I’ve been super inspired by Octobers challenges and little successes that I spent my spare time of the last couple of days sorting for Ebay, and game trades. The aim is to raise enough to pay for a replacement lounge carpet so I don’t have to hit the CC with it.
I didn’t get to say thank you to Mothernerd for being so awesome last month and doing some excellent motivationals.:T So I’ll say THANK YOU now.
I realise too, that this whole NSD is harder than it looks. So my target is a sensible 10. I’ve DD2’s Bday this month, most of which is covered now.
Eat Well. I like this one. I still follow a lot of SW plans, though I don’t go to group anymore. it’s not just about what I eat. I noticed my mood improves MASSIVELY if I get to the gym and set loose the endorphins. But DD1 has my sweet tooth and I treat her to all the wrong things. So this month to make sure everyone eats well, I’ll be buying less junk, and switching to Organic where poss, and loose rather than plastic packed too. Still need to get more omega3s in, and B12 so want to up the fish.
Mental Health: Becoming an NST has been a HUGE lifeboat for my MH – just keeping track of the achievements I realise I’m making progress where I want, even if it is baby steps in places. Exercise is also tied into how I feel about myself so I committed to gym membership, the cheapest option gets me free swims with the kids too. So one of my aims is to get there 3 times a week.:eek:
Value for money: This is good too, thank you misstara. :T

In an attempt to reduce fuel & increase exercise we’ve altered the school run to include some walking. This week coming will be the first full week.

Getting organised. Now have a notebook, with sections for food planning, shopping and organising crazy things. I have plenty of old part used ones kicking around, but have left it in a handy place for constant updates.

Groceries PW 80.00/£75.61
Petrol PW £25.00/£00.00
NSD 0/10
Exercise PW 0/3
Monthly Social inc extra fuel: 50.00
Half School run: 0/5
DD1 School Dinners Monthly 0/£45
Extra Income: Quidco 35.01 +10% switched to Amazon Gift Card. Game Trade-ins as voucher 18.00 Carpet Fund: £0
Eat Well: Batch made Veg Soup in slow cooker, frozen spare.
Christmas. Planning to start wrapping soon& Value for Money: Snagged a toy for nearly ½ price. Helped mum to pick up a second hand bike in nearly new condition for DD2.
DD2 Birthday: Tomorrow we are starting to craft the Poppy Popcorn party bags. I picked up some Blox boxes at 25p a few weeks back, we’ve sweets and what not, but the popcorn bags need faces. Bring on the PritStick.