NST December: Debt Destruction December

Lauralozzle

Still haven’t managed a NSD yet as we went shopping. 8 selection boxes for Christmas have been purchased from Home Bargains. It’s all I can afford to get my nieces/nephews and it came out of the grocery budget so we are trying to be careful with what food we actually buy. Also got some more dishwasher tablets and shampoo. Our biggest spend was there at £35 but it’s also a big portion of the Christmas list.

Topped up on veg at Aldi - spent an extra £25 there and got some great yellow sticker bargains at Asda:

Salmon - 40p
Coley fish - 40p
Cod - 30p
2 loaves of fresh bread - 20p
3 packets of seeded rolls- 45p (15p each)

So we decided to treat ourselves to some nice pate and cheese. Spent £10. Got loads. Bargain.

Grocery budget is now at £87.41 (ish) will know 100% when yesterday’s shop at Coop shows up on online banking as OH can’t remember how much he spent. So £15 is guesstimated for now.

I’m feeling very MSE at the moment. Had toad in the hole for dinner yesterday - left out some sausages which I’ve put in the stuffing for today’s dinner. The packet says it makes 5 stuffing balls but with the extra sausage meat, an extra onion and an egg (to bind it all properly) I’ve made 19 stuffing balls! Will cook them and freeze the leftovers.

I’m also going to make Yorkshire pudding and freeze leftovers.

I’m roasting a chicken for dinner so will use leftovers to make 2 individual pies and use up some mushrooms from the fridge for tomorrow’s dinner. Will also take out some pastry from the freezer!

I’ve still got to sort out lunches though. Not sure if I should parsnip soup or leek and potato? Will go lovely with the 15p rolls!

Managed to spend 20 mins in the garden today sweeping up leaves. I’m glad it hasn’t rained again.

Today I’m grateful for: yellow sticker finds, enough food to last all week, the weather, this forum for keeping me motivated!

greent

Hope you feel better soon, foxholes!

NSDs 1

Lunches taken/ prepped at home cheese and tomato toastie for lunch (in our 28yo toastie maker - which was a free gift for opening up a catalogue account )

Debt destruction: Aiming for DFD (exc BTL mtge) of 10/18
Exterminate Facebook gone from phone - did put it back on today for adding pics to listings - off again now. Thought that was acceptable as it was a productive use of it, rather than just aimlessly wasting time!

Clear up, clean up and take control. Clear space by removing 31 items - 6/31 so far (14 bundles of items listed on flebay today) Clean up your way of talking to yourself. Let yourself sparkle. Take control of your finances, your time, your habits, and your health. -
Explore your local area – get out and walk
Mental health.. Do something every day this month that makes you feel good: Write down 4 gratitudes each day.
Actually getting the things listed on flebay made me feel good, tbh - have been procrastinating about it for far too long!
* YS bakery goodies from yesterday being eaten today - yum!
* DS1 getting his promotion this weekend at cadet camp
* what5app fun 'chat' with DD
* Ga1axy hot chocolate with whipped cream - drool...
* a warm house

Budget EVERYTHING
Food 33.01/450 - small spend @tesc0 today for some lunch bits
Social £120
Gifts £125
Fuel 50/65
Make extra money 14.86/50
Evaluate (Done) Now to 2018: (targets set)
Remember to do

Toni'sfriend

Apologies wifi a bit dodgy here but everything going to plan so far. Delivery of basics came from Tesco this morning (much cheaper than the very nice but expensive local supermarket), bought fruit and vegetables at the market yesterday and have some nice meals planned using produce from the local butcher.
Will check in when I can.

worklifebalance

Had a pretty quiet day yesterday. OH has man flu and 1 dog has a sore leg so a quiet day was needed but did manage to do bits around the house in between watching rugby.NSD 1

Today was a busy day as I volunteer at an animal shelter. Stopped off on the way home for milk and new Xmas trees. Got 2 young dogs this year so necessary purchase so they fit on our window sills. Still got housework and my own animals to sort so that's the plan for this evening

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for bus apps that help to plan journeys to new venues, for a lift home from being out, for dh getting lunch ready, for dd and I sorting through 2 boxes of bits and bobs, for dd starting on decorating her tree, for finishing off some crafting tasks, for getting the go ahead for a charity collection at work.

Kerry_Woman

Day 3
Thanks everyone for the lovely messages. Much appreciated.
NSD - 2/15
Did not venture out today. Caught up with sleep. Did a small bit of sorting out thing early in the morning when I got up about 3am. Did go back to sleep and got up at 10.30am Went back this afternoon for a couple of hours. Feel a bit more rested.
Will try and sort out things for the challenge later this week hopefully.
Grateful for:
Being in contact with brother, sister, nephew, 2 of my nieces and brother in law today.
Being in contact with some friends.
Getting some rest and sleep.
Quick and easy food to have to eat today.
Lovely messages on this thread.
Catching up with a few episodes of Murder She Wrote. My Mummy always loved this programme and said who did the murder early on in the programme. We have seen all of the episodes many times over. Will be carrying on watching the programme as I also love watching it.

BadBookkeeper

Day 3 #19 Checking on....
Debt plan - NSD 1/15 (if charity donation doesn't spoil it). I am staggered by how much I spend without thinking yesterday added £35 my spending that I hadn't budgeted for but were necessary (IMO). Need to work this into my budget. We did receive an unexpected refund due to the married tax allowance of £226 this will help straighten me out and even pay more off debt this month.
Exterminate - Not using fb but now browsing online which is tempting to spend so need to make better use of my chill out time.
Clear Up - 2 pairs of DS unworn outgrown shoes given to a friend. A few compliments received on my haircut/outfit/weight loss so feeling good!?
Explore - A local big house had a charity Christmas light switch on. We walked up and were invited inside the house all decorated beautifully.
Mental Health - I've noticed I'm getting more forgetful hoping its just because I've got so much going on but think it might actually be too much. A chance comment by a school mum made me realise I nearly was going to the wrong concert tomorrow! So unlike me usually very organised and double check the details.
Budget - I'm not sticking to my already tight budget luckily have an unexpected cheque but that won't happen every month.
Evaluate -Make the most of DS being young. Also need to think about a possible trip to Oz in 2018. DH grandad is looking frail.
Remember - Donation to MIND charity at light switch on of £2

laurenh1

Hope everyone's had a good weekend.

I have 147 quid in the budget until 22nd plus a tenner my brother owes me and a tenner in my purse so 167 pound. Separate budget for Edinburgh. Ill update every time I spend:) need to keep to budget.

Will have a fortune if tax free childcare ever pay their due haha!! :mad:;)

DancingDragons

Kerry Woman, I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you have others around you to share memories with.

Reporting in,

Clear up: Bag load of books to the CS. Tat in the bin. Some bits to relist too.
Explore: Nope. Unless you count walking around a pub car park, and bird watching?
Spending plans formatted to excel sheet.
Yesterday was NSD, today I caved in to YS bargains.
House is now competing with Blackpool Illuminations; tree’s up, as well as the ones in the kids rooms, and the rest of the house! Discovered my sister won’t make it up for Christmas. This upset mum and will tarnish the festive period. Also discovered that a planned holiday next year is about to fall through, it was the main present for Christmas, so A: we are financially better off B: Another smudge on Christmas.
Very pleased with past me, who had the spendwithall to buy stuff in the post Christmas sales, and stuff them in the Christmas decorations boxes. Kids were well pleased to find make your own stuff, it’s filled up plans for the coming weekends.
Tomorrow I need to take mum to dentist, get to the gym, I plan to make some quiche with leftovers.



Everyone seems to be off to York, lovely place for Christmas

apple_muncher

BBK - you keep your NSD as your only spend was a donation to charity.

Kerry Woman - glad to hear you had some sleep. I love Murder she wrote too - the baddies are so obvious!