NST February A FOREST ADVENTURE

WelshKitty85

Always pay to debts or savings first DONE

First of February until the 28th, inclusive. All turtles commit to following the rules.

Organise your budgets before the start of the month and stick to them. WORKING ON THEM AS WE SPEAK

Reserve a small portion of your budget (cash or goods) for the food bank or charity of your choice. DONATION DONE TO THE WALES AIR AMBULANCE

Environment Be aware of your surroundings and use all your senses. Be alert to danger but also to beauty.

Stock take your cupboards, fridge and freezer. Base your meal plan upon them and your shopping list on what is needed. Stick to your list.

Takeaways are forbidden (unless as part of family entertainment night/ birthday choice). Coffee shops, vending machines, works canteens etc are also banned (pastoral exceptions). FAKEAWAYS ARE THE PLAN - HUGE BATCH OF CURRIES IN THE FREEZER AND NAAN BREAD PROVING AWAY IN THE KITCHEN.

Always take your lunch to work and snacks and drinks for outings or appointments (may excuse one trip with children or allow ice creams etc if part of the experience).

Do something different. If nothing changes, nothing changes. I'VE JUST TAKEN UP YOGA (USING FREE ONLINE VIDS) TO HOPEFULLY HELP IMPROVED BOTH MY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

Valentine Who? We will not be celebrating commercialism or bad taste. Do your own thing. Practice kindness to all and don't forget yourself. Treat yourself kindly, like a friend or someone you love and care about. Smile, hug, say hello (I understand these things are culturally unacceptable in London and some southern regions - try to change it but don't get arrested or committed). Small gestures of kindness may make someone else's day.

Exercise 5 times a week please. I'M DOING YOGA DAILY AT THE MOMENT, PLUS PLENTY OF WALKS WITH BABY IN THE PRAM WHEN WEATHER ALLOWS

NSDs are staying at 18 this month.

Throw[/B] it away. HAD A HUGE DECLUTTED BEFORE WE MOVED HOUSE, BUT STILL WORKING THROUGH THE MOUNDS OF STUFF TO SELL AND TRYING TO LIST BABY THINGS FOR SALE AS SOON AS HE OUTGROWS THEM

Use what you have. Fix something (for free if possible). Make something from a cardboard box (ideas for half term).

Refuel properly. You ask a lot of your body, give it the fuel that it needs - healthy food, water, a reasonable amount of sleep. Refuel your mind and spirit by taking time to relax and rewind. MAKING AN EFFORT TO DRINK MORE WATER AND EAT LESS SUGAR

Elephants and Frogs. THERE'S LOADS OF THESE BUT WE'LL START WITH COMPLETING THE PAPERWORK TO THE OMBUDSMAN FOLLOWING AN UNRESOLVED COMPLAINT AGAINST OUR ESTATE AGENT. DON'T KNOW IF IT COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN SOME COMPENSATION BUT IT'S MORE THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER

WelshKitty85

laurenh1 wrote: »

WelshKitty Congrats on your new bundle, little boys are so loving . Tesco clubcard vouchers are due to arrive on the 3rd, if you could boost them for your meal

Thank you. Not got much in Clubcard points as we used them for the Moses basket, but you reminded me to check my nectar points and we have £15 worth of pizza express vouchers, so that could be an option

greent

THE RULES
Always pay to debts or savings first, live on what is left. - car & 0% CCs on direct debit. Once kitchen/ workmen fully paid for this month we will know what (if any!) we have left and that can go to OH's 0% CC. Any extra monies will also go there

First of February until the 28th, inclusive. All turtles commit to following the rules.

Organise your budgets before the start of the month and stick to them.
* Food - 3.72/450 - slightly more than usual this month as underspent in Jan where I was ill and OH did minimal shopping. Freezer and cupboards quite empty. We also currently have no kitchen (just a fridge freezer in there!) so meals are a little challenging for a few more days - some convenience meals in freezer Plan was to batch cook before old kitchen removed but have been too ill.
* Diesel (me) - 0/65
* Toiletries - 0/10
* Clothing - 0/100 (DS1 desperately in need of new jeans)
* Social - 0/50
* Half term - 0/75
* Money in - 0/50

Reserve a small portion of your budget (cash or goods) for the food bank or charity of your choice. - ok

Environment Be aware of your surroundings and use all your senses. Be alert to danger but also to beauty.

Stock take your cupboards, fridge and freezer. Base your meal plan upon them and your shopping list on what is needed. Stick to your list. - desperately in need to top up supplies once kitchen is in!

Takeaways are forbidden (unless as part of family entertainment night/ birthday choice). Coffee shops, vending machines, works canteens etc are also banned (pastoral exceptions). may have family takeaway as social if budget unspent elsewhere

Always take your lunch to work and snacks and drinks for outings or appointments (may excuse one trip with children or allow ice creams etc if part of the experience). - have half term budget- will take lunches if applicable but something like ice creams may fall into budget here

Do something different. If nothing changes, nothing changes. We want to see small positive changes which become habits and then just part of who you are. Pick 2 or 3 things you want to change. Start with one small change and after five successful days, add another.

Valentine Who? We will not be celebrating commercialism or bad taste. Do your own thing. Practice kindness to all and don't forget yourself. Treat yourself kindly, like a friend or someone you love and care about. Smile, hug, say hello (I understand these things are culturally unacceptable in London and some southern regions - try to change it but don't get arrested or committed). Small gestures of kindness may make someone else's day. - after 30+ years together we don't really do Val now (although I may buy some of the flowers for myself afterwards if they have been reduced

Exercise 5 times a week please. It should be commensurate with your abilities and current state of health (be careful after flu/ viruses). Getting outside helps with mental health too. - 3 weeks into flu/ post flu chesty cough/ fatigue/ poor breathing. Not doing any cv exercise until much better.

NSDs are staying at 18 this month. that is still 10 days available for necessary shopping. There would be far fewer opportunities in the forest. Exceptions for medical care, petrol (should be within budget), bus fares, ys bargains and milk for greent. Although 0/18 - OH nipped to shop for bread (can't make any at mo - no oven!) as it had gone mouldy

Throw it away. We should all be aware that there is no such place as 'away' and recycle or donate appropriately but we all have too much stuff and even if you are ill, getting the rubbish and recycling helps slow the descent into chaos. - looking to remove 150 items this month - whether sell/ donate/ recycle/ bin

Use what you have. Fix something (for free if possible). Make something from a cardboard box (ideas for half term). If you have time, it may be useful to go round your house making a list of things that need fixing. Some may need to wait for better weather but when you are repaying debt and the focus is on that, you may find your house looking rather shabby. If you have a list of things that can be fixed or improved at little or no cost, it can give you a lift and a sense of progress. - we need to update our house to do list this month - some jobs are being done as we have workmen in for the kitchen so are having them do some other bits whilst here (more cost efficient ) My main focus is a big clean and tidy- lots of dust spread everywhere from the works

Refuel properly. You ask a lot of your body, give it the fuel that it needs - healthy food, water, a reasonable amount of sleep. Refuel your mind and spirit by taking time to relax and rewind. - Feb is a month of re-charging for me

Elephants and Frogs. We all have them. For newer turtles who have never visited Flylady, a frog is any task you have been putting off - eg a difficult phone call. Over time the small task has become a giant obstacle. Tackle the frog and the rest of your day will be a breeze.
An elephant is such a huge task that you just do not know where to start. How does one eat an elephant? One bite at a time. elephants need to be broken down into small manageable pieces. i want to hear about lots of frogs being eaten and the odd elephant being cut down to size. (That will leave us with more time to hide from the polar bears).Am sure I can find some frogs. An elephant I need to tackle is getting OH's co accounts for the year ready for the accountant

Along the way we will have daily inspiration. This challenge is intended to be hard (several turtles were already anticipating a difficult month) so this month's quotes are going to be gentle and nurturing. - re: today's quote - I am definitely not pushing myself at the mo - I will not make myself any worse - it does no one any favours

abundant1972

Hi Mothernerd

Please sign me up! I'm strapping on my forest survival kit as we speak!!!

x

abundant1972

Happy February All

I hope I'm not jumping the gun... but in advance of being allowed in I've made a start:

:starmod: Credit cards cleared at the start of every month, and as I use them I put the cash away in a virtual pot online. I accrue points for using my card and so get cash-back every November.
:starmod: Savings put in to Help-To-Buy ISA and Emergency Fund
:starmod: Budget done for the month and worked out annual spends [car tax, insurance, mot, professional fees etc - divided by 11 months and this month's put to one side.
:starmod: Food/Freezer stock-take - will do.
:starmod: Something different that's a challenge... Hmmm... I'm trying to 'embrace the morning' and do a little exercise (10 minutes) and make a decent breakfast and get in some mindfulness. I love my bed so it's a challenge!!!
:starmod: I am now working Valentine's Day, but was going to just have a quiet night in and pamper myself... bath... candles... nice meal... Nothing expensive
:starmod: The dream last month was to aim for 2-3 gym sessions/week and a nature walk. I failed. My head isn't in the right space, and the drive to the gym is a bit of a nightmare... So - see above - try for 10 minutes every day + 20 minute brisk walk when I'm working (10 min each way)
:starmod: I will attempt 18 NSDs.
:starmod: I made a start last month going through my packing boxes one by one - seeing what I can throw, keep or give away. I'll carry on this month.
:starmod: Last month I allowed myself to get run down. Work was demanding, family (trying to care for parents) took over, and what time I did have for me I just ate comfort food and buried my head in the sand, and had to up my anti-depressants. Something needs to change this month - and I need to take better care of 'me'
:starmod: I will look at what Frogs & Elephants I have in my life. Long term care of my Mum and Dad is the biggest Elephant of all, and we as a family have been treading water. I'm pushing for a care package this month to alleviate some of the stress and worry.

Good luck

Lauralozzle

Budget sorted - all money is in allocated pots.

Not a NSD though - small spend of £3.15 but I’m working from home tomorrow and Monday so they will be NSD virtually in the bag.

I will hit 18 NSD this month. No exceptions.

DawnW

I donated to the food bank today

Budgets (or some of them) for February:
Groceries - £21.07 / £260
Toiletries and cleaning products - £1.60 / £30
Diesel - 0 / £65
Presents - 0 / £50 (more family birthdays, most come close together in the early months of the year)
Anything else - £5.73 / £200 (this can cover social, clothing, all kinds of things. Included my passport renewal, a replacement fan for the bathroom and a new vacuum cleaner last month :eek: And yes, that lot came to way over £200. Hoping to keep this right down this month. Hope nothing else breaks! Today's spend was on charity shop books for grandchildren

Kerry_Woman

WelshKitty85 Congratulations on your wonderful news.
NSD achieved today.
Had to pay a deposit for my Mum's headstone, but that came out of the money she kindly left me. So not claiming that as a spend.
Went for a walk in the park. Also walked to and from the funeral director's office. So plenty of exercise today.
Had put some more things into the bag for the cs.
Used food in store/freezer.
Finally dealt with 2 frogs. Put birthday's etc on my calendar in my bedroom. Also started to phone ex work colleagues for a get together in March. Still have to finalise numbers etc.

Dizzy_Imp

Shy wave from behind the curtains...:wave:

Can I please join in this month? I've been a turtle before, but I wasn't very good at it. I need to be more focussed. I need to regain and retain control of my life. Sigh....easy to write, not so easy to do.

A forest-loving soul hoping to do better this month

bizzie

First post for the month.

Always … DDs and SOs all set up to come out on various dates throughout the month

February …

Organise ... overall budget(s) set for the month but will be looking at where we can “underspend” to bring the financial year in on target as have drifted from the straight and narrow

Reserve … have a monthly DD to a charity I support. Aiming to go through clothes, books and toys for donating to other good causes

Environment … take time to appreciate what I have around me – for today snowdrops and crocuses appearing in the garden

Stock take … ongoing process in my household

Takeaways … one birthday takeaway this month

Always … two half term get togethers in the diary which will involve eating out

Do …

Valentine Who? … day spent as any other

Exercise …

NSDs …aiming for 18 but my progress / success is linked with other areas

Throw … weekly recycling always done and things are only thrown away if broken or of no use to anyone else

Use … have a list of household tasks to do, some waiting for the warmer, drier weather (!)

Refuel .... need to focus on this as starting to feel the result of a poor diet and sleep routine

Elephants and Frogs … have plenty to choose from. Will start tackling them this weekend