NST March: Marching to a different beat

abundant1972

Hi there!

Applemuncher - Please sign me up for some March Madness :j

Note to self - this month I will re-adopt the habit of writing down all my spends - thank you for reminding me of that skill... I'm not sure when it slipped off the radar - but I'm back on it now... I have an old blank notebook I've labelled up and everything!

laurenh1

Thrifty well done on the EF. my hub is the devil on my shoulder too. He is actually better than he used to be since we decided to save a house deposit. perhaps its a good thing though that he is so lax as I am a big worrier!!!
raphael a big hello Donna.:hello: sorry to hear about your MIL

Toni'sfriend

Hello Turtles

Raphael - Sorry to hear about MIL. I hope you get some good news on the treatment options. Donna's so cute!

So back for March.

All budgets set and money allocated for bill payments which are all made by direct debit.

C donates to Sightsavers every month and I do to Barnardos. We've both being this for years but would like to do something more local as well so we're donating food to the honeless mission through my cousin's church. Basics like tea, coffee, porridge etc but also the occasional wee treat of biscuits.

Two birthdays this month. MY brother in Canada (just a card) and my great nephew (only got one so he's a wee bit special). I already have the cards and the wee chap will get a small token Amazon voucher. We don't really do birthday presents in our family unless they are very close.

C and I are going to Edinburgh for three nights. Accommodation in in a Travelodge (supercheap for Edinburgh) and has already been paid. Travel is free and I'll have a look for restaurant vouchers. Lots of free activities – walks and art galleries.

So my mission for this month is to spend as little and save as much as possible. I have my notebook at the ready (from the stash I already have) and every penny will be recorded. I've also got another one for the long list of “to do” this month.

Snowing heavily here just outside Glasgow. Keep warm and safe everyone.

laurenh1

Hi turtles-

Thank you apple for running this month.

budgets now set for March.
£1750 emergency Fund
£700 paris
£130 fuel
£40 slimming world
£25 mothers day
£201 spends (£50 per week)

let's go guys

thriftylass

Hello and happy snowy payday.

Luckily the country has not come to a complete standstill yet and the busses are running schools are open etc. (well only in the city here, surrounding areas are all shut and most of the rest of Scotland).

Raphael sorry to hear about your MIL and like the cute little new family addition.

Shuffled all my monies around, budgets set, debt paid etc. 350 groceries, 10 HH, 50 other. Also got the money for my party this Sat although we'll need to see what the weather is doing, if guest and most importantly babysitters can make it.

pocketfluff

I'm in!

pocketfluff

Pay Day: Friday 2nd March
This is £668 and ALL accounted for for bills

Self employed earnings for the month: ?? Target £1000
To pay overheads, use on Petrol, Gas/Electricity, Food for the month and other essentials

NSD's
25

Birthdays this month:
Its my birthday this month and I have a FREE pack of pretty socks from M&S thanks to being signed up for their sparks card. So thats a nice little birthday treat for me this month
My nephews birthday this month £22 (Cash and card)
Mothers Day £10

I loved the Elephants and frogs theme last month and it really helped to work through them easily. So elephants and frogs this month are:
Elephants
Finish the wallpapering in my sons bedroom
Declutter and spring clean the house

Frogs
Will update as the month goes on.....nothing that I can think of at present

Calling14

Raphael love the new addition. Keep fighting to your MIL, positive thoughts coming your way x

Thrifty - well done on your EF.


Budgets.
Food 0/£100
Fuel 0/£40
Going out 0/£100 Night away Manc included in this.
Hair and me 0/£50 haircut needed this month and some make up.
House 0/£20 hopefully won't need to use this.
SFD 0/ £18
Bdays 0/ £60 - first time in 5 years dd here for her bday bit extra.!

New french doors being fitted this month £1650 - on a seperate cc so will aim to hammer down the rest of my debt.

Will be back Monday to check in. x

LavenderBee

Budgets now set, money into joint account for joint direct debits, money in my account for personal direct debits. Out of both of those standing orders have put all the ongoing stashes into their respective pots and my personal savings account.

Budgets are:
Diesel - £120 (taken from personal account)
Groceries - £200 (taken from joint account)
Monzo card for other spends - £110. Of this £25 for one birthday and Mother's Day. Other potential purchases are more maternity clothing. I'm coming up to 25 weeks and just as the Beast from the East hits, my coat ceases to fits! Well, I can breathe in and only wear a t-shirt underneath but that's not very warm or comfortable. Watching one on eBay which I would hope goes for less than £20. Honestly thought I'd get away without needing to purchase one, it's hard enough dressing for an English spring as it is, without a limited wardrobe!

Frogs (that I haven't already eaten)
- Starting knitting blanket squares for ULO (unborn little one)
- Clean oven
- Read meters and check status of energy deal

Elephants
- Big spring tidy up in advance of new arrival. This should generate some additional charity donations (unwanted pet food to adoption centres, toiletries to women's refuge, furniture to charity shop etc)
- Look at the terms of over-payments on the mortgage and talk to hubby about the most efficient thing to do with his squirrelings
- Start researching pensions

Non-negotiables
- For the striders: 18 NSDs - This is my aim, anything that isn't a standing order or DD counts as a spend for me
- Set your budgets before the challenge starts - Done
- Be generous !!!8211; there are many who are far worse off. Do not forget to give to your choice of charity. DD from personal account, I also work for and volunteer for 2 charities. Hoping to find some tangible donations in our clear out
- Note down every single spend in a notebook and analyse where the pennies go - Monzo app is fantastic for this, on the rare occasion I take cash out I note in the app where I've spent it
- As ever, always take your lunch to work, and drink and snacks when out and about - I have slipped to spending about £1 in the staff caf! for lunch once a fortnight recently, never done it before. I'm just so tired all the time at the moment and even batch cooking takes it out of me. But I will be good and get out of this habit Picking up snacks in Lidl etc and making sure I always have supplies on me as I get woozy spells
- Pay towards your debt first! No debt, but I've put into all my savings pots before allocating spending
- Plan. Look ahead to the month and what your commitments are. Are you working late and therefore unlikely to feel like cooking when you get home? Make sure you have a portion or two of homemade ready meals in the freezer. My freezer is full Slow cooker is earning its stripes with my reduced energy levels and ability to stand for long periods. Hubby doesn't like meal planning as he likes to choose what he wants based on what he fancies, but has agreed that I don't have the capacity for complicated meals and indecisive shopping trips!
- Check in every day. I shall try!

Kerry_Woman

raphael - Sorry the news of your MIL. Sending hugs.