NST April 2018: April Fool's Challenge

mummylewis

Evening

On 3 NSDs so far this month.
We decided to throw our savings at the debt a couple of days ago. It felt weird but also great.
I know its a Martin Lewis recommend and it's totally right, the interest on the loan is stupidly higher than anything we were earning on the savings. Took 6 months off the life of it and saved £402 in interest. Going in the right direction and this counts as the 20% for longer than this month! (Although in all seriousness weve got a big car insurance bill that comes out on 27th but the payday after that were in full attack mode).

Did some crochet today. This project will take all year, currently the recipient is being pretty grumpy and only speaking to me when I ask a direct question (I haven't done anything I hasten to add, they're just like this occasionally) so I hope it's all worth it and they like it and I at least get a smile! I want them to have it anyway.

I've got £40 petrol left, put the other £40 in the tank this morning.
Have £150 groceries left.
Everything else is taken care of.

Today I am grateful for good colleagues, hard working staff and a work place that makes me want to do my best.

MLx

Kerry_Woman

A - 4/15 NSD today
P - Done.
R - Done.
I - Did not do anything today.
L - Had a relaxing bath.
F - Went out for a walk today.
O - Done.
O - Still ongoing.
L - Did not get time to get onto social media much today.
S - Grateful for:
My uncle in Ireland called me and we had a nice chat.
Took of as much of the border wallpaper in my Mum's and my bedroom today. Still need to sort the difficult bits that were hard to take off as the borders have been on there for a long time.
Had a chat with 3 of my neighbours when I left the flat for my walk.
Nice weather.

swimminginaseaofdebt

Evening everyone,

Spent time at the park today with my sister and niece. Had lunch at the cafe there and spent £11.43 bringing my monthly spends to £59.09/£350.

Requested a PayPal payment from mintvine (will be around £7) hopefully it should arrive in my account in the next week or so.

Been crunching some numbers today. I'm away on holiday in June, want to save £500 for this. So far I have £302.21.

Have also decided I'd like to settle my debts at around the 70% mark. My first credit card I'm hoping to put an offer towards currently stands at just over £3000 so my aim is to save £2100 towards paying this off. Currently I have £4.83 so a bit of a way to go!

Took me 2 and half hours to get the little one to sleep this evening so no studying or reading done, just a bit of T.V. watched.

Today I will be grateful for my bed when I get to it.

sashanut

Hi all :j

Aim for at least 15 NSDs. Usual exceptions apply, you won't lose a NSD for ys items, petrol or medical expenses. Now 4/15 NSDs


Pay to your debt or savings first and live off the rest. Added up March's expenses - horrifying is the word. Still need to split up cc spends to see what went where. Now have cc statement ready to total. Will need to use savings to pay for hols..in 10 days time!


Report in every day. The daily support from this thread will keep you on track Here again..7/7


Interests - is there any hobbies that you'd like to take up or perhaps an old hobby that you'd like to start again. This is the month to do it, let us know what you plan to do Have 2 so far - collecting hobby I have & someone got in touch to buy something connected to it - 4 years ago!! She got back in touch 2 weeks ago, have emailed her today & will attempt to find the item she wants...it's win-win as it will be money for savings too. Also, have Fairisle cushion to finish, usually do mindless knitting in front of TV, this doesn't come under that so never gets done. Finally retrieved fairisle cushion from back of chair where it was stuffed; realise to my shame haven't touched it in 18 months..despite that managed to find my place in the pattern & actually do a couple of rows. Bless highlighter tape!! Finally managed to identify all the different colours of the wool - hard when they are called irrelevant names & are missing the ball bands - only to realise I am missing a colour. Shan't need it until almost the end, might just use what I have left over. Just got email from customer mentioned above, still haven't even looked for what she wants to buy from me. :eek:


Love yourself, do something to make yourself feel fab - wear a bright scarf, get your eyebrows done, have a bath, put on your fave perfume. Just perfume today but might put on facepack as have ironing to do still.


Find time to get outside. Lighter nights are now here so get out in the garden, go for a walk. Fresh air is good for everyone. Despite weather went outside twice into the garden am starting to see real progress. Pointed out to DH that Heaving compost on to back of raised border will be difficult, so he offered to help do that tomorrow

Overpay - aim to pay 20% extra to your debt or savings. It's up to you how you do this - overtime at work, saving money on the food bill, selling items. Will deffo try, will be in the form of selling collectibles or ebaying. Still need to look for items for collector.

Organise your month. Check your cupboards, make a meal plan and stick to your food budget. Plan any social events and budget for them, ideally come up with free alternatives. Will do, need to reduce freezer stocks. All plans just thrown into chaos as DD objected to proposed date for holiday - she has to take care of beasts whilst we're away. Agreed to go earlier - in 10 days time :eek:

Lose one bad habit. Mine's is a food related one but it can be anything you like. No snacking between meals. No snacking today.


Sign off your daily post with a list of gratitudes. Grateful for: Few daffs up in the enclosed garden (no animals so they stand a fighting chance), pretty blue flowers in the front, holiday now booked & paid for, so we are off in 10 days time...

misstara

For yesterday as I got home pretty late

NSDs - still on 4, spent 94p on milk and £15.98 out with work mates
Report - 7/30
Interests - went for 7 mile walk to train for the kilt walk
Love - went out last night so properly did my hair, full makeup on and a lovely dress
Outside - spent 2 and a half hours outside while doing my walk, OH didn't want to come so lots of time to think and clear my head
Organise - nothing doing yesterday
Overpay - nothing paid
Bad habit - no crisps eaten
Gratitudes - time spent outside, catch up TV and a good night out

Congratulations on your new job BadBookkeeper :T

greent

Aim for at least 15 NSDs. Usual exceptions apply, - 3/15 -
Pay to your debt or savings first and live off the rest. - ok (done)
Report in every day. ok
Interests -- am going to ease myself back into fitness this month and read more -running total -2 walks, 2 books
Love yourself -

Find time to get outside. - parked away from town centre and walked in and out, as the weather improved in the afternoon (lashing it down in the morning)
Overpay - aim to pay 20% extra to your debt or savings. - 6 items listed on flebay to help with this. Put an extra £250 to the savings acct for final pymt on OH's car
Organise your month. - DS1's 18th birthday mid month - that's gonna cost......
Lose one bad habit. - a certain game which I've spent waaay too much time on in March.... - not touched it today (this has gone very well)
Sign off your daily post with a list of gratitudes. - yes
Today I am grateful for:
* brilliant bargains in Debenhums
* Finding some new knives we both like the look of, the feel of (just not the price! :eek: - will do some saving up!)
* Family time
* DD looking after youngest 2 whilst we went into town (the sort of shopping/ browsing which bores a 12 and 8 year old - house stuff and adult clothes)
* getting DS1's bday cards

Budgets:
Food 110.57/450
Travel £75
Gifts 6.75/£150
Toiletries £10
Cleaning £10
Social £150
Clothing 114.60/ £75:o (oops - although OH got 2pairs x RJR leather boots and a cragh0pper aquadry coat with super snuggly soft removable fleecey for a total of £114.60 in the sales - original cost £340. New wetcoat very much needed (both ours are almost 20 years old and showing it) and both new pairs of boots were needed - he has lost one (looks to have left them behind at some point whilst staying away in past few months) and another pair are looking very worn and tatty (not good for work - smart casual office - so OH wears things like flower-y shirts and waistcoats) Still blown the budget, though

laurenh1

Good Morning Turtles

A- today is certainly a spend day ! I have already bought my book via my prime trial & I need milk fruit etc. So still on 5.
P- budgets changed slightly will update my note book soon.
R- hello
I- lots of baking & cooking yesterday - cheese scones, leek & pot soup & a new curry recipe.
L- watched "The chamber of secrets" with hub last night. Really enjoying the films & chilling out with hub. Win win.
F-off to Beamish today ,at last. Also been looking at more English Heritage places I can visit before my pass expires. If I use my pass another couple of times it has been well worth every penny & I will save my clubcard points to renew again.
O- took £7 out of my top cash back account:j
O- picnic & drinks will be taken with us today.
L-my phone will be for photos only today
S- grateful the codine the Dr gave me seems to have helped my back,for free days out & making the most of what we have & for belated birthday plans because hub is missing my B-Day this year

dolly84

BBK - well done on your new job.

Calling - that was very nice of you to buy your colleague a gift.

I had hoped to go cycling yesterday but it was throwing it down, by the time it fined up and I could go it was a bit late. Will go this morning.

Rest of the day will be spent cleaning and packing for a short trip away.

DancingDragons

Failing to report in everyday, but am sticking to the plan.
NSD 3 today. Already blitz'd dd's room and decluttered. Lego, Playmobil, Dolls Prams all ear marked for clear out now. Soon as I find time to sort them into their boxes
Spare time to get ahead of the game so planned out the next three weeks of food based on contents of freezer and SW syn counts. I know some of the meals will bring wails of ewww, but we are beyond being able to be picky and choosy now.
Decluttering my room after I found an old cork board, it's now serving as a Necklace hanging thingy. Very Insta/Hack.
20% extra, while I can't put any more away from the incoming and I don't currently have time to process fleabay items I have slashed £30 off the monthly outgoings by cancelling Sky, and DD's swim pass she isn't currently using. If I can double that I'll have hit target.
TLC? Not happening atm, I guess I overloaded my luck there with reading two books back to back and not doing ANYTHING else over Easter.
Feeling organised!
Have a relaxing Sunday where you can, folks.

Toni'sfriend

I will have to apologize in advance. I don't think I'm going to be able to post whilst away. I can log on on my laptop but not my IPad or Iphone. I've changed my password but they are still refusing to recognise it. If anyone has any suggestions on how to fix this I'd be grateful.