NST April 2018: April Fool's Challenge

LavenderBee

Fmess wrote: »

Spendy day yesterday on fruit and veg (to try and keep me on SW) and flea treatment as I have bites since coming back from holiday Think the cat must have invited them in when I was away, maybe in protest of being left home alone! I!!!8217;ve washed everything I can and keep hoovering and spraying everything else. They!!!8217;ve got to die soon, surely?!

As someone else said, the warmer weather brings them out unfortunately If they're in your home then you may need to use RIP Flea - the stuff from Pets at Home etc doesn't work as well and will probably cost you more by the time you've tried everything on the shelf! Vets stock RIP Flea but I've bought it from Amazon when the cat and the dog kept transferring them back and forth between them and I needed to break the cycle.

Having a chore and kniting day. I've cleaned the oven, made 3 portions of veggie chicken casserole, loaf of bread, a steamed pud, and a big pan of popcorn. Pilates done, kitchen floor to scrub then it may be bathtime.

Oh, and it's a spend day:
Personal - £56.52 / £80

I ordered a book I wanted secondhand on eBay, some batteries (cheaper than supermarkets), and some thicker wool. I am a rubbish knitter; not accomplished enough to use anything other than the recommended wool, stitches and needles specified in a pattern (I had grand ideas about using up some odds and ends for the patterns I'm using; it ain't happenin'!). Very pleased to find what I wanted cheap on FleaBay

Puddleglum

Aim for at least 15 NSDs. 7/15 Spendy day coming up tomorrow for food and I've decided to find out how much money is left on the gift cards that are cluttering up my purse. A spending spree in B00ts and the newsagent should cheer me up even if it's only 72p on each card.

Pay to your debt or savings first Keeping up with the penny a day challenge and there is £5.60 in my 20p stash now.

Report in every day. hello!


Interests - At least 4 books on the go, knitting, one course underway and another starting in 3 weeks. I may have to get a grip!

Love yourself Have decluttered the dressing table.

Find time to get outside. not today

Overpay Wip.

Organise your month Back to work on Monday but I am going to hand in my notice so a definite silver lining there.

Lose one bad habit. Trying!

Sign off your daily post with a list of gratitudes.
Grateful for having a load of gift cards that have cluttered up my purse for possibly years!:T

Kerry_Woman

apple muncher Thank you. Saw friend and brother on way to bus stop to head home. Started to chat and she mentioned about her Mum. Then I spent time with them. They have a lot on their hands at the moment. It was hard to go in there again but coped. The bus I take to the shopping centre goes into the grounds of the hospital, but I am now getting used to passing it now.
A - 9/15 NSD achieved today.
R - Done.
I - Did wordsearch and read book.
L - Finally opened the free jar of coconut oil that I got last year. Put some of onto my psoriasis. See if it helps my skin.
F - Never went out today. PJ day.
O - Done.
O - Still ongoing.
L - Ok with social media today.
S - Grateful for:
Having a very chilled out day before I return to work after the Easter holidays.
Not letting what someone to me yesterday get me down. A lady from the church I went to said something hurtful.
Having things ready for when I return to work, eg clean clothes.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for a friend giving us a lift, for finishing a robin doorstop, for some beautiful roses in the house, for dh sorting through some more things, for wonderweb, for finding some old cds I'd made of music on audio cassette and putting it on the computer, for my expenses being paid (phew!).

misstara

NSDs - 9/15
Report - 15/30
Interests - nothing here
Love - slathering my hands with cream as often as possible, they're so dry at the moment
Outside - spent around 2 hours out in the garden after work taking down the old wooden fence and putting up a new metal one, also turned over all the earth ready for planting
Overpay - £3.75 paid to the debt
Organise - just work stuff again, lunch prepped for tomorrow and tea will be tonight's leftovers
Bad habit - no crisps
Gratitudes - beautiful weather, getting out in the garden, a chat with an old colleague

swimminginaseaofdebt

Evening everyone,

Did my weekly grocery shop today and met my friends for a late brunch bringing my spends for the month up to £218.56/£350.

Donated a £2 pack of sweetcorn to the food bank whilst I was out and about.

Cashed out £2.47 from Qmee bringing my extra income for the month to £23.93/£93.

Sent the £2.47 to the holiday savings bringing my pot up to £327.47/£500.

Today I am grateful for good friends.

lcc86

Spend day today, OH and I went out to breakfast as a treat. I think I've well and truly failed on my idea of having a spending fast and only having 5 spend days in the entire month. I'm already on 6 spend days, but the trouble is, even though I've had less spend days I've still spent just as much. I've not really embraced the spending fast idea as it's intended :rotfl: I used to do these when I was in loads of debt and could somehow scrape by spending about £50 a month, yet now I have no debt I can't manage it! Well, back to the drawing board!

No other spends except breakfast, which came in at just over £10. I had the slow cooker on yesterday and today and have made veggie meatballs and a veggie sausage casserole (meat ones for OH) so those are in the freezer now.

Been out horse riding today with a friend, it was pleasant and the weather was lovely so no complaints other than the ground which is still so blooming muddy! I also somehow managed to write the first draft of half my dissertation so I'm well chuffed, feels like I've climbed half the mountain now.

Today I'm grateful for sunshine, getting so much of my dissertation done and for whoever invented slow cookers

greent

Would have been NSD, except DD is going back to uni tonight - OH is taking her and so a toll for the Severn Bridge will be incurred.

Aim for at least 15 NSDs. Usual exceptions apply, - Still 5/15
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, 4 books.
Love yourself - using up face creams etc (micellar water, serums) on a daily basis - hoping my skin will benefit -

Find time to get outside. - - nope,
Overpay - aim to pay 20% extra to your debt or savings. - Put an extra £250 to the savings acct for final pymt on OH's car - Also so far an extra £260 set aside for OH's car from fleabay and previously missed/ unclaimed expenses. Also paid over £200 OP to BTL mtge
Organise your month. - DS1's 18th birthday mid month
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:
* my gorgeous children - all 4 of them
* DS1 loving his cake and presents
* good friends
* OH not minding driving DD back to uni and DS1's gf home
* easy dinner planned (chicken nachos & birthday cake )Budgets:
Food 227.51/450
Travel 59/ £75
Gifts (inc cards etc) 8.25/£150
Toiletries 6/£10
Cleaning 10.70/ £10 (stocked up on dwasher tabs)
Social 85.50/£150 - (pub & bday lunch)
Clothing 132.60/ £75:o (OH 2 x boots, 1 x coat, DS1 Y13 Leavers Hoody)

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. NSD today so 9/15 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! Have also found purse with leftover euros in so that will help as well..

Report in every day. The daily support from this thread will keep you on track Here again..15/30


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. Did a little bit of packing today, and more importantly copied my knitting patterns, what a saddo..


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. Perfume and makeup today in honour of the visit to new kittens house - for half an hour..


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. Finished putting stones on path, looks much better & will stop more mud being splashed up on gazebo outside, which is spattered. Now need to get door repaired, have all bits but they need shaping. No time out in garden today, stymied by having to go out & then heavy rain. Still, managed to get some stuff done inside so more progress. Off the day after tomorrow, so needs must!


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 making a PAD every day to keep cc balance under control.

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. DH did cook -and it was edible...


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: feeling more in control & not last-minute panicked as normal for me when holidays mentioned, lovely visit to see kitten & he is gorgeous, at last finding the collectibles I was asked about, no migraine meds needed today..

laurenh1

Good morning all

Back on it today after a lovely weekend away with the kids. I am about 4 loads in to my HUGE washing pile. Need to get through it today.

My blood tests are back today so I need to phone the Dr.

A- NSD #8 today. want to be on 12 by the end of the week.
P- still within budget. Only have 37 pounds left though until next week. However it is just me & the kids so I should be fine.
R- here I am
I-no real cooking or baking this weekend. BBQ pub food & picnics
L- lots of lovely time spent with my boys & no phone signal- good for the soul.

F- lots ,& lots of getting outdoors this weekend, walks through fields , walks on the beach.
O- got a £7 pay out from Top cash back. Put another pound in my savings jar.
O- did my budgets again last night. Included new shoes for the kids next month as they will need summer footwear. Lots of organising today of the house making sure I am set for the week ahead.
L- a lot less time being spent on my phone
S- loads to be grateful for - an amazing few days with the kids, the sun shining, lots of annual passes while money is tight, 3 years of my lovely boy. & for not working Monday's