NST April 2018: April Fool's Challenge

Igamogam

Please count me in for April I didnt fall off the wagon in March just didnt post - illness, work commitments and a last minute get away for some real snow and alpine sun . I will pop back later with my plans such as they are but the 20% challenge will help me this month as I need to get back on Eb*y etc - can't earn extra money through work as there is no overtime..........

a_silver_lining

Spent yesterday, which wasn't planned So thought I would check in here with a better plan.

Aim for at least 15 NSDs. I will aim high for 20.
Pay to your debt or savings first and live off the rest. Direct debits all set up. I pay £650 of my £1650 income (1250 plus £400 from partner) leaving me £250ish after bills for food and fun etc.
Report in every day. The daily support from this thread will keep you on track
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 I have been keeping up with gardening. I would like to start doing artwork again. A friend is building me a table, which I will have in a few weeks and so will have an area dedicated for it... I could think about fitting it into my routine earlier though.
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. Going to the gym would be the ultimate expression of love. Filing my nails and plucking my eyebrows could be good mini things.

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 About to head outside now to garden. Have done an hour gardening on any day off since afew weeks ago.
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. Umming and ahhing here... £60 to savings would be good... Probably do a few more ebay bits
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. Would be good to use up the freezer today as needs a defrost. I have two social days planned and need to budget for this.
Lose one bad habit. Mine's is a food related one but it can be anything you like. No coffee or food bought at work... I've done four days since payday so may manage here.
Sign off your daily post with a list of gratitudes. will check in later.

LavenderBee

Aim for at least 15 NSDs. Usual exceptions apply, you won't lose a NSD for ys items, petrol or medical expenses - Aiming for 18. I do include transport, yellow stickers, medical expenses and diesel though. Anything that isn't a direct debit!
Pay to your debt or savings first and live off the rest. - No debt anymore thanks to MSE :money: Savings paid into
Report in every day. The daily support from this thread will keep you on track - Will try
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 - I need to carry on knitting giant blanket squares for unborn little one. I'd like to read a bit more when the pregsomnia hits too (a regular occurrence!), decided we will not renew Amazon Prime membership after August so I want to make best use of the free Kindle books until then. I have pilates exercises to do daily for my dodgy pelvis.
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.Allowing a daily warm bath to soothe my aches and pains. I'm already the sort that doesn't even go downstairs without mascara on!

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 Difficult on crutches does feel like I'm missing spring
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. Overpaid savings by 40% so far
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. Done, one human birthday with present, two human birthdays on card only (will use cards from stash) and 2 pet adoption birthdays
Lose one bad habit. Mine's is a food related one but it can be anything you like. Husband is abroad for a month, my aim is not to stuff my face with chocolate just because he isn't here to see it
Sign off your daily post with a list of gratitudes - will try

Budgets:
Groceries = £200, came well under last month and it's just me at home in April. Planning to use up some odd things in the cupboards! Would love this to come in at 100...
Personal spends = £85 to include one birthday present, all my hospital parking, anything that's just for me
Diesel = £60. Spent £60 last month and think I *may* be able to get away with it again.

Money put aside towards pet expenses, a budget for non-consumable things for the house (this is likely to be spent this month on plastic boxes for all the things I'm sorting out), and any annual payments. Going to try and not spend anything else on unborn little one this month unless paid for in vouchers/loyalty points.

Kerry_Woman

NSD today 1/15
Did get out a cross stitch kit today, not started as yet. Done some of my jigsaw puzzle today and mindful colouring. If I have a few interests on the go, it will be a bit of variety for me.
Also looking at ways to improve my spiritual wellbeing. Do not attend church anymore. Got bible and other books already in.
Grateful for:
Making a start on doing something positive with my time.
Having a chilled out day.
Looking at small and positive things to achieve each day especially during the Easter holidays when I have more time on my hands.

apple_muncher

Another one who got an NSD today. Yay! It feels so good to get one on the 1st of the month.

Dd and I spent some time this afternoon taking photos of items to try to sell. It'll have to wait a couple of days as we are off to visit mum for a few days tomorrow, but it's a start.

Today Iam grateful for church (Kerry Woman - hope you can find somewhere to go, or some activity to fill the 'gap'), for a dry day, for nice bus drivers, for dd deciding that we would give the eggs we were given at church to some homeless people, for this afternoon's photo session, for time with dd, for dd enjoying her Easter egg hunt, for putting more things in the charity shop bag, for having a 2-week stretch off work.

Puddleglum

Aim for at least 15 NSDs. Decided to use our NT cards and got seduced by the coffee shop, oops
Pay to your debt or savings first and live off the rest. Done
Report in every day. The daily support from this thread will keep you on track Will try, promise!
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 Knitting. Haven't done any since I lost the pattern for DS jumper. Am repurposing the yarn to make a jumper for myself.
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. Bath time

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 Good walk achieved today.
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. Work in progress, will let you know how I get on.
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. On it and will complete budget this evening
Lose one bad habit. Mine's is a food related one but it can be anything you like. will get on with it.
Sign off your daily post with a list of gratitudes. I am so grateful that I no longer have brain fog.

CosmicZebra

NSD- easier because it is Sunday. I don't have many NSDs as a rule, but will try to stick to essentials.
Reporting in- will try my best
Interests- I'm going to start veg growing
Love yourself- I am quite vain anyway
Outdoors- had a 2 hour walk in the forest with OH, DS and dog today. It was perfect.
Overpay- I don't have debts, but I overpay the mortgage and save every month
Organise- will get back on the weekly meal planner
Lose a habit- I am going to learn to leave work at work.
Gratitudes- my OH and DS make me so happy

DawnW

Checking in 1 / 30
NSD today, great to be able to start off the month with one

Grateful for a dry, reasonably nice day, being able to get out in the garden to do a few things, a roast dinner, and a warm stove to sit next to now it has got colder

Jonesy88

Can I join in again please?

It's been a spend day to start the month with a purchase of a birthday present.

laurenh1

Hi Every one

A-Today is my first NSD- woohoo.
P-Bills & savings paid- budget is now;
£700 Paris
£1000 Emergency fund
£80 fuel
£138 spends :eek:
£140 camping trip
R- here I am :hello:
I- I am going to bring back recipe night for hub & I once a week.where I cook a meal from scratch that we do not usally have.
L- I am going to try & take more time to myself. Im a sod for always finding something to do. washing can occasionally wait until tomorrow to be put away & it is not the end of the world.

F- love this one- today I have been on an egg hunt in the wood with my children & on monday we went to the park for a picnic with them. It fes so good to get outside- we all benefit from it. Plus keeping busy genuinely distracts me from my anxiety. & it is usually free.I am all over this one
O- I really might struggle to save 20% more on my budget this month but I shall try.I have my coin jar the kids save in.
Organise- meal plan done !!!10004; budget done !!!10004; all activities planned & saved for.
L- my bad habit, or one of them, is playing on my phone at work. need to stop this.
S- grateful for- my boys having fun on their egg hunt & being THE CUTEST things ever, my friends daughter leaving a lot of eggs for my littlies to find & my son sitting statue still to get his first ever face paint. He was proud as punch