NST June 2018 A JUNE ODESSEY (Staycation)

LongTimeLurker18

Can I join please?

I've been following this group since October last year and although I've not yet posted (been cheering from the sidelines with my pom poms!) it's not only kept me on the straight and narrow, it has made the way that I think about things change significantly and I've also been powering through with eating frogs and the occasional elephant too :j

Will sort finances ASAP and get to grips with posting again....I say again, I used to be a regular poster in the forums back when I was pregnant and on maternity leave, only that was 11 years ago and I cannot for the life of me remember my log in details, think pregnancy brain is still with me :rotfl:

thriftylass

Yay, payday today and debts paid first and money put into savings. Let the Odyssey begin.

Defrosted my freezer last night and made a few lunches from random bits and bobs found in there for next week. Also did a well planned ASD@ pick up order to fill the freezer etc back up.

LavenderBee

J June challenge runs from 1st June to 30th. You will aim for 20 NSDs (tough target) or 10 NSDs (soft target - if you are struggling, take the 'soft' target and exceed it).
I'm going to aim for 10. I have no idea how this month will pan out - I'm either going to struggle with 10 or end up with 25! I allow zero exceptions (including medical and transport).

U Use the food you have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer to base your meals on. Meal plan (for the month or for a few days at a time, whichever suits). Cook from scratch (short cuts permitted if you are feeling stressed)
I have been batch cooking in advance of little one arriving, and stockpiling some 'easy' foods (i.e. jars of ready made sauces and microwaveable rice - very unlike me!). I am loving bags of frozen prepared vegetables as an "it could be worse" shortcut.

N No takeaways, coffee, chip or pie shop purchases. Do not use works canteen (unless free/ highly subsidised), vending machines.
Not usually a problem, but I think this is one month I may allow a takeaway after the birth. There may also be a meetup of my antenatal class which I would like to go to if I can get a lift. Takeaway money will have to come out of grocery budget, if I do go for a coffee meetup it will come from my personal spends. Snacks packed in hospital bag to reduce anyone rushing for the vending machine (but cannot be guaranteed)

E Eating well is a form of self respect.
I will try! I'm usually a fanatic but just getting through at the moment.

O Offer help and encouragement to other turtles and people you meet. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself.
Definitely noted. It's a day early but I've made hubby a cake as a thank you for looking after me when he has so much else on.

D Debt or savings payments should be made first - live on what is left
After my failed personal budget last month, I beat myself black and blue and said I was not allowed any personal spends this month (not sure how I thought I was going to get my Dad a father's day card...). Grateful for Mothernerd's theme as it's made me realise that this is stupid, it won't help anything other than stress me out and probably end up spending even more. I was going to try and overpay my savings by an extra £300, I have reduced this to £200, taken last month's deficit from that remaining £100 and earmarked the rest for June.

E Exercise according to your programme or your ability. Minimum of 3 times a week. Try to get outside every day.
Broken foot and 9 months pregnant so not happening - however assuming they're on time, and my foot is healed enough, I am looking forward to taking little one for a first venture in the pram.

S Set all your budgets before the start of the month. Food, travel, social, diy, other.
Groceries: £200 (includes a potential post-birth takeaway)
Personal: £65.44 (includes social, transport, medical costs)
Diesel: £0 (I have enough after last month's debacle)

S Someone, somewhere is worse off than you. Donate to the local food bank or other charity of your choice. Clear some of your clutter and donate the goods to charity.
DD to Red Cross. Not really doing much de-cluttering this month.

E Every day check in is reccommended, especially when things go wrong.
I am awful at this, I may be here daily whilst I'm waiting and then dissappear for the rest of the month.

Y You are the most important person in your life. You are your own longest term investment. You matter.

indigowarrior

J June challenge runs from 1st June to 30th. You will aim for 20 NSDs (tough target) or 10 NSDs (soft target - if you are struggling, take the 'soft' target and exceed it). YS (yellow sticker, reduced items) alone do not lose you an NSD. Safety overrides other considerations therefore medical purchases do not count and petrol as we do not want tyou to be stranded in the middle of nowhere (applies to 'oyster' type cards where you cannot determine when you will need to top it up). Greent has a milk exemption (many hungry boys and a very small fridge). Other exemptions will be considered on their individual merits. (I have requested one exception and that has been allowed. Thank you mothernerd)




U Use the food you have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer to base your meals on. Meal plan (for the month or for a few days at a time, whichever suits). Cook from scratch (short cuts permitted if you are feeling stressed)-[ At the moment I will be using convience to get through but just meals I can throw in the oven and not worry..


N No takeaways, coffee, chip or pie shop purchases. Do not use works canteen (unless free/ highly subsidised), vending machines. Take your lunch to work every day (same applies to hospital visits and days out). If your family has a regular event (eg film night) and includes a takeaway, this is permissible. Similarly if you are meeting a friend and a coffee shop is the only convenient venue (or a 'social event' for which you have a budget) that's okay. (Only one thing planned this month)


E Eating well is a form of self respect. Give your body the fuel it needs and appreciate all it does for you. No specific rule but I can recommend the 'emergency banana' or small bag of seeds and nuts to prevent the rush for chocolate.


O Offer help and encouragement to other turtles and people you meet. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself. I need to do this.I need to remember


D Debt or savings payments should be made first - live on what is left month doesnt reset till the 21st but I need to get square again


E Exercise according to your programme or your ability. Minimum of 3 times a week. Try to get outside every day.



S Set all your budgets before the start of the month. Food, travel, social, diy, other.


S Someone, somewhere is worse off than you. Donate to the local food bank or other charity of your choice. Clear some of your clutter and donate the goods to charity. Now is a good time to check children's clothing (I would always turn too short/ holey joggers/ trousers into shorts). If your family is complete pass on your too small clothing to relatives, friends or charity. Sell it if it's 'designer' - and ask yourself why you paid so much for something that only fit for a few months and spent most of its life covered in sick or poo (sorry, that's judgemental). I plan to donate 10% of my food budget to the food bank.


E Every day check in is reccommended, especially when things go wrong. Will do


Y You are the most important person in your life. You are your own longest term investment. You matter. Read this and the daily quotes, take on anything you find relevant and helpful, ditch the rest.

Budget
Food: £120
Mcdonalds: £20 (feeding 2 children and 2 adults)
Petrol: £20
Rent £140
Debt payment: £110

I need to get on track but at the sametime take things easy. I am grieving for my children and the life we would have had if things had stayed well. I need to allow that process but not lose my head at the same time.

f0xh0les

June challenge runs from 1st-30th.
Aiming for 20 NSDs
Use what you have - I do not have much! I have properly run things down. It means I am eating seasonally and meal planning and strictly sticking to the shopping list.
No takeaways - I have become disillusioned with takeaways. Home cooked and home made are a million times nicer -the washing up is not -that is the only seductive bit about a takeaway - no pots.

E Eat well - I have rediscovered the joys of the fruit and veg market in town. 4pm on Saturday and £8 will get us enough F&V to feed 6 and have a swoon-inducing fruitbowl- I mean 6 mangoes for £1 ???

Offer help and encouragement wherever you go -

Debts should be paid first - just overpaid nearly £500 to the mortgage. Now I feel sick. What can I say, it was there, I was there, our eyes met, the rest is history. Now I have to stick to my budget. For emergencies there is the cc. I have no debt, so not worried about that one.

Exercise daily- I have a gym membership - I HAVE to use it or lose it.

Set all your budgets on the 1st of the month - that is when the bills go out and then I know how much I have left.

Someone, somewhere is worse off than you - sponsored a friend who has had breast cancer - she is doing a 10k run for a charity that I totally oppose and have major ethical problems with, but I adore her and she is having real trouble getting anyone she works with/for or whose children she helps every day, to sponsor her. It means a lot to her. It will help her to give back and do something she never thought she would. Go girl!! Also signed up to SIM only contracts for me and 2 boys. TPO give 10% of your tariff to charity, so I signed me up for wateraid and the boys up for a charity that provides mosquito nets to kids in malaria areas. Should be a couple of nets a year. Plus all 3 of us are now sorted for less than I was on a month with EE, and they can still contact me in an emergency. Plus normal Orangutan charity and Animal Aid donations.

Every day is check in day.

You are the most important person in your life- preaching to the choir on this one!

Budgets
£400 a month for food for 6 and petrol and new school shirts
£60 for after school clubs until end of term for 2 kids
It is just about do-able if I am very careful, and outdoor trips involve local parks and riding bikes.

This month is my birthday - but I do not hold out much hope of anything. It is not personal. Well, I do not take it personally, neither of us grew up in households where birthdays were big things. It is learnt behaviour I suppose. Still makes me a bit sad though. I do make the effort for everyone else - they all get the wrapped gifts, the birthday meal out, the cake and candles yada yada yada. Mine is the same day as fathers day, and DH is off camping with his mates that weekend anyway. So the kids will have made him cards at school... Still, as Eleanor said,' no-one can make you feel inferior, without your consent'. I do not consent. So there.

mothernerd

indigo you have had to make some exceptionally difficult decisions.Most of it has been forced on you by circumstance and I can't begin to imagine how dreadful the whole situation is. Your actions have been guided by love for your children even though it hurts so much. Treat yourself with great gentleness and remember that although you are 'broken' now you are so so strong to have faced all these challenges and still keeping on going. Many many hugs and hope happier times will soon be here for you.

mothernerd

Everyone up to here has been given a number (post#2). if I have missed anyone out, please let me know.


f0xh0les - you could buy a pack of paper (not plastic) plates just for hm takeaway night. Superwoman recommended adopting the 'medieval' method of everyong washing their own plate and cutlery at the end of the meal. She said they used this for the second half of the long summer holiday. Still leaves you with the pans etc. Any other turtles got ideas that work?

x_raphael_xx

I'm in this month again please. I trailed off posting last month, however I did keep you guys in the back of my head thou, and it kept me on the right track. I ended up with 24 NSDs.

A Ask yourself 'Is this necessary?' Before purchasing anything. When you make a 'to do' list (is it realistic or even possible). I have noticed references to 'a pile of ironing' or 'the ironing mountain'. In my experience, most ironing is unecessary.

I haven't owned an iron for about 5 years. And I haven't ironed for about 8.

When I split up with my ex she asked if I wanted to take the iron, I declined as it was rusty and limescaley from non-use. I told her she might as well get rid of the ironing board too. She replied "We have an ironing board?" (It was stored in the thin gap between the fridge-freezer and the wall.)
I find my clothes de-wrinkle as they are hung to dry.

J June challenge - Aim for 20 NSDs I'm planning on just 5 spend days - 4 during my holiday/weekend away. And a session at the new VR centre that has opened up across the road from me Looking forward to my first VR experience.

U Use the food you have, meal plan. We meal plan each week. We both hate cooking (but always cook from scratch, don't like processed stuff) so we take a week in turn to draw up the plan and cook for that week. Next week is my cooking week

N No takeaways, etc. Will be eating out during our weekend away, alhough we will pack a lunch for the journey up. Breakfast in the hotel is £10!! So I may take a box of breakfast biscuits, or even stretch to packing a bowl, cereal and a carton of longlife milk.

E Eating well. I tend to graze throughout the day at work, although rarely at home on my day off.
I have a stash of seed/nut packets and fruit bars in my desk drawer. I'm not a choccy fan.

O Offer help and encouragement to other turtles and people you meet. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself.

D Debt payments should be made first. Mums repayment DD comes out on the first. I'm hoping not to spend too much on holiday, as any leftovers will go into mums pot. I have already put away the funds for the hotel room, so the only unknown spends will be meals and activities (there is a zoo close by)

E Exercise. My training plan has started for my half marathon in September.

S Set all your budgets.

S Someone, somewhere is worse off than you. Donate to the local food bank or other charity of your choice. Clear some of your clutter and donate the goods to charity. I did well on my Minimalist Game last month, didn't get to the end of the month, but got rid of 186 things from the house. I'll try again this month, but will stick to one thing a day.


E Every day check in is reccommended, especially when things go wrong. I will try!

Y You are the most important person in your life. You are your own longest term investment. You matter. Read this and the daily quotes, take on anything you find relevant and helpful, ditch the rest.

misstara

A Ask yourself 'Is this necessary?' Before purchasing anything. When you make a 'to do' list (is it realistic or even possible). Will do
J June challenge runs from 1st June to 30th. You will aim for 20 NSDs (tough target) or 10 NSDs (soft target - if you are struggling, take the 'soft' target and exceed it). I'm going to aim for 20 this month
U Use the food you have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer to base your meals on. Meal plan (for the month or for a few days at a time, whichever suits). Cook from scratch (short cuts permitted if you are feeling stressed). Planning to sit down with OH tomorrow and make a meal plan
N No takeaways, coffee, chip or pie shop purchases. One takeaway planned for Sunday - I'm doing a 26 mile walk so definitely not cooking after that. Two meals planned with friends
E Eating well is a form of self respect. Definitely need to improve my diet, I'm generally doing well if I eat 2 portions of fruit and veg a day
O Offer help and encouragement to other turtles and people you meet. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself. Will do
D Debt or savings payments should be made first - live on what is left. Done
E Exercise according to your programme or your ability. Minimum of 3 times a week. Try to get outside every day. Need to start running again and actually use my gym membership
S Set all your budgets before the start of the month. Food, travel, social, diy, other. All budgets are set
S Someone, somewhere worse off than you. Donate to the local food bank or other charity of your choice. Will do
E Every day check in is reccommended, especially when things go wrong. Failed miserably at this in May, will try to improve
Y You are the most important person in your life. You are your own longest term investment. You matter. Read this and the daily quotes, take on anything you find relevant and helpful, ditch the rest. Really need to start taking more me time, work is so busy at the moment that I really struggle

bizzie

Ask myself 'Is this necessary/realistic?' before purchases or adding to the To Do List.

June challenge runs from 1st June to 30th. I will aim for 15 NSDs a middle of the road approach with the normal exceptions (medical/travel/yellow sticker).

Use the food I already have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer to base meals on. Meal planning could be improved but I do generally cook from scratch.

No takeaways or food on the run purchases. We have a few events planned this month, they will come from within existing budget.

Eating well is a form of self-respect. This needs attention.

Offer help and encouragement to other turtles and people you meet. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself.

Debt and savings payments will be made first my regular payments will be made during the first week of the month then I live on what is left.

Exercise. This needs attention. I will aim to get outside every day.

Set all your budgets before the start of the month. Amounts are allocated including food, travel, social, diy, other. Spreadsheet waiting for entries.

Someone, somewhere is worse off than me. Donations to be delivered, clutter to be cleared.

Every day check in is recommended, especially when things go wrong. Aim to do but tend to fade as the month goes along.

You are the most important person in your life. You are your own longest-term investment. You matter. Read this and the daily quotes, take on anything you find relevant and helpful, ditch the rest.