NST - Achievable August

Eager_Elephant

Everyone has a number up to here plus dolly84 who has swanned off on holiday somewhere and will join us later...:rotfl:

greent

The flowers for August are the Gladioli and the Poppy which represents beauty, strength, love, marriage and family.

So for August we are going to pick one of the above to work on – if you feel you have let your skincare routine go, or you have been saying yes too often to things or maybe you need to start loving yourself (or others) then that will be your focus this month.
- hmmmm…. well August is my wedding anniversary (end of the month) and the school hols (family time) 2 breaks away - 1 as a family and 1 just OH & myself. Also need to work on my diet and fitness.
Rules:

Aim – for 15 NSD’s this month. If you think you can do more that is fantastic
Highly unlikely, given 2 breaks away and school hols! However, as long as I don't bust budgets I shall take that as a success

Update (Budgets) – instead of just setting budgets for the month I want you all to look at any direct debits/standing orders/continuous payment authorities Also make sure you pay to debts first this month and also put some in savings.
All my ddrs are fine. Technically I could try and haggle my v1rg1n package down to be more MSE, but that's not my style.
1st DD goes out in Aug to new S&S ISA :T

Get (prepared for Xmas) – Xmas is only 5 months away so that is either 4 or 5 pay days for monthly paid people. Have you written your list of who needs a present? I still need to finalise my list and come up with more ideas of what I'd like from people (eg: my mum) and check what I've already got (only a couple of small things)

Utilise (free activities in your area) - I would like everyone to find out about free activities for kids or adults in their area and attend one of these – - ok

Share (money saving tips) – I would like people to post once a week with a moneysaving tip, . - I'm a fairly recent convert to shopping apps - I don't use them a lot, but I do try and get the free things (put them in foodbank if I won't use them) and occasional cashback on things I will buy anyway

Treat (yourself) – I would like everyone to budget £3 for a luxury item, I want everyone to treat themselves this month. - will have to think of something - maybe whilst we are away

Thank you, E_E! x

laurenh1

Sign me up

Maisie_M

The flowers for August are the Gladioli and the Poppy which represents beauty, strength, love, marriage and family.

This is so come at the right time for me. I have tonnes of fantsatic creams, lotions and potions and hardly ever use them so I am going to start this and a) get stuff used up and b) have some me time. Stage 1 will be a manicure and pedicure tomorrow and also to rake out all my skin care products and devise a routine.

Rules:

Aim – for 15 NSD’s this month. Definately aiming for 15 but would like more as budgets are very tight this month.

Update (Budgets) – spreadsheet all done so I know what is going out when. DS1 now has his own bank account which I am paying into at the beginning of the month and then he is responsible for it after that. Should stop the £3 here £5 there for stuff.


Will check DD's during the month and confirm nothing extinct there.


No money for savings that I can see at present but I will see what I can do.


Get (prepared for Xmas) – Xmas is only 5 months away so that is either 4 or 5 pay days for monthly paid people. Have you written your list of who needs a present? If you have can you cull some from the list? A lot of people buy over Xmas for others as it is what has always been done but are too frightened to speak up – well Turtles are not frightened of suggesting things!! Maybe a family Secret Santa would help save money. Once you have your list down to the minimum then you need to start thinking of ideas and then start looking for those things in the sale or even better for free. - to do,

Utilise (free activities in your area) - I would like everyone to find out about free activities for kids or adults in their area and attend one of these – obviously if its not until later in the year that’s fine, book now if you need to or if not get it in the diary and maybe rope some friends in as well. - will do. There are three weeks left of our school holidays so will find somethings for us to do.

Share (money saving tips) – one thing I am trying to do this month is make a meal plan from the things I have in and then just buy the odd things I need to complete the plan. I have lots in stock so it will be interesting to see how this goes.


Treat (yourself) – I would like everyone to budget £3 for a luxury item, I want everyone to treat themselves this month. Maybe it’s a favourite chocolate bar that you haven’t brought in ages, maybe it’s a nice soap/shower gel but is too expensive to buy for day to day use.
If your only spend on the day you buy this item is that item then you can count it as a NSD. - will get my thinking cap on for this as we have so much stuff we are actually trying to get rid of things but there will be something I see and would like.

DawnW

Can I join again for August please?

swimminginaseaofdebt

Evening everyone,

My goals for the month:

• Work on beauty, strength, love, marriage and family - I’ll try to lose my patience less with the little one. Will be challenging as he’s at the terrible twos stage!
• Aim for 15 NSDs this month - will try but main aim is to come within (and preferably under) my budget

• Update (Budgets); instead of just setting budgets for the month I want you all to look at any direct debits/standing orders/continuous payment authorities and check to see if you still need or use them. If you don’t get cancelling. Also make sure you pay to debts first this month and also put some in savings - budget is £350 for all non bill items this month, will see if I can cancel or reduce anything. Debts covered by my Stepchange payment and I’m planning to round up my direct debits and transfer the money to my EF

• Get (prepared for Xmas); Xmas is only 5 months away so that is either 4 or 5 pay days for monthly paid people. Have you written your list of who needs a present? If you have can you cull some from the list? A lot of people buy over Xmas for others as it is what has always been done but are too frightened to speak up; well Turtles are not frightened of suggesting things!! Maybe a family Secret Santa would help save money. Once you have your list down to the minimum then you need to start thinking of ideas and then start looking for those things in the sale or even better for free - I don’t celebrate Christmas but am gifting to charity. I‘ve nearly finished a gift for a boy aged 13-16 or 16+ but still want to buy some shaving foam, comb and hair gel/wax/putty to pop in so I’ll keep an eye out for offers

• Utilise (free activities in your area) - I would like everyone to find out about free activities for kids or adults in their area and attend one of these; obviously if its not until later in the year that’s fine, book now if you need to or if not get it in the diary and maybe rope some friends in as well - will do
• Share (money saving tips); I would like people to post once a week with a moneysaving tip, you may have been doing it for years and think everyone knows about it but I guarantee not everyone will know about it so get sharing - will try

• Treat (yourself); I would like everyone to budget £3 for a luxury item, I want everyone to treat themselves this month. Maybe it’s a favourite chocolate bar that you haven’t brought in ages, maybe it’s a nice soap/shower gel but is too expensive to buy for day to day use. If your only spend on the day you buy this item is that item then you can count it as a NSD - will buy 3 £1 facemasks not a luxury item but a luxury activity for me, hope that’s okay

And I!!!8216;ll also:

• Read as many books as possible
• Batch cook for the little one
• Make £50 additional income

bizzie

Can I join in again please. Will be back to post later.

laurenh1

Good morning Turtles,


E_E thanks for a fab challenge.


August's flowers - I am going to work on 2 things strength - I am going to practice will power over my spending. No unnecessary spending or anything not budgeted...& marriage , nothing at all wrong with my marriage but I have 2 very little children & my hub & I very rarely spend time just for us.I'll work on that.



Aim - today is NSD #1. I am not including things I've put in my budget /put money away for. Ie. The milk man.



Update - on top of DD. Savings goes out by standing order. I have crossed the 9k mark this month :j Super proud . In my general spend budget I have ,£150 :rotfl: But awaiting work vouchers & have some other bits coming in.


Get prepared- Xmas is budgeted for - I have started squirreling stuff away .I think I have about £600 left to spend. I usually get £100 off work which I spend on food but I don't want to count my chickens...


Utilise-love this one . Always on the hunt for free activities.



Share - I am looking forward to seeing your tips I google "voucher codes for..." & put in the website I'm using whenever I'm buying something on line, takes 2 seconds & I've had a lot of success getting something off. Got 10% off a spend last month doing it


Treat- love this too. Who knows what I'll go for :j


Good luck for August Turtles.:cool:

Fmess

Can I join please?

Im going to have quite an odd month as I got paid on 25th, went on holiday on 26th and spent my entire months socialising budget on holiday so I am now completely broke for the rest of the summer holiday I will however hopefully get some summer work which will help and I have got most food in and paid all the DD.

shabbychic12

l must be feeling focused l haven't posted a full intent so far for previous months

The flowers for August are the Gladioli and the Poppy which represents beauty, strength, love, marriage and family.

So for August we are going to pick one of the above to work on – if you feel you have let your skincare routine go, or you have been saying yes too often to things or maybe you need to start loving yourself (or others) then that will be your focus this month.
* l intend to focus on a daily meditation and continue with my mindful yoga

Aim – for 15 NSD’s this month. If you think you can do more that is fantastic
Medical spends, fuel or days when the only purchase is reduced items do not count as spends.
*will try

Update (Budgets) – instead of just setting budgets for the month I want you all to look at any direct debits/standing orders/continuous payment authorities and check to see if you still need or use them. If you don’t get cancelling.
Also make sure you pay to debts first this month and also put some in savings.
* Done

Get (prepared for Xmas) – Xmas is only 5 months away so that is either 4 or 5 pay days for monthly paid people. Have you written your list of who needs a present? If you have can you cull some from the list? A lot of people buy over Xmas for others as it is what has always been done but are too frightened to speak up – well Turtles are not frightened of suggesting things!! Maybe a family Secret Santa would help save money. Once you have your list down to the minimum then you need to start thinking of ideas and then start looking for those things in the sale or even better for free.
* To do

Utilise (free activities in your area) - I would like everyone to find out about free activities for kids or adults in their area and attend one of these – obviously if its not until later in the year that’s fine, book now if you need to or if not get it in the diary and maybe rope some friends in as well.
* Will use NT membership more

Share (money saving tips) – I would like people to post once a week with a moneysaving tip, you may have been doing it for years and think everyone knows about it but I guarantee not everyone will know about it so get sharing.

Treat (yourself) – I would like everyone to budget £3 for a luxury item, I want everyone to treat themselves this month. Maybe it’s a favourite chocolate bar that you haven’t brought in ages, maybe it’s a nice soap/shower gel but is too expensive to buy for day to day use.
If your only spend on the day you buy this item is that item then you can count it as a NSD.
* like this idea - to do

And so l begin xx