NST - Achievable August

mothernerd

Set the alarm, got ready, met mum at the dentist (checked her in, paid etc), ran round like a loon doing her shopping whilst she was in with the dentist and hygenist (try to book both together rather than make two trips), got back at 12.33, mum came out a few minutes later. Called a taxi for her, walked back home, called a taxi for crafts (4 bags - but aiming to use up lots of material, trimmings and scraps that have beeen hanging around for years - some were my grandma's).


Phoned to say I would be late but taxi firm got me there not too late. People had started on making cards. 8 of us, some cardmaking, some colouring, some of us continuing to cut out/ sew lavender bags (I have 5 years worth of harvested lavender in various bags around the house). Want to prep lots for next week so they can continue whilst I am away (15 days to the wedding, according to my future d-i-l's bookface post).


Mum has given me tomorrow off (early start Friday as the hairdresser is going to tame my locks (3" and it's uncontrollable although it looked quite pretty after washing it yesterday when it all stood up in a little spiky halo). May do a charity shop trawl for bag and shoes (for the plane as well as the wedding) and possibly another dress - meeting K's parents the night before the wedding so need something more than my pile of 'wearing it out' dresses (aka anything that's cool enough). But definitely need at least one bag and shoes (ludicrous that I can't find turquoise suede look pixie boots anywhere but turquoise harris tweed ones with a pink stripe and killer heels are available - just totally unsuitable for me). Not looking forward to shoe shopping but if I can't find anything locally, one day this weekend will have to be spent in the big city and not sure I can cope.


Was exhausted by 1pm, have had a nap since crafts and planning to be asleep again asap. Spendy day today and not much prospect of one atm.


Today I am grateful for getting things done, for lovely free buffet and for not doing shoe shopping today.

sashanut

Hi all :j

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

Don't like to tempt fate but so far no crisis today ...and only just over 30 mins to go so we might be OK..

Still no word on what happened to DDs friend, we are still in the dark but unless we hear from the family I don't think its a question we can ask. I think they will bring her back to the UK but I don't know the procedure over there, whether they have an inquest or if that will happen back in the UK. Gah it's horrible whatever way you look at it.

The (small) dog is continuing to improve, I think she was just milking it tbh, although clearly she has hurt her leg quite badly. Meds are helping & she is up & putting weight on it although gingerly. She's been laid on the hall floor which is tiled & is very cool, whilst I've been combing her - all her coat is shedding due to the hot weather, she's an Arctic dog so hot temps are not for her.

Like being at a dog spa, no wonder she is milking it!



Aim – for 15 NSD’s now 7/15.

Update (Budgets) – will keep receipts of all spends since back in the UK, at least for another month. Nothing today but accumulating more receipts..

Get (prepared for Xmas) – Wool arrived for gift I will be knitting - colours I think will suit my aunt, hopefully. Downloaded free pattern for it.

Utilise (free activities in your area) - outside doing the gardening, that was free..

Share (money saving tips) – already done


Treat (yourself) – I would like everyone to budget £3 for a luxury item, got my treat today, was from Sainsburys so cheaper & I could have 2..

The challenge will run from 1st August 00:01 until 31st August 00:00.

Go turtles!!!!!!

greent

Aim Still on 3 NSDs - took 2 of the boys to the barbers today (£20.50 in total) but that's a full loyalty card now, so a free cut sometime

Update (Budgets) done.

Get (prepared for Xmas) Some small bits purchased. Lists written

Utilise - not really

Share (money saving tips)

Treat (yourself) - have spent on haircut and eyebrow wax/ tint this month - very treaty spending!

DD back from Cardiff tonight. She has a job whilst at uni this year - yeay! It's flexi shifts (you can change how much/ how often/ when you work) Ideally they want around 8 hours min a week. And it is literally 1 minute away from her flat! :T :T
Now just to get DS1 sorted with a job (whether paid or voluntary) (and he gained 4 marks on having 2 of his Chem A level papers re-marked - so is now 1 mark off an A grade - argh!)

Really must go to bed - am up early tomorrow to nip into work before the GCSE results get handed out.....

GlendaSugarbean

Checking in after 2 weeks holidays, Budget has been a bust! No NSDs, spent more than budgeted on food, drink and entertainment and I have a couple of social things still to come :eek:

Lesson learned: next year make sure I budget realistically for summer activities. I always get caught out at how much we spend, but it we are away from home it soon mounts up.

Positives: it could have been worse :rotfl: as we avoided eating out too much and took packed lunches whenever possible. I also haven't added to the CC or gone into my overdraft, I've had to shift some cash over from savings (leaving them sadly depleted) but at least the money was there.

Beginning of a new financial month for me and it's looking tight already due to a larger than planned childcare bill . Still, onwards and forwards if not upwards!

f0xh0les

Good Luck to all the mini-Turtles with GCSE results today!!

Mine gets his next year. I feel sick already (he is fine though)

Aim: NSD 10 for yesterday (yay!) 5 more to go

Update: lists revised as to what I can realistically still get done in August with the budget I have and the things already in the house. 3 day weekend will be used wisely.

Get Xmas prepped - actually I bought decorations and paper in the sales, and I have enough red and gold taper candles to do me until kingdom come. They all got reduced from £1 to 10p and loads fell into my basket as I had a gift card for that shop from the stamps survey. So free candles and wrap and allsorts. Not much needed there. Just got enough points for a £10 LuV2sh0p voucher on a survey site. So that can go with all the stamp survey vouchers. So I think that brings me up to around £20 for stocking fillers saved already this month. And it was all pretty painless.
Will hit the competiton pages hard in the evenings when the kids go back to school - the odd book, or firelighting flint, or stickers, tattoos and nonsense for free goes a long way.

Utilise: Will look to see what is on this BH weekend - mostly DIY I fear

Share: Use the market rather than the supermarket, it was £1 for 3 punnets of cherries, same cherries £1 a punnet in the supermarket, same for straws, bluebs and rasps. They are ripe and ready to eat, and the best thing is that if they look like they are about to 'turn' you prep them and bung them in the freezer for crumbles / pies / turnovers / smoothies / hot fruit soup when they are no longer in season.
The blackberries are huge and gorgeous this year - and free - now appearing in a hedge near you!!

Treat- every day I do not have to do the school run, or make packed lunches, is a treat for me.

greent

f0xh0les wrote: »

Treat[/B]- every day I do not have to do the school run, or make packed lunches, is a treat for me.

Am so with you on this one!!!

Toni'sfriend

Afternoon all,
We had a power cut last night which took ages to fix so didn't get much sleep with all the noise and coming and going. I was really tired this morning so we stayed in. NSD no 16/15.
I've done a little bit off cooking for the Boy but I think that's going to lessen considerable soon. He's got a slow cooker and made a beef stew on Monday. Apparently it was delicious and he now has four more portions in his freezer for dinners. He's taken a liking to being on his own and looking after himself like a duck to water. I can't believe how clean and tidy his flat is when his room here was like a tip (and still Is!)
Oh how I wish we had markets here f0xh0les. I love when we go to England where there always seem to be weekly (some times more frequent) markets with all these great cheap food stalls. And the markets in Europe are fantastic. I don't know why we don't have them in Scotland (or at least in the part where I live.)
Hope all the GCSE results went well.

lcc86

applemuncher I've read about the bone broth thing too, sadly (or maybe not as it doesn't sound particularly appetising) I'm vegetarian so I won't be making any! But I am trying to have a protein shake instead every day to help.

Another NSD here, am up to 16 now. It's great when you can't leave the house! :rotfl: I am bored though, just watching box sets and reading but have a killer headache so just going to rest now for the evening. Only I could get a headache from resting...

apple_muncher

lcc86 wrote: »

applemuncher I've read about the bone broth thing too, sadly (or maybe not as it doesn't sound particularly appetising) I'm vegetarian so I won't be making any! But I am trying to have a protein shake instead every day to help.

.

Oops! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


(ps I've tried it and my first one was yuk. but then I added things like onions, carrots, etc and made it more flavoursome. And it was delish.)

Kerry_Woman

NSD achieved today - 19/20.
Took the bus to the sorting office to pick up a parcel.
Made a list of things to get tomorrow.
Just chilled out today.