NST Penny Pinching GoSober Stoptober

sashanut

Hi all :j


Hugs to all turtles struggling atm, with illness/tiredness/money issues.. hope you soon feel better.

Challenge: Oops forgot this one yesterday! Don't smoke & rarely drink either, so it has to be giving up unhealthy snacks...Much better today as had a yoghurt plus apple for dessert, will also have 2 ginger biscs. Tomorrow however will be out for a meal to celebrate DDs finishing her training early & being now qualified, happy for her.

Organise. Start as you mean to go on. Know the contents of your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Plan your meals around them. Cook from scratch. Don't buy anything you can make unless cost /time taken dictates otherwise. If you are new to turtle challenges or still have full cupboards you could try living from the cupboards. Another shop today as visit to hairdressers & different shops there. Plus got 3x Christmas tins of biscs & bottle Jaffa cake cocktail in Mns whilst I am on a spend day.

Regular budget items should be set by 1st October. If you don't know how much you are spending on food or petrol, now is the time to find out. Question every purchase - need or want? Have to sit down & do this, lots of things to pay today including car tax, hairdressers, shopping food & Christmas - & drew out cash for log delivery Friday. Will also be spending tomorrow on visit to Harrogate, planned meal out for DD.

No Spend Days. Aim for 20 (high target) or 15 (low). Am aiming for 15 but hoping for more. Still 1/15.


Improvise. Make do and mend with a creative twist. think of a substitute ingredient, how to make an old/broken piece of furniture last a little longer. Not today.

Exercise Four times a week at least (20 minutes minimum but can be done 10 minutes at a time). Get outside in daylight as often as possible. Outside in daylight with pooches, lots of combing - do they ever stop shedding?? I think not. Poorly girl doggie looking much better now, revisit vets next week. Plus kitten will need neutering too, he is massive & the size of a full grown cat already although barely 8 months old.

Christmas Bought 3 x tins of shortbread for neighbours gifts in Eire. Early but will be going in November so need to take with us. Found calendar for DD (novelty gift) online.

Finally Don't Be A Martyr For Christmas.


Banned Will only be chippys normally with the odd takeaway planned for a celebration etc. No takeaways today.

Extra Income and Extra time Better use of my time today, got shopping & hair cut, then back, lunch & sorted out shopping & a bit of a tidy up. Also booked service on oven/gas fire. Getting list done, more tomorrow.
Report in, daily if possible I'm here..



Go Turtles!!

nannygladys

Hi everyone, first clock in this month.
Sfd 2/15
Only money spent today which was fuel and some yellow sticker stuff from mossies. That should last until the weekend if not beyond!!
Been busy upcycling a chest of drawers and wardrobe in the spare room so seem to be covered in paint spots.
Also managed to finish the front of one lap quilt and advent calendar for dd1, but I need to buy some wadding for both, so will hang fire on that for a bit. I've also been pushchair walking with one of my gorgeous gds for the exercise and even parked the car the farthest away from the sm door when I did my bit of shopping!
Anyway, bedtime so I will see you all tomorrow
Nannyg

f0xh0les

Yesterday was NSD2 , today will be NSD3.

Just the school run planned.

Then Cross Country with my 2 + 1 spare

For some reason I cannot wait for the weekend. Why? the only thing different is no school run but masses of other stuff instead.
Must be a kickback from dancing all night on Fridays and Saturdays - it is now part of muscle memory - Fridays are exciting. Even if all you are doing is feeding kids and doing laundry. Bizarre!

Right, off to get dressed, we have to leave in 20 minutes!!

thriftylass

Good morning and Hello to day 4. I won't be having a SFD today as I will do a little sensible top up shop in relation to the extra challenge (voluntary).

SPENDING FREEZE :shocked::snow_grin

Ok, turtles, I’ll be adding a small voluntary weekly challenge to bring back a NinjaSavingKat style feel to this month (i.e. tighten the belt a bit more, sure some will remember NSK who started this challenges originally and saved loads to pay off debt and to go travelling).

I was writing a shopping list the other day and although I sort of meal plan and we don’t waste much food my planning skills have slipped a bit and need freshening up. I did a few freezer and cupboard inventories over the last few months and noticed the same few items are just not budging and never get used despite it being one of the main challenge rules to use up before buying. Sound familiar?

So, with some warning and time to plan and get a few essential grocery items I’m imposing a 7-day spending freeze from Sunday!

I slipped back into the trap of listing meals I want to cook and then going shopping rather than looking for what I have and what dish that could be transformed into and then just supplementing from the shop. For some of you this might be old rope, but maybe the newbies or turtles that have become relaxed about preplanning can take something from this challenge.

Also, it might aid the ones that are trying to give something up like sugary treats or alcohol. Can’t buy it. Be creative with your meal and snacks. Go through every day of that week in the calendar, what do you need to get still? Plan, plan, plan some more……..

The Rule:

1: Don’t spend any money for 7 days, simples.

Exceptions: Bills, medical expenses and emergencies (“I have forgotten my lunch” is NOT an emergency)

f0xh0les

This is me ^^^ I do this, it is how I keep my shopping bill so low, and the wonderful use of my pantry (I don't have any cupboards in my kitchen. To be fair, my kitchen is hardly even a kitchen, but it will be one day. When it grows up. After a trip to 1KEA)

Oh heck, I am going to have to fill the freezer with bread then, as the boys go through at least one loaf a day, and sometimes two if it is not pre-sliced. what with lunchboxes, toast, after school sandwiches (is that only a thing in my house?). Thinking about it..I might need a bigger freezer.......

thriftylass

f0xh0les wrote: »

This is me ^^^ I do this, it is how I keep my shopping bill so low, and the wonderful use of my pantry (I don't have any cupboards in my kitchen. To be fair, my kitchen is hardly even a kitchen, but it will be one day. When it grows up. After a trip to 1KEA)

Oh heck, I am going to have to fill the freezer with bread then, as the boys go through at least one loaf a day, and sometimes two if it is not pre-sliced. what with lunchboxes, toast, after school sandwiches (is that only a thing in my house?). Thinking about it..I might need a bigger freezer.......

I sooooo want a bigger freezer or at least a second one. DH doesn't see the need. But with fresh frozen produce, prepped lunches, prepped meals, veg, fruit etc etc I could definitely use one. Bread will be our hardest challenge too as I just don't have any space to freeze it but luckily we don't need it for lunches (nursery/school meals). Might buy bagels as they keep for ages. Might buy some bread mix. Got a second fridge (our old one) and will have to use that more especially for prepped meals that get eaten with in 2-4 days and don't need freezing.

dolly84

apple - hope you are feeling better now, that sounded awful


lauren - :eek: to the fire, very lucky indeed.


Cycled this monring so have pumped legs and the lovely feeling of knowing I'm done for the day apart from walking the dog. Grocery shop is being delivered this afternoon, Tesco had no sweet potatoes on the website at all so I called at Lidl whilst waiting for the kids to leave school and ended up with £3 of other things I didn't need.

laurenh1

Hello lovely People

Thrifty I am up for the extra challenge. I do have a pre panned pre budgeted take away planned for next weekend but other than that I am up for it.
I bought a second Freezer about 3 years ago and it is the best thing I ever bought. I can always take advantage of offers and YS items because I have the freezer space. to be honest I would now be lost without it. But I remember the debate about getting a second one, Hub thought it was insaine to spend £150 to be able to buy reduced items but I think even he would concede that it has more than paid for itself.

laurenh1

Check in

Organise- at work so not a great deal I can do today!
Budget- I have £130 left in my budget. Cupboards full so next weeks challenge will help. I am not panicking yet. to be honest I just need one month when I stick to budget so it all balances out again!
NSD- today is number 3. Aiming for 4 but would love 5.
Exercise- fairly rubbish until hub is away, but not long now & I can get running again.
Xmas - going to speak to my Mum tomorrow about what she is getting the kids ,
Banned - No take aways
Extra Nothing:(
Report

chocolatelover93

Thifty - like the sound of the spend freeze, not sure if I can go a whole week but I am willing to give it a go!


Challenge - I had a nice salad wrap for lunch so that must be a few of my 5 a day haha.
Organise - Meal plan done today, made shopping list and stuck to it pretty well (did buy a few extras but were things I had forgot about)
Regular budget items should be set by 1st October - Within my food budget this week.
No Spend Days - Shopping day today so still on 1/15
Improvise. Make do and mend with a creative twist - None today
Exercise Four times a week at least - Walking round the town and shops with my son and chasing him around the doctors haha does that count?
Christmas - Popped into a few charity shops in town and managed to get a few small gift sets for £1.50 and a 3 disk disney CD for my son for £1.50!
Banned Takeaways, coffee shops, chippys, pie shops, vending machines, sandwich bars etc. - Bought a sandwich for my son while we were out but this was included in my food shopping bill. Didn't even buy myself a drink when I was out (took my own) which is a first for me!
Extra Income or Extra time for the time poor - Going to try and sell some bits on FB or Fleabay
Report in - Hello!

Did my bit to help out today as well, a man was struggling with his pram, so held his daughter while he sorted it out