NST December 2018 – Exterminate the debt!

thriftylass

Thanks for the well wishes. Much better today. Gosh, I never slept that much. Slept about 6-7 hours during the day yesterday and still crashed out for another 9 last night. Apart from a sore back from all the lying about much better.

Feel bad for having lost a day at work while busy but hey ho. trying to see the positive. Did a 24 h tea fast (some say it's beneficial to your health, lol.) Have not been drinking or smoking for 4 days and got a super rest. Onwards and upwards.

No SFD today as I pick up Asda early in the week for this and next week. Run out of potatoes (miscalculated amount needed last week) and milk and thought just pull my weekly shop forward rather than doing a top up shop. Came to only £42 as we still had loads of other thing in.

f0xh0les

Yesterday was NSD 3

Childish activity - found a penguin shaped biscuit tin from last year, so melted choc and made fish shapes and wrapped in shiny red foil I found in the xmas cooking things box. I stuffed my penguin with fish!! It makes me smile every time I go past it. I knew I had a fish shaped tray somewhere!

greent

apple_muncher wrote: »

Greent - but is the iron still working...???
.

:rotfl: Yes..... but as the last time I used the WM was Saturday I haven't had any ironing since Sunday so can't even iron to soothe my grumping! :rotfl::D:p

My mum took a load of washing for me last night - she's bringing it back here today on her way to see my nan. WM repair man is coming here 'sometime between 10 and 1' - am really hoping he can sort DW at same time - they *must* have related faults - for both to go within 24 hours - surely.....

Today won't be NSD with the repair bill...… sigh..

dolly84

chocolatelover - sorry to hear that, take care.


greent- hope the appliances get fixed without too much expense - what a pain.


Throwing it down here today, dropped the kids at school and was going to cycle but the weather is too bad, may run later. Do need to venture out with the dog soon though.

SpekySquarehead

Hi guys,

Sorry I'm late. It's been ages since I joined in on this challenge as I managed to get out my debt and save to buy my own flat. I didn't get complaicent or anything but I've now moved away from home for a better job and I want to feel the benefit of it in my back pocket. So whilst I'm here, with little distractions for now, I want to save!

NSD 2/15

Debt-free date / Mortgage-free date / Savings target date.
- I owe The Bank of Mum £1,000, which I aim to get to her by December 2019.
- I will save each month to get there.

Organise your outgoings.
- Done. Thanks to YNAB.

Count up to 15.
- What about my football? I play 2-3 times per week, costing a few £ each time. Does that count as a Spend day?

“There is no such thing as an ordinary human.” Treat yourself well.
- I will treat myself with time. Something more valuable than money. Me time is important to me and I’ll put some aside to de-stress.

Refrain from browsing your phone
- Happily. A pet peeve of mine is people my age (20’s) who are stuck to their phones.

What kind of month do you want for yourself?
- Great question. I’ll ponder this and get back to you.

Here’s a space to make up your own rule for the month. Please share it!
- Get my affairs in order. And I mean life admin affairs. Bills etc.

Omm. Take care of your mental health. Write down 4 gratitudes each day.
1. My car and it's fuel efficiency
2. My new phone. It has all the gadgets
3. Music. I couldn't live with out it
4. My DM. I love her to bits and wouldn't be the man I am without her.

No entry to any sales. Unless you have a planned budget
- Aha!!! I do. I’m already budgeting for next Christmas!!

Read fiction before bed.
- A habit I need to get back into

Exercise.
- Every day, without fail

Visit your local area.
- Very apt as I’ve just moved to a new country 3 weeks ago (England, but still).

Exterminate (see, we can learn from the DALEKS…) one bad habit from your life for the first 10 days.
- I am going to try this starting tomorrow with the “snooze button”

laurenh1

Hi Turtles,

SO sorry I have been AWOL. I have been crazy busy. Very much looking forward to breaking up for Christmas & just chilling out.

Debt Free date-December 2019. my loan came through this morning and I have already paid the car off with it. I have only really swapped one debt for another but at least I save money this way and it will be paid much quicker. :j
Organise budgets- we have £145 left in the budget for the month. but everything is budgeted for and I am expecting a £20 Tesco Voucher from my hubs work after he worked an extra shift for them.
what kind of month do I want? I want one where I stick to budget. I seem to follow a pattern of being very good for the first part and then when all is going well I relax a little.
Candles- are my favourite thing, we use these most evenings. I suspect Santa will be bringing me more.
Chase joy- we have been light spotting and had friends for tea. We are making the most of all things Christmas while not breaking the bank.
Extra- I might have added this one in :rotfl:but we have £70 in the jar for Butlins next year. We have agreed all of our extra cash will go in the jar and this is what we will do with it. MIL is giving us £100 for Xmas- that will go in the jar too. You get the idea, I don't want to be TOO strict with cash while we are there as this is going to be our only holiday.

Blessed- so much to be grateful for- my LO loving his new bag that my friend gave him and falling asleep holding on to it, for having enough, plenty actually and a lovely family, this time of year can be so tough for people and for candy canes.

XSpender

Didn't post last night as the laptop was playing silly beggars (battery on last legs) and when it turned on it was in the 'no-tech' zone.

Debt-free date / Mortgage-free date / Savings target date - 2021/2030/2020. Debt and mortgage will tick along this year as we build up our savings against job loss. I am hoping to pay off my smallest debt a year early and by the end of next year.
- mortgage paid, 1 CC payment paid and payment to carpet finance OP pot

Organise your outgoings – Budget done. Meal plan adjusted for defrosted items. YNAB updated

Count up to 15 – I paid the window cleaner yesterday but since I has stuffed a tenner in a cup on the dresser last month for this purpose I am not counting it 3/15.

Treat yourself well – I’m guilty of putting myself last so will make a conscious effort this month to look after me too nothing specific today

One thousand days – Intrigued and pleased its GF

Refrain from browsing your phone – Charged my kindle and read on this instead of my phone, looked at it less than usual

What kind of month do you want for yourself? Family focussed, stress free, joyful, fun and within budget! I don’t want to start January with a financial hangover from Christmas/overspending and having to use the credit card to get through. We shouldn’t have to if I can rein DH in! I'm keeping a tight hold of the budget although we have used the CC it will be cleared at the end of January and is specific purchases not as a result of loosing the plot. Dressing tree #2 and watching Grinch with DS planned for tonight.:xmastree:


My Rule – complete my 19 before 2019 to do list! Slow progress being made

Outings. Drop one – DONE

Omm – do something every day to make you feel good – struggling a bit with this one

4 Gratitude – today I am grateful for:

1) being able to work from home
2) having more than enough.
3) my sister coming for a Christmas visit
4) not having to buy another costume for DS Christmas play (although he is not happy he is a Shepherd for the 3rd year in a row!)

No entry to any sales, no takeaways, canteen meals – I hate sales shopping although it would be useful to pick up some cards and wrapping paper for next year and a winter coat for work as mine is starting to look scruffy. 2 events will require food out, but this is budgeted for. I will plan well to avoid all other spends. DH is going to buy me a coat for Christmas

“I am and always will be the optimist” – Me too, even with redundancy looming and a mortgage payment the size of a small T Rex D-Day is drawing closer but I am still positive and keeping on keeping on

Candles. And switch off your tech an hour before going to bed please – not lit any candles yet but am turning off the laptop much earlier

“Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It’s not the time that matters. It’s the person.” “We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one.” – Love this

Chase down more awe and joy – making family memories this month.

Read fiction before bed – Almost finished DS book and I have started on the 2nd in a series. I tend to read in an evening as I am asleep when my head hits the pillow!

Exercise – aiming to go for a walk everyday and 1 park run or a run around the streets as a minimum only done 1 walk so far

What’s the point of being grown up if you can’t be childish sometimes – hoping for lots of fun this month Having fun with Elf on the Shelf

Don’t give up – aiming to post everyday i'm here if a bit late. Still keep control over the budget

Refuse to get sucked into guilt spending – I have enough and so do DH and DS. Again, will rein in DH when he wants to buy DS just one more thing and yet more Christmas decorations! No guilt spending here

Identify activities and people who drain you – don't really have anyone that drains me

Visit your local area – planning to use out NT membership this month as we are lucky to have several great properties on our doorstep. Also planning a visit to the local outdoor ice rink. Won't get out and about much before Christmas as most parties and events fall in the next 2 weekends

Exterminate one bad habit from your life for the first 10 days – my bad habit is not eating 3 proper meals a day and picking at rubbish or missing meals altogether 3 meals yesterday and pudding at lunch and dinner! My excuse is I am eating up the deserts that were defrosted when the freezer was poorly

Remember that you are blessed. Donate – have a few bits to donate to a friend’s charity shop and the one in the village and will buy raffle tickets for DS school fundraiser. We bought Christmas lunches for the homeless last year and will see if they are doing it again this year I have decided to donate to the Salvation Army this year and DS has a food bank donation as one of the activities in his advent calendar. Raffle tickets will be bought by the end of the week.

thriftylass

SpekySquarehead wrote: »

Count up to 15.
- What about my football? I play 2-3 times per week, costing a few £ each time. Does that count as a Spend day?

I think you just count it as a bill and put the money aside at the start of the month so you don't loose a SFD every time you have to pay. Other things that are treated the same are kids clubs, window cleaners etc. Anything that gets paid regularly like a bill but has to be in cash. So treat it like a sport club membership of x£ a month.

SpekySquarehead

thriftylass wrote: »

I think you just count it as a bill and put the money aside at the start of the month so you don't loose a SFD every time you have to pay. Other things that are treated the same are kids clubs, window cleaners etc. Anything that gets paid regularly like a bill but has to be in cash. So treat it like a sport club membership of x£ a month.

Ah, phew!! I've put the money aside for the month now. I'm ready to rock and roll!!

greent

Debt-free/ MF/ Savings target date savings 08/2020. mtge 09/27 Xmas & bdays spending on CCs - to be repaid no later than Feb payday small amount transferred to holiday fund from OH's claimed expenses

Count up to 15 NSDswill monitor 0. Paid for repair of WM (£75) - DW may be terminal - he has taken it away to see if he can fix it in the workshop

Refrain from browsing your phone when nothing else is going on Mindfulness!Am definitely doing better

Omm. Take care of your mental health. Do something every day this month that makes you feel good: Write down 4 gratitudes each day.ok Thankful for my WM being repaired, for watching a bird sat on the holly bush in the front garden when I was taking out the bins, for OH having discussions with some recruiters (his contract ends in 2 weeks and he has nothing lined up), for not too long a queue at the PO

No entry to any sales. Likewise, no takeaways etc.Will likely pick up more cards in sales . No takeaways etc today

Read fiction before bed. . Did this last night and will do it again tonight

Don’t give up. Not ever. Not for one single day. Be safe if you can be. But always be amazing.” Pop on here every day .Here

Exterminate one bad habit from your life for the first 10 days. Darn - looks like Candy Crush for me... success all of yesterday and so far today :j again - day 3 :T
Remember that you are blessed.small donations to foodbank and homeless today. Missed CS - they have a donation cut off time of 1pm