NST December 2018 – Exterminate the debt!

pinkypig

Evening Turtles :wave:

Another spend day so 5/15. Today was my festive day with DD and my niece which was lovely because it's nice to be with them. The crowds however were another matter :eek:
I went armed with a list and stuck to it so £22 spent on Christmas gifts and I'm done apart from squirty cream for DS's hot chocolate hamper and a card for mum and dad (the card factory was heaving and I just couldn't face it). We took coffee with us for the drive down and emergencies but had lunch out (my treat) and mulled wine and mince pies (DN's treat) and parking was £6 for the day. All in all not too damaging and it was all in the budget.

Other challenge successes included;

Avoided a call from a drainer

Read and drank coffee in bed for an hour this morning - a luxurious and relaxing start to the weekend.

No snacking in between meals (except my mince pie and mulled wine but it was my festive day out so that's allowed (please :rotfl:) isn't it?)

Was tempted by a number of gifts for the kids that weren't on the list but stayed strong and didn't buy them.

Things I'm grateful for are family, we are so close and days like today are really special, not because it's Christmas or because we are eating out but because those two beuatiful, funny, engaging young women are a pleasure to be with, for my electric blanket especially on cold, wet nights like tonight, for my old but trusty sat nav for getting me out of a strange city when I took a wrong turn in the dark and for having a roof over our heads - so much homelessness apparent today, many of whom were soaking wet by lunchtime with only more torrential rain and dropping temperatures to look forward to. :(

Wishing you all a good weekend:)

PP xx

The_Only_Girl

NSD #5

Bagged another NSD so I’m now on NSD #5.

Today, I am grateful for:
1. Restful and relaxing day today, even though I’m still suffering from this lurgy
2. Went to church for the first time after sooo looong. I received lots of warm embrace and encouraging from everyone especially from those who knew about my dad’s passing
3. Our girl’s trio (myself and my two BFF’s)rendered a song in church. The rendition wasn’t by no means perfect but it was sung from the heart and we received positive lovely feedback from the congregation. It means a lot to me because I am not a confident singer and it took a lot of courage to sing the solo parts that was forced upon me.
4. Hubby and I reviewed our finances after we received the insurance money. We hmmm’d and haaaa’d about what to do with it as we are scared we would slide back to the old ways and fritter the money away without anything to show for it. We don’t want to get overexcited with the house Reno projects and up with some unfinished projects and no funds. So for the meantime, we’ve decided to put the money aside and keep it as our 3-6 emergency fund which will also drip feed regular savers which we will be opening in January.

1000 days, what a wonderful idea. First things that came to my mind were: to remain debt free, have a fully funded 3-6 emergency fund, finish all the house renovation projects and start murdering our mortgage (phrase borrowed from a book entitled Murder Your Mortgage in 7 years by Orall Cornelius, that my husband let me borrow).

Start small, but begin. Anon,

Saving_Glut

Avoid Vending Machine at work. 7/31.

Exterminate DailyMale for 10 Days: 8/10

Slow Living. Conciously not over planning in free time.

Exercise: Participated in my first Park run toddy.

Extra Income:£20.

4 Gratitudes: Wonderful light and friendliness at park run. Beautiful healthy rescue hens I collected today (Holly and Ivy!). Good chat w/OH tonight. Very comfortable home.

misstara

[FONT=&quot]D[/FONT]ebt-free date / Mortgage-free date / Savings target date. What’s yours? Currently August 2021 but hope to bring this forward quite a bit. Nothing paid today.

[FONT=&quot]O[/FONT][FONT=&quot]rganise your outgoings. Budget for the month. For e v e r y t h i n g. Write it down. And stick to it. Plan your meals – avoid waste.[/FONT] YNAB updated with budget for the month. Meal plan completed for this week. Stuck to meal plan again . Updated YNAB with today's spends.

[FONT=&quot]C[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ount up to 15. Fifteen No Spend Days.[/FONT] Now on 6/15. Very spendy day today but all budgeted for

[FONT=&quot]R[/FONT]efrain from browsing your phone when nothing else is going on for the duration of the challenge. Be present in the moment. Be okay with “boredom.” Shall do my best. No aimless browsing today.

[FONT=&quot]W[/FONT]hat kind of month do you want for yourself? Take a moment and really ask. What activities do I want to enjoy? What seasonal foods do I want to take advantage of? What do I want to have the energy to take on? Where can I build more leisure into my week? How can I be outside as much as possible? I'd like to enjoy December and not feel exhausted by the time we get to the end of the year. Catch up with friends and family, spend time with OH

[FONT=&quot]H[/FONT]ere’s a space to make up your own rule for the month. Please share it! Home - make the most of the time I spend at home instead of just slumping on the sofa. Not much done today as shopping in the morning and then on late shift.

[FONT=&quot]O[/FONT]utings. Drop one. Decide which one, inform those who need to know and enjoy the time and money you have just given yourself. Decided to drop my work's Christmas do and feel very relieved for doing so .

[FONT=&quot]S[/FONT]low living this month. In a month of manicness, make a clear intention to keep your schedule and pace in check. Because, really, does anyone want a hectic December? This definitely fits in well with the kind of month I want.

[FONT=&quot]O[/FONT]mm. Take care of your mental health. Do something every day this month that makes you feel good: gym, reading, time with family, favourite tv programme, meditation, building a snowman. NOT spending, of course!! Write down 4 gratitudes each day. Scrambled egg and bacon for breakfast , a cosy flat, g&t after work and this site.

[FONT=&quot]N[/FONT]o entry to any sales. Unless you have a planned budget and have been saving for a specific item PLEASE do not go to the Boxing Day Sales. Or any sales. Anywhere. It’s temptation you can’t handle to buy tat you really don’t need. STAY AT HOME! Likewise, no takeaways, canteen meals (unless free), coffee shop or corner shop visits. Ok.

[FONT=&quot]C[/FONT]andles - Switch to candles and firelight after dark (or the high-tech adjustable hue bulb equivalents). Love this rule and have a huge supply of candles to use up. Nothing today.

[FONT=&quot]C[/FONT]hase down more awe and joy. Go after it with a purpose. Go and enjoy the sparkly lights. Take a tour of your neighbourhood to look at other people’s outdoor decorations – and be smug about how you are not wasting your money like that. Go and seek Santa’s sleigh in the sky on Christmas Eve. Will do.

[FONT=&quot]E[/FONT]xercise. Get 10,000 steps a day (or set your own target). Move a little more. Embrace the outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. Aiming for 16 days exercise this month, currently on 3/16 . No proper exercise but did manage 10,000 steps again :T

[FONT=&quot]“D[/FONT]on’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 and tell us what you’re up to. Not just the good stuff, but also the bad and the ugly too. Will do my best. I'm here

[FONT=&quot]I[/FONT]dentify activities and people who drain you. Give yourself permission to take a break from them for 21 days (or as many days as possible) if you can. Just maybe this is a gift you should’ve given yourself a long time ago…? Unfortunately I can't quit my job just to get a break from people who drain me :rotfl: but will continue to avoid as much as possible. A good day again today

[FONT=&quot]V[/FONT]isit your local area. Find new footpaths, see where a road or path takes you. Explore new horizons. Boldly go where no one has gone before. Oops, mixing my sci-fi….! Will do.

[FONT=&quot]E[/FONT]xterminate (see, we can learn from the DALEKS…) one bad habit from your life for the first 10 days. This is NOT about food. I shall be renouncing a particular game I play on my tablet that just sucks me in and takes hours of my time. And I have recently moved up a level, so it’s even harder to put down…! I shall not play a particular game on my tablet, not played for 8 days.

[FONT=&quot]R[/FONT]emember that you are blessed. Count your blessings daily. Be grateful for what you have. And remember those that have less – donate money, food, non-perishables, blankets to a charity that you want to support. Relish life, one day at a time. Had a conversation with my dad over the weekend about various charities and have one in mind that I want to look into donating to. Had a look into it this morning but still need to actually donate.

Love the idea of 1000 days, will have a good think about what I want to achieve in this time.

sashanut

Hi all:j


Quick post & run just to keep the momentum going...

Done lots of cooking & prep for party, have to get up early for last push tomorrow but should be OK.

NSD today so: 3/15 NSDs


Gratitudes today: Lights & wreath I made on front door looks very festive (goes rapidly downhill after that), first ever yule log I made looks OK, 3 hampers made, easy YS meal tonight..



Go Turtles!!

bizzie

Materialising for my weekly roundup
Debt-free date will be before the end of the financial year. Will then be reviewing Savings.
Organise your outgoings. Budget for the month in place and all spending is tracked. The meal planning has taken a positive step forward as I have bought a chest freezer using my cashback/survey earnings from the past year – Grocery spending has included building up a stock of freezer food and some batch cooking.
Count up to 15. Fifteen No Spend Days. Up to 5/15 so off to a good start.
Treat yourself well. Arranging activities I want to do.
One thousand days. Will have a think about this.
Refrain from browsing your phone is something I already do so I will carry on with this habit.
What kind of month do I want for me? Meeting up with family and friends to spend time together.
Here’s a space to make up your own rule for the month. Read thread daily and update weekly.
Outings. Drop one. Decided not to go to Works Do as don’t enjoy it.
Slow living this month. Not overbooking diary.
Omm. Taking care of my mental health. Grateful for family, friends, freezer and Fridays.
No entry to any sales. All non-food spending is planned. Likewise, no spontaneous takeaways, canteen meals (unless free), coffee shop or corner shop visits.
“I am and always will be the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes, the dreamer of improbable dreams.” So says the Doctor. I do tend to have a positive outlook on things.
Candles – will stick to electric lights as cats have a habit of jumping up onto, and into, anything including new chest freezer. Switching off tech an hour before going to bed will need to work on this one.
“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.” Again, will need to work on this one.
Chase down more awe and joy.
Read fiction before bed. If I read late, I fall asleep whilst doing so, so will try at a different time of day.
Exercise. Active at work. Need to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air for longer.
“What’s the point of being grown up if you can’t be childish sometimes.”. Games and puzzles ready for the school holidays.
“Don’t give up. Not ever. Not for one single day. Be safe if you can be. But always be amazing.” Will keep going whatever happens.
Refuse to get sucked into guilt spending.
Identified activities and people who drain me. Have unfollowed them to see how it goes.
Visit your local area. Do tend to stick to known places and there is so much more out there. Make a start on going somewhere different trying something new.
Exterminate (see, we can learn from the DALEKS…) one bad habit from your life for the first 10 days. Given up playing some games on my tablet 8/31.
Remember that you are blessed. I am grateful for what I have. Donations will be made later this month and looking to do more.

laurenh1

Good morning Turtles,



Sorry I didn't check in yesterday. Busy day. Pleased to report it wasn't an expensive one though. I was tempted by a lot of Christmas things while out shopping but I resisted.

spent last night knitting a sleeping bag for my LOs doll, with some wool I needed to use up. He is over the moon with it. I am going to have a go at some accessories for him later too!! I need to refrain from buying wool, I have loads to use up.
My lovely Auntie gave the boys 5 pounds each yesterday which I made them save. God knows they don't need any toys....
I have £115 left to spend this month but I do get paid a week Friday & I'm gonna go YS shopping 2x this week in order to fill my freezer up some more but actually my cupboards are full.
I think 1000 days is a wonderful idea. I want to be in my own home, my hub out the army & be 2stone lighter. We are on track to have 17k by this time next year but actually we need 20k so I need to look at how we can save that.:D
Have a lovely Sunday everyone :cool:

GlendaSugarbean

Quick check in - will try and post in more detail later. On 5/15 NSDs, but still squeaking through on the budget . Need to stop Xmas shopping until I have some more cash - most is bought, I just need wrapping paper, a few stocking bits and Xmas PJs. All secret Santas and other gifts done. Just need to be mindful of all spending from now on. I have some wriggle room in the food budget, and am TTing that account to scrape up another CC OP.

Also need to do a pet insurance claim after I pick up the next lot of monthly meds.

So not terrible, but not as good as it could be!

apple_muncher

Saving_Glut wrote: »

Exterminate DailyMale for 10 Days: 8/10


Exercise: Participated in my first Park run toddy.

Who or what is the DailyMale? I have all sorts ofmideas running through my brain...!


Love the 'Park run toddy'!




Sashanut - hope today's meal is enjoyable and you get to relax and spend time with people.

crazy_cat_lady

apple_muncher wrote: »

Who or what is the DailyMale? I have all sorts ofmideas running through my brain...!

I'm guessing the newspaper I call the Daily Fail....

Morning all
Last night I ordered the last Christmas present at half price on Amaz0n :j I knew it was worth holding my nerve . Now I just need to continually remind myself for the next two weeks that I do not need to purchase anything else. I feel ready to make fudge today as well but I think it's still a week too early so that will be next week.
So today I am grateful that my Christmas shopping is finished. I am grateful for the big savings I made on that present, and my cat food yesterday. I am grateful for a day off with no school work or tutoring, and I am grateful for spending time with my family. I'm off to visit my mam this afternoon for some good company and a free feed. Hope I can stick with the school thing as there's still a good 12 or so hours of the day to get through and I get a lot of guilt when I'm not doing school related stuff.