NST December 2018 – Exterminate the debt!

f0xh0les

Morning!!

Today is not a NSD, but yesterday was NSD7

I need to replace the 'death by misadventure?' bran flakes, and buy bread. laundry powder and loo rolls.

Kids have begun sneezing - joy!

Need to post the ' foreign' cards. last date to Ireland is 18th!!

So will do speed cleaning, and timed bed stripping and remaking, a mountain of bedding to be laundered and then tea on the sofa with Mr Tape and Mr Wrap and get some of these things wrapped and on top of the wardrobe in my bedroom.

MOT / School performance / decorations afternoon/ DH works do - all this week

Right, off to wrangle some kids and get this day started.

SpekySquarehead

Morning all,

I'm now on 5/15 NSD's. Saturday was a big one. A bit too big. Petrol, groceries, some Christmas shopping, car parking, light lunch from Greggs and last but not least - a big night out. A bit too big. 5 in the morning type of big. Also, I made the amateur mistake of using my card for a lot of things, so I wont' know the full damage until tomorrow, when my bank catches up.

Alsoooo, I was sooooo close to getting a NSD yesterday. But I was hungover and felt sorry for myself. I craved something sweet, like you wouldn't beleive, so I nipped down the road and bought a pack of cookies for £1. I was honestly thinking about you guys as I was putting my shoes on, leaving the house, going to the shops etc. "I'm wasting a NSD!!"..."Turn around"...."You're so close".

Forgive me.

Does it make it better cause it was only £1?

So, I'm back on track this week. I'll easily get another 5 NSD's during this week. Watch this space.

I'm grateful for;
- Water
- Painkillers
- Cookies
- Terrible TV

Karmacat

[FONT=&quot]I'm using MissTara's post from yesterday and popping my own stuff in - don't know how else to do it!
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]D[/FONT]ebt-free date / Mortgage-free date / Savings target date. What’s yours? A big chunk of my inheritance has just hit the Executor Account we had to open, and I've just changed current account, so a lot of financial decisions to be made just now.

[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] After joining in here, at least I know how much I spent on monthly outgoings - council tax, utilities, telecoms - £350 or so.

[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.” Not too bad at this, and it's not just my phone I have to be careful of but as a "pensioner" living on my own, with not a huge amount of energy, boredom is an enemy - faffing about on the phone is sometimes preferable.

[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? Really good questions, which I'm much more conscious of these days. Going out three times a week for social stuff is probably achievable, though it leaves very little energy for anything else - even stacking the dishwasher has presented problems.

[FONT=&quot]H[/FONT]ere’s a space to make up your own rule for the month. Please share it! I'm done with the whole "say yes to everything" experiment. Some events, and some people, are not for me, and I don't have to make excuses about that.

[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. Having too many outings is not a problem I have - see above! My feet end up rooted to the floor, and I just can't get to places I don't want to go to, it's interesting

[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? Really important, especially since I haven't bought any Christmas presents yet, the focus has been on helping my brother move house.

[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. Ooh, gratitudes. 1. I caught up on sleep a bit. 2. My brother is happy in his new home. 3. My work on cutting back my hedges seems to be nearing a close. 4. I may have saved every single sprouting garlic clove on my patio table :cool:

[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. Uh, this is an example of how life differs for everyone. Because of how I've lived my Christmasses, I've literally never been to any Boxing Day sales. I don't think I will this year either but for the first time in my life, I'm planning a new kitchen, and I *need* the sales!

[FONT=&quot]C[/FONT]andles - Switch to candles and firelight after dark (or the high-tech adjustable hue bulb equivalents). Not for me, thanks, I like my ordinary lighting - two low wattage lights in my small living room.

[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. This is nice! I can definitely do this. Later on Christmas Eve, I'll also be watching as NORAD starts to track Santa https://www.noradsanta.org/

[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. I go to a council walk every Monday, I often go walks with my sister, and I used to pop out at lunchtime to walk round the block, though at the moment I'm more likely to use that energy to saw down some cherry laurel (an ongoing project on my diary).

[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. I have something I wrote on my phone messages where its just me who reads it, to exactly this effect, though I haven't written on here every day ....

[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…? So important!

[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….! Just to mix up the SF even more, "Never give up, never surrender".

[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 won't keep the computer on all day. To be shut off at least twice.

[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. I don't want to go with the word "blessings", I'm afraid, but relishing life, and doing what I can for others, gratitude, and spreading positivity and good karma ... yep, I'll go with all of that.

Shrewbie

Hi Everyone

Taking advantage of a student-free hour to report that I've been shamefully lurking as last weekend was very spendy.... the last of my 9 fillings were completed :eek: glad the work is done and I will have to take better care of my teeth from now on. Need to order an electric toothbrush as the manual just doesn't do it for me... the dentist told me he spends 20mins twice a day brushing with his manual toothbrush!!! Life is way too short for that.

Also I had a mishap with birth control which cost me €24 at the chemist. Expensive but not as expensive as a baby would be I suppose. :rotfl:

I know these are both medical so I could claim my NSDs but I also bought drinks, xmas presents and my food shopping, so still on 2 NSD.

I also ate out twice!! but both were very cheap €10 a time...

there are my confessions!!! I did also have some MSE moments... We did some cultural stuff that was very cheap (blagged free entry to the monastery at El Escorial by showing my teacher's payslip.. and the Archaelogical museum was only €3 entry.) Also I lot of drinking... It was a fun weekend so I suppose it was worth it.

Love the 1000 day thing apple.. it's got me thinking and by tonight I should have a plan :-)

!

LavenderBee

Ah apple, I knew you'd keep us going past 10 days! Not bought any baby clothes on eBay, just a toy for an Xmas present which I am very pleased with.

Today I've kept baby bee off her baby group this morning as I don't know want her passing her sickness to other babies for Xmas. Annoying as we'd already paid but wouldn't be fair to pass it on, even though she seems ok within herself. Wheeled her round town so she could sleep in her pram, posted a card to relatives abroad, bought cat food (accidentally missed on weekly shop yesterday), swapped some nectar points for a baby carrier (wish I'd done that six months ago!), 2 needed babygros and a looks-brand-new sleeping bag for baby bee from CS for pittance; she'll need these bigger sizes next month. So 3 very small spends, but most valuable was a well rested bee on our return!

Gratitudes
1) DD catching up on her sleep (even if I didn't...)
2) I've said it before and I'll say it again, new library is the cat's pyjamas. Got baby bee some fantasic books
3) Getting the bathroom scrubbed and upstairs cleaned whilst DD amused herself
4) Having the opportunity to cheat and use a jar of sauce for dinner (not very turtley I know!)

apple_muncher

Karma -thank you for the norad linkie. And, do enjoy your financial decisions!

Karmacat

You're welcome, apple. Thanks for the good wishes on the financial decisions - I'm going in to my local high street tomorrow to finish off opening up the new current account, it all starts after that

Kerry_Woman

Was a spend day. Booked myself onto a 2 day training course.
Went for a walk in the park.
Being doing ok with spending less time on computer and mobile phone. Really have to work harder on playing no computer games. Will be working on this for the next 10 days.
For the 1000 days I will be working towards my plans to be moving location. Can really focus on this after my holiday in April 2019.
Grateful for:
No issues with my laptop battery not charging.
Not jumping in at the moment and buying new battery or lead for laptop.
Weather being ok when I went for walk.
Having a nice chat with lady in the park.

crazy_cat_lady

Evening everyone :coffee:
What a strange day today has been. Woke up very early (just after half four this morning) to the sounds of someone drilling. Once I realised what it was I went on the hunt - for burglars or similar - and it was my neighbour, drilling in his garden. I was too tired and disorientated to ask why but I didn't get back to sleep. Then I was so tired after that I was almost in tears at work.
Busy teaching day, followed by ds school carol service, followed by detentions after school.
Not a nsd as I popped to the post office to send a couple of Christmas presents on the way home, and I've had to do another online grocery shop already - clearly didn't plan well enough last week. However, I have planned this one very well.
Also took delivery of a secret Santa parcel once I got home which has really made me feel a lot better. So it's been a day that started poorly but got lots better.
I am grateful for:
Seeing ds in his school Christmas service :smileyhea
My frugal and amazing secret Santa
My cleaner (she is not mse but she is a godsend to me)
Fishfinger sandwiches for tea

mothernerd

Not a terrible day but not a great one - tired and aching. Rethinking the list and probably putting back crematorium visit and doctor's appointment to January. I'm the only one who goes to the crematorium (dad's ashes are elsewhere) and the only person who would be bothered can't remember anything most of the time so it's only me making myself feel guilty. If I go near my birthday it will be close to my aunt's birthday and to the anniversary of her death (aunt and uncle are in the small cemetary attached to the crematorium). Think I'm the only one who goes there as well.


I will still need to phone/ visit the doctor's surgery to get a repeat prescription (current batch run out from New Year's Day) and it would be best if I get the paperwork for bloods as the doctor will need those when we meet for my medicine review.


Have already stopped worrying about hm gifts that may not get finished. Have sent DS3's and DS1's grandma cash to their bank accounts - no plans to meet up with DS1 and his wife atm. May visit after the puppy arrives (not sure if it will be delayed or brought forward as her dog at her parents in Greece died on Saturday).



Still waiting to be more positive about the 1000 days. Still wanting to be more positive about the next 3 weeks.



Today I am grateful for dreadful Christmas films which let me finish one book and read quite a bit of another (I did ask if one of the other channels might have a nice serial killer movie on), for more horrible decorations to laugh at and lots of more subdued ones, for having finally found my phone charger (then found the other one 5 minutes later) and for 'doing a bit'. Even if you can't do it all, the can do some of it - looks like I need to be content with doing a bit atm.