NST December 2018 – Exterminate the debt!

XSpender

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter LavenderBee!

Maisie_M

Hi all



Count me in again this month please.


X-pender I am like you I used to petrified of Dr Who which stemmed from us being taken to a Dr Who exhibition in the 70s when I was about 8 in Great Yarmouth. As you walked into the exhibition a huge dalek on rails came whizzing out screaming 'exterminate exterminate'. Well that was enough for me I about turned and legged it out of the place under the turnstiles. My poor dad had to run through the entire exhibition to get out to find me before I got lost/knocked down/abducted lol.:eek:


Off to ponder the list.

mothernerd

Maisie M I saw the exhibition in Blackpool when I was 19 and the dalek made me jump (I watched from the very first episode so I'd a lot of dalek experience). The only episode that has influenced my nightmares (several occurrances) was one with dalek eyes (on stalks) in the corners of the walls on a cave like corridor as the doctor and companion walked down them. It made me very sympathetic when my youngest developed a fear of ctv cameras - unknown when I was little.

LavenderBee

Thank you XSpender and apple

Well it was suggested I get her a dark dress... Loathed to buy something that she'll wear for a couple of hours at most (assuming she doesn't vomit on it the second it goes on!) I've instead dug a smart grey dress out of her wardrobe which is in the-next-size-up, but doesn't look ridiculously big. I don't think her great grandfather would've batted an eyelid to see her in zebra print (love it) but I consider this a reasonable compromise. So - no more eBay! :-/

f0xh0les

Congratulations on BabyLBee

Will pop in tomorrow and set my goals.

XSpender

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.

Organise your outgoings – Budget done. Meal plan for the month is in progress as is shopping list for the Christmas catering although I have planned what we are eating.

Count up to 15 – Going for it this month as it is tighter than a tight thing and it will help me stick to my budget

Treat yourself well – I’m guilty of putting myself last so will make a conscious effort this month to look after me too

One thousand days – Intrigued and pleased its GF

Refrain from browsing your phone – I often pick it up and look at it without really looking at it IYSWIM. I do read my kindle on my phone though so will charge my proper kindle and use this instead.

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!

My Rule – complete my 19 before 2019 to do list!

Outings. Drop one – cancelled the girls’ night out tonight. I have another one with them in 2 weeks’ time and again just before Christmas so can miss this one with a clear conscience.

Omm – do something every day to make you feel good – will do

4 Gratitude – will do

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.

“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

Candles. And switch off your tech an hour before going to bed please – lots of our Christmas decorations use candles so will turn off the lights and use these and turn off the tech and read

“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. We keep looking out for decorated houses when we are out in the car

Read fiction before bed – I read to DS every night and read my own book too but will aim to increase this to an hour every night.

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

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

Don’t give up – aiming to post everyday

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!

Identify activities and people who drain you – can I give up housework and some of my team meetings? Thought not

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.

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

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.

apple_muncher

And we're off! Welcome to December!

GlendaSugarbean

Can I be in the TARDIS for December please? Love this month's challenge, it's already inspiring me to do better and kinder

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee:
Happy December!
Welcome back LavenderBee - just to reiterate what Apple said - I moved house from Surrey to Sunderland 3 weeks before my first child was born and I found the first year one of the most challenging of my life. Try and be kind to yourself, you have a lot of change to get used to.
I'm still full of snot and cold and feeling rubbish so I'm still taking it easy. I'm pleased it's the weekend, and really hoping I'll be well enough to get back to work next week as being off is also stressing me out.
I feel like a bit of a fraud being on here at the moment because I'm racking up debt left, right and centre, but I am trying to keep everything else afloat. I have an appointment with a mediator on Thursday which is going to cost me another £110, on top of the half hour I had with my solicitor last week, but they are all hoops I have to jump through.
My main goals for the month are to try not to go overboard with buying stuff for the kids because I don't think they have enough for Christmas. Rack up as many nsd's as I can. I've already said no to the school staff night out - my Christmas celebrations with work will be a quick after work meal at an all you can eat buffet. So there is the start of a plan there - but the rest will have to wait until I feel a bit better.

greent

LavenderBee - congrats (rather belated!) on the birth of DD! Next size up darker dress sounds like a good compromise (although who am I to talk - I took my eldest when she was a baby to her gt gran's funeral dressed in bright orange ) Take it easy on yourself - remember, you have achieved a miracle in this year already (birth!) - anything else is a bonus x

ccl - I think your (divorce related) spending at the moment can be considered an investment in your future life x