NST December 2018 – Exterminate the debt!

Toni'sfriend

Sending lots of love to Kerry Woman and Mothernerd. Take care, both. xxx

misstara

Hugs to anyone who needs one.

[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. Paid £15.41 on Friday and £1.76 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 .

[FONT=&quot]C[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ount up to 15. Fifteen No Spend Days.[/FONT] Currently on 11/15. Today will be a spend day as we're doing the Christmas food shop.

[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.

[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. Had a lovely catchup with friends yesterday.

[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.. Today will be about making sure the house is clean and everything ready so we can just relax.

[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. Spending time with friends, my car, yummy pre-Christmas dinner, weekend off work

[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.

[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 6/16 .

[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. Off the weekend and then only 2 shifts next week

[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 23 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. Set up the direct debit to start next month. Put some money in a charity bucket yesterday.

Have started work on my list of 100 things to achieve in 1000 days. I've also signed up for the frugal month, thought I'd give it a go.

Wanna_Bee_Free

2 NSDs to add, one Friday, one yesterday. I think that means I’m at 4 or 5/15. My spending is better overall so at least more low spend days.

Yesterday’s gratitudes:
A lazy day at home much needed
A huge frog eaten - cleaned the oven
My lovely BF who jumps right in to help with my latest whim
Ahem, watching the Pointless Christmas special
Friday:
Working out, making progress, feeling stronger
The dishwasher flooding the kitchen but only a bit while I was around and awake
The omm factor of washing up - after initially sulking and resisting washing the dirty dishwasher contents it was fine
My first decent night’s sleep for a week and not waking at 3 or 4 am.

Karmacat

greent wrote: »

((hugs)), Kerry woman - and for anyone else in need x

From me too xx


I'm very tempted to go to the shops at the end of the day, see what fruit and veg are doing .... I already have the sparkling water and squeezed fruit juice for my Christmas Day lunch with my sister's family, plus the quorn and onions for the veggie side I'm taking.


Been tidying here, and I'm just about to start wrapping on the kitchen table.

Smalls are on orders to go into students bedrooms if they awake early on Xmas day :xmastree::rudolf::santa2:(as they always do) - all 4 can then come up to our room at 7am with their stockings - and 2 cups of tea for OH and I Stockings are then opened with everyone in/ on our bed

This bit is absolutely adorable, greent! My equivalent will just be going back to bed with a cuppa tea, which I never do :rudolf:

dolly84

Have cleaned the house from top to bottom today with help from DH. I wrote lists for everyone, DS grumbled and as per usual DD went ballistic about having to clean her own room, 3 times I went in when she had 'finished' and shouted at her to do it properly. Why on earth can't they just do as they are asked?


Everything looks good now, burnt one of my new incense sticks in the hallway, tree lights are on, just a quick wipe round and vac round needed for the next two days.


No money spent today - there really should be a marching band outside my house to celebrate.


Tea is hm chickpea curry and rice, hm crumble and custard, with pasta and some leftover sauce for the kids as they won't eat curry. Made spicy bbq pulled jackfruit this morning for my vegan burgers for Christmas eve.

mothernerd

HUgs Kerry Woman and to all who are under the weather or just 'not feeling it'. Saw a bookface post yesterday listing helpline numbers for those struggling with their mental health but didn't know how to link to it and it was a bit too long to write out - if it might apply to you, write down some numbers now, either professionals or friends and remember you are entitled to take time out if things get too much for you.

I'm alternating between a 'can only do what I can, be blowed to the rest' not quite perky attitude and really low and frustrated by body misfunctions. Still don't know what's up with my ankle, just not normal swelling and aching which I can deal with.

Awake until the early hours sorting decorations, (decanted 2 boxes into 3 bags, then filled one box with sheet lengths and one actual sheet, 1 spare box to put assorted carp into), wrapped presents divided by recipients two shopping bags of salad/veg into the old fridge. I can see parts of the floor, so exciting. Was getting close to no room for me on the bed.

This morning I have cooked sausages wrapped in bacon + 3 spare sausages to be frozen and extra bacon to go in crustless quiche. Boiled eggs in a large pan, some for snacks, some to make egg and peanut roll (because mum hasn't had any for a while). Anything that uses the egg mountain is good. Lots of shuffling and clearing.

Used the walker to go shopping. Tried to get a replacement charger for my old laptop, shop assistant said there was a stall on the market but that was another couple of blocks, so just went 3 shops along to buy milk.

DS1 phoned whilst I was in the shop. He's become a brexit casualty. Doctors leaving the country in droves and those who would have come here to work are now either not allowed or no longer want to come. Less doctors to pay membership fees, so less staff needed to deal with them and 1 fewer supervisor to supervise those workers. DS1 was last to be promoted and cheapest to make redundant (he will only get 4 weeks pay). He's hoping to find something quickly but not a good time to be looking. So I guess I won't be getting the money he owes me back this payday.

He also suggested going out for a pub meal somewhere round here in the holidays so have to consult mum and raise the subject with his brothers (that will be fun then).

When I got back from shopping DS3 and the guest were off to Manchester to meet the other guest, Beloved is asleep. There are things I would like to get done but I'm not doing it all by myself. Will do a bit more when I start getting hungry.

Today I am grateful that I haven't had to spend the weekend in North Wales with in-laws, starting with collecting an OH who has been drinking and dj-ing all day at his office Christmas party and ending with catching the 6pm Sunday train back only to find that no-one has put any fuel in it all day (2 hours late) or that it only consists of parcel vans (that one had a happy outcome as the guard let us go in the single first class carriage rather than sit on our bags with the baby in his carry cot next to us.

I am grateful for having enough (just not a lot to spare), having a roof over my head, lots of food and drink (fizzy water), pleasant undemanding company and goth bunny.[/B}

Toni'sfriend

I've kind of lost track with AFD and NSDs but I haven't been drinking to excess or spending a lot so all to the good.

I went to bed really early last night and was awakened just after eight with hammering at the door. The two little neighbours with a belated birthday present. Spent the next hours playing with the decorations on the Christmas tree and singing a million versions of Jingle Bells. Absolutely magic!!!!!

Today my nephew and his his wife and son visited with gifts. Haven't seen them for about a year and what a lovely afternoon we had. Just chatting and having a drink. Reminiscing about my late brother and catching up. I really must try to keep in touch more next year.

Dinner is in the slow cooker. Last night's soup was a revelation. I think I'm a convert.

I'm feeling so much more relaxed now and looking forward to Christmas, New Year and my long holiday in January.

Kerry_Woman

Thanks for the kind comments. Very much appreciated.
Hugs to those in need of them.
NSD today 14/15.
Not much done today.
Grateful for:
Sister and two of her children coming down from Norwich.
Having a laugh.
Talked about my plans to move to Norwich.
Managing to wash the dishes despite being tired.

apple_muncher

Mothernerd -I had forgotten about goth bunny!


Today I am grateful for singing lots of carols, for being in a sociable mood at church, for telling a friend about mse, for a peaceful afternoon, for watching Peter and Wendy and enjoying it, for the first teddy sewing up going well so far, for sending plenty of e-cards (yay to jacquie laws0n!), for yummy tuna mayo + coleslaw - all hm - for lunch, for feeling very contented.

crazy_cat_lady

Evening all :hello:
Today I am grateful for:
1. Spending time with my family and seeing my dad.
2. Christmas Dinner at the pub with my mam, sister and their families.
3. Being able to get a parking space at Mr S and picking up my pre-ordered food without much hassle.
4.The house being clean and tidy, albeit just for a short while.
It's been a lovely day, and what Christmas is all about for me. Laid about on the sofa all morning, picked up my food shopping this afternoon, visited my dad and then went out for dinner with my mam and stepdad, sister and her family. Very nice, and I'm finally starting to feel festive.