NST Join In January 2019 - In With The New

Fmess

Morning all and Happy New Year,

Sorry for my absence for the first two days, I’ve been ill in bed and wasn’t up to posting. I’m only on my phone so won’t do the whole run down of the challenge.

SFDs - 15 is the plan, it would be 20 but I know I’m away for 3 dats at the end of the month and will be spending each day then. I have had 2 so far as I haven’t left the house.

My debts have increased recently due to me living beyond my means. I need to change this as I’m currently doing a maternity cover which pays more than my normal salary and at some point this year, I’ll revert back to my lower normal salary and need to live off that again. I’ve already switched to budgeting for my normal salary and using the extra for the debts but Christmas and vets bills have wiped that out and mean there’s been no in road yet on the debts. Plus I’ve just had my bedroom replastered so need to pay for that, but decorating materials and then buy a new carpet! Not great timing but I have put it off for 9 years already so when the chance arose, I took it.

I am grateful for so many things at the moment. Today it is the company of my animals, good TV and plenty of food in the freezer to keep me going.

mothernerd

Good morning turtles. Hugs to everyone that needs one or wants one, healing vibes to all poorlies and an extra hug for all those of us struggling to keep our mental health in balance.

Came back from mum's yesterday, with a bag of past their best goodies, later than planned but she suggested that I stayed later and had today off. 4 day weekend (she will have visitors Friday and Saturday) but have left her well stocked up for food (having cooked a ham on New Year's Day and rescued mum's stove from a dried pea disaster yesterday when she soaked too many).

I leave you alone for 5 minutes and what happens - slow down turtles, rushing doesn't help when it's headlong into disaster although it's encouraging to see you all being positive in the face of adversity.

January Plans

SFDs going for 20, lots of food in but no doubt will be presented with a list of things we don't have (or that have been sneakily 'hidden' by not taking them out of the bags they came in). 2 so far.

Make Plans Budgets are staying the same (food !80,travel 12, diy 12) but may need to shuffle between pots. I have one doctor's appointment (so far) and should do the crematorium visit held over from December. Due to my sprained ankle these will both require taxis. I would like to revisit the war photographs exhibition before it closes (on the 12th), cinema club is at the end of the month and my birthday is in between (may have takeaway with mum or use leftover party bits). I need to make an opticians appointment (should have been March last year, was postponed due to numerous hospital appointments, odd holidays and lots of shopping for mum - although my gp sent me for the resting and treadmill heart monitoring). I do qualify for a free eye test and voucher but complex lenses mean I have to pay anything from 80 - 200 on top of that.

Always pay to debt or savings first. Going to put away 200 per month. This is tough and may need revision but have no Council tax for Feb and March which will help. Need to build up savings again after buying a new fridge/freezer, dishwasher and new to me laptop (microwave has not yet been replaced and still need some repairs doing - plus I need to start putting money aside for kitchen replacement with added age proofing). Also starting a list of things to look out for in cs, including 2 perching stools.

Started a frog list, although the sprained ankle is turning almost everything into frogs atm - slight improvement whilst at mum's but only because I nearly fell out of the reclining chair and saved myself with a violent movement including an audible crack from the ankle. Today I am holding onto furniture to get to the bathroom and back, will shower when I can (sitting on my stool). Going downstairs later to check on washing machine and dishwasher (suspicious pile of pans in the sink - riot act will be read if necessary).

Little savings. May try the penny challenge. Restart collecting 2 pound coins in my cow. Spare change or 50 pence pieces in my toucan. One frog is organising a proper savings account - don't earn enough to qualify as a customer banks really want).

Chill out - mandated six week rest period for ankle. Lots of reading, suspect I am starting to avoid embroidery as some are now frogs (were supposed to be gifts) or because I am worried that it is getting too difficult and then what will I do to pass the time until retirement (self-employed with very low earnings because of non-existent job opportunities). Sorry if I seem gloomy, just being realistic not despondent.

Helping others. It's just a way of life. Look after mum several days a week (I am paid Carer's Allowance) and do other stuff for her in between (hope I've finally sorted home delivery as putting thing in and out of trolleys is extremely difficult). Going to go back to putting things in the food bank box in the library as I go there regularly (mostly avoid SM now). Will make the large tinned donation I was going to do before Christmas, when I can (ankle again). I was heavily involved with lots of voluntary groups when younger but it took a toll and now prefer to give anonymously and distance myself from all the petty politics. May also do some random acts of kindness (and be patient and gracious with offers of help received).

Always be grateful. Yes, always and frequently, things could be so much worse.

New to you. I am going to attempt to put up my shelf brackets (not at all sure I can even hold the drill up). May (if I'm feeling really patient) ask DS3 to do it (his friend tried to teach him at the other house but it was taking 3 times as long as doing it by himself - DS3 can do flatpacks now and is an excellent mattress wrangler and light bulb replacer, but otherwise has his dad's diy skills. I am committed to using what I have (brackets have been purchased some time ago and the shelves are parts of DS1's old Japanese style bed - thick chunks of wood). I had already intended making some new clothes instead of buying using material I have. Hand sewing may be less (physically) stressful than embroidery. But will do one thing at a time.

Check in - here I am (waves, blows kisses, sends virtual hugs).

Exercise. Limitations imposed by the pesky sprained ankle (getting to the bins and back is an adventure) but will look at exercise I can do on the bed - can't risk the floor, I'd never get back up.

Sort it out. One of my main aims this year is to declutter (yes again). I have too much stuff and too little room (well DS3 and Beloved have lots more stuff and they are taking most of the room but I have to tackle my own stuff first). Not much unused food/ ingredients in my kitchen - I should try to be more adventurous. Lots of gadgets (Beloved's) which I try to accommodate.

I have reduced my general craft stuff a lot in the past year but if I can no longer (or not much longer) embroider, then I need to reduce those materials. If I can't use the drill and DS3 can't/ won/t then maybe DS2 will want it (I divided all the hand tools with DS1 last year). If I can't use the sewing machine and Beloved doesn't want it (them - mum passed one of her two on to me, last year) then it goes to the cs. Mum has kept a lot of things many years after she ceased being able to use them, I am going to be different.

I have purchased an inexpensive notebook which has sections for
tracking my mood (+ what I was doing that day) and gratitudes
goal setting including why it's important and a deadline
sleep tracking including times, quality and any dreams
mindfulness
health including exercise and food intake
and notes

I thought that was enough. I read a pinterest post title "64 things you must track in your bullet journal". Having experienced keeping mood, sleep and food and exercise tracking and knowing how much time that can take, I thought if you are tracking 64 different things, how much time do you have left to actually do anything. The notebook has a helpful layout and it's good that it's all together in one place (no trailing scratty dogeared bits of paper around).

So that's it.

Gratitudes.

I owe a few as we are up to the third so I am glad to be alive, for this day not sunny but fairly mild and pigeons to watch. I am glad to have spent time with mum over the holidays, that it was mostly just us being quiet, for Doctor Who, Luther, the Snowman and the brilliant Raymond Briggs and all his works, for time on the reclining chair, for the rolled up ball of my quilt still being wonderful to rest my ankles on, for invention and change.

Going to have my sit on a stool in the bath shower now.

cuddlymarm

Good morning guys
A spendy day today because my online shop is coming.
It’s cold and miserable here so I’m going to stay in and have a lazy day. It was really busy at work yesterday and will probably carry on like that so I plan to recharge my batteries when I can.
Not much to say so far so I might pop by later
Cuddles

Dottydaisy

I didn't post yesterday due to a fibromyalgia flare up which knocked me out for the day. Feeling better today which is good as we are going to a pantomime tonight.











Spoke too soon about no cross words over the holidays. DD2 came on NYD and collected dd1 presents for her and partner and stayed for buffet. But dd2 did not like presents, as in so many previous years, and had a hissy fit. I did not sympathise even though I would not have bought one of them. Instead I said that they were poles apart in character etc and she should be grateful whatever she got given. Then said that I was not doing presents anymore and neither were mum, dd1 and dd3. This didn't go down well either, but I didn't point out that she had given dd3 a rose scented candle-don't do candles because of dogs, and socks which said don't do pairs dd3 is OCD! I eventually got an apology -first time ever- but dd3 had high anxiety by now so in effect the day was ruined.
So onto the challenge this month. I am not going to aim for NSD because we have a small fridge/freezer I tend to buy regularly, but I will try for some.
I will donate both charity shop stuff for sale - we are decluttering- and to the food bank. We buy coffee/tea and food for homeless when we see them.
I will look after myself better, healthy eating, walk when I can, do colouring books, read, jigsaws, family history to help my mental welfare.
I have plans for January, panto tonight, Kes on the 26th, both paid for already, U3A for quiz afternoon and family history afternoon usually small donation to rent of hall and a cuppa tea.
I meet separately with two friends once a month, one for lunch one for coffee but I budget for these. I have some cinema tickets which dd1 found in a drawer so we will be going to see a film for free-will take snacks with us.
I am still in a forward looking mind set and am quite positive about everything. I have got rail tickets to visit dd1 and family, my only grandchild, for February and have started another savings pot so that I have the rail fare anytime I want to visit. I don't know what the bank thinks of my 8 savings accounts which are my pots for everything I need in the year such as car maintenance, hair and chiropody, birthdays and Christmas etc, but it works for me.
After lunch I am clearing the bathroom cupboards. Have watched Marie Kondo on netflicks and am going to put like for like together in boxes so it will be easy to see what we've got in there.
Sending hugs to those who need them.
Dotty Daisy

Dottydaisy

Don't know what happened in the middle of my post. Also how do you get a box on the end of posts?

Ladykernow

Going for 10 no spend days.

So far 2/10. Possibly 3 once today is over.

ponypal

I just returned an impulse order from M&S sale I made on the 25th without trying it on


3 NSDs so far... looking forward to payday mind you!

mothernerd

Dotty click on User area (just above the thread title on this page). On the User area there is a side bar with a list of headings, under settings there is one for signature - this is the things underneath your box. When you've put what you want in it - targets, goals, inspirational message (limit on the number of lines and digits) click on save signature. When you come back to the column the signature should show. If you want to change it eg if you are showing the number of SFDs, go back to the user area, click on edit signature, make changes and save again - new figures should be shown.

Just realised I still have "This year I will be fierce" which was last year (unfortunately was mostly slow and wobbly). Will change it in a minute.

Shrewbie

No 20 Finally checking in!

Spend free days (NSD’s) – Going to aim for 15, aim low based on past couple of months performance and hopefully get more than that. Going to attempt another 7 day spending freeze too, probably the week before pay day.

Make plans for the month – I’m still on holidays until 12 Jan although working from home a bit - so need to be careful with cash.
So hopefully limiting plans to - 2 catch ups with friends in London, a coffee and a catch up with the BF when I return to Madrid.. and doing dry/damp January so that should save a bit of cash. Also going to a spa with my aunty but that’s free.

Always pay your debts first – Going to pay to savings first! Should have a good chunk of savings by the end of Jan for my emergency fund as long as I don’t overspend in the next couple of weeks.

List your frogs – Want to plan my spanish 1000 day challenge, and plan all my lessons for the first two weeks back so I don’t have to stress. Those feel more like elephants at the mo!

Little savings – I’m going to do the penny challenge!

Chill out – Reading is really helping me chill! So grateful for cheap kindle books!

Helping others – Going to do this when I get back to Madrid, this has reminded me that I’ve been meaning to find out about any volunteering I can do possibly with old folk, this will help my language practice too.

Always be grateful – Will continue to do this

New to You – Need to get better at this - I just bought some black work jeans in the M@ngo sale, that will be my last purchase of a new item, I want to buy everything second hand (or swapped) in 2019, apart from underwear.

Get involved – Will try to check in every couple of days.

Exercise – With the dry jan, I need a new focus, will try to get out and do running/abs exercises in the house at least twice a week. Or at least get out of the flat and walk around the park at the weekend.

Sort it out – Need to meal plan in Jan. Going to be cooking for the BF and possibly his housemate too.

shabbychic12

Have started on the sort it out part of the challenge. Enough chicken in the freezer to get us to Easter, no more sauces or pasta needed either. Kitchen looks like a bomb has hit it as l also decided l need to hide the abundance of alcohol l seem to hv accumulated in a short space of time. I will get there slowly. x