NST February frugality and frolics

SpekySquarehead

A heavy weekend for me meant that I've yet to manage a NSD. Not the best start to the month, I know.

Furthermore, I've a 3-day trip to London coming up which means I'll need to sort my own food etc then put on expenses, so I have no choice but to watch the pennies for the rest of the month!!

Like you f0xh0les - today should be NSD #1 for me too.

dolly84

GlendaSugarbean wrote: »

(autocorrect keeps trying to make 'digging' 'dogging' which is very different and possibly not recommend for MH)

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

dolly84

Burst water main outside our house this morning, third time in the last 18 months, road is flooded and it is creeping into our drive, last time it happened it cracked our gas mains and we had 9 months of gas supply problems. On top of that there has been a crash on the motorway so our whole area is absolutely mental with traffic so the school run took an age and I had to do some naughty driving just to get out of our road.


Hoping not to spend today, plan to make soup this morning, then walk the dog, clean the floors, sort laundry, clean makeup brushes, clean bathroom, do school run and go for a run.


lauren - all parents have screamed like a mad woman at their little ones and then felt dreadful, things get on top of you so don't beat yourself up about it.

thriftylass

F0xh0les Love you liberal approach to parenting - cake for breakfast and a spot of squirrel catching :rotfl::rotfl:

Went to FIL over the weekend and started to feel really flu-y on Sat . Then had the shivers, body aches and fever Sat/Sun. Still dragged my self to the museum with the kids as I didn't want to miss seeing Dippy . Not too bad today but will give gym a miss, still rubbery legs. Yesterday was a SFD as the museum was free but Sat I contributed to take away and SIL and BIL were at FIL too but the steak pie I made wasn't big enough for all of us and we took that back home and ate it yesterday.

laurenh1

Thanks Dolly & MotherNerd I am feeling a lot better this morning. I have had a good laugh with the ladies at nursery about the joys of parenting & it has cheered me up.

F- I haven't actually spent any money on food yet but I have placed an order for Thursday (£46 pounds) using an £8 off vouchers that I got through the post.
Excursions- still working on my list of things to do with the kids at weekends and holidays.
Budgets- set. Not planning on spending until Thursday when my order arrives so I will update my book then,
Useful leftovers- carrying on with frogs. tip run done today.
Aim to take your lunch- YS hot cross bun today. NOM.
Remind yourself- grateful for - supportive girlfriends, the sun shining into the office, even if it is cold outside and for feeling a bit more on top of things this morning.
You should pay debt or saving first- over payment on the car and savings now at 12k hurrah only 8 more to go :eek:
NSDs- today is number 4.
Use it up- tea today is Thai green curry as I need to use some paste before I need to chuck it.
Regular check ins- here
Valentines- he isn't here so that one will pass us by!
Exercise- will try
Vending machines- nothing today!
advance planning- always, i don't have a laid back bone in my entire body :rotfl:

I am working hard on trying to take a slightly more laid back approach to things, I take life too seriously, the expectations I have for myself on a daily basis are just not achievable & when things do not go to plan I get worked up.
My prioritises are- my children, my health & then making sure I have the cash for hub to sign off at the end of the year. I will try & concentrate on these 3 and try & let other things slide slightly, maybe don't need to hoover 5x a day :eek::eek:

cuddlymarm

Hi guys, Cuddlymarm checking in.

R Reduce your planned food expenditure - I’ve gained an extra two meals with a piece of lamb going further than expected. Also we are having more veggie meals which means next week I won’t need to shop.

U Useful leftovers. I have made a list of frogs which mainly consist of tidying and decluttering small areas. Nothing done on this yet, all I want todo this weather is cuddle up in the warm when I’m not at work.

A Aim to take your lunch to work every day. I don’t have lunch at work but am aiming at leftovers or as cheap as possible.


R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. I’m grateful for a job I like, for good food and for a nice cup of tea, you can’t beat a nice cup of tea.

Y You should pay to your debt or savings first. Credit card nearly cleared and then I’m carrying on saving until the balance of our summer hol is needed.

S Spend Free Days (SFDs). 3/18 so far.

U Use it up. Im working my way through the fresh veg at the moment. Also I’ve a bottle of shampoo that just doesn’t leave my hair nice so it will be used as shower gel.

R Regular check ins are recommended, daily if possible. I’m trying, but not much to tell.

V Valentine Day isn’t happening in the Cuddly house. We try to be nice to each other all the other days of the year too.

I Indoors/outdoors. Regular exercise is important. I work in a shop where I am walking, bending and stretching for hours at a time so will try on my days off

A Advance planning. Meal plan for next week done. My online shop comes on Wednesday and there should be enough for me not to need a shop the following week.

I’m feeling very positive about this month.

Keep well and warm guys
Cuddles

misstara

Food expenditure - £45.06/£170

Excursions/outings - just ordered cinema tickets as a reward from a survey site so will be a free outing for me and OH once they come through

Budgets - paid the electricity bill last night so updated YNAB

Useful leftovers - no frogs ticked off today

Aim to take your lunch to work every day - done, yummy frittata and salad

Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful - productive shift at work, getting away on time, a NSD

You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left - £3.62 paid to the debt today

Spend Free Days - no spends today so 2/18

Exercise is important - had planned a gym class but not feeling all that great so have cancelled it

Kerry_Woman

greent - Sorry to hear about your Nan's health. Hugs to you and family.
mothernerd - Thank you.
apple muncher - Thank you. Sorry about the distance between you and your Dad's ashes. Glad that you still have chats with him.
NSD today - 2/20.
Went for a walk in the park.
Did make a start of some of the frogs I have.
Done some self care.
Stayed in after I had the walk.

XSpender

Food Expenditure - £300 £95.07

Excursions – Extra happy hour pizza tea for DH tomorrow. There are funds in our family fun budget to cover this

Budgets – £5 back for a cancelled school event, £10.50 in Mr T vouchers and a MOC will help food budget, DH will get a week's free fuel from work so will move funds saved to debt repayment

Reduced food budget by £150 still working on it

Useful leftovers. COMPLETE 15 FROGS completed 13 and a half frogs but list has increased to 63!

Aim to take your lunch to work every day – 2/20 taken to work DH boss bought him lunch last week so DH will return the favour this week so will lose one there

Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful I am grateful for 1) the workmanship of the company who have fixed our roof, it looks amazing :j 2) tulips 3) light traffic when DS was desperate to get home for a wee

You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left. Paid £25 off today

Spend Free Days (SFDs). 0/18

Use it up Used up some leftover crumble and froze some leftover pasta sauce

Regular check ins are recommended, daily if possible. – I'm here

Outdoors. Regular exercise is important – Out with dog

Indoors - Nurture and protect yourself. Write down 10 things that help improve your mood and practice them regularly - walking in the outdoors improves my mood, mountains and trees especially

Vending machines etc. – 3/28. DH is having a kebab for a birthday treat tonight _pale_

Advance planning Used mysupermarket to do a list for Mr T to get bang for my buck from vouchers

greent

F Food Expenditure.
Downshifting etc.

E Excursions and entertainment should be planned

B Budgets set. Food reduced to £350 - plus a special extra Brexi-pocalypse budget of £50
Food £129.39/ 350
Brexi-pocalypse £14.00/ 50

U Useful leftoversWill carry on with frogs. None today - housework, work and this evening's job is Court of Protection paperwork for my nan.

A Aim to take your lunch n/a

R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. Today - lovely colleagues, polite students, easy dinner from freezer, yummy leftovers for lunch, being able to wear heels to work as I was in a carpeted room, so didn't need soft-soled flats! .

Y You should pay your debt/ savings first found 1p - has gone in holiday fund piggy bank

S Spend Free Days (SFDs). Now 2

U Use it up. Food from stores inc leftovers for lunch. Have used some very dodgy sweet potatoes (bought YS back on 14th Dec) to make wedges to go with dinner and then nuked the rest of them to mash and put in freezer
I Indoors/outdoors. Regular exercise Walking. Not today -steps and floors achieved - mainly thanks to work! Indoors - being a hermit. - will light candles shortly

V Vending machines etc, None today

A Advance planning. Need an early lunch again tomorrow - need to give this some thought...