NST February frugality and frolics

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for good conversations, for leftover food, for plenty of being inside, for the rugby, for Poirot, for my loaf of bread and twinks hobnobs turing out well, for fresh bed linen, for plenty of stuff to read.


Mothernerd - take care of yourself. We'll still be here when you are getting better and your internet is playing nicely.

mothernerd

Thanks for all your good wishes. This is my third attempt at posting (DS3 has been talking tto the internet people so hopefully should soon be fixed.

I have been resting and taking it easy but still done a few bits. Started to fade a bit as the day wore on so going to have an early night. Will be back when internet is working properly.

laurenh1

Hi all


So sorry I've been missing in action.

Ive had my friends children this weekend as well as my own. I have attempted to keep up with reading comments & I did actually do a pretty long post last night but it got eaten & I gave up.


The good news is I am on NSD #8. :j & I have tried to keep us all entertained for free. We've fed the birds,made bird feeders to hang off trees, been to the park etc. I've also made a list of cheap things I want to do this month & looked up any baby groups I can try. Our local trampoline park does one for a fraction of the price I usually pay to take them first thing in the morning so I will try that fri or sat.


Grateful for- hub being home unexpectedly, my lovely friends bringing me cake-( 2 totally separate friends popped in with cake ) & for my brother being home.
I will post more tomorrow once Ive recovered from having 4 kids :D

Lovelifeloveliving

Hi all

CCL sending you hugs, determination and positivity. I too am going through a lengthy divorce and I do understand the complexities, expense and how mentally draining the whole process is. I keep telling myself this too will end. When mid term arrives get some rest and focus on self care. Take care of you

Mothernerd[/B Get some rest and take some time for you.

Food Expenditure. Decide on your food expenditure for the month - do not exceed it.
£200 per month. £60.40/£200

E Excursions and entertainment should be planned before the month starts.
BF 50th birthday party 23/02/19
Concert - 2 night City break 24/02/19. Paid previously. Frugal efforts in February will provide spending money for the trip.

B Budgets should be set before the start of the month.
Spreadsheet updated with recent expenditure.

R Reduce your planned food expenditure in accordance with the table below. Will be tough, but will attempt it to keep as close to it as possible.
Reduced my food budget by £50 this month and will evulate at the end of February.

U Useful leftovers. If there is anything from last month or a previous challenge which you found useful, keep on doing it (tackling those frogs, ditching bad habits and replacing them with good ones). Small changes that last are preferable to dramatic ones that peter out.
I continue to use from the larder and freezer.

Aim to take your lunch to work every day (unless you have a free
or heavily subsidised canteen. Similarly prepare for hospital appointments or days out by taking your own food and drink when possible.
3/12

R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. This is a tough challenge but I am not asking anyone to live on a bowl of rice a day. You can choose to add your gratitudes on here or to record them privately.
Grateful for a lazy morning, time to relax, a patient DP and sunshine this morning.

Y You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left. Ideally pay it on the first of the month/ payday. I appreciate that some of you have money coming in at different times and may need to accommodate existing standing orders/ direct debits.
Credit card payment made.

S Spend Free Days (SFDs).
Aiming for 18 SFDs.
6/18.

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

V Turtles generally avoid the consumer fest of bad taste on the 14th of the month. If you and your significant other choose to celebrate, make it yourself. If there is no significant other, then celebrate your singledom in whatever way you choose - pampering, slothing, singing a la Bridget Jones or hiding under the bedclothes. Think I will be doing pampering. See when the day comes around.
DP present bought in the sale.
DP planning on cooking.

I Indoors/outdoors. Regular exercise is important. Will try and go out for a walk each day.
Indoors - I mentioned being a hermit. I would like you to see this as a positive step. Spring may be around the corner but winter often has a sting in its tail. Nurture and protect yourself. Huddle by the fire, go to bed early, read, have hot drinks and comforting home made soup. Recharge your batteries. Rest and conserve your energy. Guard your mental health. Write down 10 things that help improve your mood and practice them regularly.
A lie in this morning and a relaxing Sunday.

V Vending machines, coffee shops, takeaways (everything from an Indian banquet to a pastie or a bag of chips) are forbidden (except for those who have them as part of a budgeted family evening).
None

A Advance planning.
Meal planning and making meals from scratch (no food waste) are your friends.
Need to plan the coming week.

Good night. Xx

ilovetea

Though I posted yesterday but I can't find it.

Hope all the poorly people feel better soon.

NSD today,not sure how many I've had now.

Grateful for a sunny day....at last,good result in the rugby,Getting lots of stuff sorted and put on e-b*y.
Looking forward to going to bed with my book soon. Exciting life.:rotfl:

ilovetea xx

misstara

Food expenditure - £63.32/£170

Budgets - no change

Useful leftovers - no frogs ticked off

Aim to take your lunch to work every day - done

Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful - catching up with yesterday's rugby (although not grateful for the score :rotfl:), chat with my mum, good gym class, OH

You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left - nothing paid

Spend Free Days - NSD today so now on 7/18

Exercise is important - tried a spin class for the first time, surprisingly enjoyable

sashanut

Hi all :j

Steady day with no need to venture to the shops for once..

Sorry to hear you are under the weather mothernerd, hope you soon feel better

F Food Expenditure Aiming for £225 for the month, down from about £275.. already done a bit of spending so no NSDs as yet. Shopping already spent £139.56/225 . No spends today.


E Excursions and entertainment should be planned. ...No excursions but planning a trip to Ireland before B-day but looks like they have changed the ferry crossings to make it vastly more inconvenient for us. However, DH is on the case & looking at alternative routes. Will be in March. Looks like we can make an alternative crossing & even though we need to stay overnight in a B&B it will be cheaper, so should book this week. Another car has come up so looks like we will be off to view it tomorrow all being well, will also combine with a family day out/shopping - inevitably - and a meal out.


B Budgets None set as yet - other than food - & all DDs already out.

U Useful leftovers Will also carry on with frogs. Need to make a list for DH also, there are plenty of things he can be doing. Massive frog today - inventoried one of the fridges -yaay! OK as we didn't go out I finally inventoried the other fridge, tons of stuff in there, quite amazing really..should mean hardly any more shopping although I've said that before. Started on the bedroom frog today - which is very big. Cleared out some paperwork for recycling bin & found a truly hideous teapot which will be going to the CS with me on Tuesday.

A Aim to take your lunch
Don't work outside the home other than volunteer at a CS but will aim to take snacks/lunch/etc when we go out.

R Remind yourself Nice relaxing day, migraine meds - & discovering I *only* need to take half the dose to feel better, fresh air & fine weather, lovely spring flowers.


Y You should pay your debt or savings first Have no debt other than a cc paid off in full each month. However, savings needed for dental work & also for house renovations, so will take care of that. Paid back joint account for dental work again. Will make another payment after this post.

S Spend Free Days (SFDs) Now 5/18

U Use it up Keep using up what we have, have done some shopping already but should only need fresh F&V & bread, plus animals food/litter. Used up some things from fridge as I now know what is in there & what needs to be used up first. Used up leftover teacakes for lunch, plus made a chilli with fridge stuff. Used up OOD cake (!) which was stale when bought, to make a choc orange trifle. Choc custard refused to set but tribe ate anyway without complaint.

R Regular check ins Here

V Cards only .. in the nut household

I Indoors/outdoors My only regular exercise is gardening, which I try to do most days. Walked a lot when away need to have slightly better weather to do much around here. Out this afternoon in the garden although very windy it was dry & I did another bit of the border, 3 barrows of compost on it & pruned some branches that were overhanging the rockery. Not outside for long as lots of housework/cooking etc. Did one more barrow load. More pruning outside this morning, happy in the fresh air.


Indoors - being a hermit. Reading papers, then tv & fairisle.

V Vending machines etc Rarely use but do have the occasional takeaway as part of family meal. Maybe once a month, but no plans so far.

A Advance planning This is a problem for me, I don't plan in advance but decide what to have on an almost daily basis. I know I have to get more organised, so will inventory both fridges...as a starting point. Have not inventoried yet , will do tomorrow. Done Fridge one. Fridge 2 to go. Done fridge 2.....have a loongg list on my phone. Need to see if I can meal plan for this week now I have an idea of what we have. Wont need tomorrow as we should be eating out, but for rest of week.

Garden prep - up to today - has been going on apace, not with planting as the ground has been frozen but with pruning & some greenhouse stuff. No veg as yet but it's a bit early for here. Will go through seeds - I have loads - and see what I need if anything. Also have lots of pots of paint for projects inside & outside the house - once decluttered enough to decorate.. Mulching borders is in hand although it will take me forever. One more load done. Amazingly DH has offered to help...well he will cut down some stuff that is too big for my loppers to cut. Fills me with fear tbh...he's not handy!

Go Turtles!!!

f0xh0les

NSD3 yesterday.

Budget for the week £20, plus boiler expenses tomorrow.
Cleaning and hoovering the hermitage in readiness for not bothering during half term. Will bake later.

SpekySquarehead

I'm here to hold my hands up. I've had a mad week and half this month which has meant that I've been poor with my NSD's. Today will be #3 which as a far cry from last month.

It's not quite as bad as that number suggests as a lot of these days are spends for which I will get back through expenses. Nonetheless, I feel less in control, so I'll screw the nut for the remainder of the month, but my initial target of 18 seems well out of reach.

Toni'sfriend

Hope you're feeling better today Mothernerd.

NSD No 1 yesterday.

Had a short walk and even managed to tick a few things off my lists. Small things but it's a start.

Started eating more healthily. Fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, Greek salad for lunch and chicken and vegetables for dinner. Need to make some sort of meal plan for the rest of the week.

Himself has an appointment with a dermatologist today. I was going with him but he decided he can manage himself so I'm going to plod on with the cleaning etc. and, hopefully tick a few more frogs of the lists.