NST February frugality and frolics

apple_muncher

Thank you for the suggestions for mum.

She's not yet regressed to the toddler age yet, but that is a great idea for if/when she does.

I'm going to take flowers when I next see her. I have tried plants in the past and she 'cares' for them - deadheading constantly due to forgetting that she has done it already. Overnight, a healthy cyclamen turned into a bedraggled sorry-looking spindly thing.

I'll also take a small cake for us to share, and a pretty tin for her to store (hoard/hide/put safely away) more things in.

I like the smell concept, f0xh0les, but there aren't amy that I associate with mum. I'll have a chat with big si about it though. And - forgive me - I cannot bring myself to source a full-size cardboard cut-out of Phillip...

Twiddle muffs - I've heard of them and must have a butchers. Am sure I could make her one. Although, I confess that whatever I give her will, without a doubt, be squirrelled away without trace.

So, flowers and cake it is for now.



Thank you soooooo much for replying - it really does mean a lot to me .

f0xh0les

Step-Gran is going to be 80 this year, and although deaf as a post and wheelchair bound, is only a bit forgetful and does not have dementia yet, she really does have a soft spot for our Phillip, as many of her other lady friends of a similar age do. I think they would tune in to see him read the phone book.

The thing about smells - was she a gardener? or a baker? I always associate the smell of lilies with death, as when my grandad died the house was full of them. Only funeral I have been to, but 30 years on the smell still gives me a shiver every time. So if she grew up with roses in the garden, or baked fruitcakes with cinnamon, or just fell face first into mint chocolate at every opportunity, it might be an avenue to look up.



Mothernerd - I find wearing a snood really helps, yes you look like Zorro, or Richard Turpin, but it warms the air and traps the humidity, even just pulling your jumper up over your nose helps. Sometimes just the respite from the coughing banishes any embarrassment and you just embrace the masked bandito fantasy. Then you can always pull it down with an

" Aha! I was here all along and you never guessed!!" yeah, my kids think I am daft, too.

Anyway, car cost nothing today - it has a squeak, it will cost £90 next week Tuesday, it is neither dangerous nor will cause me to break down. I just have a knackered valve which is creating a vacuum and sucking air through places it oughtn't. Apart from that it is fine.

Your cake is proper lush mothernerd, I decorated the top with a circle of walnuts, a circle of candied ginger and a circle of chopped hazlenuts. It will also double as a 'there-there' after boilerman b0ggers off tonight with £110 of my lovely money. Boo!

Lovelifeloveliving

Hi all

Applemuncher Would your Mum enjoy something like mindful colouring, a knitting project or crocheting. Sometimes you find someone with dementia can get engrossed in a project and reduces the anxiety or unsettled periods.

Mothernerd A day of rest is required.

F 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.
Three frogs dealt with. Spent the morning decluttering DD's room. One bag for the charity shop and one bag of rubbish for the tip. Where oh where does it all come from.

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 tidy bedroom for DD, washing drying on the line, time to put the feet up and a cuppa before the kids come home from school and roast chicken for dinner.

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.
7/18.

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.
Feet up in front of the stove with a cuppa.

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 write a list of frogs I need to address.

Enjoy the rest of the day. Xx

Toni'sfriend

Hairdressing appointment today so not a NSD.

Busy day ironing and cooking.

Think all the travelling is catching up with me. I feel absolutely exhausted. An early night, I think.

Kerry_Woman

NSD today - 9/20. Got email to confirm that I am getting a refund for cancelling the march buddy box. So £21.50 will go back into my bank between 3-5 days.
Went for a walk in the park this afternoon.
Dealt with a couple of frogs. One of them was a free 6 week grief course through a funeral director. Luckily I phoned up as it starts tomorrow. Put a few things aside for cs.
Used what I had in.
Stayed in for the rest of the afternoon and did self-care.

dolly84

Worked today but am planning on nipping to Sainsburys after tea to take advantage of a MOC.


All meals from what we had in as usual and took my own lunch to work.

PurpleFairy26

#28 checking in

Work paid for lunch today, other days it's been taken in.
NSD today too, there had been a few of late.
Managed a run too today and a long walk, all before lunch
Use up continues, albeit we don't have loads now as I've been doing this for about 6 weeks, meals planned around what we do have so food spends are still very reasonable. Used some 'unwanted' apples that had been frozen in a crumble. That did 3 puddings.
Grateful for my lovely family and warm socks.
Paid debt which has left us a bit squeaky to end of month but I'm sure we'll survive.
Took popcorn from home to share at free cinema screening :A
Investigated shuffling a debt to save about £400

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for all you luvverly turtles and your ideas, for my counsellor, for aldee still having their grey wool (knitting mice socks for dd), for seeing my bus-driver friend twice whilst out and about, for 85% choc, for a good walk, for a free swim, for dd enjoying her swim lessons, for dd loving playing a footie match for her sch, for my beautiful dark purple croci.

laurenh1

Hi all


Today is NSD #9. Hurrah. Should be 10 but I bought tickets to a theme park for half term yesterday...in my defence they were on offer


The cheap bird feeders I made went down a storm with the wild birds, squirrels & my chickens which is great as I usually buy my chickens treats a couple of times a year & they're expensive, these are much cheaper & they seemed to love them.


Anthony nolan called today to say Im possibly a match for someone who needs a stem cell transplant & I am off to the dr Monday for blood tests to find out. I am quite excited at the thought of being able to help someone but let's see what the results come back with. It has been 9 years since I signed up to the register so I was quite suprised to get the call.


Greatful for- my amazing Valentine's cards off my babies, for yoga & for lighter nights

greent

Amended yesterday's NSD back to a spendy day as I went to Sainz last night - but no spends today. Took advantage of a £9 off MOC, a 30 bonus points coupon for something I needed to buy anyway and a double points coupon. Also got 2 items free with shopping apps - so was worth it :T


E Excursions and entertainment should be planned - - need to look for cheap/ free things to do for next week

B Budgets set. Food reduced to £350 - plus a special extra Brexi-pocalypse budget of £50
Food £234.56/ 350 :eek:
Brexi-pocalypse £14.00/ 50

U Useful leftoversWill carry on with frogs. - listed some things on t'bay today. Still really rough with this cold, so no diy - it's as much energy as I can muster to load/ unload w/m. Wallpapering is currently beyond this snot-filled head!:p

A Aim to take your lunch n/a

R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. Today - balm tissues, lip balm, balm tissues, cups of tea, balm tissues, paracetamol, balm tissues

Y You should pay your debt/ savings first 50p added to holiday piggy bank

S Spend Free Days (SFDs). 4

U Use it up. all food today from stores. Used up a tube of body polish and a hotel tube of s/gel.

V Vending machines etc, None today

A Advance planning.This week has a plan (although it is loose and currently not being followed because of colds!) - and the following week is beginning to have one HAve planned some baking for w/end to take with us next week - will use up some of the stores - should finish the last of the dried apricots, the last of the mixed nuts, bananas from the freezer and some dessicated coconut + freebie granola