NST February frugality and frolics

greent

E Excursions and entertainment Night away next week. Have also decided we will have a late breakfast out on Friday - I need to drop paperwork off at the accountant's anyway, so we are going to then go for brunch

B Budgets set. Food reduced to £350 - plus a special extra Brexi-pocalypse budget of £50
Food £238.73/ 350 :eek: -
Brexi-pocalypse £14.00/ 50

U Useful leftoversWill carry on with frogs. - No diy - but think I might be feeling well enough tomorrow to tackle some. Today's frog was clearing the garden of cat poo

A Aim to take your lunch n/a

R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. Today - balm tissues, noticing a couple of tete a tetes in flower in the garden - along with some stunted looking muscari, completing a fb00k sale

Y You should pay your debt/ savings first £5 from fb00k sale added to hol fund. OH found 5p in Tesc0 - added to piggy bank

S Spend Free Days (SFDs). 4

U Use it up. all food today from stores. Used up a tube of hotel s'poo and a tub of hotel marmalade.

V Vending machines etc, None today

A Advance planning.Checked seeds - have plenty of leaves, some peppers, herbs and flowers - but no tomatoes! :eek: - will try and buy some this week (or maybe just sacrifice a tomato or two from the fridge )

Kerry_Woman

Was a spend day. Had letter regarding my holiday in April, as there was a change of time/airline in the outgoing flight - checking in at 7.10am instead of a later time. Had to book a hotel for the night before.
Coped with today as it was my Mum's birthday. Also with the grief programme which was today.
Dealt with a few frogs. In for the night and doing self care.
Used what I had in.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for a nice day at work, for trees, for good coffee, for dd's mice socks coming along nicely, for forgoing a trip to the shops for sweeties for one of my classes and raiding dd's stash - with her permission - instead (she even emptied out her coat pockets for a couple more packs of har1b0!), for good stuff to read.


Greent - glad to read that fewer balm tissues are on your gratitude list. Get well soon.


Hugs Kerry Woman .

mothernerd

Had more sleep - really helping my shoulders. Slightly worried about my veg intake today but found carrots and a scrape of hummous in the magic bag (it's not really magic, mum had asked me to leave the carrots with her, she'd peeled them, put some in her soup and left the rest for me) Ate some yesterday and brought the rest home.

Still tired but in a good way. Going to have a sitting on the stool shower. Would love a bath but still not confident about getting out again so will make do.

Today I am grateful for not having to be anywhere, for sleep and the magic bag.

crazy_cat_lady

Hello :wave:
I have emerged from the exam marking pile! Battered and mentally exhausted but survived, and money earned. Thank you all for your kind words of support when I was struggling at the weekend. I did get to see my mam apple, and it was lovely as it always is. I'm still quite stressed about how out of touch I am with everything in my real life, like food, rest and finances but I will catch up with it as I always do. I'm now seriously thinking of how much marking I can take on over the summer without losing touch with myself altogether.
Mothernerd, I hope that you're feeling a bit better - it sounds as though you've been completely wiped out the past few days but you've soldiered on and kept going. Much love, and I am pleased that you're getting some rest as well. You are such an inspirational human being - thank you.
There's nothing much else to report in my life. Tonight is the first night since 22nd of January I've had no marking to do, and I'm really just relaxing. We're off on holiday soon and I still have to pack, pay the catsitter and get some keys to my sister who is keeping an eye on the place while we're away. And I have to do another 2 days at work as well so still busy with plenty of things to do. The finances, house and food will have to be sorted towards the end of next week once we're home and life is getting back to normal again.
Whilst now completely legally and totally utterly divorced, financial matters are dragging somewhat. The court application is in and acknowledged but it's just an expensive waiting game unfortunately. Ex also didn't get round to paying any child maintence as I had suspected, but I've been told that will be unlikely to be sorted much before June (:mad:) However, all I can do is wait and know that I've done everything I can and things will pass eventually. He can stick his head in the sand for ever but life will still go on around him.
Anyway, I'm really ready for an early night so I'm going to head off.

Lovelifeloveliving

Hi all

Greent Hope you're feeling better soon.

Kerry Woman Hugs

Mothernerd It is so important to listen to your body.

Speky Do not despair and acknowledge all of your achievements:T

CCL I hope things are good with you. Mid term is on the horizon :j

Today was a spend day in a number of areas. I visited a nearby town that has several charity shops. I badly needed some clothes that fit and are comfortable. I have gained significant weight in the last year:eek: I REFUSE to buy a new wardrobe in a bigger size. Hence the drive to lose weight and fit into to my lovely clothes.

F Food Expenditure. Decide on your food expenditure for the month - do not exceed it.
£200 per month. £85.53/£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.
Two frogs dealt with.

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 all the bargains I got in the charity shops, my annual leave day, my electric blanket and the time to read.

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.
Remains 7/18.

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

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.
Reading snuggled under the electric blanket.

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.

Night. Xx

mothernerd

ccl if it's any consolation, I once had a friend who OH was given to spontaneous holidaying. As in he would come home from work on a Friday and tell her to get the boys into the car. She spent many Saturday mornings in a seaside launderette, cleaning their clothes.

Look after yourself and have fun.

Creative people don't have mess, they just have ideas lying around everywhere.

Reading is not a pastime, it's a way of life. It eases my soul. And when I need it most, it's a light in the dark.

I hate it when you can't figure out how to use the ipad and the resident tech expert is asleep.....because he's five and it's past his bedtime.

misstara

Food expenditure - £72.32/£170

Budgets - YNAB updated

Useful leftovers - no frogs ticked off

Aim to take your lunch to work every day - off usual work until Monday :j

Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful - good chat with OH, an extremely lazy day, choc chip pancakes for tea

You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left - £8.93 paid to the debt over the last few days

Spend Free Days - NSD today and yesterday so now on 9/18, halfway there

Exercise is important - barely moved off the sofa today

sashanut

Hi all :j

As expected off out looking at cars, it feels like this is going on forever but its only been since Monday! What I do know is that it's very time consuming and very little is being done in the way of housework...ah well..

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 . Made some purchases today/yesterday so need to add those on.


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. Chosen car so will need to decide when to go & pick up probably Monday.

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. Didn't take teapot as DH thought it might be worth selling, so will check first. No frogs today, out all morning then friend round all afternoon..

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. Didn't eat whilst out but waited till we got home, sandwich then.

R Remind yourself Spring flowers on the verges, mild weather, friends visit.

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. Still to do.

S Spend Free Days (SFDs)Now 7/18

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. Food from stores & YS fish for supper.

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. Only out with the pooches today, no gardening with all the running about.


Indoors - being a hermit. Indoors chatting with friend, a bit of knitting.

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. Had family meal out yesterday, no plans for a takeaway AFAIK.

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. Still WIP.

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! Scheduled for rest of week if fine, dependent on car viewings too. Looks like Friday..

Go Turtles!!!

mothernerd

Don't take life so seriously
No-one gets out alive
So chill out
laugh lots
kiss often
Smile at strangers
love wholeheartedly
and always choose happiness

A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life. Coco Chanel

The life in front of you is far more important than the life behind you.

TODAY Celebrate you , you are awesome. (of course you are, you're a turtle).