NST February frugality and frolics

mothernerd

SpekySquarehead wrote: »

Morning turtles.

I managed a NSD on Saturday, which takes my total is now at 5 for the month, shocking compared to last month.

My week ahead is planned from my side, all food in etc. Although I have another trip to London, Wednesday and Thursday, which tends to throw everything in the air (spends, healthy eating, exercise etc). So I am going to try and be much more disciplined and preparred.

Do trips away with work, where everything is eventually paid back in expenses count as ruining a NSD?

No you would not ruin your NSD. It's work expenses - you are not spending, just giving a temporary loan to your employer.

mothernerd

Thankfully I opened my diary last night to check on the week ahead (still not quite got my lists under control). I had entirely forgotten about a meeting this morning, so set the alarm. Decided to stop being brave and go back to using the walker.

Short but productive meeting (I was very early but had my reading book and water) with another set for 5 weeks (would have been 4 but that's when mum and I are away). She had not found a lot of information as she had to take some days off last week with a sick child - nursery had phoned her several times this morning as child is still not 100% but she can't have any more days off - so feeling guilty all round.

She has got me contact details for a firm who do 'extreme cleaning' - probably what I need as it's all those not very often jobs - fingermarks on doorframes etc as well as a thorough spring clean. I have decided Ds3 can pay for it.

But first the grand clear out has to happen so another 'talk' on the cards. Beloved has not got Addisons. She obviously has something wrong so another round of tests and then back to the consultant endocrinologist (ha - got the spelling right first time).

Picked up my prescription then had a taxi back to the town centre (half way up the main shopping street) so I could meander home with the walker and pick up bits (over the counter pills and creams for me and mum, wipes for the cleaner, bread for mum) on the way home.

Repacked and went to mum's but definitely not on top form - suggested a mid-afternoon nap but mum wanted to watch a film, so put that on for her and went for a lie down. Only got up because I was worried that mum might be getting hungry. Early night and hoping I will feel brighter in the morning.

Today I am grateful that I checked my diary, that I managed to do the necessary things efficiently and for the borrowed walker.

Lovelifeloveliving

Hi all,

Sorry I was absent without leave. I had a very busy but enjoyable weekend with family.

F Food Expenditure. Decide on your food expenditure for the month - do not exceed it.
£200 per month. £114.90/£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 ticked off the list today.

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.
5/12.

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.
I am grateful for a fun day with DD, my roast chicken dinner, time with my niece and nephews and a relaxing evening.

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.
10/18.

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.
Looking forward to a relaxing evening with DP.

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.
I enjoyed an hour in front of the stove watching TV.

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.
Finally completed my list of frogs.

Good night all . Xx

misstara

Food expenditure - £127.14/£170

Budgets - YNAB updated

Useful leftovers - no frogs ticked off

Aim to take your lunch to work every day - took today, prepped for tomorrow

Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful - good first shift at work, candles, sausage sandwich for tea

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

Spend Free Days - now on 11/18

Exercise is important - nothing today

sashanut

Hi all:j

Sorry not to post yesterday, was just too tired in the end. It was an NSD though, but today has definitely been a spend day...

it started off well as I got a £10 refund from being overcharged (in December!) in Boots, I then got quite a few YS items in M&Expensive & used my vouchers so that was free, then another voucher used in Lakeland - as I handed her one that expired today, she gave me another one. Business must be bad...

but then we went for a meal, then picked up the car. Not the best idea picking it up in the dark, with about 10 mins instruction beforehand & a fairly long journey home. DH followed in our car, made it back without incident thank goodness...

Grateful for, decent weather, lovely meal out, photo my cousin sent of my Aunt wearing the socks I made her whilst going 'birding' :rotfl:

Will update properly tomorrow (today even)...Go turtles!!!

PurpleFairy26

#28 checking in

Lunches made for the week and more (will get frozen in portions) using an aubergine from the veg box. Everything else from stores. Have taken lunches every day I've been in work

2 frogs completed yesterday, 2 more to do this week. Leftovers continue to be used from freezer so food spends remain under control.

Nothing paid to debt today as paid it all at start of the month. At that lull between all payments accounted for an pd payday.

Grateful for welcoming and friendly people for event dd went to and her being named worker of the day by 3 professionals in attendance. It's done wonders for her confidence :T

No vending machines here.

Fmess

Apple hopefully it should all happen at the same time, change back to my old job role (not done since October 2017), exam classes leave and exam marking starts

SpekySquarehead

G'moring,

Yesterday was NSD #6.

Well, if I take mothernerds advice, I'm on 9. Kind of feels like I'm cheating though. And unfortunately, I have another trip to London planned for tomorrow and potentially Thursday too. It does annoy me.

sashanut - What's "going birding"? Sounds like something I'd do on a Saturday night in town.

dolly84

sashanut/speky - I did wonder about birding too:rotfl:.


Went out with DH and the kids yesterday, had a short walk on Ilkley Moor, was much shorter than planned due to one of the children (no prizes for guessing which one) was acting up. Went into Ilkley and spent money which seeing as it's half term I will probably be doing every day this week.


Went to the library last night to return a book and then take it back out again, they have a stupid rule that you can only renew a book 3 times even if no one is waiting for it, got round it by just taking it out again, want to finish it as I'm half way through and according to Good Reads it is slow in the first half then really good, plus it is the final one in a series.



I did get some more books and thought I'll just read a couple of pages of one of them to see if it is promising, it was so good that I read quite a bit of it and am intrigued now.


Watched Baptiste on the iplayer last night as I hadn't realised it started Sunday, turned out it was in Amsterdam which did look nice on the whole.


Dentist today so I will have to pay for that and I need to collect my boots from the cobblers, I dropped them off Saturday for an alteration to them, they have a bit that annoys me and I wasn't wearing them much so I asked if it could be stitched down, they could do it but it was £8 (everybody wants so much for a 5 minute job) but they are Timberland boots so I thought it was worth it as they are so hardwearing.


Also going into town to get some foam rollers so I can do a 1930's style with my hair overnight, I adore the 30's and want the hair.

mothernerd

Later turtles - I'm having a challenging day.