NST February frugality and frolics

mothernerd

My Plans (subject to change whenever I get hit by the next curve ball).

Food budget set at 160 pounds, a 20 pound reduction on last month. I have already spent 60 pounds on a food order to be delivered tomorrow, some of which I expect to be used in March. I don't think I will be downshifting but I am getting back to cooking and preparing in advance - boiled eggs for quick snacks, celery, carrot and other raw veg cut up in a box in the fridge (I have an empty celebrations box), making my own salads and sandwich fillings (using up the leftover dip with cheese in it by adding lots of grated cheese and probably some celery). Yoghurt with porridge oats or low fat cheese spread on crispbread for breakfast.

Excursions - I have one 'planned' outing, an evening charity do. Have been to the venue before (a long while ago), think it's on a Friday (planning was collaboration between mum and brother's ex gf - I have to go so that mum can).

I also need to move the already postponed crematorium visit to February. It may make more sense to leave it until March if my ankle is still weak. Will embrace the hermit life (nearly applied for a job as a hermit once but was afraid they would not let me have books).

Budgets. Travel budget has been increased to 20 pounds. I have at least 2 scheduled appointments which mean taxis atm (@ x 2.50 each way = 10 pounds) and will need a repeat prescription (should combine with one of the appointments). Awaiting news of further referral and may be other follow-ons (group activity).

Useful leftovers. Will be writing a frog list (+ half a dozen other lists, part started). Lots of small changes in the pipeline. Serious DEcluttering under way.

Will make and freeze some sandwiches to take to mum's and the infirmary. Have put a pack of wraps on mum's shopping list (may have some in her freezer already)

Gratitudes as always.

Debt or savings first. Need to set up a proper savings account and decide how much I need in pots for repairs, kitchen adaptations (to delay having to have a complete new kitchen).

Aiming for 18 SFDs.

Use it up. Will review diy stuff. May ask DS2 if he needs any tools. The back yard needs sorting but some dangerous stuff out there so need to wait for ankle to improve or go slowly and cautiously. Plan for skip - what do we want to get rid of (tried to cs several items of furniture a couple of years ago and most were rejected).

Exercise. I have done some exercise this morning but not saying what it was as you will :rotfl::rotfl: Let's just say it was commensurate with my current state of health and mobility

Mood improvers - hot baths (using the shower spray on my shoulder), music, books, saving small cartoon animals from dire peril, perfume, my bed, time spent with mum (mostly), jigsaws, baked potatoes and onion soup, watching the birds.

Advance planning. Meal plan (for the week to begin with). To do list for the week and plan each day the evening before. Set off the seeds. Start to get the yard in order. Mkae leaf mould. Pea shoots.

mothernerd

Everyone up to here should be numbered. let me know if I have missed you.

Shrewbie

F
Food Expenditure.
I will be spending no more than €125 for the month. My new apartment is close to a very big cheap supermarket and I’ll be poking around for bargains whenever I can. This particular supermarket sells baked beans and other English delights so I am very excited to explore it.

E Excursions and entertainment should be planned before the month starts. I want to focus on joining language exchange groups and making new friends. this in no way has to be expensive. Also want to join some sort of choir maybe, going to have a look on meet up.com. Otherwise, frivolous drinking for the sake of it will be out this month.

B Budgets should be set before the start of the month. Travel (petrol or public transport). Create a spreadsheet of all expenditure
Have done this. I am so fortunate that I can walk to work and don;t even need a metro pass (which is only €55 a month anyway) so I’ll probably save €30 a month here going forward.

R Reduce your planned food expenditure in accordance with the table below
Will try!

U Useful leftovers. I need to stop my students chatting so much in class. I really need to be more assertive. Hopefully with the extra time i’ll save on my commute from next week I’ll be planning my classes much better. My huge frog of improving spanish should get better from next week too as I’ll be living with a Spanish girl. we have agreed to speak for half the time in spanish and half in english as she also wants to improve her english. I’m also going to need to study more spanish than I currently do. I have a target of 5 months to get to a high intermediate level ( from low intermediate )

A Aim to take your lunch to work every day Already do this!

R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. I am so grateful to have as many teaching hours as I do. Although it is exhausting

Y You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left. I get paid on the 17th of each month. this is the first month I will have savings. Need to work out the best way to keep the savings save (may lock in a vault on rev0lut. It’s not really locked away but at least I can organise in to different pots. I’m aiming for €2k in an EF first. Have just paid my first €240 into it.

S Spend Free Days (SFDs). You will aim for 18. Will do!

U Use it up. Will do

R Regular check ins are recommended, daily if possible. Yep!

V Turtles generally avoid the consumer fest of bad taste on the 14th of the month. haha definitely will do.

I Indoors/outdoors. Regular exercise is important. Will start this up soon.

Indoors - I mentioned being a hermit. Fine with being a hermit!!

V Vending machines, need to avoid the coffee machines at work. I survived 4 months without touching them, no need to start now.

A Advance planning. Meal planning and making meals from scratch (no food waste) are your friends. Will do

GlendaSugarbean

Can I join in please?

Plans for Feb: will try to meet the NSD target but it is a stretch for me!

Groceries: my month runs from the 21st and have done two big stock up shops, so I need to be sensible about my grocery spends for the rest of the month.

Outings: already bought a card for DH on sale :MSE:. Birthday party this month is budgeted for, along with some extra spends for half term.

I thoroughly enjoy being a hermit, but I do need to get out of the house regularly for my mental health. This month I want to start tackling the neglected garden and finish prepping the allotment for spring. We have plenty of seeds but I also need to figure out where to grow them! Might need to cobble together a small greenhouse in the garden.

Today is Imbolc, the first day of Spring and the beginning of the lambing season. Looking forward to seeing the bulbs start to pop up.

f0xh0les

mothernerd wrote: »

Welcome f0xh0les. I was getting worried that I had seriously offended you with what I intended to be a light hearted remark. I was about to post an abject apology.

Dont be daft! We are all friends here:rotfl:

cuddlymarm

Good morning guys on the first day of this challenge
It’s pay day today so I’ve knocked £150 off my debt. £40 left over from last week and £110 from this weeks. I had overtime so I’m paying some extra rather than being tempted to spend.
It’s freezing here and my day off so it may be a snuggle up day once I’ve done a few jobs.

I’m grateful for being able to afford heat in this cold weather ( we’ve not been able to afford enough heat in the past and it’s not nice at all)
For overtime at work letting me clear the debt a bit quicker.
For today being my day off so I don’t have to go out unless I want to.

Today will be a use it up type of day. Leftover chilli for lunch and then some wrinkly potatoes are going to become potato wedges tonight. I’ll prepare all of them then leftovers can be frozen. No waste in this house.

I’m aiming for today being my first NSD

Anyway enough for now
Keep warm everyone
Cuddles

thriftylass

Good morning,

Going to be a spend day as I will pick up my Asda order tonight and we'll get a chippy that had been planned since before I joined this month's challenge.

Will go to the gym for a run, or if I'm really brave outside (although it's -5C). We'll see. Will definitely do sth.

Off to do some work, see you later

aimeemum

Day 2 - Tesco order coming and I've already overspent due to Morrisons !!!! up. Went to Lidl yesterday and spent £13 which means I've spent £85 this week on food etc....hoping that some of it will leach over into next week so that I can even it out.

Today I am grateful I am in the warm. Yesterday I spent so long outside I've got chilblains on 4 of my toes and they hurt!!

Today is 'Bills Day' - most of my extraneous DD's come out on the 1st/2nd so it's an expensive day but I know that all except 1 are now paid!

Off to go do my morning routine before my groceries arrive, and then a hot bath to ease my aching feet!

f0xh0les

I avoided the V issue by giving DH thegift I had for him last night. He was delighted with his Happy Thursday gift.

DS3 is 11 tomorrow, so I am baking cakes today for consuming tomorrow. Messing about with green icing.

As it is the first, I have stripped all the beds and am frantically laundering them all so they are out of the way before the weekend. Pantry inventorized, I have a ten item shopping list (!!) and I can feed us all until next weekend.

Just heard about Jeremy Hardy, who I adored, as he, Alan Coren, and Andy Hamilton taught my DS1 to swear when he was 2, by listening to Radio4's News Quiz. Never doubt kids hear everything, even when you think they are not listening.

Not a jot of snow here. Lovely sunny day but cold. Feeling positive going into February. Waiting for boilerman's invoice.....

ponypal

I'm in! So ready for February!