NST April 2019 - Spring Forward

Fmess

Morning all,

Welcome back indigo

SFD yesterday busy at work and then a lovely dog walk this evening and a little relax tome. Ate a healthy tea for a change slept until 6am which is amazing, must have needed the darkness to keep me asleep lol

f0xh0les

CCL - you are off a whole week before me this Easter.

Indigo - I was just thinking about you last week hoping you were ok and would reappear, and then boof! here you are!
mothernerd - my puddles of space have remained clutter free, the kids come home from school and bring with them a wave of mess, but it is easy to clear as long as I don't leave it to lie. Flotsam.

Off to herd kids, will post my targets later on.

dolly84

Welcome to shabbychic12 & bestlifenow.


mothernerd - I agree about being clean, I can't understand why people want to be smelly, if you have no choice then fine but if you live in a house with running water you can get a wash with a flannel, bar of soap and cold water for next to nothing.


Yesterday was indeed a NSD. My simple pleasures yesterday were annoying my kids on the drive home from school by playing Jimmy Sommerville loudly and singing. Also watching our dog. DH finished cleaning down the decking and got the buckets out of the garage that he uses when the dog is bathed (no way that hairy beasty is going in my bath), suddenly the cunning dog had a very sore leg, he limped around holding it up then skulked off. When the buckets were put away he charged around the garden with his bottom all hunched up. Sore leg my eye.


The decking has come up really well, just took some elbow grease and soda crystals, very pleased about that.


I have donated two large bags to the charity shop the last two weekends but I still have tons of clothes and nowhere to store them all properly. I will need to be putting spring/summer clothes in my wardrobe soon but it is full of winter things that I can't store. DH helped me go through them and we filled two more bags, they are now in my boot but I am starting to think about pulling some of them back out again. It is a struggle to get rid of them and I wonder where they will end up. Worst of it is I still have nowhere to put my millions of winter jumpers.

worklifebalance

Busy day yesterday. Working on decluttering our house whilst not working. Two bin bags left to the charity shop and things are starting to be easier to find. Shopping done as we were out of some essentials but hopefully today will be a NSD. Didn't get to walk the dogs yesterday as i covered a shift at the dog rescue so thats on the list for this morning. Love watching them charging round the field. Hope the sun stays out!

mothernerd

Not updated my signature yet. Still at mum's (may be for some time). I have filled in the illnesses and disabilities section of her Attendance Allowance forms and used all the 'additional' information page - need to continue on a separate sheet of paper (still have half a dozen 'minor' things mum wants in writing).

My first step was to go through the whole bag of paperwork, separating mine from mum's and putting everything 'non-urgent' away, leaving out anything that I might need to do the forms including diagnoses, prescription list and hand written notes and addresses for specialists from my old notebooks and diaries. Reconciling (like a bank balance) the prescription sheet against the doctor's notes and the actual pills took ages.

I have moved on to a different section to give myself a bit of a break but couldn't make myself go back in the room of doom with the paperwork after having a rest at 2 am. Think I will start with my personal statement (from the carer or person who knows the applicant best). Still means having to write on another separate sheet but I can get into the flow and write things from my perspective rather than fitting things into boxes (especially where things are inter-related or complications caused by other illnesses or the medication used to treat them).

Really need chocolate right now but will settle for a cross bun without marg and maybe a little nap. At least now I've done most of the stuff using things I need to refer to, i can switch to writing with a clipboard in a comfy chair. At least mum has stopped meithering about needing another loaf and 4 l milk (I only brought one of each) as there is a possibiity of running out before Thursday.

Today I am grateful for my bed (missing it so much), for knowing I am good at paperwork (it's the paperwork that's badly written not to mention the shrink wrap packaging I had to get the scissors to) and for it looking like another lovely day - the washing I left out spread on garden chairs will have a chance to dry again after the short but horrendous downpour in the middle of the night.

Normal service will be resumed asap. Meanwhile, a quote (more aspirational than inspirational)

Dear Monday,
I want to break up. I'm seeing Tuesday and dreaming about Friday. It's not me, it's you, sincerely.

Ironing boards are just surf boards that gave up on their dreams. Don't give up on your dreams.

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone!

Apple - hope you have a lovely time away

So monthly bits:
Simplicity - Spending time with DS and our family yesterday my friend from London come up and we spent the day together was really nice

Persevere - Goals are to pay off CC, pay off Argos card and pay off Sofa this year

Reduce - Will make sure as soon as a washing load is done I take it out of machine instead of leaving it and having to wash it again. Try and put washing on the line instead of in tumble dryer. Make a meal plan to reduce our food waste and shopping list for the same. Using a shampoo bar now once liquid soap and conditioner is gone will be using bars for them too When shopping try and pick up things in no packaging or recyclable packing.

Invest - Make sure the house stays clean and tidy and I stay clean and tidy haha put some make up on every day (if going out) and have more "me" time.

New - stop beating myself up about being in debt and get myself out of debt.

Grab - will have a think about this one.

I have DS but he is in nursery all year round so no half term although I am still gonna aim for 12 NSD because I prefer to buy little and often with only being 2 of us. Today will be NSD number 1 yesterday spent £14 on fuel and nappies which were both needed but not sure if I should count that as one or not?

C xx

JoJo77

Please count me in for April Dolly84. I managed a 5 out of 10 last month so must do better this month!

JoJo77

Simplicity- eating yummy leftovers for lunch again. Much nicer than my normal sandwich! Lovely cuddles with LO before nursery. Enjoying the garden as all the flowers unfurl and all the wood anemones in the wood looking like a sprinkle of snow

Persevere- Inspired by something I read, I have created a wall in xcel (rows of cells) and each time I save £100 I fill in a brick. It’s giving me a visual of how well I’m doing at building my wall and getting to where I need to be (DH thinks it’s hilarious ��)

Reduce- I need to massively reduce the clutter. I’m aiming to get my work hours done by Thursday night so I can have Friday to clear out and list of bay of e. Also more urgent as we’ve got mouse in the outbuilding who may be wrecking everything!

New- going to try not to beat myself up about how much was spent last month. We didn’t go into the red but a holiday, 2 birthdays and a trip into town (we rarely go as we always end up spending) meant there was nothing left to help pay to finish off our house

Grab - will see what opportunities arise this month

NSDS- yesterday was food shopping day but no spends today!

laurenh1

Hi guys, just checking in!

Simplicity- today the simple things I am grateful for are - getting time to read my book over dinner, getting an hour to watch TV last night, my wonderful friend giving me a cake stand in the form on a rocket, that I will use next time I bake with the boys.

Persevere- minimum loan repayment for my car was £597, I was going to pay £880 but instead paid £900. I just need to keep chipping away. £4280 left to pay.

Reduce - I am really trying hard to reduce , plastic use, gas & Electric, food waste. Kept our heating to a bear minimum yesterday and just put it on for the kids getting out of the bath and getting up this morning. Once they go to bed, I sit with blankets over me!

Invest in yourself- I am sticking to my diet 10lb lost so far.

New month- I have set out some small goals that I would like to achieve this month to help me be more productive.

Grab, take life by the horns- I am going to try & save enough on my food shop to take my LO to dumbo this weekend I only have £150 in the account though, eek.

Today is NSD #2/15 :A

Lauralozzle

Count me in this month! I've disappeared for nearly a year - which is bad, but I'm back trying to get spending under control.

I haven't been terrible, mind, in my absense. All credit cards are now gone but I haven't been brilliant on savvy shopping recently and it's getting out of control!



Simplicity - think about the simple pleasures in your life which you really appreciate, friendship, family, cake. Focus on those this month as much as you can (maybe not too much cake though). I really need to focus on this. I really appreciate my husband, family, friends and I need to think about that and reflect on that more this month. I also appreciate cake, so maybe I'll bake this month which is something I enjoy doing.

Persevere - I know that trying to reach your goal can sometimes seem never ending but try to remember that each time you waste money/time it can take you further away from what you really want for the long term. I am currently trying to 'upcycle' the kitchen cabinets. We are thinking of moving, not 100% sure yet, but the kitchen (either way) needs sorting. I'm giving the room a good paint, taking my time with it as it will hopefully make the kitchen look brighter and more appealing. It's taking a long time though, I need to try and not get frustrated as we have nothing in bottom cabinets and I have pots and pans all through the dining room. I'm painting the inside of the cabinets as they were a salmon pink, and quite honestly, disgusting!

Reduce - I wouldn't be me if I wasn't asking you to reduce. Think about what you really need and what will be left at the end, is there a better way to consume. I need to reduce food waste, so I will try and make sure fresh veg is used up in plenty of time.

Invest - in yourself, your family, your home - the things that really matter to you. Lots going on here, investing in my home currently as it will 1) make me feel better 2) help it to sell if we decide to move.


New - new month, new beginning. Don't look back at past mistakes and failures, there is nothing that can be done about them, learn from them and move on. #freshstart

Grab - take life by the horns. Do something which takes you outside of your comfort zone at least once this month. I will try.....

NSDs: 0/15

Debts sorted - paid already/money set aside

Budget sorted - trusty spreadsheet to the rescue