NST June 2019 - Ninja powers

Toni'sfriend

I'm so glad the scan has put your mind at rest, Kerry Woman. You're doing really well on the NSDs. I'm really envious.

apple_muncher

Here's more hugs, Kerry Woman.




Today I am grateful for the 2 bottles I won for £2 on the alcohol bottle tombola at dd's school, for all 3 of us enjoying the 20 mins we spent there, for only spending £6.80 in total, for sunscreen, for dd enjoying dance, for aircon in the car on the way home, for a cool hpuse, for dh doing lots of tidying/cleaning, for plans to get the paddling pool out tomorrow.

greent

Spent yesterday on lunch for DD, OH and myself after collecting her and emptying/ cleaning uni flat (lunch was a 5ubway for DD and a portion of sausage and chips between OH and myself) Then last night OH and I went to cinema (took own drinks and a £1 box of maltea5ers) and decided not to go for food as well and came home and had a scone with jam and cream instead (very late lunch so weren't properly hungry)

Thankful for: the sunshine, the only problem with the flat that the letting agent found being the desk (cracked top - can't argue with that), getting most of the uni stuff sorted and away when we got home, an early evening nap!

Today = brunch and bbq, so will need a bit of shopping - aiming for around £10 max..

f0xh0les

Well today has started well, the top two floors have been thoroughly skipped out and tidied. Even the clothes drawers, computer game boxes, and toy boxes. Will hoover in a minute, after coffee.

I am melting. Had to have the windows open last night, and there were idiots abound so I woke up violently every 5 minutes when people walked past talking loudly (as is their right, they did not know people were asleep at 3am). So I am melting, and tired, and about to hoover and then clean the bathrooms. Get it all done out of the way before the last fortnight of school begins. Cleaning, tidying, reducing, minimizing, and organising.
Was horrified when DS3 came home to say the girls had sneaked in their iphones to the camp out so they could watch L0ve Island - they are 10 and 11year old girls for flips sake!! - please tell me this is not normal behaviour???? Maybe I am just a dinosaur?

So apart from the cleaning, I do not know what I am doing today apart from waiting for money to hit my bank account, and watering my tomatoes (no flowers yet) and borgettes (I have lots of flowers!) The cukes are not looking happy, I think they might have dwarfism. I will love them anyway.

All sheets and duvet covers ready for fresh bed linen day (1st). I have £51 left in the budget. There is lots of food in the house and I am ready for July.
Thank you for running June Apple - I have been a total car crash financially, but it was mostly out of my control, and just one of those things. You can't have a good month every month or you would not appreciate it. It is just one of those things.

See you all in July!


Did I mention it is too hot and I don't like it? Ok, thought so

apple_muncher

Thank you everyone for coming with me in June. Wearing our capes and masks, wielding our wands, and generally being awesome ninjas.

I must admit that I ran out of ninja energy around the 12th when I twisted both knees, and marking and sch stuff were overwhelming and I felt guilty at not being able to go and see mum... so I limped on through.

However, I will have made it to 21 NSD and 22 exercise sessions, and will have made a fair bit of extra wonga. 5 bags went to the ch shop. I have read an awful lot and done a host of niggly jobs - mostly at work but hey, they got done. I went to visit the house/area where I spent the first 5 years of my life which gives me a warm tingly feeling whenever I think about it.


As mothernerd says, we get a fresh start every month, so I'm looking forward to July. See you on the other side!

indigowarrior

Hi everyone sorry, I am really rubbish checking in sometimes lol. Nsd 17 today! I haven't been out much this weekend as my body and my heart can't tolerate the weather.

Karmacat

Minimise
-bills
Yes! Renegotiated broadband deal, was very conscious of electricity useage.

-clutter (Marie Kondo isn’t popular for no reason)
Tidying like crazy after the kitchen was finished. Some cat ornaments were waved off into the big wide world (erm, I've found another box).

-plastic
No new plastics bought. Celebratory crumpet shapers are stainless steel, will last a lifetime. Not buying a kitchen bin - I have big plastic buckets I can repurpose. Money and plastic saved.

-screen time (you’ll sleep better, get more done, be more sociable…)
A bit good early in the month, then fell off the wagon.

-spending (why else are we here?)
Bought a 16GB extension to my phone's memory, I'm often limping along on half a gig spare, the phone really slows down.

-toxic situations and people (set yourself free from their entangling tentacles)
Not great, actually, but I was actively looking after myself, thats the best I can say.

-unnecessary spends (well, we’re on a money saving site, aren’t we?)
None. Stocks of food are high, thats it.

-wants ( at heart, we are simple folk who don’t need much)
Types of food bought really - frozen fruit, thats it.

-waste – food and other (don’t throw your hard-earned money down the drain. Or in to the bin)
Not so good here - I really thought I was very good at this, but because I don't finish what I start, I do end up wasting a bit.


Maximise:
-dreams (dream big)
Holidays!

-education: learn to do something new (from plumbing to breakdancing)
I'm still catching up to where I am, but I have a wide variety of interests

-fruit and veg intake (we know the health benefits)
Yep - doing what I can.

-fun + laughter (so important!)
Yep - even if its just taping a comedy programme to set me up well for a work morning.

-generosity (donate, give, help others)
Living on savings, and chronic energy issues, so not much financial or energy donation here, but I donate things whenever I can.

-getting niggly jobs done (then they can stop bugging you)
Dont a lot of these this month, between waiting for the tradesmen to finish and then making my mark on the new kitchen

-inner ninja superpowers (we all have them. Dust down the cape)
I've used a few this month

-pennies (they are powerful. Treasure them)
Got to rejig some savings accounts, especially now the kitchen's finished, but I'm always careful with my money.

-time with those you love (you can’t do this once they’re gone. Make the most of them now)
Doing the best I can.


Thanks for all of this apple, much appreciated :j:j:j

Kerry_Woman

Apple - Thanks for running this month's challenge.
Have done totals for each category. Came under again for the food shop, which I am happy about.
Grateful for:
Walk in park.
Catching up with a few odd household chores that needed doing.
Finishing a reading a book.
Watching a film on tv about a boy wizard.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Hi everyone and well done us for getting to the end of June

Looking back on the month I can report back:

Got into better habits around reducing usage - utilities etc.
Didn't reduce car usage much and need to take bike for servicing. Found a number to book bike in for maintenance - they do free pick up so need to get round to it...

clutter - took a large bag to CS and been taking personal paperwork to work to shred

plastic - reduce - yes am reducing and went to greengrocers yesterday for big F&V shop, definitely use less packaging there. Must carry on using this in July

Spending - DD1 birthday - didn't go mad! She wanted to eat at home on her birthday so that was very MSE. Unexpected car bill. generally doing ok but room for improvement....

Toxic situations and people - leave work problems at work. Still lot of stress at FT job but have definitely managed to deal with it better

Unnecessary spends - don't make unnecessary purchases. Bought shoes & clothes in sales - want not need
wants - need not want - room for improvement - see above!

waste – food and other (don’t throw your hard-earned money down the drain. Or in to the bin) - try to maintain meal planning & eat from stores. Eating from stores but need to improve meal planning...
Maximise:
-dreams (dream big) - keep on with MSE journey to get closer to dreams. Going in the right direction...
-education: continue to make progress with my qualification. Yes making progress but a bit slow so need to do more studying

fun + laughter - yes please! Had some nice times with DDs and met up with a friend I haven't seen for ages

generosity - give to food bank, declutter and give more to CS. Yes doing - do more in July

getting niggly jobs done - get gardener in to trim hedge & tree, try to find handyperson to fix hole in ceiling! Gardener coming 1st July! Not found plasterer yet but friend promised to give contact number of one she has used

health - Need to return to better eating habits although improved veg consumption; need to snack less

inner ninja superpowers (we all have them. Dust down the cape)- maybe discover what mine is ….! Still not sure

meal planning - try harder to do this. Still need to try harder on this.
move more - carry on going to the gym. Get back to the gym!

-time with those you love - time with DD2 when she comes home from uni; celebrate DD1's birthday; cherish friends. Did this in June

Only managed 5 NSDs.
Kept within budget. Unnecessary spends though..
You will choose your personal focuses (foci?) - mine are:
- get fresh air every day - most days
- get on my bike - not yet
- start back on decluttering mission and get my bedroom back from a dumping ground to a relaxing haven - making progress albeit slow
- find time each day to be still and quiet and peaceful -mostly did this

Big thanks to apple for supporting us all through June

See you all in July
Deni xx

mothernerd

Thank you for the June challenge apple. I've been concentrating on my sleep pattern and using my CPAP machine. Much happier about this since my review last week - the monitor showed that not a lot of leakage (sometimes feels like it and I was worried that I hadn't got the mask positioned properly). Going into the drop in clinic on Wednesday. Will be due to change the filters so will be glad to go over it. If all is well I won't need to go for another six months (can drop in any Wednesday if I am worried or phone for advice).

So sleep quality improved, sleep pattern improved (one sleepless night this week and last). Going in the right direction.

Food is similar. A lot fewer bad things and more good things, trying to use what I had in. Majority of this month's food spend went on DS3 and Beloved, which is good because they are eating healthier but bad for my budget.

DS2 has just started to pay back what he owes me and DS1 is expecting to get a furbaby in August (he had been to the dogs home and wanted to bring them all home with him).

Overall I would say making progress but could do better.

Today I am grateful for the kitchen looking better (after I had cleared it but there was a lot less to move then there has been - if it doesn't look too bad I feel up to going in to do a bit more), for getting some of the shrubbery cut back and for lots of excellent reading material.