NST July 2020: The Turtles go Jousting 28 June at 11:56AM in Debt-free Wannabe Challenges 289 replies 8.4K views

apple_muncher

NST July 2020: The Turtles go Jousting

Jousting conjures up 2 very different images in my mind.

-          Don Quijote, fully dressed in shining armour, riding a scrawny yet noble white horse, and tilting at windmills whilst being chased by a portly Sancho Panza trying to keep up on his equally chubby donkey.

-          Medieval knights, also in full armour, charging towards each other in a competition, racing to knock each other off their steeds.

Don Quijote was stabbing wildly and rushing all over the place to get to the next thing that distracted him.

Medieval knights were there for a purpose: to win the prize that they had been training for. And to try not to be knocked off their horse!

Money management can be like jousting. And we can choose which method we use: wildly flailing around or working with a purpose. Turtles prefer to work with a purpose (Just to make that clear!)

So whether you are paying down your debt, building up an emergency fund or increasing your savings, do join the turtle gang for a month on jousting with our finances.

We have some rules but they can be adapted to your circumstances – they are not an ‘all-or-nothing’ set of rules where breaking one of them means failure. (we have a chaise longue instead of a naughty step) They are guidelines to help us on the path to being in control. We embrace them. We even do a little dance with them.

What lies ahead for July?

• We are entering the 4th month of lockdown and are being allowed to do more. We each decide what is fine for us and what is not. For those with school-age children, they may have already been going back to school in some way. But July marks the start of the summer hols – so no home-schooling any more (a time that both pupils and teachers are no doubt looking forward to!)
• Train your mind, body and soul. Meditate. Get moving – up the ante if you are regularly doing this. Eat well. Plan ahead as well as you can.
• Be consistent: introduce just 1 new good habit to do every day in July. You might eat an extra bit of veg; meditate; drink more water; read a chapter of a book you like; do some crafting; laugh.
• 16 NSDs – there are 31 days in July so plan your spends. Under lockdown you may have spent less frequently, but more each time. Now that there is more freedom, scrutinise the extra spends and analyse why you now need to buy those items (thinking of items other than food here).
• Plan and budget. Look ahead to the month and to any ‘events’ you might have (birthdays and suchlike). Decide how much you will spend – and stick to it! Fuel. Activities. Clothes and shoes for children who have grown.
• Be grateful for what you have. Post every day 3 or more things that you are grateful for.
• Remove the clutter. Create puddles (thank you f0xh0les for the term) of clear-ness that will eventually join up to make an oasis.
• Be generous. There is more and more hardship in our society. Do some searching to find out who could benefit from things you want to get rid of. Toiletries. Clothes that no longer fit. Old towels/bed linen. Money. Food. You get the idea...
  

 

Who will join me for a month of jousting?

apple_muncher

Reserved for jousters:

1 apple_muncher

2 Kerry_Woman

3 Toni'sfriend

4 shabbychic12

5 f0xh0les

6 misstara

7 greent

8 lcc86

9 savvylondoner

10 mothernerd

11 Purplefairy26

12 Deni_debt_free_dreamer

13 crazy_cat_lady

14 *snow*white*

15 DawnW

16 2sonmum

17 Calling14

18 Narola1976

19 SSDD23

20 Lookafterthepennies2020

21 ditty1234

22 abundant1972 - cheerleading with pompoms + lycra

Kerry_Woman

Can you please add me? Thanks.

Toni'sfriend

Me please, Apple.

shabbychic12

Me please, even though lm not posting it’s keeping me sane xx

f0xh0les

Me please!  I am restarting exercise in July (I hit my 2 stone weight loss this morning) might as well try horse pole-vaulting as well.

misstara

Count me in apple.

greent

Me please, apple - need to get back on my noble stead in July x

lcc86

Me please Apple! Money wise I have been wildly flailing in June, spending like it's going out of fashion! Mostly on home improvements and financed from savings but I think the lockdown boredom well and truly set in.

So I need to get back on the wagon, back on the horse and get things under control in July. 

savvylondoner

Please add me - first timer here!

mothernerd

Me too, please apple, although life in lockdown will be continuing for me.