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NST July 2020: The Turtles go Jousting

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?






NST March lion #8; NSD ; MFW9/3/23 Whoop Whoop!!!
«13456729

Comments

  • apple_muncher
    apple_muncher Posts: 15,212 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
    edited 3 July 2020 at 1:23PM
    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
    NST March lion #8; NSD ; MFW9/3/23 Whoop Whoop!!!
  • Kerry_Woman
    Kerry_Woman Posts: 3,155 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Can you please add me? Thanks.
    Frugal Living Challenge 2025 Mortgage free as of 1st August 2013
  • Toni'sfriend
    Toni'sfriend Posts: 4,056 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    Me please, Apple.
    Have adventures. laugh a lot and always be kind.
  • shabbychic12
    shabbychic12 Posts: 315 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Me please, even though lm not posting it’s keeping me sane xx
    Count down to retirement 2023
  • f0xh0les
    f0xh0les Posts: 7,564 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Photogenic
    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.
    4/10/22One Year Mortgage Free Yay!
    NSTurtle # 55 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢🐢🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 No Turtle gets left behind.[/b]
    ******PROUD MEMBER OF THE TOFU EATING COALITION OF CHAOS !!!******
  • misstara
    misstara Posts: 3,983 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Count me in apple.
    Mortgage 26.4.25 - £108,500  3.6.25 - £107,282.15
    Mortgage overpayment savings - £23.94/£50
    Mortgage overpayments so far - £300
  • greent
    greent Posts: 10,741 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Me please, apple - need to get back on my noble stead in July :) x
    I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul
    Repaid mtge early (orig 11/25) 01/09 £124616 01/11 £89873 01/13 £52546 01/15 £12133 07/15 £NIL
    Net sales 2024: £20
  • lcc86
    lcc86 Posts: 2,453 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    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. 
    Save £2,400 tuition fees - £2,321.04 as of 08/24
    Pay off credit card by December 2024 - £1,450/£2,000
  • Please add me - first timer here!
  • mothernerd
    mothernerd Posts: 4,858 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    Me too, please apple, although life in lockdown will be continuing for me.
    My mission in life is not only to survive,but to thrive and to do so with some Passion, some Compassion, some Humour and some Style.
    NST SEP No 1 No Debt No mortgage
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