NST October The Turtles Go Outward Bound

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for working with some really good people, for having a car, for dd moving to the next stage with the ortho, for a fresh new month, for knowing my mum is safe.

DrCarrie

O NSD day no. 1 -  yay off to a good start

U Did all of my self-care  looking after me ….Awesome showed up for myself, and my work, in an active and positive way.

And my Routine in place. For today.

My Originality has been combined with self-care and a bit of a reach out on Facebook, by posting my Optimistic October goals. Had some nice and fun interactions as a result.

That’s all for today really, looking forward to the journey!

misstara

The Challenge

O   Only for this month, charity shop purchases/ donations will not lose you a NSD. Will aim for 15 NSDs.

U   You need to take care of you (especially if others depend on you).  Currently doing weight watchers which has totally changed my eating habits, I've been eating better than I have done for years.

T   Try to live frugally, being mindful of every purchase. ynab massively helps with this.

W   Winter is coming. You are going to get sick. Be prepared.  Need to do some batch cooking and put winter provisions into my car.

A   Awesome. Turtles are awesome. You are awesome. 

R   Routine.  Many found the 'sameness' of life in lockdown difficult.  You need to make your own routine. Try to set daily, weekly and monthly goals.  Daily - exercise (either gym, run, walk or home workout), reading for at least 30 mins before bed.  Weekly - call family, games night with OH.  Monthly - stick to budgets!

D   Debts or savings should be paid first, you live on what is left over.  No debt other than car loan which is paid monthly.  Savings pots have been topped up.

B  Budgets should be set before the start of the month for all categories - Food, travel, entertainment/personal spends (for those who have them), children's activities.  Budgets set and entered into ynab.

O   Originality and a sense of humour will get us through this month and the last quarter of 2020.  

U   You must change the way you think about things.  Got a plan of things to do to make the flat a cosier nicer space.

N   No limits. Take time to ponder, muse, wrestle a tricky problem.  Have got a pile of things to go to the charity shop so will drop this off at some point during the month.

D   December. We are still not talking about that day but, like everything else, things are going to be different.  Trying to stick to a very strict budget this year so starting to look for cheap deals/ways to keep costs down.

A spend day today as I got my haircut, went to b00ts and the butchers and met a friend for lunch.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Evening everyone
thanks for the challenge mothernerd
my thoughts are below
O   Only for this month, charity shop purchases/ donations will not lose you a NSD.  Aim for 15.
i do buy from charity shops so will carry on doing so and aim for 15 NSDs.  have spent today as paid for online pilates 
U   You need to take care of you (especially if others depend on you).  Take care of your family. Keep in contact with elderly relatives or others who may need extra help and support. The six best doctors anywhere, are sunshine, water, rest, air exercise and diet (subject to any restrictions in force). These are the things you need but it's easy to forget when our lives get hectic Make sure you get enough. Focus on healthy eating rather than 'dieting'.
i went for a walk at lunchtime and as above did pilates this evening.  Phoned my sis this evening, she is in hospital having had a procedure, it has gone well.  Not seen any family since 1 March except another sis and her girls:(  will try to get out for a walk at lunch so get some time outside in the daytime.  Will get to bed early and read
T   Try to live frugally, being mindful of every purchase. This does not mean denying yourself of every tiny pleasure.
I am going to buy myself a clock radio!  My old one broke 3 months ago and i miss waking up to R4.  The one i like has £5 off and will buy via £co
W   Winter is coming. You are going to get sick. Be prepared.  
i stocked up on hot lemon drinks and pain relief tabs and throat sweets.  Then got a sore throat so have used up some of my stocks!  Will start making soup in bulk.  i have vitamins, need to remember to take them!

A   Awesome. 
Been in my job 8 months and really enjoying it; boss is supportive and gives lots of positive feedback which has really improved my confidence.  

R   Routine.  
My goals for October - be active every day;  complete self assessment; make progress with my qualification; declutter 2 bin bags worth of stuff from the house/garage - CS, tip or Bay of E.
D   Debts or savings should be paid first
Paid £295 to debt on payday.  Put some aside for house insurance due this month.  Did a food shop on saturday and eaten from supplies all week.  Need to reassess budget now DD2 is back at uni.....

O   Originality & sense of humour
U   You must change the way you think about things.  Your home is not a prison, it's a haven, a sanctuary, make it cosy. 
I'm much happier in my house now it is decluttered and tidy - that's because it is up for sale!  My bedroom is definitely a haven.  

N   No limits. 
Yes getting rid of clutter - ongoing mission
D   December. 
I have a week off work this month and would like to start some preps for That Day and will look in the CSs and actual shops.  Got a few family birthdays too
Today i am grateful for - central heating, NHS for sorting out my sister's chronic pain (fingers crossed), sunshine to get most of my washing dry
Love Deni x

facethemusic

Hello October turtles, 
Monday- 1st of the month=1st NSD.
We move this month- and I'm nowhere near ready 🤣. I have plans for the weekend and by Monday will be closer to being organised. I still need to sort buildings insurance for the new house so that is also on the list. I have decluttered a LOT and there is more to go before we move. I am determined that I am not going to be throwing things out as I unpack. 
I will go through the steps for October properly tomorrow but I know budgeting will be all over the place this month, and probably for a few months after we move until I work out costs for electric/oil etc in the new place. 

mothernerd

Massive apologies for yesterday's non- appearance. I had plans then mum threw a strop and demanded that the back yard be tidied - it's a mess because all the stuff that was previously hidden in the polytunnel (being pressed into service before it disintegrates enough to go to the tip or be binned) is now all over the yard as I attempt to clear the area/ move the polytunnel to provide shelter/ build raised beds (only trying to feed us here mother). 

I've already been struggling the last few days, the prospect of another 6 months here is getting me down. It's not what either of us would have chosen but atm it's the only thing to do. Mum can't do internet deliveries, couldn't have physically let alone safely dealt with deliveries. Even now when it's theoretically possible for me to go home for a few days (spent several hours on the internet on Tuesday as mum's schoolfriend had been told we were back in local lockdown - we aren't as far as I can tell, but Bolton 8 miles N is in extreme lockdown, St Helens and Warrington roughly S and SE and a similar distance but Warrington postcodes start less than 3 miles away including the boys' old school) it wouldn't be sensible to shuttle between the 2.

So spent yesterday morning putting out various categories of rubbish, washing and line drying my washing (mum's from the day before was warm and dry on the radiators so there was no need for her to go into the yard at all), put the polytunnel cover over the line to clean it up (it was still tied to the frame with a piece of old washing line in one corner) going in and out through the patio doors and main door rather than through the lounge until I had calmed down enough to NOT snap back.

Thinking positively, this all caused a major rethink on my part. I had orders lined up for the first batch of raised bed kits (recycled plastic and the ones I have are are between 10 and 13 years old and still in excellent condition) and a replacement polytunnel - was going to keep the existing frame in it's current location but use the new cover and put the new frame up at the side of the house using the old cover to provide rain and wind protection for visitors. Will now make do with what I have (bringing more from home - not sure about getting the 8' lengths of wood here balanced on my shoulder, I can do one with lots of stopping and starting, not sure I can do two). 

If I'm not paying out for the raised beds (was going to reclaim the cost from mum but would have been my festive present money from her), I have enough to repay the WTC for last year (when I find the right piece of paper) and the need to pay more cash into
 my bank account has receded a little (still needs to be done fairly soon in case I can't get in my house or to the bank) so I will be debt free again. 

Taking frequent breaks I managed to fight my way across my room and do a fridge-freezer audit (had to climb into the space I'd put the chair in but folded it back up to get out again). Remade my bed properly. Had to put all the bedding in mum's room to make space to move.  If the double layer merino wool quilt thing goes on the floor, there's no way I can get it up again so I have to grab it in the middle, put some of the weight over my shoulder, stagger through to mum's room and put it on her bed and then repeat in reverse, once the sheets and pillows are in place. I also cut the remainder of the roll of plastic mesh into suitable lengths for the panels on the remaining side of the garden (much shorter fence panels).

Cooked brisket with celery, leek, carrot, mushroom and new potatoes and had it with sprouts and peas. All the remaining veg has been chopped and put in a pyrex dish to cook in the beef juices this afternoon but we will be having different veg (finished off the sprouts and peas). I did a small amount of sewing. I have made a mistake somewhere and the pattern is a line out, I need to find some way of reconciling it to avoid having to unpick and re-do many hours of work (and the unpicked area usually shows).

Did quite a bit of reading in all those rest breaks and made a good start on filling the paper recycling - if I'm doing well all the old lists have been mostly ticked off, when I'm not doing well the things I've not got round to keep repeating themselves on numerous lists - ditto for obscure shopping - saw a natural (aka old lady girdle 'flesh' colour) eye patch a few weeks ago but not been able to relocate it, can have black or a variety of snazzy patterns but not 'flesh'.

Gratitudes for yesterday - did quite a bit of reading in all those rest breaks, lovely meal and more of it for today, I have food, clean clothes (same three mostly worn out dresses), clean sheets and a clear bed (for now), made progress in a few games without paying for any helpful items, watered all my plants (I am accumulating a chilli mountain).

misstara

Been to the gym this morning so daily exercise completed.  Successfully avoided b&m (right beside the gym) so today will be NSD 1/15   Downloaded a few new books so will start reading one later.

f0xh0les

O -0/15 paid all the bills and paid into savings and overpaid the mortgage.
U -got into my pjs and watched football on the sofa after work (unpaid)
T - took out £40, will see how long it lasts me, fridge and pantry inventory - I need minimal stuff this week, but do need petrol.

W - picked up 3 pairs of fingerless mittens for the kids from some knitters who usually gift to  the local hospital baby unit, but decided to change their audience and make for bigger kids instead. Well,  as long as It keeps them off street corners......!

A - volunteered for 5 hours !  Pretty awesome.

R - making my lists and ticking stuff off! Dropped into big DIY store and got their new bathroom and kitchen magazine things. I am in the routine of not getting stuff done and being afraid of the potential future cost.
D - overpaid the mortgage by £72, so we are under £90k now - also pretty Awesome!
B is for budget - this one will have to be a very cheap month I think.
O-  We have plans to scrump tomorrow, as the weather forecast predicts winds, the higher apples should fall down, and we can hoover them up on the ground. Got out all my jumpers, I have enough and need no more. I do need a pair of jeans and guess what?  My winter coats do up!!  I could not fasten them at New Year, or at Easter come to that, but I can now. So they can stay until I find a smaller one in the c/s

U  - dh does not want a birthday cake, so we are having scones instead. Outside the box? Inside my face.

N-  Took some photos to be rid of things on f/b gifting page will post up and get rid over the weekend..

D - December - look out for weird (and cheap) advent calendars . . . .   someone donated a tea themed one to the f/b so it has gone into our 'Xmas cupboard'.  I want to have bizarre things planned for the kids this year. 

Toni'sfriend

Yesterday was a good day. Had a walk around the village and met a lady we’ve become friendly with over the years.

Small spend for milk and eggs from the local butcher. 

Started a new book and had a lovely long sleep.

Having a quiet day today doing a bit of cooking.

[Deleted User]

NSD yesterday and should bag my second today 😉 Hg tomatoes and sage dehydrated and now in stores, the sage tgat wasn't quite good enough and the stalks were used to make stock for Mediterranean potatoes which we will eat tonight.  More hg toms and purple basil made into a pasta sauce for the freezer. Vegan sushi and inari for dinner yesterday which has done us both for lunch today too. 
No excercise done but had dgs last night so pretty busy physically 😉 I'll be spending some time today just relaxing and being 😊