NST DECEMBER Don't Be a Martyr for Christmas

Kerry_Woman

Many thanks for the hugs.  Much appreciated.
Was a spend day.  Made a donation to a charity.
Grateful for:
Getting everything on food shopping/to to list done.  
Getting a black blouse from a cs that was required for a voluntary role.
Good night's sleep.

lcc86

Evening all. Made a couple of ebay sales today totalling £75  pretty chuffed with that. Used some of the money to pay for postage for said items, but I'm claiming it as a NSD anyway, which is probably a bit of a cheat! 

Put the little Xmas tree up, decided to go for the small one this year as a. OH has filled the basement with work stuff and I couldn't reach the bigger one and b. I have to move the big one up high whenever we go out because of the rabbits! Feels more festive now.

Have also booked a swim for next week so I can do some DIY physio for my hip. Haven't swum for such a long time.

Not much else to report but happily plodding along. And it's Friday tomorrow so yay!

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for instigating the idea of arranging a flashmob for the last day of term, for getting back to the gym, for having a car, for having warm and waterproof clothes, for the generous people who increase their leccy bills by lighting up the outsides of their houses.

f0xh0les

I decided against buying new tree lights, and just found an extension lead to house the 2 plugs for the old ones instead.  Turned on the net of star lights in the window, and the tree lights, and everything is mystical and magical and festive. 

We had a takeaway as neither of us were feeling particularly motivated- only for the third time this year that we have had a takeaway or a meal outside the house - and it was so disappointing, and now I feel ill.  Too much fat and salt, massive wasteful portions, so let that be a lesson to me..  also not a NSD as I needed tin foil and vimto and even though I did not pay, it was a takeaway.. 

Grateful for: tomorrow being Friday, twinkly lights, but mostly  ds4 not hurting himself when he fell face first down half the stairs just now.  Honestly, it is like they just turn their brains off and pay no heed to what they are doing. It took 5 years off my life though. 

apple_muncher

Was it ds4 who put his tooth through his lip recently?

f0xh0les

The very same, he cannot walk through a room without falling over an invisible object. He races everywhere and is driving me demented.  Then when you pull him up about the dangers of running/jumping down the stairs, he looks at you like you are mad and says 'you told me that yesterday!'. That would be the yesterday he ran down the stairs and slipped on the bottom step, and then ran back up them and fell flat on his face.  

abundant1972

Hey all...

So I have been going through my finances and re-assessing the damage since I moved over a year ago. I was debt free just before I moved... then accrued maybe 2K moving... and a year on this has somehow crept up to over 10K!!! I realised I have slipped and fallen back into bad bad bad spending habits. So I have looked at all my money and re-shuffled some bits, and now just below 10K... I feel like I am right back at square one... except maybe with a bit mnore knowledge and experience of how to move forward. Plus - at least I am out of my rented place, and on the mortgage ladder... so I am at least accruing some kind of security. 

I re-visited my budget and mapped it out for the new year - taking into account credit card payments, and saving for future payments and putting money aside for an emergency fund and even a holiday fund for when I am 50 (a few years off yet!). It has left me with £136.66 for groceries per month 😱 so I am going back to see what else I can reduce. I may need to be rutheless and only allow myself one streaming service (save £6.00)... and I can reduce money put aside for gifts and christmas (currently £25 p/m each). I have switched energy suppliers which should save a bit, and I will have paid off my TV so my wages should go up by maybe £50... All in all I think I can bump my grocery fund up to a liveable amount... But then I am back on the frugal band wagon for sure.

I want to get my 'debt free and proud' badge taken off my profile on here - I think I need to re-earn that one! Anyone know how to do it and who to message?

So... a sobering evening... but I think I am most productive when I have a very real challenge to get my teeth into. 

Today was a spend day  for food, so still sitting at NSD number 2

Hugs all x

f0xh0les

1% of your debt is £99.90 @abundant1972 -  one step at a time.  You eat an elephant one slice at a time.  Make yourself a colourful 100 square on the computer and colour a square in with each payment.  You have done this before, you can do this again. 

misstara

Sounds like you've got a good plan there abundant, good luck with it

Got a few bits of Christmas shopping today, need to look through what I've bought already and make a list of what I still need to get to avoid going over budget.

Grateful for my new winter boots (early Christmas present from my parents), a beautiful although very cold day, chocolate.

ditty1234

Hiya I just want to make a comment tonight so I can show off m new signature tweak - I have removed the unenforceable debt from my balance and it is actually under 10 grand. I might even pay it off some time. At least now I have started it again, paid my first new and shiny contributions. Am grateful for excel spreadsheets.