NST April 2021: Diamonds and Daisies

Buffythedebtslayer

This will be edited! 

Diamonds 

Debts first: I don't have any debts to banks but I do owe myself about 40,000, I have saved 10,000 of it. So now 30,000. I save around 1100 a month with 600 being permanent savings and the rest being for C*******s, Insurance, emergencies.  

Income enhancement: I have signed up for 10 pound a day thread. I shall sell some stuff on FB, honestly I would like this to be the last month I have a messy house. 

Achievements and Aims: Depends on how well Mum is really but I need to reclaim the conservatory and my room. And the spare room. 

Morning motivation: I don't know. hmmm. 

Organised: Decluttering is key here. 

NSDs: I suck at these, any tips?

Determined: 

Set out your stall: 

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Daisies 

Delight: The animals and my job. Really. ooh and the garden. 

April:  

Inner-peace: Must try and pray more, meditate and remember Yoga. 

Stay safe, and stay sassy! Will do

Inspiration: 

Exercise: Sticking to my over 5000 and 30 minutes 

Share: I still have a fair bit for the food bank! and the Charity shop

mothernerd

NSD no 2. No digging, I ache too much but lots of little extras - a few squats holding onto the bathroom towel rail, then remembered to refill the bathroom toilet roll holder (holds 5 and the one in use sits on top), rubbish, recycling and a few other bits outside or in bins, extra eyedrops and tooth brushing, cross buns and leftovers for breakfast and lunch, fish, chips and mushy peas for tea. Remembered to do moisturising routine after tea (it all helps keep my body from falling apart) and found more hayfever tablets.

Grateful for hot showers - using it to ease out the aches and pains, undemanding food (have ideas but no energy and not that bothered - all the ideas can be used sometime in the week), reading newly arrived book  (second book in a series).

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD 2
Exercise on UToob completed before breakfast. Last day at school before the holidays begin - yippee! It's been a long term. Went for a walk with a colleague after work, was lovely to see all the spring flowers & how clear the sea looked, could see the rocks beneath the water. Have eaten quite a bit of chocolate today & partaken in a large cocktail to celebrate the end of term, so must be good again starting tomorrow!
Spent a lovely evening knitting a jumper for my son, whilst watching a Scottish based time travelling series 😊

facethemusic

Friday- still on NSD 1 as I did a quick top-up shop to cover the weekend for food. 
f0xh0les- the only other nun related film that pops into my head is Sister Act, but there must be more. 
My plan for the month;
Diamonds
Debt- just a 0% CC which is paid by DD.
Income enhancement- unlikely to increase my income so stretching what I earn is essential.
Achievements and aims/Determination- not very money related but aiming to lose 2kg and run at least twice a week. And continue to try and sort/tidy/organise the house. 
Morning motivation- mornings tend to be "slightly rushed, get everything done and out the door" will try and be up before DD to have a cup of tea in peace. 
NSDs- will aim for 16.
My stall- I will aim to post every day.
Daisies
Delight- lighter evenings and hopefully slightly warmer days. I also have a week off with DD next week. 
April- am looking forward to time outdoors  with the sun shining, have lots to sort in the garden and hopefully can do some fun things with DD next week. 
Inner peace- time with the pony and walks/runs with the dog tend to be my time to myself to clear my head. 
Inspiration- not sure about this, will have a think and report back on anything new. 
Exercise- if I can run twice a week and ride three times a week I'll have this covered. I think DD may finally be at the point with her bike that we can cycle together so my bike may get dragged out of the shed and get some use for the first time in years (must check the tyres/brakes next week).
Share- have a charity shop bag on the go, will make a donation to the church food bank collection, and i have a friend who is struggling with a recent decision that was taken out of her control so i plan to look for a personal/appropriate small gift to give to her as a "memory reminder".
I am so glad i started posting in this group last year- it really helps keep me focused through the month. 
 

DrCarrie

Morning Turtles,
Yesterday I did a lot of tidying and cleaning. So nice...but then split red wine on the living room rug! No NSD yet Sainsbobs, Asian grocery store and got my DD 2 of her favorite skin care products from SpacenNK - 20% off. DD has been back at work for 1 day - after shielding finished on Wednesday. Then hopefully no more shielding, she has really struggled.

Yesterdays gratitudes and delights:
- Bed linen on the washing line.
- Wild garlic pesto
- DGF here dinner, film, and wine. 

apple_muncher

Buffy - if nsds are tricky, but you keep to your budget, then I'd say there's no need to stress about them. They're a great tool for reducing spending, but not at the expense(!) of peace of mind.

Farmers-wife_2

Two days in and the money saving side of things isn't going well.
As it's the Easter break and we live in a seaside town we pretended we were on holiday and had ice creams on the seafront and fish and chips for supper - It came in at just over £27! Eep! It was nice though!! 

Filled in some surveys this morning and last night in a bid to recoup some of the money. Have already cashed out £7.70 this month from Branded Surveys so hopefully I can add to that over the next few days. 

Took the dogs for a long walk last night and have managed to reach over 10,000 steps both days (almost 20,000 yesterday!).

Feeling grateful for the sunshine, friends being able to unexpectedly call round again and the beautiful area in which we live. 

lcc86

Afternoon all! Bit chillier here today, I'm on NSD number 3. Did some jobs around the house this morning, also did a short workout. Then OH decided he wanted us to go for a bike ride (he just bought a new bike) so we cycled into town. My goodness my bike is in need of a good service, hasn't been ridden in maybe 3 years? One of the brakes is stuck on so I'll probably take it to a shop to have it properly fixed as I don't want to mess it up and have no brakes! I should use it more rather than driving into town. The lock seems to have gone missing though so may need a new one. I keep thinking about buying an electric bike to help get me out of the car, I found myself looking online last night but can't justify the cost right now.

Few more jobs to do this afternoon so I'll crack on and then chill out for the evening. 

Toni'sfriend

I was up early and sat outside watching the squirrels and pigeons having their breakfast . It was really peaceful. I think that might be a good way to start the day weather permitting.

We walked to the local butcher to buy free range eggs for us and some sausages for the Boy. Not the cheapest but they are so worth the money. Not a NSD then. We had a route planned for a walk afterwards but I had underestimated how long or steep the hill was at the beginning. I was shattered and out of breath at the top so only 2 miles but it was mostly uphill. Still better than sitting on my bottom doing nothing. When I got home I decided to clear up the litter that had accumulated around the block. Two big bags full of discarded rubbish. It didn't look as if there was that much when I started but it just goes to show. The number of discarded disposable face masks was appalling. What was interesting was the number of people who started talking to me and saying how awful it was that people just threw things away and didn't put them in littler bins. How awful  the bit of grass outside their houses were. I said "why don't you phone the council and ask them if they can clear it up (secretly thinking well why don't you just do what I'm doing). Oh can you do that was the reply". Maybe if I keep on doing it it might rub off.

I've rearranged my plants in anticipation of the great Easter egg hunt tomorrow. Don't want them trampled underfoot. I have to admit I do not know where she is going to hide 80 Easter eggs or why we need that many. There are only 6 or 7 school aged children plus 3 toddlers but she doesn't do anything by halves. She has these amazing huge bunny balloons to decorate the area (which is not all that big, to be honest). The lovely Polish girl upstairs says she has baked a traditional Polish Easter cake for everyone.  We will all be very sensible and socially distance but I think I may have to get my littler pickers out again on Monday. It's nice to try and do something semi-normal.

Lunch today was brilliant crispy rolls from the local shop with chopped pork from the butcher and gorgeous tomatoes from the local fruit shop. Pasta and tomato sauce for dinner. Have to admit I have had a gin today but I'm right back on it after the holiday weekend.

Hope you are all having a lovely Easter and maybe getting a little bit of a treat. xxx

f0xh0les

Got up nice and early, had breakfast and watched an episode of Wallander before anyone else got up.

Had to go shopping today, or run out of  milk by lunchtime tomorrow (I have milk-mice in the pantry, it seems), so did a quick menu plan, wrote a tiny list, went  out quickly and was home in less than an hour.   Should not need to go into a shop until Tuesday at the earliest.  So sticking on NSD2.

Grateful for being able to dry the clothes on the line, for the presents getting to Ireland in time for the  birthday (always a worry!), and for a morning 'wasted' watching B-S-G and doing the Groniad's quick crossword online