NST October 2021: Fit for Purpose

Kerry_Woman

No NSD's so far.  Did a decent food shop today.
Grateful for:
Attending a free eco-friendly event in London.  Got a few free samples.
Got a free new battery for my watch. (Was my Mum's watch).  Paid a certain amount years ago for life time free replacement batteries.  
Went to the last place where I worked for a certain company.  Was near where the free event was.  Was only allowed to look on the outside as it has changed alot, eg not owned by the company no more.

CEW

Didn’t get round to posting yesterday so I will summarise my challenge for October below.

Fun - not sure what I’m planning for this one. Suffice to say I do need to get out and socialise a bit more. Maybe I can set myself the task of planning a meet up with ex-colleagues that I haven’t met up with since before the first lockdown. Start small and work up to bigger things.

Intellectual Pursuit - begin studying German again. Keep promising myself but not doing it. I will start with a target of a minimum of 30 minutes twice a week.

Food - This really needs some work. Although I’m not eating badly I have a tendency to forget to cook until it’s too late and end up eating cereal for dinner. I always eat breakfast and lunch but am often not very hungry at night. While I’m working from home maybe I should try to eat my main meal at lunchtime. Something to think about.

Overhaul - I think this will be my spare bedroom. It’s basically being used as a dumping ground and needs to be cleared out. I want to turn it into a spare room and an office for working from home and somewhere for my crafting.

Read - I need to start going back to my local library. Had planned to go today but it has been chucking it down all day and I really didn’t want to go out in it

Plan - This is one area that I feel more in control of. I have budgets set for the year and am doing well so far. I usually order most of my groceries online and only go to a physical store once a month when my Mum comes to stay for the weekend. I’m aiming for at least 20 NSDs this month.

Understand - I will try to be more mindful and notice what brings me joy, what makes me cross and what improves my life.

Rejoice - This will be linked to the thankfulness above. As I list what I am grateful for I will take a moment to rejoice in these things.

Reduce - This will be linked to the overhaul above. As I clear out the spare room I will reduce the contents dramatically as there is a lot of things in there that I do not use or do not need and most probably both.

Plan for December and the winter months - made a start on that today. Booked a boiler service and repair as it keeps losing pressure. I will also produce my list of people that I buy gifts for on that not to be mentioned before November day (don’t want any little elves being shot).

Outside - Will try to go out for regular walks even if it’s only 10 minutes around the block

Stop and simply be - I’ve recently started to leave my iPad on charge downstairs when I go to bed and spend 10 to15 minutes drinking a herbal tea whilst listening to soft music or dolphins before I go to sleep. Will keep this up as I have noticed I am sleeping better.

Simplify - Not sure what I’ll do for this one. Maybe try to streamline my cleaning routine. Clearing some of the clutter will help here.

Extend a hand - I am planning to either donate to the food bank in my local store when I visit. If I don’t do this I will add a donation to my online shop to the food bank as Sainsbobs offer this as an option. In addition to this I am always available for my deaf neighbour to do any tasks that she cannot do.

That seems like a lot to accomplish during the month but even if I don’t succeed in completing them all I will still be a winner.

Today was NSD # 2.

I have started the month reasonably well. Upgraded my TV and Broadband and reduced the monthly bill by £2. Not a major saving but I was on a really good deal already and so any reduction was a bonus. I also received conformation from a survey site that I have reached to £50 payout threshold and will receive this in my bank account within 2 weeks.

If you’ve read this far, thank you and sorry for such a long post.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

hi all

It's been a spendy day today.  I took DD1 out for lunch (cost less than a tenner for both of us) & we walked by the river.  Did a small shop at the SM, shouldn 't need to do another food shop for a week or so.  
I walked over 10k steps. 
I made my tea while listening to Liza T who always makes me smile, i also stopped what i was doing to immerse myself in some of the music she played - Elbow, One day like this & XTC, Senses working Overtime - love both those
So i've had some fun with DD1 & in my kitchen, singing and dancing to the radio! 
Also put some stuff away in my bedroom.
Going to have a chilled eve and watch another episode of Vigil

Gratitudes - nice afternoon with DD1, text chatting with sisters, cosy evening at home with the cats

Dx

Buffythedebtslayer

Just sitting on the sidelines this month, but wanted to say hello and say how grateful I am for this thread, I love reading all your news. 
Have a good weekend everyone XXX 

mothernerd

Reading - read my festive book yesterday and finished it today (The Housewife Assassin's Killer C'mas Tips). Am on to the third book in a series (bought the first 10 at a bargain price and was enjoying it a lot but got stuck on the 6th or 7th - lost track of the alternate / parallel universe storylines). Am ready to restart (from the beginning) and getting through them at the rate of 1 every 1 or 2 days. Have read most of my library books but will probably renew online in case I don't get to the library on Monday.

I've ordered the redelivery of a parcel - card said it looked like no-one was in, we both were. Put unopened seed packets back in order and boxed. Did a check through of my embroidery projects - need to crack on whilst there are a few hours of strong daylight. Went out to the shed to collect drinks (finished off the remains of 2 bottles of water and some decaff coke overnight) and moved two more edging stones near to the gate whilst I was out  (no problems with what I did yesterday, stupid cough tearing at my chest).

Stopped raining later on so have dug out a channel and put a line of edging stones around the curved corner bit at the side of the path. Dug out the remaining shrub roots, reused pieces of weedproof fabric to cover the area, arranged the decorative stones, put in the rock roses and the ground cover rockery plants. Still a bit of soil on the pavement but it's very wet (scraped up as much as I could) and the two spades I was using were clogged up. I'm happy with it, mum is delighted (she didn't know I was outside - for over 3 hours). Had decided these could go in without a cement bedding layer as the roses wouldn't have liked it.

Asked if I could have McD's (delivered), mum said yes. Put the order in and put myself in the shower (scrubbed off as much soil as possible in the kitchen first). Put a clean dress on, collected my food at the gate, locked up and collapsed in an armchair to watch Strictly. Messaged DS3 and came on here to check in (laptop should go off at 9 pm). More reading next until I fall asleep.

Gratitudes - sorting the 'rockery area', easy food, lots to drink.

Found a pack of C'mas cards whilst going through the file box checking embroidery patterns, so will make a start on getting those written.

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD#1
Sorry I didn't check in yesterday, did the big monthly shop after work, put it all away & finished making/preparing the last few bits for today's craft fayre.
Woke early today, collected & dropped mum at work, then set up my stall at the fayre. I sold more than I ever have at a craft fayre, so very happy. Had a message asking if I could do a sewing job & would I be interested in stocking my bears at his second hand bookshop?! I'm going tomorrow to talk it over.
Had a short nap, then watched Rocketman. Quite enjoyed it, liked Vigil too.
Grateful for a successful day, new opportunities, nice messages from friends

apple_muncher

Buffy, you get to wear the Lycra and wave pompoms this month!

f0xh0les

Thrifty_Taylor said:

 Had a message asking if I could do a sewing job & would I be interested in stocking my bears at his second hand bookshop?! I'm going tomorrow to talk it over.

How lovely!  Would you do literary themed bears?

leftatthetrafficlights

Bit late to the party but can I join in please? This challenge sounds exactly what I need to keep me on track!! 😊

ditty1234

Hi everybody it is now only me in the building, a bit odd and a bit nice. I have stripped beds, vacuumed, walked accidnetally with nice neighbour and tidied bits in garden, looked at my bank account, basically I can do it. 
I shall do October 1 week at a time as the as the gap between income and outgoings is a bit of a gap, as I am not on a contract one day a week where I won't get paid till december. The joys. On the other hand as soon as I complete some more freelance work and invoice it will be all bells and celebrations, and we I be a bit above 0. 
SO this is grues and empty the freezer - even more week. But there's some nice bits in there. 
It is now on to work and visit ds1 for the rest of the afternoon.  But the house is sparkly, smells slightly better and I am thinking about going on a camping holiday and try and sleep in each room - to see where I sleep better. 
So grateful for a positive delivery of ds2 to uni. For ds2 walking around the physio room without a stick. For friends. 
For being careful enough to where I am only £15 short for my bills this week. I could nick it from my house savings account, but I shall resist that with all means. In particular since the energy company I am leaving has over one hundred pounds of mine. 

Anyways enough about me. My reading is patchy and I am super stressed about starting new job, but I can do it and I wish everybody a lovely and productive week. 

Update so short fall is covered for this week, I am getting £57 back from energy company.