NST July 2022: A Turtle Triathlon

greent

July saw a whole carboot of things donated to CS (all sorted up for them already - it's where I used to volunteer), a bag of goodies to foodbank (it's the holidays so I donated treat-y things) and quite a few items sold on flebay/ fb00k (money to kids if it was their stuff) and some decluttering in Ds1, 2 and 3's rooms which resulted in things for recycling/ donating bin. More decluttering will be happening in August - but that wasn't too bad for July.

July also saw 2 graduations and 2 chemotherapy sessions - highs and lows of the month! 😁 And my hair is growing back! 🥳 And we booked a week away for next month in Cornwall (and weather forecast is - so far- looking ok)

No idea on NSDs, but I don't monitor them. I have been keeping an eye on prices of things, though. I did try a downshift in a cereal from K'loggs to Sainz own and it was a fail - I don't usually eat cereal anyway but have been having it as occasional easy food on chemo - but the Sainz ones are horrible- will donate the open box to my mum, as apparently she thinks they are OK! 

Some admin bits also managed in July - new bank accounts opened for DS2 and DS3 and old passbook savings accounts closed. Also started the process of sorting some NSandI bonds the kids have - this will get completed in Aug.

Painted a total of 4 fence panels - still 20+ to do..... Hopefully will get at least the same done in August.... 🤞

Garden parasol snapped so will need a new one - may wait until end of season now. Did buy a couple of items of uniform for DS3 - went up 2 sizes, so I don't think he'll grow out of those just yet Still have all of DS2's VIth form uniform to buy and shoes/ trainers for DS2 and DS3. Ooh - and my old car which the adult kids now use - cost £900 for a repair in the garage - unexpected - ouch! Thankfully, the money is set aside. It doesn't usually cost anything year on year (other than consumables) so it's done well. 

Exercise - I've been for a few short walks and the 2 busy graduation days - that'll do. That plus pottering around. 

Bye bye, July! Thanks to apple for the thread - see you all in August x

wishus

Good morning everyone, and thank you for another excellent challenge.

NSDs - today will be 14. I did offer to ping my partner a Costa voucher but he is getting free drinks at his performance venue.

Weight loss 2kg. Yes it has meant an outlay for Bootcamp, but as I am bodily/metabolically challenged I am happy to set aside a small budget for this. Let's face it, that would have been spent down the pub before. Need to save my liver, and stop the heart being the next victim.

I'm going to see if I can be more efficient in my energy usage. 16% battery as I did not charge my phone overnight, but I clearly have a social media addiction I need to purge too. Let's charge for the charging time, no more.
Switching between paper books and kindle when reading. Need to remember to turn off the kindle too.
Went round trying to find my vampire devices. Found a power cable on with a light where we plug in the guitars and occasionally charge phones. No need for that to be on. The internet power switch stayed on, and the TV box was plugged into the booster on that. I just turned off the set top box. Switched off the cable for the stereo and the TV at the socket. Socket upstairs feeding the booster and all my office equipment is now off. My work laptop power cable was emitting so much heat!
Just leaves the internet on and the smart speakers, which is also how MIL can contact us in emergencies.
All of this is very annoying and I'm bound to forget.

Anyway, see you in August!

BadBookkeeper

Thank you for all your lovely comments 😊

Didn’t check in yesterday so here is yesterdays update:

- Nothing spent so no unintentional spends.  My friends had a boozy brunch today that I had to decline as couldn’t afford it.  Quite upsetting seeing their Fb posts of them having a great time!  Can’t wait to be debt free so I can attend these occasions if I want to in the future. 
- No time/money or food wasted.
- Alcohol free days still at 13/31.  Shared a pizza with DH instead of having one to myself.
- Footy team winning the shield made me smile aswell as a nice clean & tidy house.
- Budgets as they were
- DH bought our pizzas.  Used TCB and promo code.
NSD 14/16

We’re going to Anfield today so won’t be an NSD!! Will check in later with end of month update. 

Esmeralda2662

Hi everyone, July has gone in a flash. Mixed results this month so planning to be more mindful/frugal in August.

3 NSD so plenty of room for improvement.

Decluttering a bit hit and miss. 12 books traded in for £26 so chuffed with some cash back. Various small toys sent to shoebox appeal. DS collected his large stacking toolbox and took it to his place but not sure if that counts! Big pile of rotten wooden posts and bits to take to tip once booked in.

Food budget nearly £56/Wk for 2.5 people so need to cut this down. Have made Red Thai sweet potato curry for work lunch tomorrow/Tuesday. Drinking 'new' orange juice that was best before March. Tastes fine and is supposed to have bits in!

DS came over to fit new toilet seat but can't as stupid toilet design means fittings are inside back of actual toilet bowl so will most likely need a plumber to take it out and fit them. This house is a mish mash of every odd item and leftover piece that the former owner had in his garage. Nothing works properly or matches. No 2 light fittings are the same even in the same room! Holes drilled randomly all over the house for cables that no longer exist. And we bought it.

DS checked my car for knocking sounds that I thought might be suspension. Turned out the airbox in the engine had only been balanced together some time in the past. He's refitted it so hope it runs ok tomorrow. He then checked his gran's car for oil/screenwash and coolant. He's such a good lad. 

Gratitudes: DS mending car and it hopefully being not too serious, also checking gran's car, a bit of rain for garden, finding 1 of next doors cats snuggled up in a secret hidey hole when we thought she was lost, little devil.

See you all for the August challenge! X

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for dh letting us dye his hair purple, for getting all packed ready to go away tomorrow, for all of the turtle gang, for some much needed rain this evening, for dh finding fuel 20p cheaper than it was 2 weeks ago.

See you on the other side!

Thrifty_Taylor

Thank you @apple_muncher for this month's thread. Looking forward to reading & joining August 
NSD today, so think that's 13. Not as many as I'd hoped. Sold lots on eboy which is great, food budget has gone over, can't blame it all on price increases. Will need to try harder next month!

Had a lovely day, the sun has been shining, but with a strong breeze. Went for a walk with DH after breakfast, finished reading my book. Cut all the grass, took down the trampoline frame & put it in the garage, after dinner DH helped me out some windbreak netting up along a bit of fence, then I planted some flowers that have been sitting in pots for a long time, & weeded a border. Sorted out letters for posting this week, listed some things on eboy (70% off sellers fees this weekend, couldn't list as much as I wanted as don't have a huge lot of stamps left til RM survey send me some more!). Had a soak in the bath with a self heating face mask, & a new book). Watched some TV & did a bit of crochet.
Grateful for DS1 & my mum's days off coinciding this week, so we can plan a day out over the Churchill Barriers, getting lots done outside, good books

See you all in August!

f0xh0les

I am sailing, I am sailing, across the See-hee - the sunset was great tonight.

Thank you for July @apple_muncher  see you all over  in the August challenge.

BadBookkeeper

Thanks for running the challenge @apple_muncher. 

- Lots of spends yesterday, intentional & unintentional!!
- Money wasted today but was to keep things easy.
- Not alcohol free so ended the month on 13/31.  This has shocked me but we had a long weekend away & a birthday.  Still I’m going to keep a track of this.  Food choices were rubbish yesterday and no matter how organised I thought I was transport was stressful.
- Ticking watching our team play at home made me smile yesterday (regardless of the final score)!
- Budgets need looking at to cover overspends but have it in my mind what needs doing.  Will sort that today do it doesn’t mess up August.
- Nothing money saving done today except using cash back card and a store discount card.
- Not really kicking debt but keeping on track to achieve my DFD. 

- Every penny wasn’t thought about but some were. 

- NSDs ended on 14/16 not quite target but definitely less spend days than usual thanks to this challenge. 

My fuel costs may be down to air needed in the tyres so that was sorted yesterday.  I took a note of how many miles I had on the clock on 1st July and will take it again now to see how many I did last month.  Fuel is one thing I’m underestimating.

Sorry for rambling!  See you in August 😎

abundant1972

A very quick sneaky retrospective close to July posting. Caught up on threads. Thank you everyone for your support and sorry my acknowledgements are coming in so late. Well done to everyone who made it through July in one piece. I am truly inspired by people's progress, and hard work. For myself - I stayed on track - no more spending beyond my means, Dad doing ok and I am fully recovered from Covid. Thanks Apple for running July and August. I will see you all there x 

beanielou

We should get stamps this week thrifty.