NST OCTOBER 2022: Autumn Leaves and Sloe Berries

grandmanerd

MrsCD said:

@grandmanerd re: the tools you are sorting out. There's a charity called Tools with a Mission (twam.uk) who repair old tools and make kits for people in Africa to set up in business. Their website will have contact details for their nearest rep. We sorted my dad's garage a while ago and they took loads of things we thought were no good, so it's better than them going to landfill. Hope this helps x.

Thanks. I know there used to be a group  in Bolton who did this. There shouldn't actually be all that many - I divided my tools with DS1 a couple  of years ago and then there are a few duplicates because I was  dragging bags and boxes back and forth between home and mum's but there are one or two  that are beyond help. The stanley knife I've thrown away may be my original  one from 1982. I've had some cheap  and cheerful ones (don't want to waste a good knife on cutting up carpet) and I think the good one I have was to replace this rusty one (rusty inside and out, rusty blade welded into it), I just didn't throw the old one or it was mislaid. I  gave my grandad's sledgehammer and bricklayer's hammer (both about 100 years old) to my eldest niece's bf. His skill is in gold and silver smithing (all  cheap laser machined nowadays) but the hammer is one you could play at being Thor with. Ds1 has the new sledgehammer - it's his favourite toy. If anything needs sledgehammering, I'd need one of the boys to come and do it, so no point it being at my house.

The thing I have most of is screwdrivers because they're what's most often needed and boys take them away to do a job and don't bring them back so when you next get to do a whole house trawl they turn up in the most unlikely places (along with combs and pairs of scissors).

ldee2111

Thanks for October’s challenge @f0xh0les

I lost count of spend days but I know I didn’t make it into the doubles this month.

It’s been a fun but spendy month for the three of us. Pleased to have kept within budget even with all the Halloween activities and eating out a lot more than usual. 

Chuffed to have sold my first item on Vinted and it all going well. £3 better off. Transferred straight to a mortgage OP before I get tempted to spend it. 

Reduced bike listing price by a couple of pounds on gummytree and someone is coming to see it tomorrow evening. Hopefully a sale. 🤞

Also had a TCashback payout this month and am just waiting on second refund for cancellated train journey from London.  They didn’t refund the correct amount first time round. Still owed us £45!

Getting there with the SwagB. 755 of the 1000 I need to get the £30 Amaz voucher. Will put in another half hour today. 

I feel like October (although spendy) has been good money wise and lucky with the surprise chicken delivery  which has now been cut up, portioned out, put in the freezer and will cover 8 meals for us! 

Cash not exactly falling out of the sky but tidbits here and there… and they all add up… they all help towards taking down our mortgage. 

Happy Halloween, turtles. I’ll be out in the cold tonight with DS hunting down sweeties. 

Xxx

Dfw38

Thank you for this month's challenge @f0xh0les. I am so grateful for all of the support on here, a wonderful group of friends from a distance 

lcc86

Spoke to OH about the coffee machine, it wasn't a no but he also said he'd still buy coffees... so I don't know lol. Can always keep an eye if I find one on sale.

Today was a quiet day, my non-working day plus I'm on leave for the rest of the week. Got up and cycled to my friend's house to walk her dog, then cycled back and did some yoga. Did some cleaning and a few other bits. Must admit I fell asleep for about 30 minutes but what the heck, it's my day off!

Made it through the month with about £30 to spare. I had extra money this month so I need to make sure I get back to "normal" next month and keep an eye on things.

apple_muncher

Thank you for October, f0xh0les. It's been a blast!

Today I am grateful for scoring a fab f+v box at liddle (and gave a fair amount to a neighbour too!), for squelching a couple of frogs, for bumping into a friend at the gym, for finishing my book (Turtles all the way down - I recommend it), for dh cooking tea.

BadBookkeeper

Thanks for running October @f0xh0les.  

Here’s my last update of the month

Outside - Not today.  Didn’t take my broken outside solar lights down as they added to the spooky look to our house (that’s my excuse & I’m sticking to it)!

Inside - Nothing here today. Except digging out items to make a sort of Halloween outfit for ds and finding a tshirt for yellow bear day that forgot he had so that’s saved a purchase! 

Fun - Playing Halloween bingo with ds and DH when they return from kids party & trick & treating. 

Food / alcohol - Healthy so far but felt a bit dizzy earlier.  Had a few sweets & ok now!  Not had tea yet but will be something using rice & chicken. 

Read - No

Plan for December - I’ve done a to do list in order to focus on timely things.  Advent calendars always catches me out as does meeting up with friends early in the month. 

NSD - 16/15

MSE - Pay day today & all pots replenished generously.  I have £1.50 a day left for personal spends! 

Gratitude - Harmless fun for ds & his friends, money left over once bills accounted for.  Wfh on school holidays to save the childcare issue. 

See you in November 👋

Esmeralda2662

Thanks for running October @f0xh0les, it's been interesting and fun to follow everyone.

@Thrifty_Taylor I don't know how long your OH was poorly for but he seems like he's making up for all the walks with you he's missed. Fantastic!

@grandmanerd you really are going for it! Glad your wall, drains, etc will soon be sorted out and that you are busy decluttering to give you more space. Your posts on here seem chirpier so I hope that is how you are feeling! 

Final tally 6NSD's. Got to buck up a bit for November.

Finished with about £38 in budget so I'm really pleased. Usually I'm over so it's nice to come in under budget for the first time this year. Can't see it happening again in Nov/Dec.

Dishwasher keeps filling up with water and although it's pumped out it will not run. Will need DS or OH to have a look as I can't even drag it out of its hole. On Utube it says you can sometimes cure it by tilting it 45 degrees to refloat the anti-flooding float. We'll have to see.

Finished my book last night and I've really enjoyed it although it's taken me quite a while to get through it. Can't believe how many books I used to read compared to how few I manage now. I see the illustrated versions of the first three HP books are out and I'm very tempted to ask for one on my list to Santa. Should probably ask for something practical like a new coat instead!

Luckily my headache had gone this morning so I went to work. The day flew by which was a bonus but did not like driving home in the rain and dark.

Gratitudes: headache going, enjoying my book and having a new one to start, hanging on to a bit of my budget, watching 'Ghosts' on catch up. Can't help but find Robin the caveman hilarious. Surprised I didn't get told off for my raucous and snorty laughter (not very attreactive). Let's hope they do a new series.

Thrifty_Taylor

Another fan of Ghosts here! DH loves Robin too, I like all Lady Button's facial expressions 🤣 hilarious

Happy holidays @ldee2111 & anyone else with some time off.

Did yoga again (sure I've done it 17 mornings now, only missed 2 days (not counted in the 17 days) when DH got his phonecall & the day after his transplant). Keen to keep it up.

Took DH to hospital for blood tests, then we did a trawl of the CS. Got 5 brand new books from The Outlander series, 50p each - just the first one to get now. Also got a couple of things to put away for sproutmas. Moved 2 pallets laying in the garden to a fence which borders a field. DH can screw them in place when able. Then shortened 2 dresses & 3 pairs of trousers. Snapped receipts for various apps to accrue points, which I can then swap for big River company vouchers.

Have been toying with it for a while, I've ordered myself a new sewing machine. Coming out of my side hustle funds. It's fancier than any I've ever had, but I use it lots, so might as well upgrade, as my regular one is getting worn internally.

Washed the dishes after tea, then watched the rest of a film on N3tfl1x with a scary Hugh Bonneville in it. Quite good! Wound more the in to cards at the same time.

DS3 came home from school saying he was going to shave his head. I had visions of lockdown #1, where he & DS1 went completely bald! I suggested putting a comb on the clippers, but he wasn't keen. DS1 did my suggestion, then faded the back. It looks good! If it hadn't worked, it was going to be all shaved off, so glad it worked 🤣 Saved me £7 anyway 😃

Grateful for happy time spent trawling, a HUGE pile of fallen leaves in the carpark to walk through, that DS3's hair worked out ok

Thanks for this month @f0xh0les, see you all in November. Hope to have more than 9 NSDs then 🤞