December 2022: The Turtles do the Cha Cha Cha

the_cross_rabbit

Hectic but enjoyable day. Phoned our local college regarding course but they didn't have info so will ring me back. Bizarre conversation as they said they didn't know what course I was on about even though I told them it's on their website and the date it Started. Met up with dd2 bestie and mum at the bowling alley and it was only £4pppg and they paid. We went for lunch at a garden centre and managed to bag the last table (£15.64 spent on food. The garden centre was super sparkly and twinkly but basically expensive tat or as my friend remarked 'looks like a elf had thrown up' . Dd2 has invited her bestie and mum to tea before youth club on Monday, so need to check for pizzas in the freezer. The hubbster has been to the chiro for the first time so that was another £60, but we can claim some back on insurance. Had a very brief phone call with ebon who told us that our roof is the wrong shape for solar panels. We've been saving up for them for the past 6 years to be told no🤣. Gutted but never mind at least they were honest and tried not to con us. We were told by a different company that they could fit them for x amount but at the time we didn't have the money. So I consider that a lucky escape. The hubbster is currently tearing his hair out as he's trying to program the car to charge as we've just moved onto an ev tariff. He's not very technically mind. Good job my bil is coming tomorrow and I'll get him to look at it. Tea was broad bean (allotment) whipped feta on toast.
Grateful:honest salesman, the sun coming out and a programmable washing machine. 
CRx

lcc86

Hi turtles

Manic day here even though I wasn't at work. However I have achieved NSD number 1. Got up early, walked my friend's dog and then drove to a horsey talk for a few hours. Was blooming freezing by the end of it so cranked the heating in the car right up! Drove to see my share pony and did a bit of work with him, then home for a quick bath, lunch, hoover, cooked OH's dinner then drove to my sister's to babysit my niece, where I'll be until about midnight. Was meant to be getting my hair cut tomorrow morning but decided to cancel as want a lie in!

Time to set out my stall for December:

Challenge - I have a few targets this month, mainly around spending and exercising. Currently in the middle of a physio programme which I need to consistently increase too.

Chart - I'll chart my progress here, hopefully daily. I also keep a record of my spends too.

Heart - my work is quite taxing emotionally so sometimes I feel an empathy drain and also struggle to make time for people/things I like. I've got some stuff planned throughout December to hopefully help tackle this.

Accept - I'm an introvert and spent ages trying to be an extrovert to please others. Now I feel more confident saying no and not having to give reasons 

Challenge - the bad habit I'd like to drop is eating badly! I also spent way too much on "stuff" in December and need to knock that on the head.

Charity - have a couple of regular donations and a couple of one off donations planned this month.

Aiming for 15 NSD's as stopped counting them recently and I think that's allowed bad habits to creep in. Also aiming for 17 "healthy" days where I eat well and stick to certain targets, and to work out 4 times a week, even if it's just for 15 minutes.

 Grateful today for some "me" time, seeing my share pony and him behaving, and looking after my lovely niece 

DrCarrie

Evening turtles,

I got out and gave myself a good airing today, had a cup of tea on the front wall this morning, and then long lunch break in the lanes  - a spot of shopping, and got my new diary and some purple ink for my fountain pen. Must be feeling better, somewhat. 

I was awake in the model of the night, so put a load of washing on with the economy 7. Bought train tickets to see my daughter over the festive period. looked at my gas and electric bills, reduced usage. 

Grateful for: the vibrancy of Brighton, for feeling better, and for Love tea. 

abundant1972

Good evening 🌙

So, I'm going have a crack at this month's challenges:

Heart. This one for me is definitely work. It's a well-paid job and was a promotion, but it is basically unworkable. I've tried to make it work for three years, fighting against a system that doesn't listen. After much soul searching - I am finally at the point of needing to let it go. I release it with love and welcome in new opportunities ✨ 

Accept. Like Icc86 I have accepted that I am an introvert. I value my alone time and that gives me the reserves to have meaningful engagement with other people 👨‍👨‍👦‍👦

Chase your dreams: This is a tricky one for me. Other than wanting to be debt free again - which is a primary drive right now - I'm not sure what my dreams are right now. I am hopeful that once I move jobs and get out of that toxic environment - the fog will clear and there it will be! 🔮

Challenge yourself to drop one bad habit in December. My challenge will be to avoid defaulting to eating junk food when I am stressed and to recapture those healthy habits that I know pave the way to better mental health. Mindfulness, walks out in nature, exercise and a good sleep routine 💤😴

Charity and charity shops. I'll have another look through to see if I have any clothes I can donate, and I'll make a donation to the food bank if nothing else 🥫

Chart every single spend. So, I'm wondering if you write down every food item individually or if it's ok to just write the total for each shop under food? Does anyone analyse their food spends at the end of a month or is that too much ha-ha. I have a budget app so everything goes into that (but wouldn't show me what food I had bought). From this month I have added more categories so I can, at the end of the year - see what I have spent on each category.  

Today I am grateful for:
1) A helpful, supportive GP
2) My brother and sister-in-law, and sister - who are also a great support
3) My gym - that gives me somewhere to let off steam and get fit

Today = NSD number 1

That's me for tonight - have a good one folks x

apple_muncher

Grandmanerd, yay to keeping your own hip!

DrCarrie, yay to purple ink!

Abundant, yay to a lightbulb moment about your job. You've given it a really good shot. Hope you get something new quickly.

Today I am grateful for doing some christmassy things with a couple of classes, for dc having a fair day,for hm fish and chips for tea, for plans for tomorrow.

BadBookkeeper

Thank goodness it’s Friday!  So tired and very much looking toward to a lie in and our week off! 

Sorted a lots of fiddly queries in work and also got told of complimentary comments that had been made about me. Donated chocolates to school raffle.

Can’t seem to update my signature but £300 was paid off debt yesterday.  O should be next grand down by end of year! 

Weighed myself this morning and I’m the lowest I’ve been all year.  I’ve lost 5lb the last 3 weeks.  I’m hoping that a week in Center Parcs and the Christmas holidays doesn’t cost me more than 5lb if that makes sense. 

Aswell as charting Tilly tally’s I’m also going to keep a record of money made by selling stuff.  This year I had £155 not much but it’s paid for ds birthday party. 

NSD 1/15

ldee2111

Staying on NSD 1. 

I was at DS’s school this morning to do paired reading with a few of the children. Afterwards I nipped into the library and paid 20p to print a label for another small item that sold on V!ntD. OH is working tomorrow and was off today so we went to shopping centre where I bought a warm long-sleeved sweatshirt for DS. 

Grateful today for reading with 3 lovely kids at school, for finding a cool NASA sweatshirt for DS, and for OH making dinner.

f0xh0les

December is the most horrific money swallowing month of the year and  the advertisers and supermarkets seem to think it starts in September.  I know if I start buying edibles before December, they are in my face the same week I buy them.  The only exception to this rule seems to be marshmallows (mausespeck) which I love on hot chocolate, but can sit happily in the pantry until I want a hot chocolate.  I bought one pack of chocolate covered lebkuchen at the end of October, it got eaten by me.  I bought one mice pie in a coffee shop in Oldham when I was wetter than a drownded rat. That has been it. I learnt my lesson. Christmas Is in December
CHALLENGE - I do not know what my dream is. 

Heart. I am still volunteering. I have got my new job to donate to my volunteering place as their chosen charity for the month.  It costs me nothing and everyone wins.  

Accept that I am wonderful. Honestly, I am my biggest fan!!  I do love me! 

Chase your dreams: The house will be sorted in 2023. All of it. I refuse to live like this anymore . 

Challenge yourself to drop one bad habit in December. I do not have any  😇😇. I am perfection 💟 

Charity and charity shops. I donate my goods, and my time, and I still have not started my Christmas shopping yet. 

Chart every single spend. I use my debit card, and so have a record of how much I spend.  I went to S&M and got my free light up tin of teabags and my free free from 🍪. Don't forget the Advent apps from the stores you use. 

I am lucky enough not to have any debt, or a mortgage anymore. I also don't have a pension.

-aim for 15 NSDs

-keep in touch with people. I talk to people at work all day. People are bonkers. I make people feel better. They always leave me laughing. 

-read a book for fun - yay! Books! Books made of wood!

- “Don’t give up. Not ever. Not for one single day. Be safe if you can be. But always be amazing.”  I amaze poor DH every day.   I amazed myself by smiling politely when told by a colleague I look so striking, FROM A DISTANCE...   cheeky article!

funfairprincess

Hi all x

I’m just in from work. Unfortunately I still feel like I’ve been hit by a bus I wish this cold would do one. Had a few things I needed to pick up from the shops on the way to work and found the prefect wrapped sweets to put in a toy for my DGS. Chocolate coins bought too for DDs advent calendar. 

Grateful to be home, fluffy jammies and a warm bed. 

ldee2111

I should know this by now, but does a planned / budgeted weekly grocery shop use a NSD?