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NST October 2023 A New Start
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grandmanerd
Posts: 1,305 Forumite

NST October 2023
A New Start
The Ninja Saving Turtles are all about clearing debt or saving for the life we want. We take a holistic approach and aim to make the sometimes tedious work of getting out of debt as much fun as possible. We offer support and encouragement, share our own experience and are ready with hugs and hankies when life goes pear shaped. We use many tools - budgeting, meal planning, taking lunch to work, counting days on which we do not spend any money, using what we have (anything from substituting ingredients to how to manage when your couch's springs come adrift)
So come on in, the water's lovely and remember no turtle gets left behind.
O Obligations. Should, ought to, must, need to - try to drop a few commitments or say No to new ones. I know it's not easy but try to work out what is important to you and what you would like to achieve and start to work on those things.
C Change the way you think. The turtle challenges are tough and sometimes you don't seem to be getting anywhere (or even going backwards). You need to lose your debt/ grow your savings/ lose weight/ get more organised and get rid of all the mental and physical clutter around you anyway so try to make it fun. Run up and down the stairs in the advert breaks to lose weight (really annoys your children), scoop up any loose pennies you see, make yourself a star chart (NSDs, glasses of water,Tilly tidies) and have rewards at set points.
T Treat yourself the way you would a young child - Feed yourself healthy food and get outside often. Put yourself to bed early. Let yourself take naps. Don't say mean things to yourself. Don't put yourself in danger (your skull and your heart are still as fragile as eggshells)
O Obviously all the usual rules apply. Pay to debt or savings first, live on what is left. Aim for 15 NSDs or set a target that suits you (travel expenses from your budget and medicinal costs will not incur the loss of an NSD). Think of 3 things to be grateful for each day (declare them or keep them private). Be kind always and contribute however you can (local food bank and or the Moroccan Earthquake relief fund if you are short on ideas) many people are worse off than us.
B Be prepared. Set budgets before the start of the month. Stock take your cupboards and fridge and meal plan based on what you have. Cook from scratch whenever possible, take your lunch to work, hospitals appointments and picnics on days out. Think about what's happening this month and through the last quarter of the year (birthdays, meet-ups with friends, half term)
E Energy prices are reducing but they are still extortionate. Think about draught proofing, door curtains, putting up double curtains if you have piles of old ones. Heat the person not the room - extra layers, hot water bottles and hot drinks in a flask. Safety - make sure you and your children can be seen in the dark, sort out an emergency breakdown kit for your car and check outdoor lighting (if you are frozen stiff you don't want to be feeling for the keyhole). Stock up on generic (cheap) medicines for coughs/ colds etc (cook double and stick one stew/ hot meal in the freezer for when you're too sick to do anything). A few tins of soup or rice pudding are allowed (for days when anything more than 3 mins in the microwave is too much).
R Rest, relaxation and maybe a reset. I'm a big fan of hibernation. It's dark, it's cold, time to curl up in an armchair with a good book, unwind from the stresses of the day, work on a handicraft. It's especially important if you fell that you are coming down with something or you or others in the household are ill - rest will help you get better more quickly. No rushing off to the gym as soon as you start to improve (that's a good way to have an early heart attack). If things are really going awry, you might need a reset. If your goals feel unattainable and your bad habits are creeping back, take action. You may need to set smaller goals - baby steps, remember forward is forward, better to get there slowly than give up in frustration. Think about goals for next year and put in some baby steps on those.
So who wants to join in the latest epic adventure in out turtle quest. f0xh0les is allowed as many exemptions as she needs and I hope your roofer doesn't go on holiday for two weeks half way through.
A New Start
The Ninja Saving Turtles are all about clearing debt or saving for the life we want. We take a holistic approach and aim to make the sometimes tedious work of getting out of debt as much fun as possible. We offer support and encouragement, share our own experience and are ready with hugs and hankies when life goes pear shaped. We use many tools - budgeting, meal planning, taking lunch to work, counting days on which we do not spend any money, using what we have (anything from substituting ingredients to how to manage when your couch's springs come adrift)
So come on in, the water's lovely and remember no turtle gets left behind.
O Obligations. Should, ought to, must, need to - try to drop a few commitments or say No to new ones. I know it's not easy but try to work out what is important to you and what you would like to achieve and start to work on those things.
C Change the way you think. The turtle challenges are tough and sometimes you don't seem to be getting anywhere (or even going backwards). You need to lose your debt/ grow your savings/ lose weight/ get more organised and get rid of all the mental and physical clutter around you anyway so try to make it fun. Run up and down the stairs in the advert breaks to lose weight (really annoys your children), scoop up any loose pennies you see, make yourself a star chart (NSDs, glasses of water,Tilly tidies) and have rewards at set points.
T Treat yourself the way you would a young child - Feed yourself healthy food and get outside often. Put yourself to bed early. Let yourself take naps. Don't say mean things to yourself. Don't put yourself in danger (your skull and your heart are still as fragile as eggshells)
O Obviously all the usual rules apply. Pay to debt or savings first, live on what is left. Aim for 15 NSDs or set a target that suits you (travel expenses from your budget and medicinal costs will not incur the loss of an NSD). Think of 3 things to be grateful for each day (declare them or keep them private). Be kind always and contribute however you can (local food bank and or the Moroccan Earthquake relief fund if you are short on ideas) many people are worse off than us.
B Be prepared. Set budgets before the start of the month. Stock take your cupboards and fridge and meal plan based on what you have. Cook from scratch whenever possible, take your lunch to work, hospitals appointments and picnics on days out. Think about what's happening this month and through the last quarter of the year (birthdays, meet-ups with friends, half term)
E Energy prices are reducing but they are still extortionate. Think about draught proofing, door curtains, putting up double curtains if you have piles of old ones. Heat the person not the room - extra layers, hot water bottles and hot drinks in a flask. Safety - make sure you and your children can be seen in the dark, sort out an emergency breakdown kit for your car and check outdoor lighting (if you are frozen stiff you don't want to be feeling for the keyhole). Stock up on generic (cheap) medicines for coughs/ colds etc (cook double and stick one stew/ hot meal in the freezer for when you're too sick to do anything). A few tins of soup or rice pudding are allowed (for days when anything more than 3 mins in the microwave is too much).
R Rest, relaxation and maybe a reset. I'm a big fan of hibernation. It's dark, it's cold, time to curl up in an armchair with a good book, unwind from the stresses of the day, work on a handicraft. It's especially important if you fell that you are coming down with something or you or others in the household are ill - rest will help you get better more quickly. No rushing off to the gym as soon as you start to improve (that's a good way to have an early heart attack). If things are really going awry, you might need a reset. If your goals feel unattainable and your bad habits are creeping back, take action. You may need to set smaller goals - baby steps, remember forward is forward, better to get there slowly than give up in frustration. Think about goals for next year and put in some baby steps on those.
So who wants to join in the latest epic adventure in out turtle quest. f0xh0les is allowed as many exemptions as she needs and I hope your roofer doesn't go on holiday for two weeks half way through.
7
Comments
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Me please.Thanks for running the thread @grandmanerd.I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.5 -
Reserved for Contenders
1 grandmanerd
2 beanielou
3 Esmerelda2662
4 ditty1234
5 cybertortoise
6 pinkpenguin
7 Icc86
8 apple-muncher
9 f0xh0les
10 Toni'sfriend
11 abundant
12 laura-lau
13 Dr Carrie
14 cuddlymarm
14 DawnW
18 Thrifty-taylor6 -
Please sign me up, @grandmanerd. Thanks for running October5
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Hi can I join please, thanks for running October @grandmanerd.Isa help to buy: 1000/3000 33%
Emergency fund: 100/1000 10%
Weight loose 8.6 kg - while having fun. 0/8.6 0%
Focus debt to clear HSBC £10/1111, 0% updated May 255 -
Yes please. I have been terrible for months!I just started my new job since graduating WOO HOO!! Now I need to stop buying lunch and coffee there and take my own. Just because more money is coming in doesn't mean it is spare. I also have more expenses associated with work: childcare, professional indemnity insurance, etc.I will set my budgets now. 15 NSD's please.I aim to pay all my usual debt payments and any money left over will go towards the dreaded C word which I refuse to say until November, or extra debt repayments.8
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Hi, Please can I join?
Thanks, PPOctober 2023 - £48,075
DFD - June 2030
October NSD - 155 -
Can I join please? My savings have taken a big hit the last couple of months so I need to rein it in a bit and be more accountable! That said, I can only participate up to 23rd as going on a 2 week holiday. First time in a LONG time and still have lots of little bits and bobs to buy and prepare.
I'm aiming for 14 NSD's between tomorrow and 23rd. I'm also aiming to do a chunk of Xmas shopping - or at least get ideas from everyone for what they want, and I'm going to check my mortgage deal, it expires in November and we already fixed it a few months back but as rates have gone down a tiny bit I want to see if there's anything better available just in case.Save £2,400 tuition fees - £2,321.04 as of 08/24
Pay off credit card by December 2024 - £1,450/£2,0007 -
I'm in, as ever, grandmanerd. Thank you for running the month at short notice x
NST March lion #8; NSD ; MFW9/3/23 Whoop Whoop!!!4 -
Me too please.4/10/22One Year Mortgage Free Yay!
NSTurtle # 55 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢🐢🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 No Turtle gets left behind.[/b]
******PROUD MEMBER OF THE TOFU EATING COALITION OF CHAOS !!!******5 -
Congratulations on your new job @cybertortoise! 🎉
Please count me in @grandmanerd. Can I be #18 plesse? Thank you for another great thread 😍
Aiming for 15NSDs. Being more active & looking after myself a little better. Have already planned a walk with a friend tomorrow morningUse it up, wear it out
Make do or do without!
If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours 😃
⭐⭐⭐⭐7
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