NST January 2025: Freedom!

laura_lau

Today was my first “in office” day of the year. A bit daunting, but it.s done and I’m happy about it. It snowed while I was walking from the tube stop to the office, very wet snow, which stopped only a few minutes later. The forecast for my town still says snow both tomorrow and Thursday, and I do hope for a bit of snow, unpopular opinion, I know, but I grew up used to seeing quite a bit of snow every winter, and I am missing it.
Today I was really good as a turtle, as I brought both breakfast and lunch, and also water, from home, and I resisted popping into the grocery shop at the station, as I usually enjoy looking for discounted items expiring on the day and there’s usually amazing stuff, but I don’t always need to buy more food, so today I didn’t even enter, very proud of myself,

so I managed to make it NSD #5 even if I was out and about! 

Also, I have seen that next month two of my credit cards will (finally) have a slightly lower payment, which made me happy and helps motivating me sticking to the plan, as it means I will have a little bit more left at the end of the month, which I can use to bring my emergency fund back to feeling useful, and in turn will mean I will be able to avoid using the credit cards, this cycle repeating itself until I will be in a position where I will be able to confidently overpay the cards without needing to take out anything from the emergency fund just to get to the end of the month. I know what I said probably doesn’t make any sense, but it does to me and it really feel like great motivation to not buy anything as much as I can.

Today I am grateful for punctual trains, a delicious home cooked meal and for the dogs cuddling me when I sat down on the sofa to relax a bit.

ldee2111

Makes sense to me @laura_lau… well done, keep going 👍🏻

abundant1972

Good morning folks ⛄

The snow is still here which looks lovely. I'm going to go for a walk in a little while. 

Had a challenging day Monday with my head stuck in contesting ongoing work issues. They are still being incredibly unsupportive and uncooperative regarding my sickness and redeployment. It wiped me out in every way. I was on the verge of an all out blow out but contained myself and just bought some staples like bread/milk etc.

Yesterday felt like a catch up day, and finally finished putting birthdays on my 2025 calendar and transferring most stuff from my old to new diary. Cleaned the bathroom too - so all in all a better day. 

I'm still on track with daily mindfulness and am really proud of my efforts. 

Today I am grateful for:
1) Supportive friends 
2) My mindfulness app
3) Food in store 

Monday = spend day
Yesterday  = NSD number 04
Today = spend day [Edit: bought throat lozenges, flu-drink and some fruit!]

Have a lovely day everyone!!!

ditty1234

Morning everybody, I am still hoping for an NSD day today. Not exactly sure where I'm at as need to update my spends in my spread sheet! But all in all I am good on my no spending spree!
I am at home today so have done my taxes and I am ready to submit - just need to actually do it. Then pay a smallish amount and then it is a fresh start between me and the HMRC. Which is great since It has been a bit of a sage for the last year. 
After crunching numbers it is now time to get dressed for a leisurely run after a HMRC tax web seminar, and then I'll be back here to do some marking for my lovely job job. 
I might have to tidy up a book shelf as well, all of my book shelves look very 'tired' 
Happy hump day 

laura_lau

Thank you for the encouragement @ldee2111
@abundant1972 I'm so sorry they are giving you grief at work, hope they will start being more reasonable, and it's infuriating how they add unnecessary stress right when you are on the way to get back to normality. You did very well to not give in and go on a spending spree! You've set a great example for me  

Today should be a NSD, however I really am in need of a floor protector for the new floor in the bedroom, as that used to be my "office" and I have a foldable table and chair with wheels, and now I am really missing to be able to close the door and just focus, rather than working on the kitchen table. I do need to protect the floor, though, and I am trying to find a solution without having to buy one of those ugly plastic floor protectors. I thought a cheap rug might be more convenient and easier to store, but I really want to stick to my resolution of trying all avenues before spending this year, so I am still thinking about all alternative solutions. I've given myself time until Friday, and if I don't have a solution I will give up. 

Today I am eagerly expecting the snow, as it's been forecasted it will snow from - a-hem - now until about 6 PM. No sign of a flake yet. But I'm watching. 

I also started my 1 p challenge, as I'm doing it through Monzo, they only launched it yesterday, and I can't backfill it to the 1st January (they don't allow backfill as it's all setup automatically), so I suppose my challenge will finish on the 5th January 2026! This will be an easy way to slowly build up a small pot until the end of the year, which then I can use for overpayments. Good thing is, they have a monthly prize for who takes part and an end of challenge prize, so wish me luck! I never win anything, but who knows, it might be my lucky year.

I tried to book an appointment to renew my passport today, as it expires at the end of this year, and I know appointments at the Italian consulate are very far away, but I had no luck. It just says that all appointments are taken, and to try again sometime soon, as they add new appointments regularly. I'd like to know how regular "regularly" is, so to know when I'm supposed to check back in, or how often, instead of endlessly wasting my time, and my patience. Bah. 

Back to work now, and I plan to do a bit of tidying at the end of the day. 

DawnW

Today will be NSD #4 for me. I almost caved and went to the corner shop earlier, as I made marmalade this morning and it completely ran me out of sugar. But I can get some cheaper in town tomorrow, nobody here takes sugar in drinks and I don't plan to do any baking, so it really can wait. It just makes me twitchy to run out of anything

Apart from the marmalade, I have done the usual tidy up, plus cleaned the bathroom and our bedroom, sorted out some items to take to my unit at work tomorrow (brrr!!!) and watered the indoor plants.

I used the first floor shower instead of the second floor one to wash my hair this morning, and discovered that the shower head needed descaling, so I have also done that.

I have things I would like to do outside, but it is just too cold, and I am staying in!

Speaking of cold, I still need to do a bit of freezer tetris to fit in a pie I made yesterday.

Dinner tonight will be leftovers. Come to think of it, lunch used up leftovers too. No cooking - yay!

cybertortoise

Hello all.

Yesterday was a NSD, I'm hoping today will be too but I may need to buy some screws.

Dehumidifiers should arrive today, I'm hoping this will help with the cold and damp in my sons room, plus help out with drying the laundry. My ground floor (3 storey townhouse) is absolutely freezing cold all the time.

Made some delicious soup yesterday, unfortunately everyone liked it and so it didn't last as long as I'd hoped Youngest son made some brownies, also delicious!

I was inspired after catching up on this thread the other day. I had crocheted a jumper and never wore it because i didn't like the style of wrist and bottom hem I had added. I pulled those bits apart and it's much nicer to wear now, plus I think I have enough yarn to make my youngest daughter a matching jumper!

grandmanerd

After I came indoors yesterday at, 4 pm, it was 5 hours before I stopped hurting (as in there was a soundtrack to every involuntary movement I made). Putting my feet up on the couch higher than my hips was painful but I think it was the right way to go because it eased all the kinks, gently stretched bits of me and helped with blood flow.

Didn't sleep very well (worried about how much tidying was required in the back room) and when I woke up the yard is very icy. Messaged Mrs Builder to see if Mr Builder was still coming. I couldn't see how the man would manage to dig the drains and I hadn't told the neighbours the skip was coming. My left foot isn't bearing weight very well and I didn't want to push on as it would make things worse. I said it was okay if Mr Builder and Mr Drain digger wanted to stay home. She said he was still coming but at lunchtime she asked about my kitchen units so I think Mr Builder went to get those. He had ordered my bathroom units when he was out fixing someone's hot water on Monday.

I was very relieved because I'm still hobbling. I tried to get up and do things a few times but it was only tiny tasks. The big order got cancelled (big river is still messing up my payments) so I did a small order - a couple of soups, things to go on bread and crackers and kitchen roll and bathroom cleaning items. I've delegated cleaning the bathroom to DS3 and Beloved. I explained that I didn't want any more leaks when the new ceiling goes in, so the bath and adjacent floor need cleaning thoroughly and the sealant applied. So 2 cleaning products and some scrubby pads have gone upstairs. I don't use kitchen roll usually but thought it would help with cleaning up messes rather than using cloths as I won't be able to throw them in the WM.

Late afternoon I had a timber delivery. I suggested he slid it over the back wall and across the bins that contain my apple trees (easier to get out again without bending and doesn't get in the way of things that still need moving. I took a bag of cardboard (at least 4 cut up boxes) and a bag of cans to the house bins whilst he was stacking the timber but I wouldn't risk going to the end of the backs to bring back the bins that went out for collection. I also moved across the remaining buckets that were part filled with soil and planted a honeysuckle in one bucket. I put a tarpaulin over the pile of timber but by then my fingers and toes were frozen so I came back in to warm up. I finished off some cheese and wraps and used another red onion for my meal.

I've also taken one of the kitchen buckets upstairs to empty as the pile of broken kitchen cabinets that Mr Builder piled up are blocking my access to the grid (this means the pans that need washing up are still by the sink. I'm going to try a bit more sorting and packing away of the kitchen things that are in here. Moving furniture is a bit too strenuous and a bit too hopeful atm - it will start to happen over the weekend. I also need to postpone an appointment that is happening next week, I think. It's only a phone interview but I need to have an x-ray and I'm not confident about getting as far as the infirmary this week.

Grateful for rest, being mostly warm (wellies pulled my socks off after I'd been outside) and watching amusing yewtoob clips.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for Pip having a good day back, for enjoying my day, for lots of cheery faces, for finally getting a little snow, for sausage and mash for dinner - yum!

dizzyblnd

Evening everyone. 

I’m sticking to @ldee2111’s challenge of loading 2 things on v1nted every day and have managed to load 3 today. Put the washing machine and dishwasher on before work. Threw the freshly washed clothes in the tumble dryer when I got home  from work. Hopefully that should make me one wash ahead this weekend and make it easier for me. 

Made myself my favourite dinner tonight which bought a smile to my face. Food can definitely make me happy. 

Nsd#6 today. Also completed 3 days of no fizzy drinks in a bid to have healthier week days. 

Grateful for a new travel mug that keeps hot drinks hot for a very long time that I received as a Christmas present.