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March Update
I'm doing well with some but there's also a couple I haven't even started yet (seems to be a bit of a theme with those ones 🤔) I do want to lose weight and be a runner but there motivation is lacking a bit. If I've not started by the end of March I'll change those ones.
- Watch 26 movies I’ve never seen before - 8/26
- Complete 26 different crafts - 2/26
- 26 different physical activities - 6/26
- 26 selfcare experiences to look and feel better - 4/26
- Be able to run for 26 minutes - 2/26
- Post 2026 photos to Instagram - 548/2026
- Buy 26 gift cards for Christmas spending - 15/26
- Watch 26 documentaries - 3/26
- Tick 26 things off my master to do list - 3/26
- Lose 26lbs - 1.5/26
- Try 26 new recipes - 6/26
- Listen to 26 audiobooks - 6/26
- 26 days of 26k steps - 5/26
- Read 26 books - 0/26
- Complete parkrun 26 times - 0/26
- Save £2026 - £517.24/£2026
- Walk 2026 miles - 340/2026
- Create 26 (positive!) habits - 2/26
- Complete 26 walks from the book ‘Lanarkshire Walks’ - 4/26
- Make 26 donations - 8/26
- Try 26 new restaurants / cafes - 15/26
- Tick 26 things off my bucket list - 3/26
- Save 26 of each coin / note (£1 to £20) - 11/£1, 11/£2, 7/£5, 9/£10, 5/£20
- Complete 26 garden projects - 0/26
- Explore 26 new villages / towns / cities - 4/26
- Send 26 cards / gifts to others - 7/26
❤️
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I knew that our finances were going to take a hit this year but WOW world events have really put them in focus. My list was to try and help me address some finance issues and make life a bit easier for my self. So, as my mojo is MIA I will have to try and get my backside into gear and address items on the list.
@ Dundee Doll I have printed and framed "If I had my life over" and is now in our office as a reality check about the important things in life.
If you are still on your alphabets of whisky can I suggest Glenmorangie's Quinta Ruban ( used to be called Port Wood Cask) It was served at a dinner ( a few years ago) as a liquer with coffee and although not much of a drinker I really enjoyed it. The dinner was sponsored by Glenmorangie. I can't remember which one they served this year as I was the driver and didn't partake.
Amazing de-cluttering from several on here that I need to take inspiration from
@ Dakota_Rose, have just ordered Way Back by Sara Cox. Read her autobiographies which I enjoyed.
Impressive spreadsheets from @Suzeesu 2000
- Books read.A Farmer and His Dog, Adam Henson. The Glasgow Boys by Margaret MacDonald ( rightly recommended by @Thechubbyunicorn, 5/26
- Slow cooker Pork casserole with Apples and Cider 3/26 new recipes
11. Daffodils for cut flowers finally came out about the 18th of March and have been pounded by snow, hail & rain ever since. The few that I have grabbed for vases are lovely.
12.5/26lbs. Comfort eating just now.
13. working well.
18 revisit CDs. The Best of Kiri Te Kanawa, The Beach Boys Pet Sounds, Inn Session by The Inn Crowd
I am hoping that if the weather warms up it will motivate me to tackle some other things on my list, although there are gales forecast for this weekend!
5 -
Good afternoon everyone. Its a beautiful day today, Hope your day is going well.
Update for me to 02/04/2026 - finding a lot of motivation from the targets I have set myself and am really enjoying them. Hope you are too. So, this is me:
26 different Slow cooker meals
- Sausage Casserole
- Rigatoni bolognese
- Minced beef & vegetable stew
- Chicken & vegetable Stew
- Pulled pork (from huge leg of pork joint)
26 frugal habits
- Dilute w u Liquid – ½ full bottle of neat w u liquid shared between 2 bottles & topped off with water
- Cooked bag of chicken breasts, 2 gammon steaks & chicken stuffing bake all in oven at once, dinner today & frozen individually for future meals
- Bought pack of dye & redyed DHs black shirts to brighten up – didn’t have to buy new shirts
- Saved foil from wrapped foods & used to line oven trays
- Wear clothes (apart from undies) more than once before laundering
- Not used tumble dryer whole of January, February, March,
- Only bought used clothing (Vinted/CS)
- Repaired DHs tobacco pouch
- Reduced width of kitchen net to make a small net curtain for bathroom
- Eating from kitchen stocks
- Repaired DHs zipped cardigan with new zip
- Repaired waist band of my jeans
- Changed to home-made washable pads instead of disposable ones
- Bulked meat/poultry stews/curries out with lentils
- Made a petticoat from an old sheet
- Repaired another petticoat
- Made longer length inco pads
- Bought swede in bulk, cooked, buttered, peppered, frozen in serving sizes
- Bought Clothing in CS for the fabric
- Made a nightdress from old duvet cover
- Remade a nightdress, elastic saggy and overall, too big
- Remade a 2nd nightdress, elastic saggy and overall, too big
- Painted tops of bedroom furniture to “tidy up”
- Painted a small white unit to match bedroom furniture
- Made a 2nd Nightdress from old duvet cover – have plenty of fabric for another project
- Stocked up on cheap 15p Easter veg
- Cut & froze celery for soups & stews so as not to waste
- Using white vinegar, Bicarb & soda crystals for cleaning, not buying any more expensive modern cleaners
- Planted spring onions on window sill so I can keep snipping the tops
26 “New to me” foods tried
- Chicken & bacon sandwich filler – wouldn’t buy again, pretty bland
- BBQ sauce – OMG I like this!!
- Pickled Gherkin on a burger – was good
- Tesco sweeteners – gave up sugar for Lent – these are excellent definitely keeping, also using the powder version for baking
- Tesco Caeser salad dressing – delicious, definitely buy again!
Off to do some listings on eBay and Vinted so as to catch the lovely buyers who get paid this week!!
have a great day all xx
Saving 1 animal wont change the world - but it will change the world for that 1 animal
2026 Frugal Living Challenge
2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution
26 for 20264 -
Happy good Friday 26ers 👋
Here is my March month-end roundup:
Things to do/achieve:
1. Catch up with all old friends in person - 7/8
2 . Visit 26 new places in the UK - 3/26
3. Get teeth whitened - got just over £100 saved. I tried the bicard - it made a difference! Will have a think about whether I actually need more.
4. Couch to 5k - oh dear, not started
5 Have £2600 in the emergency fund: £2210/£2600
✅️ 6. Get roof repairs done and paid off
7. Go on 26 walks - 2/26
8. Finish 2 unfinished craft projects - completely stalled
9. Read 26 books - 5/26. I have 2 on the go at the moment - The Beekeeper of Aleppo and The Body Keeps The Score
10. Go to church 26 times - 2/26
11. Sit final 2 exams - 1/2
12. 26 mediterranean diet recipes 4/26
13. Full house declutter - 109 items gone so far this year
✅️ 14. Sort the front garden so I can get my car on the drive!
15. Make a will
16. Max out health cash plan - £350/approx £1300 allowances
Habits to implement:
17. A journal entry a day - doing this most days. Don't think i really have much to write every single day but I'll keep this on the list for now
18. Drink 1.5 litres of water a day - 800ml
19. Regular bed time - still very inconsistent
20. Daily active relaxation - not started, but really need to
21. Read a Bible chapter a day - managed in March, will give it another month before I can say I've implemented the habit
22. Daily vitamins - I was doing well, but then got back out of the habit!
23. Washing up. Every. Single. Day. - So close
✅️ 24. Monthly mortgage overpayments.
25. No more than 2 cups of coffee a day down to 2 most days, sometimes 3
26. 1.5 hours of exercise per week - not started!
MPHx
MFW: Journey started Nov 2025. Due to finish Nov 2053.
OPs: £30
DC pension pot to target: 22.05%
Mrs SD's 2026 Declutter Campaign: 🏅⭐️
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I hope everyone had a lovely long Easter weekend. It’s great to see how well others are getting on with their lists 😊
I’ve been off work and enjoying a quieter pace of life, meaning plenty of time for reading. I’ve picked up another challenging one while I’ve had the brain space - ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ by Khaled Hosseini. This has been on my radar for a long time (published in 2007!) but after reading The Kite Runner by the same author, I expected that I would find it an emotional read. It was very emotive and hard to read in parts but so worth reading and will stay with me for a long time.
26 books for 2026
1.You Are Here (easy read) 9/10
2. The Seven Murders of Evelyn Hardcastle (time-travelling murder mystery) 9.5/10
3. Love Untold (ending made a middling read worthwhile) 8/1
4. Way Back (engaging easy read with a farm theme and a few typos) 8.5/10
5. The Cuckoo’s Calling (first of the Strike detective novels) 8.5/10
6. Yellowface (‘too awful to look away’ page-turner) 10/10
7. A Thousand Splendid Suns (emotive, heavy but worthwhile read) 10/10
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A very late week 14 update from me..
2. Complete 26 different crafts - Easter planner
6. Post 2026 photos to Instagram - 42
7. Buy 26 gift cards for Christmas spending - Asda
13. 26 days of 26k steps - 39,634
16. Save £2026 - £3.85
17. Walk 2026 miles - 35.1 miles
19. Complete 26 walks from the book ‘Lanarkshire Walks’ - Chatelherault and the Green Bridge
21. Try 26 new restaurants / cafes - Bucks Bar, Glasgow
23. Save 26 of each coin / note (£1 to £20) - 1x£1, 1x£2, 1x£20
26. Send 26 cards / gifts to others - Easter eggs
❤️
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Week 15 - a few days away was exactly what I needed! Now to plan for some more adventures…
1. Watch 26 movies I’ve never seen before - The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
6. Post 2026 photos to Instagram - 227
7. Buy 26 gift cards for Christmas spending - Sainsbury’s
12. Listen to 26 audiobooks - The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris / The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
16. Save £2026 - £126.78
17. Walk 2026 miles - 42.7 miles
20. Make 26 donations - Headway (Katie’s ½ marathon)
21. Try 26 new restaurants / cafes - Plac Nowy, Krakow / Dolabella Due, Krakow / Sioux, Krakow / Zapiekanki Loco, Krakow
22. Tick 26 things off my bucket list - Visit Auschwitz
23. Save 26 of each coin / note (£1 to £20) - 1x£1, 1x£2, 1x£20
25. Explore 26 villages / towns / cities I’ve never been to - Krakow / Zakopane
❤️
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