NST February 2026 - You Are Enough

grandmanerd

Ninja Saving Turtles February 2026

YOU ARE ENOUGH

Some people thrive in the winter months, a lot of us struggle. The cold and rain seep into your bones, ice and snow create hazards, winter bugs wear you down depleting your physical and mental health. Darkness surrounds us, the world atm is a very dark and threatening place and it's easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless.

So this month's thread is slow and gentle and it starts by saying YOU ARE ENOUGH

You are deserving of love and respect whatever your circumstances.

If you are poor and not conventionally beautiful YOU ARE ENOUGH

If your body doesn't work the way it used to or how you would like it to YOU ARE ENOUGH

If you are battered by life's storms and productivity is low YOU ARE ENOUGH

We are all made of atoms from fallen stars. You are unique and the world needs you, just as you are YOU ARE ENOUGH

1. The 'Sort of' Rules (Do what you can, run, walk or crawl, sit and have a cry, DO IT)

F February is a Fresh Start. If the year so far isn't going to plan, have a fresh start. Your birthday, the Chinese Lunar New Year, each month and every day is a fresh start

E Eat Well. Eat foods that nourish your body and your soul

B BUDGET everything. Food, Travel, Entertainment (half term?), Personal Spends

R Remember to pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left

U UNPLUG Switch off screens at least 2 hours before bed and keep devices out of your bedroom. Not getting enough sleep injures your health and shortens your life

A Assets -check your food stocks and plan your meals around what you already have

R RESET Think about your core Values - Truth, Compassion, Kindness, Inclusivity

Y Your month. Check your financial and social committments. Family birthdays, annual bills, changing your suppliers, appointments, children's activities

2 The 'Not So Much Rules' (Suggestions to help survive February and make life better)

Y You should not force yourself to do anything, even housework (negative reinforcement)

O OUGHTS, 'Shoulds' and 'Must Dos' need to be eliminated from your vocabulary and your life. The reason auto-immune illnesses are prevalent in women is because they have spent years accommodating others and ignoring their own needs (Astrophilez). When they go to the doctors, it's often to ask for something to help them 'carry on' even when their body is screaming at them to stop and rest.

U 'U' may find cooking from scratch helps with a tight budget. Cooking a large pan of stew or soup once a week can be a meditative experience even when you are ill.

A Automate and Delegate where possible. Automate is things like setting up direct debits. Delegation involves getting others to take on responsibilities (starting with their own spaces)

R Routines can be your friend. If you already have them, tey can be used to add new good habits. If a particular area of your life is chaotic (getting children through the door on school mornings) try working out a routine, eliminating some of the snags

E Exercise - Dance your way through the darkness. Put on some music and dance

E I ENCOURAGE you to report daily and list 3 things you are GRATEFUL for

N No Spend Days - any day when you do not spend (standing orders and direct debits will go out of your bank account automatically, this is about 'impulse spending', additional food shops for items you've run out of, lunch because you forgot to bring yours from home or were in a rush. Spending on petrol or travel cards is discounted as long as it's covered by your preset budgets because we don't want anyone stuck in the snow. Any medical expenses are also exempt (including parking for hospital visits) because we don't want anyone suffering. Cash expenses (window cleaners, milk men, children's clubs) can be counted once by setting aside all the money at the beginning of the month

O ONE practical thing to make your life easier

U 'U' need to concentrate on fun activites which bring you joy

G GO OUTSIDE Layer up and get out in the sunshine (it's still there) even if you only sit in a chair

H HELPERS A man said that when he was a child and became scared by all the terrible disasters shown on the news, his mother told him to 'Look for the HELPERS' Whatever the disaster there would be people rushing to help, digging people out of the rubble, leading injured people away for medical care

grandmanerd

Reserved for Contenders

1 mothernerd

2 cuddlymarm

3 beanielou

4 weenancyinamerica

5 apple-muncher

6 f0xh0les AKA number 55

7 Shrewbie

8 IN-NEED-OF-DIRECTION

9 newroadahead

10

11

12

13

14 thriftylass

15

16

17

18 Thrifty-Taylor

cuddlymarm

Hi Mothernerd

Can I join please.
As a 64 year old it’s taken a long time to realise I’m enough and what I’m prepared or able to do is enough.
I bet there’s a lot of us that should have realised earlier.

Thanks

Cuddlymarm

beanielou

I never feel I am enough.

Can I please be 3 or 11.

Thanks @grandmanerd for our shiny new thread.

weenancyinAmerica

Hi, can I try again. I need to get over all of the negativity here in this country at the moment and deal with the problems here at home. Thank you.

thriftylass

Dear @grandmanerd, thank you for this. I'm definitely in and I am enough. So many points hit home, a lot of food for thought. By the time I'm hitting the 5-0 in a few years I would like to have dealt with a lot of those things. Now that I stopped masking with alcohol I want to truly find joy and myself again.

Could I have 14 please (my birthday this month)

beanielou

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81859619#Comment_81859619

Same birthday as my mum. ❤️

weenancyinAmerica

I just spent two hours on the phone. Actually two phones - my landline as I was on hold for almost two hours and a cell phone trying to return the calls that were coming in on the landline that I couldn't answer. They finally answered while I was on another call that I had to end quickly. I dislike phones, especially cell phones. The call on hold was for two of my roommates.

I need this site to keep me going. I don't often post, but I read it every day.

thriftylass

Good morning, payday.

I paid a good chunk of the OD and the CC. This month assertiveness is the motto. Say no to that spend, stick to the budget, stick to the menu plan, be realistic about the food shop, say no to picking up DH from the pub late (done yesterday) etc.

Got a little accountability contract with a work colleague.

Had done an order from Asda for tonight but they cancelled half an hour before my salary came in as you're meant to have the funds in 24hrs in advance. The good thing was that I was able to rethink my order, tailor it more to the meal plan, plan school snacks better (and stash them away from the Locusts as they are the reason for most unplanned top up shops when they get eaten as snacks at home). I will cancel the Asda delivery pass and go back to LIDL and Aldi. I was just getting lazy.

Have a good day

Anyway, off to work

EDIT: sth is different with me this month. The amount of times I caught myself today alone, wanting to spend money because it's payday and things "need" replaced. For instance, we're down to one bottle for our Br3ville blender, had it for years but replacing bottles is almost not worth it. So had a new one in my basket online. Then stopped and thought I could just use my stick blender and any glass or plastic vessel we have in the house to make smoothies instead (still have loads of frozen fruit from the garden to use up).

That's the mind shift I needed.

I am enough

apple_muncher

Please count me in. This is a fabulous challenge grandmanerd. Thank you!

f0xh0les

Can I join in too please Grandmanerd

I have no work at all booked in for February, but February is short and so am I.

Whoever saw a tall turtle?