May the (NST) force be with you

swimminginaseaofdebt · 29 April 2017 at 11:00PM

Evening,

Can I join in this month please? Have lost track of my April shenanigans but need to get back on board as I have been very naughty and booked a summer holiday for next year.

abundant1972 · 30 April 2017 at 1:22AM

Thanks Misstara - count me in

misstara · 30 April 2017 at 6:35AM

That's everyone numbered up to here

x_raphael_xx · 30 April 2017 at 10:24AM

May's Challenges

Aim for at least [STRIKE]16[/STRIKE] 20 NSDs - Last month was a biggy, so want to keep a tight reign in May.
Pay to your savings first - Wanting to reach £1000 savings total this month.
Daily gratitudes -
Go outside -
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
2017 aims:
Lose weight
Getting there slowly. I reached my first 10lb goal last month, then promptly put some of it back on again.
BF is fed up with being overweight too, we have found a deal for a months worth of Diet Chef each, so the food will be managed (we're cooking over the weekends to break up the monotony)
I went to the gym for the first time in forever last week. I've decided to sign up with a PT, but will meet just once a month to check I'm on track. She destroyed me, I still can't move my arms!
My next target is 20lbs off my start weight.
Buy a house
Paperwork is still ongoing. We are 13 weeks in and awaiting sellers solicitors answers to search enquiries.
Hopefully we will get some good news soon. [/FONT]

Toni'sfriend · 30 April 2017 at 11:29AM

Goodness 1st May tomorrow.
Have reviewed budgets and set aside all the out goings so I know where I am. Have to say it's not exactly where I'd like to be but never mind I'll manage. Think I've got away a little from my plans so have to get back to being more MSE. Freezers are looking better but still a bit to go. Need to get back into proper meal planning and stick to it. As usual I prefer to watch the pennies rather than set NSDs.
Can't do anything with the porch until the building work is done and it doesn't look like starting anytime soon but I'll get out in the sunshine (?) by keeping up the walking.
Failed miserably with the weight loss and drinking. Back to square one. Just needs some discipline and willpower.
Enough to be going on with for now.
Good luck, everyone.

Lauralozzle · 30 April 2017 at 12:53PM

May Challenge

NSD - I will aim for 16.

Pay debts/savings first - Money has been transferred to joint account for bills/debts. Money has also been transferred to savings account for the wedding.

2017 Aims

Save, save, save! - So, the main focus this year is to save up for the wedding. This has started off very well - and I was above my target. I'm still saving according to the plan but I'm down on where I thought I would be, although hopefully this money can be recovered.

My mother is buying my wedding dress but it was ready to collect two weeks ago and she didn't have the funds to pay the rest of it off. To avoid any drama at the bridal store I paid the rest of it off there and then and it is now at my mothers house (we have to keep it until about 8 weeks before the wedding and then I go back in for alterations which is an extra £200). Now, I do hope that my mother does pay me back, and she said she will, but I am not counting on it 100%. Things at her work place are not going well so there is an expectation in the back of my mind that she will leave.

I want to be fully prepared in case she cannot pay me back, so I am going to try and save really hard to make up the difference. This is going to be tough because we are stretched as we are (we are now saving £400 a month and there is not much room to cut anything else as our bills have gone up! Damn gas and electricity! Furthermore, we still have debts to pay as both cars are on finance).

I have some gold that I didn't really want to sell (my grandmother gave it to me and I have already sold some of it) but I might keep a few pieces for keeps sake and sell the rest. I haven't made my mind up yet though. An extra £700 will have to be found somewhere. The only logical place I can think is food shopping and stop all takeaways. Tom won't be pleased with that but it's the only thing I can think of doing.

To top that off the heal in my boots caved in last week, but they're still wearable and summer will be here before I know it and I can start wearing my sandals then.

Weight loss - Well, let's pretend that wasn't a target because I haven't lost anything! In fact, I've gained a few. This I really need to get under control!

bizzie · 30 April 2017 at 3:27PM

Can I join in please.
Will be back later with update/review on how the year has gone since setting year's targets back in January.

greent · 30 April 2017 at 7:15PM

Busy month coming up, but I shall aim to post every day - and really like the daily gratitudes

Garden is in need of attention - suspect Whit week will be when I get to spend a decent amount of time in it

Goals set in Jan: "By the end of the year I want to have halved the (non mtge) debt we have and have lost 20lbs - and also get fitter along the way"
Debt-busting - as at 30/04 we have paid £8983 off our debt - (I also set a target for the year of 10k, so we will more than achieve that bit) of £21711. We will definitely more than halve it this year :j
Weight loss & fitness. As at 31/03 I had lost 8lbs and was regularly doing Zumba, started c25k and also HIITs. A cold which went to my chest for 3 weeks and the Easter break and no willpower meant I've done nothing and have eaten rubbish

:o. Am back on it for May! Will report back at month end

NSDs - as usual, will monitor, but not setting an actual target as budgets are more my thing

Debts are taken by DD. Extra monies made/ received (fleabay, cashback etc) go to a separate account for extra payments

x

mrshubbard · 30 April 2017 at 8:02PM

I'm aiming for the 16 NSDs. Hopefully will hit it this time.

Paying debts first - We've done this months budget and have put money in the joint account for dds, drawn out our spends, earmarked what is left for our final car payment, cc payments, work on the garden and left a little spare in case of emergencies. If we beat our food and spends budgets at the end of the month the left over will go to our car payment cc.

I didn't do the January challenge so will make my 2017 aims now.

Debts -

1) We have £6500 as a final payment for the car this month. I want this clear by Xmas 2017.

There's at least £500 spare in this months budget to go to it. I have shares to sell for £3000 of it but want to hold off a bit as the value's dropped and typically picks up in July plus I get dividends then too of at least £100. £2100 is covered by the payment we'd usually pay to the car monthly anyway. This leaves £800, I'm hoping the shares will go up and cover a bit more of this. I'm also planning to make extra payments each month over the £300 out of whatever's left each month. I get a Christmas bonus of £200, have more shares I could sell in October and I'm also doing the 365 day penny challenge so should have £600ish saved by Xmas if needed but I'd rather clear it without touching these.

2) To clear my overdraft of £1000 instead of being right up to it each month so we've always got that to use for emergencies only

Health & happiness

To be more positive about my life

Things are going well now with family & friends, our money situation is improving. I would like a new job but I know this is something I can change. I think continuing the daily gratitudes will help with this. To try to regain my fitness once bubs is here but slowly and not putting pressure on myself. I'm struggling with my hip at the minute but have ordered a yoga dvd and hoping this will help a little until he arrives.

pippy1971 · 30 April 2017 at 8:37PM

Hello,

Please could I join? I've very much lost my MSE ways of late and my finances are looking dire :eek:, so I need some motivation to keep my debit card in my purse.

Thank you!

May the (NST) force be with you

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