Bonfires and fireworks - NST November challenge

laurenh1 · 1 November 2017 at 9:32AM

Good morning Turtles

Pauper Happy birthday lovely! I too find keeping my house/finances/life in order helps with my mental health. I get overwhelmed when I feel things are not in control. I keep lists for finances, jobs I need to do, christmas etc and It helps me feel on top of things.

NSD 1/16 - I am off work today with a poorly boy so won't be going anywhere!

Organise- going to use my time off to pack for going away this weekend & do some ironing.

Value for money- think Im usually on top of this but will defo be double checking myself.

Excersize- going to try walking to Tesco a lot in the next few weeks to gey YS items. Its a good 40 mins there and back will do me good snd fill my freezer, double win

Mental health- need to concentrate on relaxing a bit more and taking it easy!

Christmas- all sorted now except food and tree. And to order hubs main gift.

Eat well- need to work on this, all gone out the window while LOs ill and we are all tired...

Good luck turtles xx

indigowarrior · 1 November 2017 at 10:10AM

Hi Please sign me up. I am going for a conserative 12 today and aiming for today to be my first NSD. It helps that I am working.

DebtFreeDuo · 1 November 2017 at 10:21AM

Happy Birthday pauper, have a lovely day and definitely leave the smashing for tomorrow! I am going to smash today and get myself off to a brilliant start!

moneysavingfamilycomp · 1 November 2017 at 12:27PM

can i join again please

Florence_J · 1 November 2017 at 1:25PM

Hello All,

Happy November 1st.

Happy Birthday Pauper1, such a lovely post.

I calculated my NSDs so far this year and I have achieved 72, which isn't bad considering that was my entire total for 2016. I am aiming to clear 100 before the end of the year. I have decided that if I buy Christmas stuff then as long as I don't buy anything else it will be a NSD as I have a separate Christmas budget.

Today won't be a NSD as I need to get the train to see my Aunt today, but I will be good in all other aspects.

BadBookkeeper · 1 November 2017 at 1:55PM

November rules
NSDs- Aiming for 12 and today is 1/12

Organise - Food Budget -£280 for whole month including the top up shopping! I am also aiming to declutter one item per day.
Value for money - I tend to do this anyway but started using topcashback site to squeeze a bit more out. Just need to remember to use it hoping to raise £100 as I have a couple of expensive items to buy and insurances this month.
Exercise - I will park further away from school to do the school run. Also at C.Parcs for 5 days so should manage this.
Mental health - For me it will be letting go of household chores a bit. My DH offers to help but I just take over. Also better sleep and eating patterns.
Be Christmas ready - The expense of Christmas spoils it! My DS is 6 on 19th so its a frantic month!! Quite organised already this year but will try to do something once a day towards the birthday/Christmas celebrations.
Eat well - Stocked up with satsumas. Will focus abit more on this as us as a family need to eat better.
Report - Grateful for grandparents to help with childcare in school holidays this week. Saves me a fortune!

My debts as of today:
MBna - £7000 5.9% moving to 0% Bcard (couldn't previously as BC min payment higher than MBna but car loan finished so have a little extra to do this)!
T£sco credit card £6740 )%
Overdraft £1500 - true figure although only ever shows as £790 due to being paid 4 weekly sometimes bills don't need to be paid until after my wages have gone in.

Trying to rid the overdraft first. 50p & 20ps saved in a jar until get £10 then pay this into bank. Living off a cash budget of £20 a week once its gone its gone!

Good Luck everyone

f0xh0les · 1 November 2017 at 3:17PM

November budgets
NSDS Will aim for 15 but be happy with 12

OrganizeSo far have a threatened visit from a friend from where I use to live, bonfire night firework display at a local tennis club (much cheaper than the rugby club one we usually go to)and I need to get a move on with finding advent calendar treats for the kids, cos with 4 a day over 24 days I need to get my skates on as I don't want to have to resort to lollies

Value for MoneyAs I was typing, Mr posh supermarket beginning with W sent some money off coupons through my door, £6 off when you spend £30, so 20% off. I will use them for the posh dairy free chocolates they do for presents, also Mr T sent me my rewards, only £8.50, but still better than nothing, and Mr S&M are sending me my loyalty vouchers this month. Everything else will be bought on the S&M credit card to boost loyalty vouchers and through a cashback site

ExcerciseI am paying for a gym membership I did not use last month - for the first time - so I need to get back into the habit of going every day. I love it, I need to shift the weight, I don't want to stop eating - JUST get on with it!!

Mental HealthI love this time of year, I love darkness, what the SAD people feel about winter, I feel about summer,
I am a cave troll. But, I hate the rampant consumerism and the greed of my kids, who are not even particularly greedy, but they don't seem to THINK that people work hard to buy them things, I wish they were more considerate, I blame the parents

Be Xmas Ready Erm, yeah, right! Ok, will give it a bash. It is hard to be captain happy xmas with a DH who refuses to engage in the whole process (I think he may have been violated by the Xmas fairy and it has coloured his life )

Eat WellWill Endeavour to do so and also lose weight - I do not HAVE to indulge everytime the kids do

Report in dailyAye Aye Captain!

Gratitudes
Although DS4 is home from school sick, he has not actually vomited and has perked up a lot after a small nap
Hot chocolate (yay!)
Lots of sofa cuddles with sick boy
Food in the fridge, love in my heart, shoes on my feet, fluff in my head.

*snow*white* · 1 November 2017 at 3:21PM

Hi there can I sign up for the month please. Haven't done a challenge for ages!

November rules

NSDs- Going to go for 15.

Organise - YNAB all upto date so planning on not having to rejig anything this month. Have found meal planning and shopping to list have also really helped lately. Have a social event with girls from school for end of the month but cheapest train ticket already booked and paid for.

Value for money - Have been quite good recently with trying to filter out the wants from the needs but always room for improvement

.

Exercise - Have lost a bit of weight recently still need to lose a bit more. Walking more but aiming to use the exercise bike more and plan some little hikes with dh to get us and the dog out the house cheaply :T.

Mental health - I am supposed to be returning to uni after interrupting due to an injury but have lost all motivation and direction. I'm actually very content with my home life and am not sure I want to go back to the massive knock on effect it had on our home life. The run up to xmas is also sometimes overshadowed by bereavement anniversarys and I really want to minimise the impact of this on my mental health whilst still remembering my Mum and Dad

.

Be Christmas ready - Presents for son and dh purchased and turkey crown in the freezer

. We are determined to have a mindful xmas spending time not money on people.

Eat well - We are generally pretty good in this area but must watch the tendency to comfort eat when hibernating.

Report - Plan to report daily

.

thriftylass · 1 November 2017 at 3:24PM

BadBookkeeper wrote: »

Mental health - For me it will be letting go of household chores a bit. My DH offers to help but I just take over.

Sounds like me, will need to do that to. Failed last night but that was still October :cool:

f0xh0les wrote: »

Organize I need to get a move on with finding advent calendar treats for the kids, cos with 4 a day over 24 days I need to get my skates on as I don't want to have to resort to lollies

Fab reminder, will need to do that too so they don't end up with sweets every morning like last year :eek: Plus the leftovers can be used for next years party bags.

Toni'sfriend · 1 November 2017 at 4:37PM

NSDs- NSD 1/12. I had to wait in for electrician and carpet fitter so that probably helped

Organise!- Have sneaked quite a lot of things in to the bin whilst the other two had their backs turned but we still have so much stuff that we don’t need. Having had to move it all for the central heating to be installed has highlighted just how much there is but unfortunately not much of it belongs to me. My son’s bedroom is just crammed, Now I know why he can never find anything. And the food cupboards were a revelation when they were emptied properly. When the food goes back in I am taking charge of it. C is not allowed to buy anything, sneak stuff in the supermarket trolly, etc. On the plus side dinner and lunch from freezer.

Value for money!- Haven’t bought anything today but need to find the best place to buy some euros.

Exercise!- Been in all day so unless clearing the under sink cupboard counts I’ve done nothing again.

Mental health!-Trying to relax but still finding things to worry about.

Be Christmas ready!- Was going to write some Christmas cards today but can’t get into the cupboard to get them.

Eat well!- HM lentil soup and rolls from freezer. That’s quite healthy.

Gratitudes – Two lovely workmen who did what they had to do in a matter of minutes. A relatively peaceful day watching what I want on TV (ie not football) because C was out with his friend.

Pauper – Hope you had a lovely birthday

Bonfires and fireworks - NST November challenge

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free