What small DFW things will you do this week? w/c 4 September

La_escocesa wrote: »

My latest splurge was on a bellabeat - mum halved in with me so it *only* cost me £56.99. Anyway, so far I prefer it to my fitbit (which I got for free so it's not like that was a wasted purchase ), I can wear my regular watch that I love and my necklace buzzes if I don't move every hour - that'll keep me going today as I'm quite enjoying my current sofa set up... :rotfl:

I've had 3 buzzes so far this morning.. Must go turn off that feature :rotfl:

Oooh, I like your style CCL - defo take it easy and then a nice little nap - sounds perfect!

Dawn/DNMS,
I've been thinking quite a lot about the Challenge & why NSDs don't seem to be much of a motivator for me on the money-saving front. Before the LBM (I was a naughty spendy girl for many, many years....), the concept of a NSD would have been incredible......defo only would have happened if I was too physically poorly to get to the shops, like if I had flu or anything! I've thought about NSDs as a motivator so much this last few days, it's almost become like an essay question: "The NSD is a highly useful money-saving tool - Discuss". I'm going to stay in the September Challenge because I needed re-focussing & it's definitely helping with that. However, I won't hit that NSD target, mostly because I'm not really trying as my budgeting/money ethos doesn't really hinge on how many NSDs I have but on how effectively I stick to my budgets over the course of a month. So, on 27th Aug, I set our September budget. If we stick to each & every pot of money within that overall budget during September, then we will be ok & finish with a surplus. Although mr f & I are vastly reformed characters these days, there have been quite a few little things creeping in where I've said " Oh, let's stick it on visa debit.....our account can stand it". And that's true. I wouldn't say it if it would make us overdrawn, but what happens is that our surplus, the 'cushion' of money I leave there each month for emergencies, is eroded by stuff we didn't really need, or which could have waited until the next month's budget. So, I have no problem spending some money every day AS LONG AS it has already been committed to the relevant budget. The September Challenge is definitely helping re-focus me, but I think that for October, I will set a personal challenge for our own household budget that after I have set the figures for each part of the budget......groceries, personal spends, etc, then NO additional money will be spent, so as to maximise surplus for rebuilding savings (badly hit by some remedial building work, a new washing machine & vacuum). I think i could be quite strict with this. It's easy just to spend £3 or £4 on a little craft spend or a little bit of a vintage item from the charity shop, but they do add up, so for October, I will abandon any target for NSDs & kind of work my own system. Interesting to read that you are both feeling kind of similar with the NSDs. I am staying with the challenge though, as other parts of it are helping.......am a bit wobbly over the £10 beauty spend, but doing ok & sticking to it!
Better kick my list on now.
F x

Hello,

Had a good few days

Popped to the cinema with DD £2.50 at our local cinema, compared with £11.50 at the multiplex. Two people parking drinks and Sweets all for under tenner and supported a local business too.

Picked up 4 packs of lean minced beef for 95p each in reduced section and a chicken breast in sauce, filled the freezer.

Read the meters to ensure accurate billing, although it is cold here so I have put the heating on.

Surveys ongoing for Christmas spending money.

Agreed a start date for new job, one more week of being a lady of leisure and long list of jobs to do.

Morning all :coffee: :hello:
Yesterday went as planned - I didn't even leave the house It was nice, bestie came over for coffee and a catch up (and a slob on the new sofa) and then the boys went to watch Sunderland lose at football (nothing ever changes there). I sat on my bum and watched tv with dd and did a load of crochet, which was lovely. Mr T brought the big shop, with £4.65 taken off in brand match savings. Happy days.
Today has to include a bit of school work unfortunately but I did have the day off yesterday. Hopefully it will only be an hour or two. I'm also going to visit my mam for a catch up - going to take my crochet with me to do as I have a lot to do between now and Christmas and I don't want to stress out.
1LL - congratulations on the new you. It must be such a good feeling to buy clothes in a smaller size. I hope to get there one day.
Foxgloves - I desperately need some of your love of growing and cooking food. I bet your food tastes amazing. I wish I could find a love for it.