NST January: Health, Wealth and a Life Well Lived

crazy_cat_lady · 9 January 2018 at 2:00PM

Hi all
Thank you for the welcome back - I have been gone blimming ages. Things are pretty much the same in the CCL household - some good days and some bad. I love having been promoted at work, love my cleaner and am finally starting to get some quality sleep. However, I have fallen off the frugality wagon in a large way. I was getting complacent with the fact that I had savings, then the naughty tortie needed another massive operation and has wiped my savings out. Plus my cousin died very unexpectedly just before Christmas, and I'm having to pay a bit in fuel and hotel costs for the funeral as it's 200 miles away (and still hasn't happened yet). I've found myself really skint straight after Christmas, and although I'm not back in debt I really need to stop my frivolous spending and get my savings going again.
I'm sorry I don't remember who it was that asked about crochet. I crochet - and rather than Granny Square pixels, I prefer corner to corner crochet (C2C), it's smaller for definite... I learned that before I knew about Granny Square pixel stuff.

DancingDragons · 9 January 2018 at 4:04PM

Afternoon All.
Wasted my time yesterday at a local council meeting; they haven’t the faintest idea about real life. :mad:Woke to a stroppy teen, Yay, the shower’s not working and it’s clearly my fault. Then a text warning me there’s no water. Fortunately DH bottled some due to the low pressure from the shower. Several others texts followed –school may or may not be closed, may or may not open later and so on. With work to do I spent the day in soft play…with broken heating & naff tea. Can’t find missing notes for a job, still searching for required ID to set up the bank accounts so not a good day all in all. Remember folks. DH is A: not a good bank. B: not a good guardian of things you do not wish to lose.

Pay to debts/savings Done.
Reading: Done.
Activity Don’t make me laugh ¬.¬
NSD: lost yesterday andspendy today.
Chandelier. Ditch the takeaway coffees – you’ll save a fortune, take one with you. Plan lunches, take sarnies, salads, pasties (Thank you Foxholes, why didn’t I think of this one?)
It’s taken me a few months to harness the “planning ahead” Plan your NSDs, don’t hope. Make them happen.
Nicky Noo Na glad you enjoyed your Zumba.
Is my happiness related to my dreams? No, if today is anything to go by, happiness is related to things going according to plan.:(
Gratitudes: Finishing a book, positive vibes coming from another client. DH having the presence of mind to bottle water before it went off completely. :T That today is two thirds over.

Toni'sfriend · 9 January 2018 at 6:19PM

Spendy day. Had to get my hair done - no really I HAD to. Feeling a total frump.
In addition the laptop is absolutely refusing to connect to the internet. No idea why. So the 11 year old back up (old faithful) has come to the rescue. Now the virgin TV signal has gone.

Lauralozzle · 9 January 2018 at 7:35PM

Both today and yesterday have been NSD so I’m at 5/18. Pretty pleased with myself!

Didn’t manage to post yesterday, ended up falling asleep straight after dinner.

I’ve hit 10,000 steps both today and yesterday.

I ended up amending the hours of our heating today - I had it starting at seven in the evening but we have been getting back at six and the house has been freezing. So, it’s necessary but I’m sure I will see the direct debit increase come our next bill. We are in credit at the moment though so hopefully it won’t be too bad.

greent · 9 January 2018 at 7:49PM

Janus a time to look forwards - where do you want to be in 12 months from now? 12 months: debt free (exc BTL mtge - but target of 4K ops) A decent no of jobs completed from our 'to do' list for the house (some are small, some are big/ long term/ expensive) Fitter. Hopefully with 2 children at uni. Pensions sorted.
Today's actions towards this - transferred more money into kitchen fund

.

Activity. This is a BOGOF one. Take up a new hobby or resurrect an old one. ALSO, be active. Keep moving. Today: - more kitchen packing up done (lifting/ bending/ stretching) 10k steps done whilst doing so.
Non-negotiables
-18 NSDs (if not, why not?) (not fussed if I don't achieve this as long as budgets aren't blown) 2/18.
-your budgets are set by the start of the month and are fixed.
Food - 98.05/£400
Fuel - £63/65 -
Toiletries - 0/£10
Household - 55.63 /£20 - (busted due to new toaster/ teatowels)
Clothes - 12.13/ £60
Social - 86.39 + McDs/ £100 (all bday related)
Gifts - 15/ £50 -
-£5 to foodbank / charity - DONE
-pay money to your debts/savings FIRST - day to day CCs paid off in full, usual monthly pymt to OH's car finance. Some money transferred to kitchen fund. My tax bill paid in full (£565). Min payments to both 0% CCs this month until kitchen expenditure known in full, instead of estimated
-meal plan - I don't do this. OH hates meal planning. However, I am targeting stuff which needs using up first, even if only for me. Gaps in freezer and on shelves.

Always plan your meals; always take a shopping list; always take your lunch to work and drink + snacks when out and about; avoid all coffee shops, vending machines, work canteens... -ok
Reduce, re-use, repair, re-gift, recycle, recover, refuse! And read. ok. Today I repaired one of DS2's cuddly toys (I also sewed a swimming badge on DS3's towel whilst I was in the mood) Added some sewing items to shoebox appeal bag (they make up sewing kits for adults)

Stretch challenge - aim to get extra money of £50. £23.81/£50 (claimed some payable tcb) (+ £7 net ebay sale for DS3) Aim to declutter 50 items. 100/50:j
Have joined pay off all your debts by Xmas 2018, MFW 2018 (looking to OP £4k on BTL mtge), Declutter in 2018 (aiming for 2018 items!:eek:) Relisted 7 items on fleabay - 1 now sold

something Joyful in Jan : n/a today

Cold here again today - spent first couple of hours after school run attacking the ironing mountain to warm me up! :rotfl: Other than that, not much to report x

x_raphael_xx · 9 January 2018 at 7:53PM

Evening all

Lazy day today, BF went to work and I stayed snugged up in bed with the pup til 10. Then I got to the gym for a PT session & then headed to the cinema. My bestie had given me a free ticket so not a penny spent.
Popped in the shop on my way home as I was getting hungery and fancied a wrap. Picked one up, saw the £2.90 price tag, put it down and walked out.

Janus - 12 Months target to repay Mum. £241.03 / £3000
Nothing added today, although I got my payslip, so know how much extra pay I have from NY to pop into the fund on friday.

Activity. Crochet & keep active.
PT session at the gym, arms and back today. This year one of my goals is to do one unassisted pull up, so today was step one.

Non-negotiables:
-[STRIKE]18[/STRIKE] 25 NSDs 8/25
Yesterday was a spend day. Bought some long running tights, all of mine are 3/4 length and let in the icy cold.
Also bought some boxing pads with birthday money from my mum. BF bought lunch, (I got my free birthday cookie from Subway) I bought costa. Bodyshop gave me a free £5 birthday voucher, and I managed to come away with shower gel and a bath bomb for just that.
We also bought a new armchair and footstool/storage cube for the frontroom.
-£5 to foodbank / charity

Unabashed, unambiguous, unconditional, undaunted, undivided, unerring, unshakeable devotion to your goal(s). [more on this later]
Sunday I did a 10k run. I didn't get a pb, but I did beat my time last year by a whole 9 minutes for the same route. Very pleased with my efforts

Always plan your meals; always take a shopping list; always take your lunch to work and drink + snacks when out and about; avoid all coffee shops, vending machines, work canteens... Slow cooker curry planned for tomorrow, and I will make a chicken pie at the same time for thursday.

Reduce, re-use, repair, re-gift, recycle, recover, refuse! And read.

You are the key to reducing your debt, living modestly, keeping as fit and well as you can. So look after yourself - physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
I was really tired this morning, so treated myself to a well earned lie in.

I want to re-introduce Bob's s t r e t c h challenge for January: how much extra an you earn / save off your food shop / move / remove.

mummylewis · 9 January 2018 at 8:39PM

Evening!

We managed another NSD today so that makes 6/18. Really like coming home to a DH that's pleased with himself for not spending and we tick it off on the calendar

Tomorrow will be spendy, going to take DD swimming and need to get more toilet roll and nappies so we'll stock up at Costco.

Got an email earlier to say my costume refund had come through so I'll pull that to the bank from PayPal and put in savings as soon as it's cleared.

Grateful today for DH doing dinner, a free car parking ticket and a very well behaved 2 year old!

apple_muncher · 9 January 2018 at 9:07PM

Today I am grateful for being fit and able to walk when the bus failed to show up, for a good counselling session, for getting some onions, for dd enjoying school, for dd going to brownies albeit for only an hour as she's so tired, for dd's love of reading, for spare meals in the freezer to pull out when needed, for my sister feeling better and taking time off work, for dh persevering and booking our tickets to Oz for the summer :j, for having the SAVINGS to pay for the tickets outright.

thriftylass · 9 January 2018 at 9:16PM

Swapped tomorrow's SFD for today's as it was more practical. Spend £67 in Tesco. All own brand., reduced or not cheaper elsewhere. Also bought tomboy DD a dress she loves for 6 quid and two soup caddies reduced to 2.

Making a massive batch of lentil, veg, buckwheat soup in HM ham hock stock in the SC to use up random bits. Will do some more decluttering later and hopefully get to read tonight. Now will try and have at least anither 5 SFDs in a row till milk runs out

mothernerd · 9 January 2018 at 9:56PM

Fully lurgified today, it took me nearly 2 hours to get washed and dressed. Went to little Arseda to buy milk for mum and had to hold onto the freezer for a while after bending down to look at the ys - no bargains.

Met DS2 who was coming to borrow more money, so he carried two bags round to the taxi office for me. Mum was waiting by the gate and told me to go straight home if I was not well (think she is probably afraid of catching it). The driver took the milk and a bag of groceries in for her and brought me back (only wanted to charge me a pound, don't think he had the meter on).

My big shelves arrived soon after I came home (were only due Friday and the little ones were expected next Monday and they are here also. Rested for a while but have started to pile my things up in the bath (only row one so far) and have pulled things out from under the bed. Lots of it is sorted or semi-sorted and I have shuffled filing and some other things as I went along - that way I get to sit on the bed in between carrying things and there will be less to do later.

I have to make enough room to assemble the shelves (bed will stand on it's side) but Beloved has been sleeping all day so can't be noisy. I may sleep on the spare bed in the front room and continue tomorrow - left my boots and coat handy for if I feel the need to run away from it all and have a bag of food (had already gathered some to take to mum's). Taking my time with everything as I do not want to be more ill.

Today I am grateful for a 'day off'', for easy to eat food (lots of yoghurt, spready sandwich fillings, veg with dip) and for a good book and tv series (Women's Murder Club) to break the monotony.

NST January: Health, Wealth and a Life Well Lived

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