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'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

Think it, Plan it, Do it
Tortoise1000
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'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#78349

Postby Tortoise1000 » September 1st, 2017, 7:32 am

Happy September, YTSTers! I hope everyone is looking forward to the new academic year. Ten years to the day since the first monthly goals thread was started. What has changed since then? What are you going to do this month to change the future?

T

splosh
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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#78369

Postby splosh » September 1st, 2017, 9:34 am

Woah - 10 years, who would have thought?

Well, my life is distinctly different now from then for sure. Though I didn't join in the monthly threads until I left my previous job to go freelance and had to create my own structure.

This month is due to be completely bonkers for me - in a good way (lots of fun work), but also important to get to the end of it alive.

Work
1. 1 workshop
2. 10 coaching gigs (10!!!)
3. One training weekend (planning mostly done already, phew)
4. Keep on top of admin and blog amidst all of the above
5. Keep on top of prep for October (again, a lot done in August, but still some to do)

Play
1. See friend for coffee
2. See other friend for dinner
Not adding very much else in here. I am going to find evenings at home on the sofa sufficiently few this month that they will feel like treats.

Home/Health/Family
1. Support Mum through aftermath of unpleasant event
2. Keep garden tidy into autumn
3. Start new upcycling project
4. Get enough recovery/relaxing time between intensive work things

Other
1. Committee meeting for one volunteer role
2. Continue developing two related initiatives for that volunteer role

There are a couple of other things looming that may or may not happen, but I'll add them in if they occur - balls are in other people's courts and I have enough to do without chivvying them into action.

I can say quite confidently that it won't be a spend-nothing month, but it will be an earn-quite-a-lot month which is just as useful in its way :-)

splosh

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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#79472

Postby pancake101 » September 6th, 2017, 9:52 am

Like splosh says - Whoa

Its crazy to think its 10years.

When I think of all the help and support that has been given here, how lives have moved as we planned changes. How we adapted when life changed things for us.

Thank you all - and special thanks to the Head Teacher, who noticed this remarkable anniversary. :)

Oooo, I have homework too

What are you going to do this month to change the future?


I'll put the kettle on and ponder this.

Tortoise1000
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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#80447

Postby Tortoise1000 » September 11th, 2017, 4:41 pm

TJ was embarking on his first year at secondary school ten years ago. Scooting through the park on his micro-scooter. I walked with him sometimes, on my way to and from work. We collected conkers en route.

I have retired now, and he has just graduated from university, and I have to say he is still taking up a great deal of my time. However, he is out of my hair now for a couple of weeks, off on Army training courses. Time to make plans:

1. Health

This is the main one I am tackling in September. I seem to have collected a lot of ailments recently, and made a resolution to go to the GP about them. To save her time, I wrote a concise summary of the symptoms. She read through it and said 'Excellent!' Humph! I hope she meant, this is a good clear account. It sounded rather like 'Excellent , you are nice and ill!' :-) So anyway, I have done that goal before I got round to posting it. Now I have to follow up with blood tests and x-rays etc. Chronic problems are so unappealing to sort out. But I have got over the 'bothering the doctor' hurdle and I have got the time, so I just have to tortoise up about the prospect of a long-drawn-out series of NHS appointments and people sticking needles in me. I resolve to be brave about the needles and keep the momentum going.

Continue with home-made healthcare programme of attending SW meetings and recording walks on Strava.

2. Finances

I have lost momentum on this due to TJ dramas. Do various tasks on the frog list.

3. House project

Do at least one day of work on decorating my bedroom. This is one of the things that prompted the doctor appointment, that it wasn’t getting done due to ailments. Must do something.

Visit tile shop to choose bathroom tiles.

Do one task per day off the frog list, either in this category or finance.

4. Decluttering

Nothing this month

5. Support TJ

Oh dear, I feel tired at the prospect. When he gets back, help him find new lodgings (yet again) and move into them. Help with the Army appeal. Keep track of the finances. Think how to help him with the cookery. Try to help him not lose everything all the time. It would be easier if I were nearer , but I don’t see how that can be arranged. Perhaps ‘allow lots of time for crises and don’t expect to get much else done’ is the simplest way to look at it.

That’s a weary set of goals! One of my 2017 goals was to go on holiday. Perhaps I should do something about it.

T

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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#80575

Postby amh4 » September 12th, 2017, 9:58 am

Good afternoon all YTSTers, and what a great anniversary to have made! 2007 seems so long ago, and yet today is made up of all the decisions I have made in those years. Mind you, time has to have played a part in the increasing stiffness of limbs and the slower pace I can manage - I didn't do all that on my own!

I have been away from the boards for a couple of months, working my way through a painful emotional process, which is now part of my history. I am left with more energy, and whilst I can be struck by the dreaded "did I do the right thing" every so often, I know that I am now ready to pick up the rest of my future, with a sense of wellbeing.

So, the anniversary of this board, coincides with my own new start, which feels very good! Of course, the details will be much the same, but I will tackle them in a more positive mood.

Eyes down, here we go:-
1. Work
Last month I decided that is was time to give up the daily accounts of our small company, and I am haning them over to my daughter-in-law at the beginning of October. This will mean that the annual accounts are filed, and the accountants will check over things, so they are clean and tidy for the hand-over. I will still do most of the admin, but the accounts were beginning to bug me, and I am glad to have made this decision.

2. Home
I have made a start on the refurbishing of the living room. I have found someone to recover the sofas and chairs, and also found the most gorgeous material for the curtains. The material is from India and is a huge pattern of a paisley design on a neutral linen background. The paisley is embroidered in all the colours I associate with India, vibrant and bold, and it is so different from my normal plain choices, that I am blown away by them. The thoughts about the rest of the room have just fallen into place around the curtain choice, since any more drama would be too much, if you see what I mean.
Now I need to find a decorator for the redecorating of the living room, hallway, main bedroom and porch. I also need to find material for the bedroom curtains as well, but no such amazing vibrancy in there, something calming and relaxing I think. The bathroom can wait until that is all organised, as it is a stand alone project.

On the apartment, I have chosen sofa beds in a blue grey, so must place an order for them, as well as new mattresses. Then I need to track down a console table for the intended permanent computer (I cannot risk taking my laptop back and forth, in case the airports do start banning them) and a dressing table for the bedroom. I need to find some beautiful but plain ceiling lightshades to replace my trusty old paper globes, which have served me so well for two decades - anybody have any ideas, apart from IKEA? Then I need to find someone who can measure up and make floor to ceiling roller blinds for the three sections of the french windows - I realise that a good deal of the fading in the apartment is directly due to the sun, and I need the blinds to keep the sun out whilst we are not there.

3 Garden

Begin tidying plants away as they come to the end of the season, and mulch all the beds before winter, so the worms can pull the new down to mix with the old, ready for new growth next year. I am also going to lay gravel around the veggie beds, as the bark is becoming far too hospitable with the weeds for my liking. Then, as those beds are cleared over the next eight to twelve weeks, they will need mulching. Phone the local tree surgeon so we can have a walkabout and decide what needs pruning/removing next January, and get a date in the diary.

4.Family

Stay in touch with each of the children and their families, also my brother who is very unwell. I have invited the whole family here on the 23rd December, and will provide a buffet of some sort, so that all of us see each other, without it impinging too much on Christmas itself. Also organise driving lessons for two grandsons, as I believe that is a life skill that is well worth having, especially. And it seems to bring such confidence with the licence!

5. *New*

With the time I am freeing up by giving up the accounts, I have enrolled on a creative writing course. Writing is something Ihave dreamed of doing since I was quite young, and life intervened (as so often happens) and I have decided now is my time. Bring it on!

That will do for the moment - that seems quite enough, since we are already a third of the way through the month.

splosh
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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#81022

Postby splosh » September 14th, 2017, 9:42 am

Well, the month seems to be positively romping away, so time to check in to see how the goals are going.

Oh, and Tortoise, getting on with your holiday goal sounds like an excellent idea. Consider yourself encouraged.

Work
1. 1 workshop
Done
2. 10 coaching gigs (10!!!) Only one so far. Got four coming up in the next four days though. I may have miscounted now I think about it. There may be only nine in total.
3. One training weekend (planning mostly done already, phew) Coming up next weekend.
4. Keep on top of admin and blog amidst all of the above So far so good
5. Keep on top of prep for October (again, a lot done in August, but still some to do) On hold until after the training weekend.

Play
1. See friend for coffee
2. See other friend for dinner
Have done both of these.
Not adding very much else in here. I am going to find evenings at home on the sofa sufficiently few this month that they will feel like treats. They especially feel like treats if you make an apple and blackberry crumble to eat while snuggled up on the sofa.

Home/Health/Family
1. Support Mum through aftermath of unpleasant event
Been quite busy with this in the first half of the month. Will be handing over more to my brother now work things are hotting up. But she's okay in herself, and the practical side of things are in hand.
2. Keep garden tidy into autumn Keeping on top of this mostly
3. Start new upcycling project Have made a good start. Won't have much space for more until the last week of the month now.
4. Get enough recovery/relaxing time between intensive work things Okay so far, but the bonkers bit hasn't started yet.

Other
1. Committee meeting for one volunteer role
Yes, quite enjoying this so far. A more functional team than the other organisation I volunteer for.
2. Continue developing two related initiatives for that volunteer role Yes, progress made, and feeling well supported by the rest of the committee.

Okay, so far so good, though it wasn't ever the first half of the month that was going to be very challenging!

splosh

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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#81496

Postby futuresaver101 » September 16th, 2017, 4:29 pm

Hi everyone,

So Sorry for the delay in posting, Ms FS101 here proceeded to get confused with her passwords and then just generally dithered about getting a new one. (I know, it's just a question of clicking on a link done by the nice Lemon Fool people...)

Anyway, better late than never. Pausing to reflect...

Ten years since the start of YTST.

YTST monthly threads, and you lovely YTST-ers, have been my steady companions over the past decade, ups and downs. I have slayed frogs, forgotten to post and taken a range of approaches (focussed - and not) to monthly goal settings. Oh, and the number of times I have stared at my keyboard thinking, so how shall I make these "vibes" come out - before randomly playing my keyboard with a big clattering of keys :)

Put simply, I am a (very) grateful FS101

Right, back to work with this month's question is

"What are you going to do this month to change the future?"


Given that I have left myself half a month to achieve a month's change, I had better crack on!

Let's look at things in order
1) Sport. Here it's just a question of keeping going with the existing programme. My new goal this month is to get a set of silicon cups (and BioOil) as my trainer has shown me this month (a tough painfully) just how good they are for muscle massage.

Change Goal #1: Buy and use silicone cups (muscles, and cellulite too)

2) Brain (aka Mind and Work). Gosh, this grey matter of mine is busy.

I guess I don't think of my brain as having a non-work life, thinking basically being work as far as I am concerned. And the sort of non-work thinking I do (centred on mentoring younger people in different walks of life) still involves thinking.

This month I will be preparing two conference papers on a particular technical topic (which I don't think I know much about :? , and leading some external consultants to find out whether we should expand out into a new business area. The CEO decided this is something we should look at...so, all of a sudden, my political stock has risen rather unexpectedly.

And I've been asked to take up chair of a small education charity next yea. Which I'd like to do, development experience, and also fits into my longer term plans.

So, to keep this brain of mine steady I need to think more about non-thinking.

Change Goal #2: Step up my Headspace, to daily practice on the morning commute. And try out mini (3 min) Headspace on the commute home. Target is 20 min per day

3) FS101 in 2027. As for other posters (and lurkers - I know you are out there :)) so much has happened in the past ten years, and all of it pretty much unpredicted (what's the saying, you can only predict that it will be unpredictable?). I am happier and (mostly) healthier now, but financially poorer (but still have plenty).

Over the next ten years, one or both parents might pass away, I might get sick (cancer is at the back of my mind, not quite sure why), and I still have loads to do, that I want to do. Some people talk about retiring, and I think "I can't, have got stuff to do". I've got a really cool 5 year plan which I am one year into, and it's fun seeing the seeds of things potentially happening in the future too.

Healthy body and mind are the #1 priority to be an FS101 going at 100% in 2027 (I never was a 50% kinda gal) but I think I need some new role models.

Change Goal #3: Think of myself as an energetic-approaching-50, and find 5 role models, and put their photos on my phone. Would you like to know who I think of? Anyone got any suggestions?

OK, that's enough musing and reflection, better get on, I've only got 15 days left to go

Take care all, and I'll post back soon. Hugs to all of those of you dealing with September challenges and ups and downs

FS101

P.S. T, I agree with you. I think doctors secretly like some sorts of illnesses, as they see them as puzzles they can solve. Good luck with getting the pieces in the right order

splosh
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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#83900

Postby splosh » September 27th, 2017, 11:48 am

Hello all,

Coming up for air after an absurdly busy patch. Not that there's very much month left if I've not done stuff, but just as well to check.

Work
1. 1 workshop
Done. Feels like an age ago!
2. 10 coaching gigs I had miscounted this, but I have acquired an extra one, so I'm back to a total of 10. 8 down, 2 to go
3. One training weekend Done, went well.
4. Keep on top of admin and blog amidst all of the above Yes, it has felt a bit of a struggle at a couple of points, but I'm mostly on it.
5. Keep on top of prep for October There is some doubt as to whether the main thing I'm preparing for will go ahead, due to issues with numbers. So I have deferred doing any more work on it until next week when a decision will be made. It will be a shame if it is cancelled, but I've got enough other work on that I won't mind too much.

I've had a couple of extra bits of work come in for this week - stuff I can do at home, and only a couple of hours - and I have half a day less at home this week between coaching trips than I had anticipated, so it feels a bit heroic to still be on top of stuff at this point!

Play
1. See friend for coffee
2. See other friend for dinner
Have done both of these.
Not adding very much else in here. I am going to find evenings at home on the sofa sufficiently few this month that they will feel like treats.
Oh my, yes.

Home/Health/Family
1. Support Mum through aftermath of unpleasant event
She's okay in herself now, and my brother has taken over helping with the practical things while I was away.
2. Keep garden tidy into autumn Thanks are due to MrSplosh who did a good deal while I was away so we're staying mostly on top of this.
3. Start new upcycling project Have made a good start. Am too busy with the keeping on top of work things between coaching trips to attempt anything much more on this before October. It will be nice to get back to it when I have a bit more space.
4. Get enough recovery/relaxing time between intensive work things I have been feeling generally pleased with my pacing/stamina, and especially with succeeding in fighting off rather than succumbing to colds several times. But I am running on low right now. I have a little more work I need to do before I head off on my next coaching trip Friday morning, but intend to get some downtime too.

Other
1. Committee meeting for one volunteer role
Yes, quite enjoying this so far. A more functional team than the other organisation I volunteer for.
2. Continue developing two related initiatives for that volunteer role Good progress made. I have a couple more actions that need doing before I go away again, on the list for tomorrow.

Phew.

Good luck to all for the home straight!
splosh

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Re: 'Spend Nothing September' 10th Anniversary

#84971

Postby Tortoise1000 » October 1st, 2017, 6:44 pm

Good effort, splosh!

Here is my September report. I posted wearily at the beginning of the month. I am pleased to say that things look much brighter at this end.

1. Health

I seem to have collected a lot of ailments recently, and made a resolution to go to the GP about them. Now I have to follow up with blood tests and x-rays etc. I resolve to be brave about the needles and keep the momentum going.


Done! A weight off my mind. Though a little disappointed not to get any stickers. Follow-up appointment booked.

Continue with home-made healthcare programme of attending SW meetings and recording walks on Strava.

Meetings attended. 57 miles recorded.

2. Finances

I have lost momentum on this due to TJ dramas. Do various tasks on the frog list.


Some progress, about as much as could be expected from such a vague goal.

3. House project

Do at least one day of work on decorating my bedroom. This is one of the things that prompted the doctor appointment, that it wasn’t getting done due to ailments. Must do something. Visit tile shop to choose bathroom tiles. Do one task per day off the frog list, either in this category or finance.


Yes! As I hoped, a modest aim got me started. I decided to paint the inside of the garage first, which was on the critical path for various other frogs. Not the easiest thing to do when suffering from dizziness, I found, and the third step of the ladder was alarming. I kept the garage door open so someone would notice if I fell off, but it wasn’t enjoyable. Luckily I inherited a long –handled brush from Dad and that got me through. Then onto the bedroom which is not so high-ceilinged. Nearly done.

The tile shopping didn’t get done, of course. There is always something more interesting to do than that

4. Decluttering

Nothing this month


Actually I did do something, I started to re-read the Marie Kondo book. I am getting the idea of what she means now. My house is not particularly cluttered these days, but there is always scope to go round again. The less the better, I am sure.

I hasn’t grasped how important it is to hold things. That seems to be what make the difference, rather than simply looking at them and being undecided. It looks improbable when she demonstrates , though she is very charming, but it works better than you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AvWs2X-bEA


5. Support TJ

When he gets back, help him find new lodgings (yet again) and move into them. Help with the Army appeal. Keep track of the finances. Think how to help him with the cookery. Try to help him not lose everything all the time. It would be easier if I were nearer , but I don’t see how that can be arranged. Perhaps ‘allow lots of time for crises and don’t expect to get much else done’ is the simplest way to look at it
.

OK, he is back, after an interesting fortnight of parachuting and rock climbing. Dramas most days as usual. However the good news is he is moving into a new home tonight.

T


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