Budget Challenge: No-Stress November (Nov 1 - Nov 30)

[JRA64]

So, I just messed up the time of a hike this morning. Arrived at the carpool site when we were supposed to be at the trail head. How do I quanitify something like getting my schedule organized / not over-scheduling / being on time?

[GJT]

A minor challenge for December would be a clean up in the first week or two and then get what can be donated so that it can be sent out to the needy in time for the holiday?

Works for us as we get the kids to donate unused toys which go to St Kilda Mums.

[TrisPrior]

Just noting here before it leaves my head - because I paid cash and now can’t find the receipt - that I spent $25.11 today on last minute Thanksgiving supplies. I’m left with 4-something in grocery budget… but we are going to have such an enormous amount of food in the house, I suspect this will not be an issue, haha.

[anomalily]

By Popular request: Get your s**t together December is ON! (But only if you want to)

December Challenge: Get it Done GYSTember

December Challenge: Get it done GYSTember

Annnnddd the final budget challenge of 2019, before we kick off the 20 in 2020 Challenges (there’s 5 to choose from, go pick one!) Get Your S**t Together December (GYSTember) will run from December 1 to December 31. [image] The goal for GYSTember (pronnounced JIST-ember) is to clear out those lingering, niggling “adulting” tasks that you’ve been putting off. You must declare them and try to get them done before the end of the year. Examples of GYSTember tasks: Cancel recurring subscription…

[Elle]

It is Thor’s day. When he smashes a mighty hammer and destroys the previous week and I start a new one.

Last week I survived.
Ate half a bad frozen pizza. But maybe Thursday was the day I ate a whole good not frozen pizza? Can’t remember tbh.
Finished Christmas shopping

I also failed to earn close to a thousand dollars that I should have, also damaging client relationships in the process.
I did not do my Christmas cards because I could not go to the store I need to go to. This was extra annoying because this was a quiet week schedule wise plus sick days at home and doing Christmas cards would have been nice.

Thanks to the magic of the giant craft show, I have enough cash to not bother with the ATM for a while, and cash spending was low this week.

I want to stay mostly cash for the foreseeable future. It makes me less stressed.

For the remainder of November I wish to continue to try to not be stressed but compassionate if I am stressed

[Smacky]

I can’t think of a prize for checking in this weekend. Any suggestions?

[anomalily]

it’s the last week so forum badge this week!

[Elle]

Pizza and a coke please. After my naturopath appointment

[TrisPrior]

Really shoulda held back some spending money for the Black Friday sales (to buy things I actually do need that are deeply discounted). I did spend $12 on a pair of yoga pants because they were 50 percent off. Am discovering that going to the gym 2-3x a week but only owning one serviceable pair of (used and thrifted!) yoga pants isn’t working out so well.

Some of the sales go through Cyber Monday at least, which is in December! Hooray!

[plainjane]

Did the VPN thing. I checked my notes, it was just over 4 months since I abandoned my prior attempt.

Also checked benefits thing - I have 12 months from the cost being incurred to submit a claim. But I should still put together my receipts this weekend.

[Bracken_Joy]

Definitely buy the yoga pants, especially if only have one or two means you ever skip laundry. I have multiple friends who have learned very much the hard way that women’s bodies tend to not like this I’m lucky to not have had it happen first hand, but… yeah. A discount pair of yoga pants is cheaper and waaaay less miserable than a monistat course!

[TrisPrior]

Oh geez - novice exerciser and I did NOT even think of that. Yikes. I do not need problems with my nether regions!

[Bracken_Joy]

At your service (or cervix, in this case). May the mistakes of others save us all going forward.

[Greyweld]

snirt

[Gdogg]

I really feel like there should be a housecall obi-gyn business called “At Your Cervix”.

Or at least a website.

[Greyweld]

YES

[Ms_Terror]

I am declaring my No-stress November a success! I just finished updating all my tracking that has been ignored for the last 4 months and now I feel so much better! We kept convenience food to a minimum, although I didn’t track it, I know we didn’t buy as much because there was less wrapping to throw away.

[LifeInBalance]

@LifeInBalance

I have big changes coming in my life as I will be leaving my job in January and starting the process to apply for disability. Since I’m 49, this is sooner than I’d anticipated. I’m sometimes freaked out about it and sometimes fine (and obviously lots of emotions still to process). So, my goals:

1. Put together a list of things I need to do financially before I leave work and start working on the list.
2. Look at accounts that I don’t really use and close/consolidate them to make my finances simpler.
3. Research marketplace health plans to see if my providers and meds are covered. Sigh.

So, I kind of crashed and burned the last two weeks. I haven’t made much progress on the list of things to do (#1), but I have gone to my medical appointments. So, I have my work cut out for me in December.

ETA: I finished #2 and 3 as much as I can for now.

[katscratch]

@katscratch

my goals for the remainder of this week are to continue not spending money on expensive things I don’t need and to review my 2019 spending and make a rough spending plan for my coming year.

I did the first part! I did not buy a Bosch stand mixer and electronics and random bike stuff and booze.

So far my spending plan for next year is a goal of zero spending on certain categories. I’m mulling over the 2020 challenge options.

[Clare-Dragonfly]

I did not buy all the things I wanted to buy in November, but I didn’t spend on any random stuff, either.