NST November: battening down the hatches!

A question about : NST November: battening down the hatches!

Imagine being all alone on a vast ocean. The only sight other than the water and sky is the enemy's ship coming towards you and running out their cannon…. In preparation for the attack, you batten down the hatches of your ship to protect you from the cannon balls.

Debt busting can feel like being all alone on a vast ocean, but our Armada of ninja saving turtles will work together to pull in our heads and legs and batten down the hatches in preparation for some serious debt busting before the merriment of December!

This month is all about deciding what your priorities are and budgeting accordingly. NO impulse buys, NO Ј5 coffees or Christmas tat. This is particularly applicable if flashing lights, sequins or canned music is involved. JUST SAY NO.

Many of us have come a long way, but still have a long way to go. This month is all about stepping apart from the pressure to spend, spend, spend and re-evaluating our priorities. In addition to our usual debt-busting activities, can you review your monthly bills - can you get a better deal? What do you fritter money away on? How can you conserve energy and heat during the winter? Can you reduce the cost of Christmas/ your winter holiday of choice, by doing a secret santa or limiting spending on presents? Going out for a nice meal with a group of friends can be both cheaper than buying them all presents, and better than getting 6 toiletry sets.

Rules for the challenge are below (usual caveat about not reposting the challenge, to avoid the thread getting too long). There will also be weekly mini challenges, continuing the nautical theme.

Rules of the challenge:

1. Set ALL your budgets at the beginning of the month. This includes any Christmas presents you want to buy this month! No going over, so choose wisely and really think about how you are allocating your money. The challenge will run from 00:01 1st November to 23:59 on the 30th. Make sure you have budgeted your needs for the whole month now.

2. Pay towards your debt first. No exceptions. If you are debt free, put aside some money for savings first.

3. 15 No Spend Days - this means you can spend every other day. If you want to really stretch yourself, aim for 20. As usual, yellow stickers/ direct debits/ prescriptions are excused.

4. Ј5 in donations or tins to your local food bank. Christmas is a hungry time for many, and food banks will be especially grateful for donations as the weather gets colder.

5. Choose TWO outings for the month and put these in your budget. Mine are going to be having a friend to stay for the night and a trip to a castle. Choose wisely; don't fall into the trap of planning 100 Christmas events, all of which require money. Can you be creative and find cheap/ free ways to meet up with friends?

6. Take your lunch to work every day. Bonus points if you can make soup/ interesting lunches to keep you going. On the same note, NO vending machines/ fancy coffee during November. You will have more than enough in December.

7. Set a goal to increase your movement levels this month. This can be going for an extra run if you are fit after all that tri-athloning, or a walk in your lunch break. Even getting off the bus one step early counts! For those looking for extra challenge, can you try a completely new type of fitness?

8. Budget Ј10 less for food than you did this month. You can achieve this by batch cooking, buying yellow stickered food, shopping the late deals… then put that Ј10 towards your debt or savings goals.

9. Finally, this month, set yourself a personal challenge. This can be anything you like, but cannot be debt related. You are a person of incredible value, and there is more to your life than debt-busting. Challenge yourself!

Everyone welcome - to join the challenge, post below including the following:

- budgets for the month - at least food and transport
- Number of NSDs you are aiming for
- Number of exercise/ movement sessions you are aiming for
- Personal challenge (if you don't mind sharing)

Saved for sailors:

1. speakingofart
2. applemuncher
3. fmess
4. mothernerd
5. CEW
6. traveller
7. Caeraugirl
8. stewby
9. Calling14
10. vintagebrighton
11. happybunny86
12. sazzlebgood
13. PheoniX
14. thriftylass
15. allie
16. bobs_burgers
17. liltdiddylilt
18. dolly84
19. Samiszel
20. moohound
21. loveadove
22. missu
23. aloofdragon
24. angelicious
25. kittycashless
26. aphidgirl
27. dottydaisy
28. ilovetea
29. committedtochange
30. coffeeandstitches
31. stressedsteph

Best answers:

• I'm in!
  Many thanks! I have a supply of seasickness tablets if needed...
• I'm in! What great timing! Just logged on for 15 minutes free wifi in the airport lol, not that I've missed you lot or anything
• Can I be cheerleader this month please. Lots of personal challenges ahead. Just arranged to move phone and broadband back to old house, so may not be able to get on-line between 7th and 17th except for 1/2 an hour in the library.
  Operation on the 13th (fingers crossed) may be one of my outings and from then on everything is unknown, so will try to be frugal but can't claim to be following the challenge rules, but happy to cheer you all on.
• Please count me in.
  Battening down the hatches is just what I need this month
  I promise to try to do better and post more regularly.
  Chez x
• Count me in Thanks for doing it this month -i'll read it in a bit I too need to batten down the hatches with steel bolts this month, so cannot wait to get started
• Great challenge SOA, and amazing to have it all done at such short notice! Count me in please, will post budgets etc in next couple of days.
• mothernerd the cheerleader! Will you be in lycra? Or will that just be hospital surgical socks? So pleased you have a date.
• Thank you very much for doing this challenge. I'm definitely in but will have a proper read tomorrow, totally knackered.
  Got my budgets all sorted and will post them tomorrow too when I'm at a computer.
• Mothernerd - you can be our figurehead if you want? A very important part of the ship, but excused all the work! Seriously, though, I hope you will join in with whatever you can, and let us know that you're doing ok. I'm sure by the December challenge you'll be climbing mountains, new hip in tow
• I've got the bosom for being a figurehead.
• Ahoy turtles, count me in SOA. Brilliant task at short notice.
  Agree with number of outings planned have 2 already booked, would like to get out of one as travelling part expensive. Don't like to let people down though.
  Lifejacket on and looking out for icebergs. Ready to set sail.
• Stewby had asked to join, as she was away from internet for a few days - can she be #8?
• Hiya. Sorry about the delay. Work was hellish and I needed to recover and regroup.
  * Budgets:
  Food = Ј60 (not really something I can reduce but once OH has contributed, we will remove a tenner).
  Fuel = Ј40.
  * 15 NSDs although hoping for more.
  * Aiming for 3 exercise sessions a week. Mainly planning on doing my wiifit but also going to try and walk more.
  * Not sure on my personal challenge for now. Don't want to be boring and pick diet and weight loss again so will think of something else.
  Hope for number 8 but see that thrifty has that. Never mind. Probably should stop being superstitious about numbers and stuff. Hoping for the best this month after the disaster of October.
  Hugs to everyone.
• Definitely only going to be cheerleading this month. Got too much going on, or, not going on that I can't give this my full concentration. I will read and chip in when I can though. Good luck turtles!
• stewby you can have my number 8 esp if it is your lucky number. Can i be 14 please? Don't worry if not SOA.
• Hi All
  Having just read through your October turtle challenge I feel like I know you! I was searching for something to focus me and think this November challenge could be it. So, can I join please?
  Will post up my commitment tomorrow. I will commit even if for just a month at a time. I've been shocking with my diary and drifted off a couple of other challenges so feel free to make me walk the plank if I don't keep on board!
  VB x
• Count me in!!!
• count me in too please. hatches battened down, guns at the ready. will alter sig tomorrow