We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
My Ongoing Challenge - To live with my means
Lurker1972
Posts: 779 Forumite
Good Morning MSE folks
I'm starting a new diary today because
a) the old one had boring title
b) its September & I've got that back to school new pencil case feeling
c) things have changed somewhat since I started the original one so want a fresh start
If anyone is interested ...this should be linky to old diary the Journey so far
But in a nutshell.....
I'm 37 (just), lurked for ages (hence the name) reading diaries, taking a few tips etc, finally jumped & created own diary, didn't updated much until bolt from blue hit - redundancy. Then become daily, if not hourly visitor, eventually got new job (took over 3 months). started that last month, did 2 weeks, then went on holiday!!
So here I am, about to start over. The debts are repaid:j so its just the mortgage which was on a nice 0% staff rate, but is now on a lower rate than many(2.5%). The new job pays substantially less than the old one so things are tighter than I'd like, but thats no different to anyone else. Most of the redundancy money has been used, although there is a little left (although am not exactly sure how much, v bad) & I don't intend to touch that.
I intend to post SOA (eek) but it might not be for a few months - got to get tax code sorted for a start & get a proper months pay - but I think I know the weak areas - grocerys & odd n sods.
I'll be joining the NSD challenge for September, 30 days in the month, 7 of those have DDs coming out plus 4 more visits to the Supermarket means I should be able to make the 15 target that I've tried for for the last 2 months
Am not yet ready to officially join the grocery challenge on old Stylee, but am keeping a close eye on spends here - am in process of creating new spreadsheets...I have so many now though.....
Anyway enough rambling for now, back to the spreadsheets
x
I'm starting a new diary today because
a) the old one had boring title
b) its September & I've got that back to school new pencil case feeling
c) things have changed somewhat since I started the original one so want a fresh start
If anyone is interested ...this should be linky to old diary the Journey so far
But in a nutshell.....
I'm 37 (just), lurked for ages (hence the name) reading diaries, taking a few tips etc, finally jumped & created own diary, didn't updated much until bolt from blue hit - redundancy. Then become daily, if not hourly visitor, eventually got new job (took over 3 months). started that last month, did 2 weeks, then went on holiday!!
So here I am, about to start over. The debts are repaid:j so its just the mortgage which was on a nice 0% staff rate, but is now on a lower rate than many(2.5%). The new job pays substantially less than the old one so things are tighter than I'd like, but thats no different to anyone else. Most of the redundancy money has been used, although there is a little left (although am not exactly sure how much, v bad) & I don't intend to touch that.
I intend to post SOA (eek) but it might not be for a few months - got to get tax code sorted for a start & get a proper months pay - but I think I know the weak areas - grocerys & odd n sods.
I'll be joining the NSD challenge for September, 30 days in the month, 7 of those have DDs coming out plus 4 more visits to the Supermarket means I should be able to make the 15 target that I've tried for for the last 2 months
Am not yet ready to officially join the grocery challenge on old Stylee, but am keeping a close eye on spends here - am in process of creating new spreadsheets...I have so many now though.....
Anyway enough rambling for now, back to the spreadsheets
x
I do not make mistakes, I learn lessons.
I work to live, not live to work.
I love to live & live to love.
Good enough is exactly that.
0
Comments
-
0
-
Hi F_F - looks like your link lesson worked - thank you!
postman decided to ruin my day - Eon want to increase my DD from £70 to £92!!!!!!:eek: all becasue i owe them £48?!! going to call them & say will pay the £48 but they are not to mess with the DD as the only reason its high is cos I was at home for 3 months & using the computer to find new job...
anyway, we are free to shop about again from beginning of October so time to check out alternatives....cashback here I come..i hope!I do not make mistakes, I learn lessons.I work to live, not live to work.I love to live & live to love.Good enough is exactly that.0 -
Happy new diary - hope you stay on trackAchieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
(If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/250 -
Good luck with your ongoing journey.... look forward to seeing updates. Re: name of diary, I know what you mean. I wish I'd taken the time to think of something appropriately witty/interesting for mine. Ah well!Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.-- Mark Twain0
-
& today was the first NSD of the month, yeehah
sending OH on the supermarket run tomorrow, which is VERY brave of me, in the process of meal planning & shopping list creation - quite the way to spend a friday night!
Nothing else really happening, need to call Eon about DD & start looking at alternative suppliers but not really in the mood tonight, am COLD!
got 2 episodes of gastronomy thingy to watch, still resisting urge to buy the book...so far, but its hard!!!I do not make mistakes, I learn lessons.I work to live, not live to work.I love to live & live to love.Good enough is exactly that.0 -
well it would seem that I have learnt nothing, diddly squat!
Mr Lurker cannot be trusted to go to the supermarket, armed with list & stick to it!!!!
I don't know what he's bought yet, just that 'there's some good offers on that I couldn't walk past'
All I can hope is that he's got freezable stuff & make note to self - NEVER let him go alone again!
Housework is calling so will get some LOUD music on & dance my way around the house armed with duster & hoover.....result should be gleaming house & a few calories burnedI do not make mistakes, I learn lessons.I work to live, not live to work.I love to live & live to love.Good enough is exactly that.0 -
hi lurker - my Oh never comes back with usable stuff either - doesn't necessarily spend oads but just doesn't buy things that you can actually make meals from..... He wants me to supermarket shop on line so I don't buy all the extras... it would save us loads but would be more lonely for me - esp while I am not working....Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
(If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/250 -
well it could have been worse, his spend was under £40.....but I was expecting it to be more about the £20 mark!, I have learnt my lesson!
today would have been NSD, but brewing migraine required treatment by chocolate...& so I gave into the vending machine...65p for yumminess
Need to check bank account & cc - had phone call from the cc company tonight but they wouldnt speak to me as OH is main holder....eeeek am now worried about dodgy transactions.....I do not make mistakes, I learn lessons.I work to live, not live to work.I love to live & live to love.Good enough is exactly that.0 -
Hi lurker - hope you manage an nsd today and that your migraine has gone!Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality in 2030
1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £171.8K Equity 36.37%
2) £2.6K Net savings after CCs 10/10/25
3) Mortgage neutral by 06/30 (AVC £27.9K + Lump Sums DB £4.6K + (25% of SIPP 1.25K) = 34/£127.5K target 26.6% 10/10/25
(If took bigger lump sum = 60.35K or 47.6%)
4) FI Age 60 income target £17.1/30K 57% (if mortgage and debts repaid - need more otherwise) (If bigger lump sum £15.8/30K 52.67%)
5) SIPP £5K updated 10/10/250 -
head now fine, despite minor stress over getting OH to do long waiting job....nsd....well , that s*dding vending machine called again - 50p on crisps (which were very nice) but that was partly because I hadn't got enough lunch with me
BUT
not again
**** I NOW PLEDGE NOT TO USE THE VENDING MACHINE FOR THE REST OF 2009****
how many days is that??
I have an urge to go on a spending spree, which I won't do yet....if I ever get down to target weight will reward me with some new undies & new jeans - both needed now, but can wait
off to check bank account & continue with the creation of new spreadsheets....funtimes!I do not make mistakes, I learn lessons.I work to live, not live to work.I love to live & live to love.Good enough is exactly that.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.2K Spending & Discounts
- 245K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.4K Life & Family
- 258.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards