Can someone kick me into gear please?!

penguin83

Thanks Taxi - I love days off!

Right, back in August I wasnt really happy with many aspects of my life (this is sounding deep already isnt it!) - finances were only one of many things, but thanks to everyone here and BOBs rotten turnips, I feel back in control of them now. Debts arent coming down as quick as they used to as OH earnings have dropped but all payments and some overpayments are still being made, so I am happy for the time being.

I have decided to move onto Phase 2 of 'kicking myself in gear' which is the house. This may sound silly to some but it is really getting me down! We need a fair amount of work doing which obviously we cant afford at the minute so until then I would like to get the house in as good condition as we can. I am going to start with decluttering and take it one room at a time as I hate housework. So for this week it will be the living room - tidying, cleaning and decluttering. In fairness the living room isnt too bad but the 'toy corner' is building up again, the couches and windows need cleaning too.

For anyone whose interested the other things in making myself over are weight, health, smoking, career and teeth - I will explain teeth at a later date! Career is being dealt with via OU course, joining SW in 2 weeks to deal with weight, quitting is coming soon, smoking, weight and health will go hand in hand (although will have to include exercise somewhere too) Hopefully it will be a brand new me by the time im 26.

Anyway thats deep enough for me for now - off to tackle the living room! x x

skint_spice

ooo - are we twins? apart from the fact you are considerably younger than me! I'm liking the 10 things a day decluttering aim as it's exhausting trying to face much when I get home from work, cook dinner, run DS around but ten a day does build up into something worthwhile over the week.
I'm aiming for the new me by the time I'm 40 (soonish) but you'll have 14 extra years of perfection on me!

taxi73

Hi Penguim..all that sounds really positive..WELL DONE....you sound exactly the same as me....as you know I've joined SW...am trying to do a bit of exercise..trying to stop smoking....
I also need to declutter and spring clean my house from top to bottom but don't know where to start so you have my sympathies.
We will do it though slow and steady will win the race.Can also sympathise with OHs takings being down as ours are starting to come down now but we just have to plod on and as long as we can pay the bills that's the main thing anything else is a bonus.

penguin83

Thanks Skint and Taxi - its reassuring knowing that others have similar things they want to achieve and I am not on my own!

Skint - 10 things a day sounds good - the living room is now tidy and I am about to tackle the toy corner - cant do it when the kids are awake as everytime I pack something away, they get it back out again! I am the same with the housework - once I get home from work, OH leaves for work so then I feed, play, bath and put the kids to bed and then I am exhausted - this is also why my diet is so bad as I cant be bothered cooking once thats done.

Taxi - we can be 'diet buddies' if you fancy - I am rejoining on the 03 November so will have to catch you up! I have just bought the Allan Carr book and I am halfway through reading it - it is very good and positive so far and I am raring to have a go at quitting but it says to carry on smoking as normal until you have finished the book.

I want to get a blood pressure monitor as well as I have high blood pressure which is ridiculous considering my age and I want to see if it improves as I become fitter and healthier. Does anyone know the best place to get one of these?

x x

taxi73

Yes any LLoyds pharmacy...they usually have them on offer.Sure can be diet buddiesThat'll be nice.

Keeping_Positive

Hello

Work,Family, OH ,Kids, Money, Diet, Weight,Teeth and state of the house are on my list of things to worry/stress about too! I have to turn a blind eye to some thngs just to get by.

Good luck with SW and the house challenge.

mum2one

penguin83 - You are doing a brilliant job, cant believe how much you achieved already since Aug, I know they say Rome wasnt built in a day, but ur doing brilliantly.Skintspice - Same here the wrong side of 35, getting nearer to the 40 mark.Its weird but I did a list when I was 25 of things I wanted to achieve by 30, got most of them done, another list at 30, thou got a few done, but the list is now what I want to do by the time Im 40, debts, weight, and find a man! xx

penguin83

Thank you KP and Mum - I am feeling more positive than I have done in a good few months. Its good that we all have similar goals and age is just a number - I'll have a whole new list for when I am 30!

Had a nice day today, my Nan came over to visit and the kids went to my parents for tea so I took advantage and had a bath. Total bliss to not have to share it with the babies for once!

Just updating the spreadsheet with the last few days spends in :-

- 46.56 on grocery shopping
- 92.09 horses feed shop

The horse has double our budget! But in fairness it did include 2 weeks stable rent as well. Starting to think about the dreaded C word so I dont leave it all to last minute like every other year but trying to get ideas out of people is a nightmare.

Having tidied all the living room yesterday, I cleaned it today - skirting boards, ceiling, windowsills, hoovered behind TV and under couches - all the places that dont get done in the normal clean.

Still have to clean windows and couches, sort out CD's and DVD's, wash curtains and get off the lovely crayon and pencil marks on the wallpaper behind the couches that I discovered today and DD is denying all knowledge of ....hmm!

That should keep me busy for the next few days! In work tomorrow so will be back tomorrow evening x x

skint_spice

Soooo glad I've not got a horse! ouch! but I take it from your signature it's a form of stress relief as well as part of the family.

Age is just a number but seriously I wish I'd had the LBM nearer your age than mine! I tried to make a list of things I wanted to do before 40 but haven't manage to come up with much - there's loads of places I'd like to visit but obviously money and time mean I can't manage them all at once but will have to work through them all slowly in my 40s instead.

taxi73

Wow ..you've done loads of housework...think you need a gold star for that.You are all so much younger than me.
I'm old (44!!!!) but feel like 74 LOL....I plan to be debt and mortgage free by the time I'm 50 but don't know how badly the recession may hit so will have to wait and see..lol