Squirrel's Smiley, Smart and Solvent Diary

redsquirrel80

Fairly busy, although work seems to have quietened down a bit... got things I can do though like trying to re-write the standard letters I send out so they're not full of excessively long words, and well, just too many words altogether!

Weekend was really good. Farmers market on Saturday - we bought loads! Meat, veg, a lovely yellow marjoram plant for the garden, and the most amazing ice cream on the way out. Finally got some garden furniture as well so we have more or less lived out there for the rest of the weekend. Too hot to do much beyond reading the paper yesterday.. a bit of light weeding and watering and that was it. Garden is producing lots.. ate our first peas on Friday night

Got another spa voucher today - this one was £7.50 for a haircut and facial/ massage. This and the one the other day are both valid for three months so will space them out suitably. Not had a proper haircut for years to be honest Mr S trimmed it for me yesterday and I dyed it - it looks very red in the sun!

Off to Birmingham for a conference on Wednesday, other than that a fairly normal week I think. Oh, except it's payday on Wednesday too - got £140 left in the bank plus £80 on prepaid card (still no sign of real Ryanair bargains) so should be OK to get that little debt zapped!

Karmacat

What an amazingly good few days! Your life seems to have expanded since you got that job, Squizz, I'm so pleased for you.

redsquirrel80

You're right Karma, there's something about feeling more satisfied with work that's made me want to do other things too. Just need to get Mr S sorted out now! He does seem better lately though, he's taken a few days off which has helped as there's been some work to do when he gets back.

Feeling very pleased with work today, had a deadline tomorrow which involved chasing assorted people and I've got it all done and submitted today - aren't I good lol I did stress a little bit last night about a couple of things I needed to do today, which turned out to be fine - in future I am going to try not to leave anything hanging over from Friday if I can though, it brings on that Sunday feeling. I've got to say though I'm definitely not at the stage where I get up thinking "hooray I'm going to work!".. I'm not sure I will ever be anything other than work-to-live.. but if the work is good, that is more bearable!

Ooh, I took some more garden photos yesterday, I must try to get them online. The broad beans are massive! And we actually have a few flowers now.. nasturtiums, some oxalis of some sort, hebes (I think), and err some other things that were already there. We've decided we need a few more flowers, it's all a bit green at the moment!

Anyway, nearly hometime..

redsquirrel80

ps WOOHOO PAYSLIP!

elfen

Squizz, it sounds like it's all going good for you right now....dunno what else to say except enjoy it!

Karmacat

I don't think anything other than work to live is realistic, tbh - I mean, I enjoy my job - I think what I do is important for those people it affects, and I think its powerful and constructive and all sorts of things. But I wouldn't do it if I didn't need to earn an income.

Anyway, hometime with a payslip - thats the best :j:j:j

redsquirrel80

Thanks Elfen

Yeeeah the payslip was nice - it might not be spot-on yet as there was an adjustment for being paid for my first week, plus no Student Loan deduction (which should be there, and I thought it followed your NI number so don't know why it isn't).. but I now know that I earn roughly £1250 a month :j Will have to do some proper sums for this month in a bit.. too sleepy at the moment, it was way too hot last night and got woken up by neighbours being loud again early this morning.

Spoke too soon re Mr Squizz yesterday, he was really fed up again all evening. I can't believe how dramatic the difference is when he actually has some work to do (or it's the weekend).

redsquirrel80

THIS MONTH

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1253.97
Other income............................ 190
Total monthly income.................... 1443.97

Monthly Expense Details
Rent.................................... 500
Council tax............................. 61.46
Mobile phone............................ 48
Total monthly expenses.................. 609.46


Unsecured Debts (payments still to make, some already paid)
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
1..............................0.........245.......0
2..............................0.........20........0
3..............................0.........30........0
Total unsecured debts..........0.........295.......-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,443.97
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 609.46
Available for debt repayments........... 834.51
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 295
Amount left after debt repayments....... 539.51

Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.

redsquirrel80

Gosh it's quiet at work today..

THE PLAN

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1250
Other income............................ 50
Total monthly income.................... 1300


Monthly Expense Details
Rent.................................... 500
Council tax............................. 61.46
Mobile phone............................ 25 (current contract up in August, aiming to spend about this)
Total monthly expenses.................. 586.46

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
1..............................0.........25........0
2..............................0.........20........0
3..............................0.........30........0
Overdraft......................0.........135.......0
Total unsecured debts..........0.........210.......-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,300
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 586.46
Available for debt repayments........... 713.54
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 210
Amount left after debt repayments....... 503.54


Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.


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£500 'spare' seems more than reasonable - of course food, clothes etc have to come out of that but I've lived off a lot less and I'm sure I won't spend all that every month! So, the plan is to routinely pay off £100 more debt per month than I am at the moment. With a few extra payments I should be able to get rid of my overdraft by the end of the year, and with a few other payments chucked at other things should be able to get my debt down to £7200 by the end of the year too, which means I'll have paid off nearly £3000 this year.


If I can up that a bit to £3600 for the next two years then I could be debt free by the end of 2012.

Karmacat

Thats great Squizz! Do you do any extra dfw work, like mystery shopping and whatnot? Scratches? I'm just about to post a total on my thread for June.....