little_h's big dreams :)

mrs_robinson_3

Just in case you don't know, tomorrow is a free listing day on eBay so get your stuff on there! I should too, as I too want a pair of boots have seen, fabulous bargain at £29 from £129, but as am really wanting to bust my debts for good this year (and am currently not working!), have told myself can only have them if i earn it on eBay.

Good luck with everything,

Mrs R

little_h_2

oops still no further on the ebay front! although I did get to the tip at the weekend so my house is tidier and marginally less cluttered!

thanks for the suggestion re the broadband, Corona007, it's a really good point. And I know they dont pay very much for it per user so it shouldnt be a problem

I had my chat with the big boss at the new place today, he was actually really helpful and gave me some great advice and helped me get some good perspective on things. I still don't know what I want to do.

The choice is:

new job - more challenging, more money, more hassle, occasionally long hours, feel like a fish out of water but getting there, it can be dull as dishwater at times, 5 days in the office, and the job is still new and i don't like quitting too soon!

old job - still challenging, a bit less money (same as what i was on when i left), i like (most of) the people, i know what is expected of me and i know i am good at it, 3 days in the office, 2 days from home, longer travel in on awful stretch of the A12, i love the industry, i would have more time and energy to put towards the musical side of things which i am hoping will become my job once the debt has gone.

I have had a big fall off the wagon the last couple of days, I think it's coming to PMT time as I am absolutely ravenous. I had a late night at work tonight so hit the supermarket I'm still well within my food budget but I have bought wine, pizza, Grazia and cupcakes to try and help me relax and make my decision about my job. I am definitely in a pattern - hard day at work, comfort food/wine. At least I had a £5 money off voucher left over from Christmas, very MSE of me, I'm impressed! :money:

It's very interesting going through the whole process, I hadn't realised work/stress was such a trigger. I have done pretty well on the pennies this month really, I am on target to spend within my means this month and have done pretty well all things considered.

I picked up my altered jeans today so I can get wearing them this weekend and wear some of my sale bargains

No debt to be cleared this month apart from the minimum payments (until I get the money back from the Northern Rock account with ex hubby) but I will be able to pay off my bathroom in full, which I bought on my credit card in the sale - this is the JL card that I have set up to pay in full each month.

next month I have to pay for my roof to get fixed so won't have much left either. But at least this will be with real money and not on credit! :A

I think that's it for this evening, I'm a sleepy bird so will say nighty night. xxx

little_h_2

evening all

been a busy few days and I'm shattered. Made the decision about the job - decided to stay at the new place - then regretted it so rang the old place again today to say I've had a change of heart.

The person who would be my new boss is going to take me out for dinner tomorrow night so we can have a proper chat about everything, she said she would love to have me but wants to make sure it is the right thing for me and to make sure I won't leave.

So fingers crossed that it will all come good. bf hates the thought of me going back there unlike him but he is being very vocal about it which is upsetting me a bit. I know he is only looking out for me but normally he is a bit more subtle about it! oh well.

Made a big decision over the weekend and started looking at getting a cheaper car. I'm not quite sure I'm quite ready to quite make the leap and sell my mini as he is perfect and I love him to pieces.

money saving wise it has been an expensive weekend. I've been tired and stressed about my job so have been eating and drinking more than I should. I also had to bake some cakes for my dad's birthday and I hadnt included any of this in the food budget. Even if I had I still would have been well over it with all the extras I've bought this month!

Still, I made up for it on Saturday night and made a lovely lasagne out of bits from the freezer and even used up some slightly past it mushrooms to boot rather than throwing them away :money:

Maybe I've not been so bad after all

So now I have an expensive couple of months, need to get my bathroom plastered and finish paying off the bath and shower etc. Also had to pay my accountancy subscription which was a big dent in the finances. I always forget about it. I am useless with my own money, I look after millions, billions even, of dollars at work but cannot manage my own little pennies! :rotfl:

Lastly, I got the final bit of my divorce through on Saturday. I can't quite believe it's all over. I am looking forward to getting on with my life now but it is still very very sad. The old me would be off blowing a fortune, and I do feel I would like a little something to mark the occasion but I'm not quite sure what to do. I will think on and see if anything comes to mind

little_h_2

another bad week, I can't wait to get out of the "new" place and go back to the old place...even though it will be a new job

I have eaten like a rugby player this week. I am only 5 feet tall and it staggers me the amount I can put away at times. On the alcohol free thread I saw a great acronym, HALT for hungry angry lonely tired, which are exactly what triggers me to pop to the supermarket for a "treat" inevitably involving a nice pizza and a bottle of wine. really not good for me or my wallet.

So. my January hasn't quite been as planned but I have stayed within my means and have resisted blowing the budget entirely. I haven't cleared any debt off apart from minimum payments and the payment on my car loan, but I have paid the second half of my bathroom off, this cost me £1100 in the sales which I put on my card that I pay off in full each month. So I am pleased about that.

I have closed my First Direct credit card as I don't use it, which will hopefully help maintain my good credit record. I have a 0% offer on about £5k of debt which will run out in May so need to plan now so that I stand a good chance of moving to another 0% card. I can't wait to stop doing this as I am really sick of worrying about it all the time.

It's February tomorrow and I am going to try my hardest to eat sensibly and ditch the alcohol again. I have had a low diesel spend this month so this has helped mitigate a couple of bits of clothes I have bought but at least I haven't had to borrow more to pay for those.

This is such an educational journey for me, I am learning a lot about myself and my ability to deal with tricky emotional circumstances and also starting to tackle my lack of self-control. It's great to feel I have this diary to keep me on track.

Corona007

little_h wrote: »

On the alcohol free thread I saw a great acronym, HALT for hungry angry lonely tired, which are exactly what triggers me to pop to the supermarket for a "treat" inevitably involving a nice pizza and a bottle of wine. really not good for me or my wallet.

Hi little_h. I also live on my own now and most the time I love the freedom, space and quiet but I totally agree with your sentiments. All it takes for me is a bad day at work or having loads of work to do when I get home to keep on top of things and I'm straight down the supermarket to buy a nice bottle of red. Not having anyone around to make you feel guilty about it really doesn't make for good MSE behaviour!

But on the other hand, I'm a big believer in the fact that we cannot become total hermits who don't spend a penny on little luxuries. Life is for living and if it takes a bottle of wine every now and then to put the world in its place and make you feel better then it is worth the money. It is not as if you are blowing hundreds of pounds on a needless holiday... well I usually am but that is a different matter.

little_h_2

thanks Corona it's difficult when everyone is paired up! But yes I love the space and the quiet when I get home.

I have split up from my bf now It had been on and off for ages and I am tired of the energy it takes from me. I want to move on with my life, look forward to the future and enjoy every minute but I felt like he was holding me back a bit. I feel very sad but so far I havent reached for the wine or the pizza so that's been good.

Instead I have been busy demolishing the bathroom and doing lots of music practice :T

I am looking forward to my bottle of wine over the weekend. The diet is going well and I feel confident that I can get where I want to be so a much more positive post from me today!

Corona007

Sorry to hear about you splitting up little_h. I broke up with my last missus for a similar reason - we both realised it wasn't going anywhere and whilst it was sad at the time it turned out to have been the right thing to do. Besides on the money saving front you now don't need to buy a valentines gift for next weekend!

I've been pretty bad this week on the HALT thing though and a few bottles of wine have appeared in my flat and then disappeared just as quickly:p. Must learn some more self control.

little_h_2

well, I knew it had been a while but didn't realise it has been nearly 3 weeks!

things have been really hectic, all my plans have pretty much gone to pot and I have overspent by about £200 this month

I start back at the old place with a new job (confusing I know :rotfl:) next Monday and it's been pretty unpleasant at my current job as things get taken off me and I am left with not a lot to do and a very grumpy boss to contend with. Never mind, not long to go, just got to keep my head down until Friday night.

my ex husband has hurt himself and I now have the dog to look after until he gets better. It's nice to have the dog, I really miss him when he is not here.

My bathroom is currently coming along nicely but having not done any serious DIY before, and never having gone through the joys of having work done by numerous tradesmen, I wasn't quite prepared for how stressful it would be. I have bathroom fittings in my front room, clothes all over my bedroom floor, dust EVERYWHERE but finally a nicely plastered empty bathroom just ready to go.

I have realised today that I am going to struggle to achieve everything I had hoped to on the financial front this year, I have been rather over ambitious and now feel exhausted and stressed out just thinking about it. I'm going to let things lie for a few weeks while I get settled in at the new job, keep up the new MSE ways, and then re-assess once I am a bit calmer.

The situation remains bad, but for now I can pay my bills, eat, and keep the roof over my head, so really it can't be all that bad as I have a lot more than some people do.

Heaven only knows how I haven't gone out and battered my credit card which was my way of dealing with things last year! Maybe I have achieved something after all!

little_h_2

an ok day today, managed to avoid spending money in Oasis but couldnt resist the temptation of a Boots meal deal it's mini creme egg season and I am addicted! :eek:

I am looking forward to next week when I can take lunch into work (there is a fridge and a microwave I can use at the new job/old place!) and I also have 2 lovely work from home days to enjoy with the dog.

Need to get myself back on track and calmed right down, think I might go to the doctors as I am still eating like a horse and everything aches.

I really need a holiday but won't be able to take the time off work for a little while and I can't afford one anyway. Oh well, something else to work towards.

little_h_2

not dropped in for a while, things have been manic

my bathroom is currently progressing well (although not quite fast enough as I am desperate for a bath!) and I am feeling better as I know exactly what all the hard work and going without over the last 5 months has been worth it, I have spent about £3k on the bathroom (a couple of budgeted-for extravagances which should pay for themselves if/when I sell).....

.... and the roofer is coming tomorrow to re-do my leaky flat roof and I have the money waiting in a savings account to pay him :T and I have paid my £35 car tax which I had planned for

I overspent a bit last month, plus I have had to spend extra money on food as my dad and bf (back with him again but its serious this time and looks like it will go the distance! :j) and my mum have been helping lots with the bathroom, all 3 have stayed for tea lots and I have felt that its only fair to offer them something nice for dinner. And my dad is a posh ginger biscuit freak, he has saved me a fortune in plumbing costs so I shouldnt complain really.

It all feels like excuses but I know where every penny is going at least!

I'm now settled back in at the new job, working from home and home made lunch is already taking its toll and I have had £8 in my purse since last Wednesday! :eek: So now my addictive personality is wondering how long I can make it last