Continue the change and enjoy the journey!

fedupandskint

After uhmming and ahhing about starting a diary I thought I'd take the plunge



Since joining the forum in Nov 08 I've made some big changes in my life in how I view money and how I spend it.

• Tackled the cosmetic and skincare buying addiction of spending lots of CC money on these items
• In the process of using up all I can from the stocks of said items and getting to a point where I can see some space in the drawers and the stocks are finally reducing
• Flying each week around the house
• Living mainly OS and realising that's fine for me, its what I want
• More or less stopping drinking and not spending on wine and not cracking the wine open at wine o'clock and then writing off the evening or weekend
• Started exercising again this year - remembering how much I used to enjoy this

Things that have helped me

• 100 day challenge to pledge not to buy something, skincare and cosmetics for the 100 days (my word I found this difficult at first, took some time to get there but I did get there in the end, it was a long long road, but I've travelled it now)
• NSD - still getting there with this one as I drift in and out but its a huge help
• Grocery challenge - made me think about how much I spend and what I really need instead of continuing to buy and I can do this now ok. I always make a list of what I need and stick to it
• Downshifted brands and realised it mostly made absolutely no difference apart from costing less (what a brand snob I used to be)

Changes made
Cancelled the unused gym membership
Reduced mobile phone tariff to £10pm
Reduced Virgin Media Tariff from £35 pm to £21.99 for 6mth and 6mth at £10
Stopped buying clothes in the sales for the sake of it, because they were reduced and never worn
Sold or gave away everything I bought when felt depressed
Started using the exercise equipment at home
Started running on the C25K programme and enjoyed the outdoors for free
Think if I need it, do I have it already, can I get it cheaper

What do I still need to do?

If only everything was rosy as it seems up there

I still need to tackle repaying the CC debts - this I find hard to do and wish I could do it. This does my head it as it goes on and on.

That's why I'm starting this diary, I need to start, need to do it and when I pay one off I know it'll inspire me to carry on. I always pay the min payment which I know is bad, I just can't seem to get it together to make any more payments to make a dint in the amount

I'll be back later to put a plan together

hypno06

You have certainly made a fantastic start!

Happy new diary :j

saorsie

What a fabulous opening post Sparkles - welcome to diaryland

-s-

fedupandskint

Thanks to you both

I'm back today to say the following

I chose my user name fedupandskint when I joined as I felt at an absolute low when the money ran out good and proper and it summed up exactly how I felt at that moment when reality hit me.

I went on to learn this was my LBM.

A few months later I no longer felt that way and as time went on the feelings changed inside me. I felt I was sorting myself out and my messed up attitude towards money.

A few months after that my user name morphed into Sparkles on another thread and it stuck. I was going to change my user name to something more positive but decided against it in the end and Sparkles was born!

Here I am thinking through a plan to tackle the credit cards.

More or less everything else is at the lowest spend point it can be - I finally pay off a messed up by work problem this month and I could use this £60pm to put towards one of the cards

Not really sure what else I can achieve - will have a little think and see what I come up with

fedupandskint

Liked this idea when I saw it on the flying thread.

I keep some of these thoughts in my mind - good idea to make a note of them and then I can add how I am achieving the targets. If I write it down it makes it more real for me.

My first priorities are health, running and toning up

Then onto the weekends to not spend cleaning all weekend but get out and do the things I enjoy

Then the financial and family aspects to improve

Educational one is for the next 2 years and ongoing all around the other priorities

Health

1. Exercise

• Running -run for at least 3 times per week.
• Aiming for 10k by December
• Current level on 10.10.10 is 5-6K

1. Weight

• Lose approx 7lbs for first target or if no weight loss keep track of measurements

Financial

1. Save for car tax
2. Start paying off CC and work out a repayment plan

House

1. Declutter/clean each room and make a list of jobs for that room in the process

Relationships

1. When invited out make a decision to go instead of automatically saying 'hmm don't think I want to go'

Attitude

1. Remember how much better I feel when I stop drinking for months at a time

What do I want to do

1. Weekly hair treatment
2. 2x weekly facial exfoliate and mask treatment
3. Long run at the weekend
4. Do not spend all weekend cleaning, build in some activity time to do the things I enjoy
5. Long walk with the dog at the weekend
6. Start walking again in the countryside at the weekend
7. Start training for LDP next year

Family

1. Ring home once a week or fortnight
2. Arrange a day out once every 2mths
3. Arrange a Sunday Dinner the same

Education

1. build in 1hr reading per night to catch up
2. Start to plan first assignment

More me stuff

1. Start to wear jewellry again
2. Aim to wear a pair of earrings for work first
3. Then add a necklace for the next week
4. Even try a bit of makeup again
5. Wear the clothes in the wardrobe instead of the same things all the time and get out of jeans
6. Get GP referral for consultant

maman

Just called in to say hello and good luck sparkles, you're obviously full of get up and go today. It's great to read.

Having got where I want to be AF wise, I'm now trying Slimming World 'cos I'd like to drop a dress size or two. I couldn't have done it before because alcohol intake would have sabotaged the plan. I've lost 6lbs in two weeks by just tweaking my menus a little. Just telling you because with your running etc you should manage easily.

I did laugh at this bit in your post:

More me stuff

1. Start to wear jewellry again
2. Aim to wear a pair of earrings for work first
3. Then add a necklace for the next week
4. Even try a bit of makeup again
5. Wear the clothes in the wardrobe instead of the same things all the time and get out of jeans
6. Get GP referral for consultant

I had visions that by the time Christmas came around you'd be looking like the tree yourself!!:rotfl:

Take care and good luck.

fedupandskint

maman wrote: »

I did laugh at this bit in your post:


More me stuff

1. Start to wear jewellry again
2. Aim to wear a pair of earrings for work first
3. Then add a necklace for the next week

I had visions that by the time Christmas came around you'd be looking like the tree yourself!!:rotfl:

Take care and good luck.

Hi maman thanks for popping by

Didn't realise that's how it sounded! :rotfl:

I am full of get up and go atm and only drinking once or twice a month now and only a couple of drinks

I have trimmed down bigstyle this year and just need to trim a little more now and continue with the exercise and how well it makes me feel

honeybear_2

Sparkles = :xmastree:

It's so good to hear you sounding so positive :A

Wordsmith

Hello! You sound so positive and inspiring I'm going to subscribe to your diary in the hope that some of it will rub off! Sounds like you are doing great - keep up the good work.

fedupandskint

honeybear wrote: »

Sparkles = :xmastree:

It's so good to hear you sounding so positive :A

Awww HB, fanks m'dear

Hope you are ok after the terrible time you went through. You were always very bright and sparkly yourself too

Anyway hi to wordsmith too and welcome

Plan for Monday 11.10.10

Get up and run 5k then off to work

Have dug out a pair of earrings to wear and get used to wearing these again. Just jazz up and modernise my appearance and get some confidence back about this. No need for anyone else to notice, its just for me to notice and then not notice and become used to this again as part of my appearance

After work - clean one room on the flylady list and 1hr reading for assignment

Need to make a note of this to do daily

I think I'll make a note of daily tasks for now to remind me to do then and I can tick them off too. Then I should get to a point where its a habit and I don't need to update daily. Its worked for other things before so should work.

Also plan for next weekend is chutney making and garden tidying and then if one house repair is not done on Sunday maybe a walk either a long run and a long walk at home or in the countryside and no run

Plan a nice weekend with minimal housework tasks to free up time spend some outside enjoying myself

Thanks for all the upbeat comments. I didn't realise I sounded upbeat in my posts. must mean I am feeling more upbeat in myself meaning the exercise is working and my mood is lifting :T

fedupandskint

Ticked off so far today

Wore a pair of earrings today for the first time in 3yrs at least. No one at work noticed and showed me its me that tells me not to wear them as someone will point it out and I'll feel bad. Silly me eh?

No make up today as having a skin reaction will try a bit this week if my skin calms down

Ran 5K this morning and next one planned for Wed
Also took the dog for a longer walk after work than usual to up the exercise a little

Tonight planning to clean the LR and tick one room off this weeks list
Got a quote for 2 new tyres - need to find £166 pounds from somewhere now - charming stll when they're fitted that should be it for a while

Feeling better today and brighter and sparklier