To new beginnings. To the pursuit of...somethingness.

MrsMoo2U

Another very frosty morning here but I do like a nice walk in a winter wonderland. Took Moo out late last night and the whole village is like an icerink so this morning I will be getting my snow boots out again and wearing them to tootle off to the park (which reminds me I should have already been and come back).
Quieter day expected in work today most of the staff are off which means that my phone wont be ringing. Which means that I may be able to take a longer lunch and go for a lovely long MSE cost free walk to clear my head this afternoon when I finish early.
I am setting myself a weekend challenge............... I am going to enter the room of doom and get it decluttered. I am then going to move my office from where it is to the room of doom as it is much warmer in there. Another MSE task as it wont cost me any money and I will be distracted from going to the shops!

youareallhelpingme

Anything that detracts from spending is a good idea

MrsMoo2U

Hmmmm it is Friday night 8pm and I am in my dressing gown after having a lovely long bath. Well that killed an hour. How sad am I. Friday night and dont know what to do with myself. Its going to be a long 10 days. I have been contemplating things whilst lying in the bath. And I have come to the conclusion that I am procrastinating. My plans to move rooms around this weekend are a sad diversion from actually sitting down and working out my budgets. What the fffufflle is wrong with me. ME, the always organised, knows how much is in my account to the penny, never spends money I havent got person? Where did she disappear to and why? I cant even manage a whole day in work without drifting off into lala land at the moment which is blooming ridiculous because in two weeks time I am going to be so stressed when I havent prepared for the stuff that is coming up. I am having palpitations thinking about what I need to do so why cant I just bloomin well get on and do it?

So I figure that I need to sit down and write another list. I need to review my aims and objectives from the start of the diary and work out where I am going. Although I know where that is and at the moment it is back to the beginning. Talk about zebeddee all this bouncing back to the start and never getting more than one step forward is driving me potty.

EssexHebridean

Is it that you're concerned as to what doing the budgets will show you? Either that you should have more spare cash than you have, or the opposite? I only ask (and I'm probably totally wrong) as that is what has been stopping me from re-doing MY budget sheet!

We're not having a particularly exciting Friday night either - eating Quality Street and watching a Harry Potter film at the moment! Might push the boat out in a second and put the kettle on! :eek:

Cheery_Daff

Go on EH, I've just made another cuppa! :coffee:

Cheri, be kind to yourself. You've had a LOT going on, what with your accident, and all the stress around going on holiday, and finding somewhere for Moo to stay, and being without a car, and not being able to do your course, and OH's job and all the uncertainty. It really is perfectly reasonable of you to be drifting off to lala land while at work sometimes! And very reasonable indeed for you to want to reorganise the room instead of sorting your budgets!

So, instead of beating yourself up, look at it dispassionately - think like a cheerful robot - what needs to be done? (This is what Mr Daffs keeps telling me when I agonise over PhD :rotfl:)

Your budget is worrying you, so instead of running away, hiding round corners and cowering behind doors trying to hide from it, roll up your sleeves and turn and face it. Take a deep breath, get a pen and paper and calculator and your bank statements, and face it head on. Shout "GRRRR" while you do it if it helps

Bank accounts are far more well behaved when you keep an eye on them, as I suspect many of us know from bitter experience I like to think of my bank account as like one of Pippi's pesky hens - extremely cheery (and rather useful) most of the time, but turn your back for a second and it gets up to all kinds of mischief!

So, how's it going? And remember - be kind to yourself xx

EssexHebridean

That is a really excellent post Daffs!

I took your advice in para4 as well.....mine's done now. Interestingly, I was right, we are *just* breaking even right now!

MrsMoo2U

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Is it that you're concerned as to what doing the budgets will show you? Either that you should have more spare cash than you have, or the opposite? I only ask (and I'm probably totally wrong) as that is what has been stopping me from re-doing MY budget sheet!
If I am being perfectly honest EH I think that I am just rebelling if that makes sense. I seem to have spent my whole life being careful with money and any debt I have had has been clearing up after 2 ex OHs. I grew up with a Mum who was hopeless with money and we went without food and heat and light sometimes so I swore I would never live like that. My current debt should, in fact, be mortgage but thanks to the past performance of banks I was penalised in buying a brand new flat and they were too scared to lend me the percentage I was promised so down valued the flat days before I was due to complete which meant that all of my equity from my previous house was eaten up and a little more besides. I should have been more than comfortable. Now OH is out of work and I am yet again picking up the pieces I just feel bloody well fed up of bothering. I am earning more than I have earned or dreamed of earning in my life and I am still only able to afford a very old car when I should be able to buy new. So by not doing my budgets I guess I am in a Sod it all kind of mood. Wow, not sure where all that came from.

We're not having a particularly exciting Friday night either - eating Quality Street and watching a Harry Potter film at the moment! Might push the boat out in a second and put the kettle on! :eek:

Well, I watched dancing on ice. How (unexciting is that?

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Go on EH, I've just made another cuppa! :coffee:

Cheri, be kind to yourself. You've had a LOT going on, what with your accident, and all the stress around going on holiday, and finding somewhere for Moo to stay, and being without a car, and not being able to do your course, and OH's job and all the uncertainty. It really is perfectly reasonable of you to be drifting off to lala land while at work sometimes! And very reasonable indeed for you to want to reorganise the room instead of sorting your budgets! :A thankyou.

So, instead of beating yourself up, look at it dispassionately - think like a cheerful robot - what needs to be done? (This is what Mr Daffs keeps telling me when I agonise over PhD :rotfl:) he is lovely

Your budget is worrying you, so instead of running away, hiding round corners and cowering behind doors trying to hide from it, roll up your sleeves and turn and face it. Take a deep breath, get a pen and paper and calculator and your bank statements, and face it head on. Shout "GRRRR" while you do it if it helps Hmmm that is the problem I think although I am trying to tell myself that I cannot be bothered. I am just so tired of budgeting and still never getting anywhere through no fault of my own. That is in no way an indication that I am not taking responsibility. I know that I am totally responsible for deciding to buy the flat and not having decided to rent it out but I also know that I can more than afford to manage and I am just fed up that just as I was getting somewhere I am having to take on the burden of all the bills again. I know I can do it but I just dont want to:p

Bank accounts are far more well behaved when you keep an eye on them, as I suspect many of us know from bitter experience I like to think of my bank account as like one of Pippi's pesky hens - extremely cheery (and rather useful) most of the time, but turn your back for a second and it gets up to all kinds of mischief!

So, how's it going? And remember - be kind to yourself xx

Thank you Cheery. I really appreciate that talking to and a little shove in the right direction. I do keep an eye on my bank account. I know to the penny what should be in there. Well I usually do but this month I have only checked my online banking once a day instead of 10 times a day.

I am proud of the fact that I have never been overdrawn, I have never missed a bill payment or had a late payment. I am proud. I am.
But why does it feel like I am just a goody two shoes and still heading in the wrong direction?

Sorry all for whingeing. Have been trying to cheer myself up by watching swearing parrots on you tube. I posted links on MGs thread and it appears to be working at spreading the smiles.

Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
"I will try again tomorrow."
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Cheery_Daff

Aw cheri It does rather sound like you're doing plenty of facing your bank accounts, and that they are very well behaved, so sorry for giving you advice you blatantly don't need! It must be so disheartening for you though, to be in a position where you shouldn't *need* to be this careful, but to *have* to be. How frustrating! But you'll work through it, and come out of the other side, and OH will get another job soon. Deep breaths, hold tight.

(and if you want to go and declutter that room first, then go and do it I say!) xx

MrsMoo2U

Aw, thanks Cheery and your advice was needed in a good way. Just having you writing a very rational post helped me to settle down before bed time. Thank you.

And I am being a selfish brat because I a know that it isnt OHs fault. Lots of other factors getting into the mix and causing me to lose my rationality from time to time. I just tend to come on here to rant.

So I have decided that this morning I am going into town on the bus for a bit of a mooch around the charity shops. I have signed up for a blog swap (seemed such a good idea at the time, now I am stressing trying to choose 5 things!) so I want to get a bit of material for this weekends project with the sewing machine and hopefully it will be good enough to be part of the swap. Then I am going to make a start on the room of doom.

This is my mantra for today I think
Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.
-- Groucho Marx

EssexHebridean

Good mantra! Have a lovely day! xx