"Simply not solvent!

tyllwyd

Seaxwyn wrote: »

But I need to be more professional and stop muddling along. I had a wake up call this week when after spending half the day on Facebook I had to stay up to 5AM to finish a job - and sent it off full of errors and knowing that I could have done much better had I given it my full attention at the right time.

A logo sounds exciting! I've thought about setting up a website in the past, but then I'm busy enough with my established clients, and it wouldn't make any difference to them whether I have a website and a logo or not.

I hate that feeling when you know you haven't done the job you'd like to have done. My biggest problem is that I'm a perfectionist, so I end up spending much longer on things than I should do, and then I end up not billing for my fussing around time, and selling myself short. I'm trying not to work too late in the evening (no way could I stay up till 5am, 3am was my latest even in my student days, which was a looooong time ago) because one late night means another couple of days working at half speed because I'm so tired, which ends up counterproductive.

But good luck with the carboot! Hope it makes a healthy profit (and isn't rained off)

chevalier

hi Seax hope things are ok with you.
chev

chevalier

hi Seax i hope that you are too busy to post rather than not posting for another reason. Hope all is well
chev

Seaxwyn

Thanks chev and everyone. I am really trying to focus on work, so keeping off here. Luckily I have got lots of work at the moment and I really do need to get it all done on time and avoid repeating the 5AM thing (tyllwyd 5AM was a first for me too, I hate staying up past midnight even).

I've realised that all my money problems are in fact work problems. I don't have a spending problem - but I do sabotage my ability to earn good money. I am lucky to have well paid work which I actually enjoy, but I have to overcome my disorganisation and time wasting, and do a regular predictable amount each month. I am sure I will always be disorganised but I could do a lot better than I do.

Otherwise.... finances are pretty dire: accounts all empty or close to their limits, two children needing trainers, gas bill just arrived etc etc. I'm fervently hoping that OH's pay packet will be big this month and all my various clients will pay up promptly.

I've just had a horrible outburst at OH. He was bragging about his blog and I told him I resented him spending so much time on this non-earning project. It's not even true - I'm glad he has an outlet for his creativity. But he had picked a bad moment to talk about it as I was in the middle of worrying about whether to transfer money from account A to account B etc etc, as you do. If only I could be a little more solvent it would free up so much mental time spent on tedious worries and make me a nicer person.

lucielle

Glad you have got lots of work to do and then bill for. Keep that light off.
L

taxi73

Seaxwyn..thanks for the update.Sounds like you've had a real good think since being away from here and found solutions.Thisnplace can be too addictive as we all know too well but a great source of support.
So glad that you've had that real good think and come up with the answers.
Good luck in your clients paying up on time.OH will get over it or just apologise and tell him how you feel.I totally agree with the freeing up of mental time...but not the nicer person bit.You are a nice person!!!!!!!

bountiful

Nice to see your green light on - and know you are there. Hope all is well with you.
:A

Seaxwyn

OH got paid today - I have been waiting for this moment for two months. But.... he got £1528 and the bills that are due immediately come to more than that.

I feel rather cast down. I had hoped - foolishly - that there would be a bit spare to put towards my January tax bill.

When I started this diary nearly two years ago, in the very first post I identified 'not saving for tax' as one of the main causes of my debt. Two years and x thousand posts later, I am still in exactly the same predicament. I have learned nothing.

I've been seriously thinking of applying for a PAYE job as I am clearly unable to save. But I don't want to commute and deal with all the family stress that involves - and I would be surprised to find a well-paid job I can do in my home town.

I figure I've got 4 more years to endure this situation. After that my big loan ends, my two oldest daughters leave school, and my youngest moves up to secondary school. So life will be different then - not necessarily easier, but definitely different. The question is, can I keep on keeping it all together for four more years?

hypno06

If you don't want a PAYE job, and you don't want to commute, and you don't want all the family stress that you think would be attached to it.....then what would be your reason for going back to a PAYE job?

Yes you would have the money thing sorted, but is it worth the trade-off for you?

I know that when I went back into paid employment I had plenty of thoughts about the things I was giving up as self employed, but for me, the stress of the money was overpowering and by reducing that stress, other stresses seemed to reduce as well, naturally.

But that was just me. You are you, and only you know what you really want to do.

Once you really know what you want to do, only you can make it happen.

boredofbeingathome

It's a difficult one really. I know the reason we are in debt is because of Mr.B being self employed and is virtually for the same reasons. It was also a shock when he went back on PAYE because the HR dept had him on emergency tax code for at least 4 months before they sorted it out and we still had outstanding tax bills to pay and the bills crept up. I wasn't earning a great deal because DD2 was in and out of hospital ..i suppose in my long winded way, i am saying that i can see where you are coming from with it all..

The most positive thing for me is actually finding this site and realising that i can draw on resources i never knew i had..i am sure you are doing that even if you don't think you are planning you are thinking ahead and i am sure you will sort it out.

You are fortunate in that you have two options and know that you are resourceful enough to work for yourself..so maybe for the moment you could take paye work, but knowing that you can still go back to what you like doing at a later date..it won't go away, just be a little sidetrack.