London Socialite Sees The Light

Erme

Yeah probation news please LG cos we care!

My good news? Yesterday was 4 years vaping and vaping helped me get out of debt

LondonGirl252

It's yes M'am! Hahaha


Very happy to report I passed my probation, he was happy with my work to date of getting the team working better and improving the immediate and looking forward I am to work more strategically and as I get to know the business more I should be able to contribute increasingly. So very good and very happy! So nice to have job security again, I realised for the last year I have either been working notice or on probation so it is nice to know I am sorted for the foreseeable!


also it means I'm allowed to apply for a mortgage! You're totally right Bright Spark we are still looking in earnest, there's another location, Sunbury on Thames, we hadn't considered yet which looks nice on paper and you get slightly more for your money so we'll have a drive out there soon to check it out and hopefully view some properties!


So nice to have you back Gretchen, hope all is well! I will read and reply to you over lunch look forward to catching up


In other news, not a huge amount really, we are heading up to Mum and Dad's this weekend for a family friends 30th birthday so it will be great to see so many people at the same time, it is so hard to fit everyone in over a weekend!


Money news, doing really well! Had a dinner cancel this week which saved me about £70 in train fares and restaurants. I am due a refund of over £80 from my pension this payday - I cancelled contributions which we are being assessed for mortgage to make our affordability look better and will obvs plan for retirement as soon as we're settled.


also, now I'm not in probation anymore the phone I was given by work is mine to use as I please so I will cancel my contract with O2 and sell the phone to pay off the contract (and a bit more hopefully) and this will save me £40 a month on phone bills! Need to get my personal number transferred over to work too so I don't have to hand out a new number to everyone!


I have lost half a kg this week too, very happy with that I have eaten really well (apart from the last two evenings where I had wine and ate burritos) and also done 2 runs, 2 4 mile walks, boxing, pilates and circuits, same again next week!!! Less social stuff in the diary next week so hoping I can do even better!


Hope you guys are good, what are all your weekend plans?


LG x

Brightspark87

hi you! great news and lovely area to look to buy in I know it a little.

this weekend I am packing (and a little annoyed the weather is SO pants!) enjoy yourself x

LondonGirl252

Thanks! Ah that's good to know, we don't know it at all!!!


At least you won't be tempted away from packing by the sunshine! Have a good one x

mark55man

Never underestimate the importance if time in the market from a pensions point of view.

Understand you have got to make yourself look good for the mortgage co (have you considered using a broker they can really help and often don't cost you any money), but the moment you complete get something going into the pension again - otherwise it will be 10 years before you do - Pay yourself 1st 2nd and 3rd then see whats left 1st = savings for now and financial flexibility, 2nd = savings for long term goals, 3rd = savings for your retired self).

Missing early years in a pension will cost more to make up as you are not letting compound interest work in your favour

(Lecture over - sorry)

LondonGirl252

Thanks Mark! Totally agree with you and its a kick up the !!!!! I need, as soon as we get a mortgage approved I will be reviewing exactly as you have advised, that's useful thank you!


Really hoping we find something soon, I am finding it harder and harder to remain patient as time goes by and nothing it quite right for us, I know its hard and the right one will come along.


Weekend was good and not too spendy, hopefully having a quiet one this week.


Will catch up properly later off to a meeting now


LG x

Brightspark87

Hi Londongirl the FCA has just said to mortgage providers that it cannot stop a mortgage on affordability based on pension contributions? Did you know that? you cant be penalised for saving for your retirement. (im an IFA!) x

LondonGirl252

I didn't know that! Thanks for telling me, in that case I'll be able to re-instate my pension then! Great news! I also manage the pension scheme at work so it'll be nice and easy


I have a hen weekend in Frankfurt this weekend, flights and hotel all paid for I just need to get some euros for the spa day and dinner and dancing. I have budgeted £100 and hoping I don't spend it all! The spa is only €30 so should be do-able!


I converted by best mate to YNAB this week, she's always moaning about money and spends a lot so is always in her credit card and overdraft but now she's decided to save seriously for a house it's highlighted to her how often she keeps clawing back money from savings to make ends reach.


We were having a boxing sesh on Monday night and I told her about YNAB and how its worked so well for me, well on Tuesday she emailed me singing it's praises I'm glad she tried it as I know she will benefit from it a lot!


I am still seeing my bank balance improve each month, first month I was just happy not to be in my overdraft, last month I have a couple of hundred left at the end of this month, this month I should have £500 left at payday, hopefully soon I will have £1,000. I feel so much more secure with my finances now that I have the right savings and emergency funds building up but also that I am always aware of how much I'm allowed to spend.


Heading over to Windsor after work tonight to see the bf, we're going to book our hotel for when we got to NYC in August (He'll pay and I'll drip feed him money back ) and also hopefully we can get on the ipad and find some house to view next week.


LG x

LannieDuck

Oh no, I've got to the end! What am I going to do with my evenings for the rest of the week?!

LondonGirl252

Hahaha thanks for reading through and joining us! Well done for getting to the end, its a hefty read this diary now!


Friday is always a welcome friend! I have a busy weekend ahead, after work tonight I am driving over to stay with M for the night, then tomorrow I have a 7am flight from Heathrow to Frankfurt for my friends hen party. Arriving home Sunday lunch and will hang out with M until its time to return to London.


This week has been spendier than normal, I forgot my lunch on Wednesday, then stayed with M Wednesday night so spent on trains and supper, then because I hadn't been home I had no lunch Thursday and this morning I forgot my lunch AGAIN! After I'd been so organised last week and filled me freezer! Annoying! Ah well at least its frozen so they're all ready for next week!


Payday on Tuesday and my budget is already logged and ready to go.


I had a wobble this week, when I was with M on Weds night we were talking about houses and we worked out one of us is away for the next few weekends and we cant view on week nights as I work too far away. I'm so desperate to have my own space and privacy that I got upset as we're so ready to live together but it just seems like its never going to happen! I know I need to be patient but unfortunately it's not my strong point and I'm getting to my wits end with flat sharing.


Anyway, I decided to book next Friday afternoon off work so we can go flat hunting before M goes away with the army for a week the following day. I will work from home in the morning too which makes it easier! I've already booked in 4 really nice looking flats so I'm feeling a bit more positive again now. I know we need to be patient and find the right place but I didn't think it would be quite so hard! LOL I need to remember how lucky I am that M is in a position to be able to contribute enough for us both to buy together and count my lucky stars!!!


I am seeing him tonight so I will try and be GF of the year to make up for Wedsnesday moodiness!


Have a good weekend all!


LG x