London Socialite Sees The Light

LondonGirl252

Thanks guys! It felt so amazing to walk out last Wednesday! Last day was good, I did get a lovely present ( gel nails kit, rituals bath stuff, champers)

Evil boss could barely bring himself to say goodbye let alone thank me properly! Good riddance!


Anyway here is how my first week has gone!

Really good, is the answer! Started on Monday which feels like a lifetime ago now. I was introduced to what felt like a thousand people but was probably only about 20! Luckily my line manager drew me a desk plan and labelled people at their desks! Spent most of Monday with him, doing admin, having the H&S introduction and other bits.

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in training learning how to use the finance systems then yesterday i got properly stuck in and took on a project to move the finance process of one entity down from scotland to here. So in a couple of weeks I'll be spending time up in scotland for 4 days!

Today I'm sitting down with each of my team to start to get to know them which will be good to start building those relationships. This evening there is a finance night out, so I'll go along to that and try and remember a few more names!

Honestly, it is SO refreshing to be in a positive work environment. People are keen to help, there hasn't been any swearing or shouting at each other (though they may just be behaving for my first week!)

Next Tuesday I have my HR induction day where part of it will be to learn about all the benefits so my MSE ears will be pricked.

This week I have been getting the train in which has worked well, M stil drops me at the station, train is less than half and hour and my office is right opposite the station so it has been very quick, they are nice and quiet and so far so good. M is away next week so I will have the car so I'll drive in and see how that work traffic wise before we decide whether to invest in a second car.

Does anyone watch that progromme on BBC at the moment, Eat Well for Less? I really like it, it takes a family that spends way to much on food bills and shows you really basic ways of making small changes that all add up. M and I have already changed some things and we keep getting ideas for new ones too.

Right, train is pulling into the station so I had better sign off. Have a great weekend everyone - not much planned this end, just riding on sunday after M leaves,

LG x

joeyjimbles

So glad that its all going so well, and I'm glad that they give you a present even if Evil Boss lacked the common decency to thank you properly.
Have only seen clips of the programme that you mentioned, though I think its a rehash of a similar thing from a few years ago. Having been MSE for a while now, I find it difficult to believe that they never thought of making some of the simple changes but some of the price comparisons are definitely an eye opener. Grated cheese anyone?

Brightspark87

Hi LG glad you are enjoying the new job! I love that program and I watch it to see the delight of when they guess if its their favourite brand or not and get it wrong! xx

Ednoc

So so glad things are going well LG! What a great feeling it must be!!! Hallelujah!!!! xx

LondonGirl252

Hi Gang!


Sorry I have been absent! Hope all is well with you guys!


So, its been nearly 2 months now that I started my new job. It's going really well so far and I'm enjoying it a lot! I have had good feedback so think they're happy with me too!


It's a great company, they seem to actually care about employees! Early next year we are moving office which is going to kick start a new agile working initiave which will involve flexi time and option to work from home which will be brilliant!


The commute is fab, I manage it in just over half an hour door to door so I'm saving well over 3.5 hours a day in comparison to what I was doing! I honestly feel like I have so much more energy and just happier in myself, I'm going to the gym a lot, running more, riding more. It was defo the right decision!


This weekend I ran a 10km race for Dementia in memory of my grandma who passed away earlier this year, it was good, WAY too many hills but I managed to not walk at all! So I was pleased with that, my time was 1:07:57 which I am pleased with considering its my first 10km! I have raise £360 with a little more to come and my work will add another £250 so that's brilliant hopefully that money will help someones experience become a little easier.


In training I didn't get over 5km, we discovered a park run near us so we did that twice - what a brilliant concept! I ran the first one in 33 mins and the second in 32mins and M enjoys it too so we plan to keep that in our weekend routine. We've entered another 10km race in November (just for "fun") to keep the training progressing!


London Marathon ballot results are out soon, after knowing how hard I find 10km I'm really hoping now that I don't get in... ever! hahaha


Money is good, still budgeting away we've managed to cut our grocery bill down quite a lot. It could still be better so I need to get stricter with my meal planning!


M has been totally awesome this week and transferred me £5k of his savings for me to pay off the car which I've been squirrelling away at, I will pay him back whenever she gets sold or something. But it means I have an addition £312.89 a month to save! I updated YNAB this morning which made me really happy to see the savings numbers increase!


So now just the barclaycard to keep paying down but theres ages before the interest free perios runs out, I have increased the payments given the extra money I now have!


Then I want to see if we can afford to start over paying the mortgage.


LG x

joeyjimbles

Good news all round. I have been checking for your updates but assumed you were just keeping your head down whilst you were the new girl. Lovely M - you definitely chose well there, a keeper.

Glad all is well and don't be a stranger.

mark55man

If the BCard is 0% then I would start up a separate savings account and pay the excess in there. Then you have a separate pot of money that is

a. earning interest,
b. showing M goodwill which he wont mind too much about, but will be internally pleased
c. possibly earning you £100 (eg using M&S account)
d. possibly creating a fund for your or his replacement car when that is needed

I always found it was nice to decrease the balance, but £3000 for a year at 5% is 150.

The only counterargument to this, is that its easier to justify spending some savings, than it is to run up some debt on the card.

Your call, but lovely to hear from you again

lulabelle

so glad you are loving your new job plus commute much better - excellent news!

well done also on your 10 and 5k's -amazing - i've not run for MONTHS and dreading starting again, esp as am quite fat at the moment!

if you get into LM you can totally do it - I have every faith. If I get in again we can be virtual training buddies and spur each other on! x

Turtle

I've never written on your thread before, but I have read the entire thing. Just wanted to say I am a massive fan of parkrun, first started going in 2010 so have got quite a lot under my belt now and I tell anyone and everyone about it! It's actually International parkrunday today, 12 years since it started and 1.8m people have now run at least one, with nearly 1000 events worldwide. Re the marathon, it is very hard, but you train up to it and so 26m on the day won't seem the impossible task that it does at the moment (if you get in )

LondonGirl252

Heya guys!


Thank Joey, he totally is


Mark - you are totally right, thanks for that advice I have moved the excess into my savings account and set up a new category in YNAB to show what I am saving up to eventually pay off the card!


Lullabelle - Thanks! haha you deserved a break though after everything! Fingers crossed we get in (sort of!) hahaha


Hi Turtle! Thanks so much for reading and posting! I am in love with it too it is such as awesome context! I brought two friends this weekend and they are keen to keep coming back! Thanks I think I will try and see how it goes but it's unlikely i will even get in!


Had my younger bro, his fiance and my two nieces down to stay this weekend, it was mayhem! fun, but mayhem! Made me realise that my flat is so not suitable for kids! Especially a 1 year old who wants to touch EVERYTHING! hahaha I had to have a nap after they left yesterday!


Saw Bridget Jones last night - hilarious! Won't say anymore in case you haven't seen it yet and intend to! Worth a watch!


So a new month! It's brilliant, I have just transferred £700 over to my savings account, I didn't overspend last month and now my car is paid off I can save up so much more. It has made me even more determined to keep spending down to see that number increase each month.


M has now been away for 10 days, due back Friday! I am so fed up of being alone, I am making the most of it and going to the gym lots, seeing people etc so I've hardly been at home but I just don't relax so much when I'm there on my own!


LG x