Muchin's diary of recover; becoming debt free and being happy

Munchin

Hi all

I'm surprised to be feeling pretty good even though we've lost that lovely hour. I watched the start of F1 and saw Raikonnen get a puncture but then had to get ready for mass so avoiding all news until I can watch again at 2.

I have my ironing all done and my clothes set out for tomorrow so that I can hopefully start tomorrow nice and calm - well that is the plan.

I have updated my savings figures for April and I've cleared the £2 category as I'm going to give that money to my Mum for her birthday (she is going on a religious retreat with her friends).

I have very little money left for March but thankfully there are very few days left to worry about. April is going to be another skint month so I need to gather up those pesky NSDs.

Savings 2015 - (April)

Long term

Credit Union - ............£240
Zopa savings - ...........£200
£2 coins - ................. £0
£1 a day (£365) #69 - £118
Xmas (2015) - ...........£180
Xmas groc - ..............£90
Safety net - ............. £690

Total - £1308

Short term

Holidays - £220



March budget

Everything - £6.28:o
Exercise - £15
Beauty - £0
Gifts - £0

Munchin

Morning all:D

I've been awake since 5am!!! and I have a really long day ahead but no point in complaining ....too much:).

I rang Nationwide and cancelled my credit card this morning - I have nothing on it but it was like a safety net just in case.

Last night we had a gorgeous meal and it came to £29 for the pair of us and that included 2 glasses of wine. It was absolutely delicious and the restaurant was only about 4 miles away but we had never been. I live in the country and 4 miles is nothing. I paid the tip and OH paid for the meal so I think that was a bargain.

Plans today - meeting, work, volunteer - which means once I leave the house in an hour I will not be home until about 10 tonight

March budget

Everything - £3.28:o
Exercise - £15
Beauty - £0
Gifts - £0

Munchin

Phew, I can finally get my hands on my April budget - things were getting very tight and I managed an NSD yesterday but I think that was helped with having no money:o

April budget:)

General - £90
Diesel & Groceries - £350
Exercise - £35
Beauty - £18
Gifts - £45

Diesel is always so high because of the travelling that I do with work and although I can claim some of it back I can't claim it all - oh well.

Munchin

Hi all

Friday again. I was working Wed to Fri because of the bank holidays and it was mad as we had so few staff but I enjoyed it.

Easter was great - time to relax and catch up. As usual ate too much etc but hey it's Easter but I must admit I need a break from turkey.

I have appointments tomorrow for a spot of pampering - eyebrows waxed and eye lashes tinted in the morning and then I'm getting my haircut. I have to look after nephew tmw but plan to watch the national and the boat race - busy day ahead.

April budget

General - £[STRIKE]90[/STRIKE]/£75.28
Diesel & Groceries - £350
Exercise - £[STRIKE]35[/STRIKE]/£30
Beauty - £18
Gifts - £45

Munchin

Morning all

I woke up this morning with lambs bleating in the field opposite and I had visions of little lambs in the sunshine. The reality when I looked out the window was little lambs sheltering in the hedge from the hailstones. I think this is going to be a 4 seasons in one day kind of day.

I had a great day yesterday as I got pampered at the beauticians and the hairdressers. I love getting my hair trimmed and because it's curly it doesn't need much looking after. I'm going to schedule regular trims from now on.

I've had one of those revelations on my eating disorder front and if it helps anyone else then I'm going to share. I was reading my support forum and one of the ladies said that she looks at her ED habits as a train on tracks which are broken and each time we act on an urge then we keep forcing our train round the same broken tracks and it will keep on going on its bumpy journey. However every time we don't respond to the disordered thought then we fix a piece of track and eventually all the pieces of track will be fixed and the train will travel smoothly - ED free. OK I know that sounds a bit strange but it's working for me. I'm also calling my recovery - sobriety. In my head I can now see that what I'm achieving is really significant rather than just sorting out my diet.

Work front - Ok I got some hush hush good news - my boss was approached by another Dept to see if they could have me but unfortunately it didn't work out as the grading bods said I wasn't the right grade for the post. However my boss told me that the opportunity is still there in a slightly different form. I love the work I do just not the staff and I do want a move and it would be in a business critical post and in theory my job would be "safe". As all promotions are on hold I'm looking at other opportunities and I don't mind a sideways move as long as they cover my travel. I left work on Friday feeling a little bit lighter and happier.

Money front - blah ... I want to buy lots of nice clothes etc but I don't have lots of nice money

April budget

General - £[STRIKE]90[/STRIKE]/£61.55
Diesel & Groceries - £350
Exercise - £[STRIKE]35[/STRIKE]/£30
Beauty - £[STRIKE]18[/STRIKE]/£0
Gifts - £45

I'm low on the general spends but I only have this weekend to worry about as I'm off to Dublin the following weekend and I get expenses.

Have a good day everyone:).

Munchin

Morning all,

I'm staying in Killarney this weekend with my credit union for the irish league of cu conference. Everything is paid for us as we are volunteers 😄.

I went out for early morning run this weekend to see the town & it was gorgeous. The only downside is the return journey tmw.

Today is the 2nd half of the agm & if there is time I will fit in a swim and a drive round the peninsula.

We are hoping to stop at Kildare shopping village on way home tmw.. Must be good... Must be good 😄

Munchin

Morning all

Well things didn't quite work out as planned yesterday and we basically had 1.5 hours at Kildare village for lunch and shopping. As you can imagine that was a mad dash round for a bit of a nosy but really no time to actually splash the cash...which was good for the wallet but as I hadn't spent any money this weekend I was hoping to find something nice. Maybe next time:).

I'm back to work today and I can't get my mojo going. I know I will have tons to catch up on and our customers will be queued out the doors which is the norm until the middle of May. A shower and coffee should sort me out. I have a hen party this weekend to look forward to:D and pay day today:j

Munchin

Hi all

Pay day again and I've moved my money into my savings. I will have a spendy weekend as I'm out on a hen night and there is an overnight stay, limo, meal and cocktails to pay for but I have a budget and I'm hoping to stick to it. My sis is doing my tan and hair so saving some money there.

OH is working overtime during the bank holiday weekend but it works out well as I'm out and about quite a bit.

Munchin

Evening everyone,

Oh wow - it's been nearly a month since I updated this diary and I've been bad on the spendy front:o.

Work has been mad busy for the last 4 weeks and I was working from 7am to 6.30 and I would have stayed later if the security guard hadn't turfed me out:). However the mad busy period finished on Friday past and I was totally out of sorts from Monday until now. I think it was the transition from flat out madness to normality which sent me on a bit of a downward spiral but as I'm an optimist I'm now popping out the other side and back in diaryland.

OK the credit card is sicky no well:o but I have a reason and a plan:). I have the holiday and new sofa on it and haven't really been making any roads into reducing that debt and then my normal diesel & grocery spends have been going on it and it worked out that I was paying it in arrears, so again not really paying it - head in sand anyone??. So I've taken the bull by the horns and put my debt on YNAB and it has hit this months budget hard but I'm on top of it. I have 18 months interest free to plug away reduce it and to do that I need to stick to my budgets.

In general things have been good. I had a brilliant time at the hen party and felt fantastic, we had a pink limo and drove around Belfast:o. I thought I would be mortified but a glass or 2 of vino took away any embarrassment. It was a surprisingly cheap night as we had drink in the apartment and danced the night away. The next day we met for lunch and more gossip and it was just great feeling good and chatting with friends. I've been meeting up with friends more as the ED caused me to neglect friends and social occasions.

ED front - all was going well but I've found it tough since Monday past which is probably all to do with the work situation.

So plans ahead, not much this weekend, a classical concert next week (already paid) and then I'm flying to Scotland for my friends wedding:D

I have a budget and a mission to get myself debt free again.

Munchin

Morning all,

Yeah for the bank holiday weekend .

I'm slobbing about as OH is doing overtime ...again. I'm going to go for a run in a wee bit - I've signed up to 2 races much later in the year (1 is the colour run in Belfast:D) but my running has been a bit hit and miss the last while so I need to get back into a routine.

I was so knackered yesterday and was in bed by 9 - I think it is still part of that run down feeling I have. One of my colleagues commented yesterday that I must be due a break soon as I've been working so much. It's time to take a break when your colleagues notice . On work front all is good and it looks like I will be in a new post by Sept. I think it is also time for a change as I kind of know my role now and I need a new challenge.

Spending yesterday was limited to £11 on groceries, £1.99 lunch and £8.60 pizza. The pizza was annoying - OH and I get a takeway on a Friday night. Last week I got 2 Asda pizza for £4 and it was lovely and even nicer than our regular £8.60 pizza and I still have one in the freezer. Last night OH said that he wanted the pizza shop one as we can worry about savings after he is made redundant - isn't that the madness thing ever. I think I'm going to have my work cut out this time next year when he is made redundant.

I don't have many plans today, run, deposit money in bank, clean house......do not go near the shops:o

Have a good day everyone.