Keeping up appearances.......

Dolphin1

Sorry HappyNow, I didn't realise that your credit rating was still intact, I can understand you not wanting to ruin it in the short term especially if Mr HappyNow manages to get a new job quickly. I didn't want to suggest that this could be a blessing in disguise before but that's what I was thinking too so I'm glad to see that this is where your mind is now at and I'm also glad to see that (for the time being at least) you have a plan. I have my fingers and everything else crossed that it all works out well for you and Mr HappyNow.

Honey_Bear

One further thought overnight, Happy. I know Keeping Up Appearances is very important for you so every trim on the expenditure front has had to be subtle over the past four years. Now, however, I think you can legitimately admit, if not brag, about trimming 'excesses' in view of the circumstances.

Thank goodness you had your lightbulb moment in 2011 and have made such fantastic progress in the intervening period.

FlacosFloozie

Sorry to hear about |Mr Happy, what a shock for you both! I hope something better comes his way soon.

HappyNow

chevalier wrote: »

Sometimes a life changing event like this, can be very positive.

Thanks Chev, you're right. He was unhappy at work and now he gets the chance to do something different. We WILL find the positives in this - once the panic subsides

Honey_Bear wrote: »

It's the strangest thing - people I've never met, won't ever meet, wouldn't recognise if I passed on the street, live hundreds of miles apart - really matter to me.
That's something that I've often thought over the last few years. It's strange but very nice
Things start to fall into place and within a few months most people realise that, looking back on it, it was a blessing in disguise. The absolutely crucial thing is to get through financially while things are at their most chaotic, so if you've got a pile of stuff that you've been thinking about or meaning to Ebay, now's the time.
Yes, the next few weeks will be dire financially, but we WILL get through and come out the other side. Somehow!
I'd just like to add that - entirely thanks to you, this thread and making myself do something for the microbusiness in January as one of my goals - yesterday I despatched the biggest single order I've ever had. I'm super-excited about it because completely by accident I contacted a distritbutor who can reach markets I wouldn't have been able to. As I say, all thanks to you.

Wow, really? That's brilliant, well done you! Ooh, and if you decide to open a Northern office, Mr H happens to be available just now

Dolphin1 wrote: »

Sorry HappyNow, I didn't realise that your credit rating was still intact, I can understand you not wanting to ruin it in the short term especially if Mr HappyNow manages to get a new job quickly. I didn't want to suggest that this could be a blessing in disguise before but that's what I was thinking too so I'm glad to see that this is where your mind is now at and I'm also glad to see that (for the time being at least) you have a plan.

Thanks Dolphin . I can quite understand why anyone would think our credit rating is 100% shot, but bizarrely it is excellent. In the early days of my diary I once added up all the new credit I could lay my hands on just from existing cards - I can't remember the figure, but I know it was enough to buy a small house!! Lucky for the country's economy that I had my LBM just in time......:D

HappyNow

Honey_Bear wrote: »

I know Keeping Up Appearances is very important for you so every trim on the expenditure front has had to be subtle over the past four years. Now, however, I think you can legitimately admit, if not brag, about trimming 'excesses' in view of the circumstances.
Thank goodness you had your lightbulb moment in 2011 and have made such fantastic progress in the intervening period.

You know, now you mention Keeping Up Appearances, I've realised it's nowhere near as important to me now as it was in 2011. I don't know what's changed, if anything. Maybe it's just keeping this diary that's made it easier for me to 'talk' about our lack of money. Or maybe I've finally grown up and realised money matters much, much less than I thought it did. But you're right, this redundancy is the perfect opportunity to revel in our frugality and I will do it with no embarrassment whatsoever.

FlacosFloozie wrote: »

Sorry to hear about |Mr Happy, what a shock for you both! I hope something better comes his way soon.

Hello FF, lovely to see you . Yes, it was a shock - still is in fact - but I think good things will come of it, and we are in a better position to cope now than we were back in the day!

chevalier

Good luck with sorting it all. At least now you can make cuts on the basis of tightening our belts, which should make some parts of your life easier for you.
chev

HappyNow

chevalier wrote: »

Good luck with sorting it all. At least now you can make cuts on the basis of tightening our belts, which should make some parts of your life easier for you.
chev

Indeed. I'm taking frugal to a whole new level this month!

Honey_Bear

*Anti-panic* vibes heading your way. You will get through this.

HappyNow

We're in May and no new targets set. Bet you can't guess what mine are

May Modifications

• Make every penny count. I'm going extreme this month!

Yesterday Mr Happy netted £140 for his weekend's work. It will go (along with another £40) straight to the Equine Crematorium who have now billed me. Nothing from the vet yet.

I spent £3 on a pack of 16 Nicky toilet rolls. No other spends apart from some chocolate (see below) and no petrol used as I picked them up after my run.

• Healthy eating on a very tight budget

I have zero money in the grocery fund, but we have enough in the cupboards until the rent money comes in at the end of the week. Not sure how much rent we will end up with though as there's a repair bill to pay. If I can possibly manage it, I want to allow £3.95 per week for wine and £2 for chocolate. I recognise the things that keep me sane.....

I will be serving leftovers and wilty things for the next few days as part of my zero waste policy. Made a start yesterday but I don't think I managed 5 x F & V.

Yesterday I bought a pack of three Fry's Chocolate Creams for £1. I decided to eat half a bar per day so they would last nearly a week. I have already eaten two and a half bars

• Use the Fitbit I did consider ebaying my Fitbit. It was such a bargain I would probably make a profit. But I do use it and health is important, so I will hang onto it for now - it can be sold later if I have to.

I used it to map my run yesterday but I didn't input my calories so I will be starting afresh today.

• Neat feet This again because my feet still look like hooves and I have loads of E45 so it's free.

Starting from tonight, I hadn't got as far as thinking of targets yesterday.

chevalier

Leftovers can be such money savers can't they. The trick is to judge between when they are leftovers and when they are compost
!!!lol
chev