Ruby's Revolution (2012)

RubySewSew

I have been hanging around the debt free wannabe boards for a couple of years now. I have used that time to get a debt management plan in place and have ridden a rollercoaster of changes some of them welcome some of them less so!

I'm starting a new diary this year - one that is goal orientated, one that is focussed, one that will see me closer to where I want to be by the end of the year than I am at the start. So here goes, some revolution resolutions:

Maintenance – to pursue court case actively in order to reinstate maintenance and for it to be ordered to be paid on 1st of the month.

Income – to be earning £16,500 pa by September.

Other income - to be trained as circus instructor and running clubs and parties by end of June and to advertise 121 and online services for antenatal teaching.

Spending diary – to track every single penny to ensure an accurate budget for next year!

Career development – to write & submit chapter for midwifery book. To volunteer for attachment charity, reviewing evidence and contributing to policy and guidelines.

Debt management – to increase debt repayments by another £100 pm (to £238pm) by end of June.

Savings/financial planning – to reduce outgoings and increase incoming to afford essential living costs and to save £100pm for rainy day fund.

50/50 spend and save for any cash income over coming year.

Hobbies – to craft, grow or cook all presents (other than for my kids) and cards and to sell any surplus. To use circus to get fit and lose weight.

Weight loss – to lose 35lbs (35 for 35!) in 20 weeks time. Weight loss of 2lbs a week allowing for slippage...

Daily budgeting – to decrease spending on groceries and petrol. Savings on petrol to be diverted to car fund. Savings on groceries to be 50/50 save and spend.

Freecycle – to attempt to find anything I need or want on freecycle first.

Pets – to reduce the number of chickens we have by half and to ensure that we do not get anymore pets!

So I'm looking for supporters, followers, friends and fellow revolutionaries!!! Join me! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Itsadogslife_2

Hi Ruby,

Subscribed and looking forward to reading about your journey.

You seem very organised with your list of goals - I have a few similar ones, losing a few pounds, growing our own, freecycle and I am hoping to not increase the number of pets (although we are down to just two dogs - but I am going to try and stay at only two and not increase to three ). We have had chickens for a number of years but are going to have a break from them for a little while as the corner of the garden that they were in was getting really very smelly They have gone to live on a friends allotment for a bit

What crafts are you planning on doing?

Lemon_Tree

glad to find your new diary, i'll be around as part of your cheerleading team. I like many of your targets for this coming year a lot are the same as the ones running around my head.

MatyMoo

I will be lurking about as normal

The plans look good :T Fingers crossed that this is a better year for you.

chevalier

Good luck with your new diary. I hope that you achieve your goals this year. But at least having a list gives you focus.
chev

RubySewSew

Yay! Hello everybody!

Moved things a tiny bit forward today. Phoned the mortgage company to explain that I was struggling at the moment. They have changed my payments to interest only for 6 months which will ease the budget a bit and let me get some rainy day money stashed. They've also changed my payment date to the last day of the month so that all of my payments are in before it comes out

Phoned student loans company and organised a rebate of £300 which means that I can get through this month and hopefully have some leftover to put into savings - will do the actual numbers asap.

Have kept spending diary up to date

Have finished cushions for school (finally after a whole term of having them hanging around) for the simple reason that now they're done they can't distract me from my plan!

I made a work contact today and volunteered for the charity work and handed over my business card. She asked if we could meet for coffee :)

Ooh, and I have stayed on plan all day - eating healthily. Am now debating whether or not to have some wine as there is an open bottle in the fridge and I still have 1 more cushion to do! This is going to be the trickiest thing to do!

As for crafting I have some decoupage on the go, I like making and framing unusual prints from recycled frames and found images, greetings cards, patchwork, refurbishing furniture. I bought myself a jewellery making book over Christmas and I want to improve my sewing and knitting whilst learning to crochet! No pressure! From the gifts point of view I would also like to get some seedlings going and some foodie gifts to. Really quite excited

Itsadogslife - I am down to 2 cats and 6 chickens but broody for a kitten. But I will resist!

Eager_Elephant

RubySewSew wrote: »

So I'm looking for supporters, followers, friends and fellow revolutionaries!!! Join me! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Hmmmm....

Supporter ....tick
Follower......tick
Friend.......tick
Revolutionare(sp?)......not sure

I'm sure 3 out of 4 isn't bad is it???

I guess I will be along for the ride :T

Eager_Elephant

Well done Ruby on getting so much done yesterday :T

Great news on the mortgage.

I think you have enough animals for now :rotfl:although I can hardly talk.

You could do what my DH did which is just appear at home one day with a new kitten and say it needed a new home :mad: (you would only have to say that to the children and I am sure they would be fine :rotfl:)

Hope you get lots done today as well

RubySewSew

Eager, my naughty little sister took a photo of a homeless kitten and showed it to my DS2 in an attempt to twist my arm! He would love a kitten and he is the one of my boys who struggles the most emotionally so I can't help but think a pet would really help me manage his temper and mood swings. However, I have to keep it in mind that cats are independent creature and cannot be bent to the will of a needy 8 year old!

Struggling with the noise today - got home from work a bit k-nackered and feel like a little nap. Need to take the boys back out to karate in 15 mins and they haven't stopped talking over each other and asking em for stuff. I think its the layers of noise that is getting to me! I've had a lovely cup of tea but feel a bit in limbo because I've got to go back out again - twice! Ooh, and actually I'm quite hungry. I've got jacket potatoes in the oven for later but don't really have anything to snack on. Any ideas of SW snacks for hungry working mummies coming in from work tired and grumpy?!

Karate will cost £8 which will be the only spend today. Child benefit went in yesterday and maintenance should be in today which means I can pay the ex-bf back Christmas bridging loan and afford some grocery shopping. Will do some food planning and an online shop so that I don't overspend. Any quick, nutritious recipe ideas for a fussy vegetarian please let me know! I think I'm going to instigate meat free Mondays - just to help focus the mind on eating more veggie food and less meat.

Just revisiting goals to see if anything has moved or if I can move anything else forward. My court case is coming up (re maintenance) so I need to start getting all my evidence together. So perhaps 1 action for today would be to find the list of documentation required...

RubySewSew

DS2 had a massive temper tantrum and made himself feel so ill that he missed karate. Saved me 4 quid! He is fine btw before you think I'm really mercenary!

Circus training postponed tomorrow so £5 for hulahooping class instead. Need to resist temptation to buy and drink wine tomorrow

RubySewSew

Busy busy! Knackered because... I GOT EXTRA HOURS AT WORK!!! Extra 9 hours a week Which should also be at higher level as it is supporting a child with complex needs. Have a manic rush around now to get myself and boys ready. Dropping boys off with friend and then I'm off to London for a couple of nights. Serendipity that I got 2 London invites on same weekend

So, must rush, need to eat, pack, wash, dress, taxi and organise....