Balancing not just the budget

RosaBernicia

Z, you were included in the lovely people - I know you try to hide it! I am hoping my categories will be less fripperies and more freedom . Also great pointer about Office - I think I will have a bit of credit coming with the uni store so if I use that I could effectively get Office365 for £5

Thanks Kerri :A, fair point - I think I've got a bit frustrated recently with feeling I had too much on, and having taken a few hours this week to catch up with myself I can see that really it's all going OK!


End of the month check - all still OK, in fact having tidied up April 's budget in YNAB I have £100 to carry into May, despite having bought yet another textbook. I'm annoyed about this as I'm sure I had a copy but can't find it - it's quite a small book which made it very handy for reading while travelling, and I have a nasty feeling I probably left it at college, and of course someone may have decided to 'adopt' it :mad: rather than hand it in. Several of us have a copy so I may have not realised when I left mine, thinking it was someone else's. Oh well, if it turns up I can sell a copy on again. Still haven't found my travel pass either :mad: and it's not like me to lose stuff... but then things have been a bit mad and at least it's happened now when needing to replace it isn't a major issue. There have been times when finding the extra money would have been difficult, and I'm very grateful to be nearly at the end of that journey. Having more flexibility to 'roll with the punches' as YNAB put it, really helps things feel less stressful.

I had a sudden EEK moment when I realised I hadn't set up my T5B account online to check that the payments I sent were getting through! Visions of money mistakenly donated to someone else's bank account:eek:! So I've now sorted it and everything is OK. Phew. :rotfl:

Another 3bay dress on its way - Bod3n for a whole £12.50. It looks to be one of my favourite colours so I will be really pleased if it fits. I do still have a stack of things waiting for fleabay, but they won't get sorted til after exams. Neither will my summer clothes swopover... so I might schedule that for my first free weekend


Rosa xx

doingitanyway

A bode* dress for £12.50! Go you!
I hope the studying is going well
DIA x

RosaBernicia

Thanks DIA

Studying is going OK - I have given myself some rest time instead of trying to read in the evenings after college and I wish I'd figured this out ages ago, my brain works better when I am not knackered and stressed.

Picking up dress tomorrow and there should also be a LKB awaiting me when I get into work - for £25


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Oops I seem to have got a bit carried away with 3bay this month. Have just realised that I've bought four dresses in the last few weeks, and although they are all fab and good prices, are probably not exactly needed since I haven't checked what summer stuff I have yet . Time to rein that back a bit - on the other hand, the LKB ones are all designs I liked and have been waiting for them to come up so it's not likely this would continue!

I've just updated YNAB and am currently running about £25 over budget, as the surplus I had this month has now gone on clothes. However, it's only 2 weeks to payday (and DF! :j) and I may be able to keep groceries and petrol below their budgets to compensate. Come to think of it, there's my usual £20 sitting in the Stuff I Forgot to Budget For category, so that will cover it if needed .

Just realised there's another bank hol following my exams, so will hopefully have a totally chilled weekend to pootle in the garden, sort out my summer clothes and set up my new budget!


Rosa xx

doingitanyway

RosaBernicia wrote: »

However, it's only 2 weeks to payday (and DF! :j)

Rosa xx

Wow. Just wow...

RosaBernicia

10... days to DF

I've just updated YNAB again and everything is still OK. I used a little of my Fun Money to help cover a train ticket as I had to rush back from college one night this week to get to a gig, and so the travel cost extra. But I also have £20 cash in my purse that was repaid for my friend's ticket. I now only have one more day at college - the exam! :eek: and there is enough in that budget line to cover it.

I'm very glad to not have to rush in and out of town any longer, I am feeling a bit run down and think it's due to the fortnight of not enough sleep and not really enough food, plus what food I did get wasn't very high quality. I've been to Cook! today and bought a couple of 2-person meals from them, so that will let me study and still eat properly for the next few days.

I'm looking forward to my DF day, although I suspect it's not going to feel all that exciting when I actually do the transfers - there is no card to write CLEARED!! across the zero bill this time. Instead I will do some account reshuffling and well, then I guess I get to post on the Debt Free Roll of Honour! :eek::j I will still be busy studying at that point, so I'm planning to look at my budget etc again on the first weekend after my exam. I intend to start really making the money I have work for me, and planning for an emergency fund and mortgage money.

One thing I am really enjoying about being DF - almost - is that feeling my money is now really my own means I also get to enjoy giving it away. Now that there is usually some money in my purse, I can pass on a few quid to someone homeless or as an extra tip to a junior beautician or waitress, without worrying that it will cost me stress later. Which all makes the world a tiny bit lighter .

Right, I suppose I should go and face some house chores. I have found it very difficult to get motivated today so am having to do things bit by bit, alternating each yucky chore with a reward! I will be back to read more diaries and explore the savings and mortgage sections after I have washed up, put my yummy Cook! dinner in the oven and hoovered!

Hope you are all having a good weekend


Rosa xx

doingitanyway

RosaBernicia wrote: »

10

One thing I am really enjoying about being DF - almost - is that feeling my money is now really my own means I also get to enjoy giving it away. Now that there is usually some money in my purse, I can pass on a few quid to someone homeless or as an extra tip to a junior beautician or waitress, without worrying that it will cost me stress later. Which all makes the world a tiny bit lighter .

Rosa xx

This is something not usually mentioned. Those of us for whom giving is an important part of who we are really miss being able to do this. I'm really enjoying seeing you anticipate a DF life. My turn is way, way off but your excitement is infectious.

Have a good Sunday
DIA x

RosaBernicia

Thanks DIA

I agree it probably isn't talked about enough but I have found it one of the most frustrating things about being in debt - often having to contradict my initial wish to buy gifts or cards or give to charity opposed by the obligation to minimise my spending. It makes me feel like money intrudes into areas where it doesn't belong, I suppose might be why. I think in a different situation where I was not so time-poor as well, it might not be such an issue as I could give in different ways, but working and studying mean I don't have a lot of time free (this is also why I don't do things like daily clicks).

I am delighted that getting DF has also coincided with other changes in my life and I think it really is time for some changes - hopefully the universe is already working on that


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

8... days to DF

All on track after a tiny bit of reshuffling - and I made a donation to my friend's JustGiving page by credit card, which will be paid out of next paycheque.

I've been ill today so got not much done in the way of studying and is stressing me a bit about work. Will see how things go tomorrow morning. I found a lovely Cheryl Strayed book of quotes which helped remind me that my studying is supposed to be about something I love, not obligation, so decided not to stress after all.


Rosa xx

doingitanyway

Hope you are feeling better Rosa?