Balancing not just the budget

RosaBernicia

Another cupboard sorted. Not much binned this time, and things could be better organised but will have to wait until other areas have been cleared and I can swop things around.

I had a look at the pensions advice service but it does say I need individual advice. So I messaged the providers recommended by the union - I will compare the cost of consulting them myself with the cost of joining, it will probably work out cheaper to join. Then I did an internet search to find IFAs in my area. The top reviews site that came had 5, all with very good ratings - and none of them deal with anyone who has less than £100K to spare :rotfl: . That's going to take a while even with MSE... so will have another look on the weekend.

Weeekkennnndd :j :T


Rosa xx

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

none of them deal with anyone who has less than £100K to spare :rotfl: . That's going to take a while even with MSE...

Hand down the back of the sofa job?

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Weeekkennnndd :j :T

:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T

Tinkerbelle2000

Hi Rosa

Just wanted to let you know I'm back although I've not updated my diary yet.

Thank you for the lovely messages that you put on my diary and it's good to know you are still here.

Have caught up on your diary and MT's, just a couple more to catch up on.

Well done on being debt free and passing your exams. I'm so pleased for you. Hopefully one day I might be debt free.

Take care.

Tink xx

RosaBernicia

Tinkerbelle2000 wrote: »

Hi Rosa

Just wanted to let you know I'm back although I've not updated my diary yet.

Thank you for the lovely messages that you put on my diary and it's good to know you are still here.

Have caught up on your diary and MT's, just a couple more to catch up on.

Well done on being debt free and passing your exams. I'm so pleased for you. Hopefully one day I might be debt free.

Take care.

Tink xx

Hi Tink, lovely to hear from you! I'll look out for your update

Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Well I am part way through clearing the last bit of the living room - it's a walking-through-treacle feeling as somehow I don't want to do it tonight, but I want it done rather than having it drag into next week! I'm reminding myself that it needed be perfect (something hard learned in my case with much help from FlyLady!), this is only the first round and once I have things mostly sorted I will be able to continue gradually decluttering anything that becomes unnecessary or joyless.

I had forgotten how much difference it makes to have the house fully utilised and everything loved and cared for, instead of things piled away and ignored. I really feel it's made a huge difference to the energy of the place and to me.

The next target will be my garden. It's a mess as it just seemed too much to deal with while I had all the other things going on. Now I will actually have time to use it, I am much better motivated to make it lovely. I can already see some easy wins to work on and will spend a bit if necessary. I also remembered that I could take things I want to give away to the local allotments one evening as they will surely be adopted there. I had a quick trip to one of the local garden centres today, looking for a bit of inspiration, but was very disappointed - it's turned into a nasty cheap mall rather than anything really related to gardening. So I'm planning to go to a better one next weekend.

Hoping for a quiet week as I don't have to travel for a while. So I think my goals for this coming week are:

• Finish my application for my new professional association
• Book a conference I want to go to (only because it will save on the accommodation if I sort it now)
• Tidy up the garden a bit

That's it so hopefully plenty of chill time too


Rosa xx

Tinkerbelle2000

RosaBernicia wrote: »

I also remembered that I could take things I want to give away to the local allotments one evening as they will surely be adopted there.

Just wanted to say as an allotment holder, anything you donate will be much appreciated. Love that you thought of this.

RosaBernicia

Tinkerbelle2000 wrote: »

Just wanted to say as an allotment holder, anything you donate will be much appreciated. Love that you thought of this.

Thanks Tink, glad to hear it should work. I have a lot of small pots etc that take up loads of space, aren't being used and won't cost much to replace when I do want some. Plus a couple of currant bushes that are currently in pots but would be happier on an allotment. I think it may be time to let some garden stuff go so that what I have now can work properly, and when I do have somewhere to grow things again hopefully I will find what I need at the time. Like with everything else, I'm finding it much easier to just let stuff go now that I'm not frantically pinching pennies and scrimping in other areas.

My favourite simplicity write also has a lovely article on letting stuff go, even when you paid too much for it... http://bemorewithless.com/stop/


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Well today I have tackled the top shelf of the horrible manky Cupboard of Doom :eek:. This has resulted in a pretty much a whole black bag full of stuff that's going straight in the bin :eek: so I'm not quite sure how it got into that state. I seem to have kept more containers of any kind than I could ever possibly need :rotfl: . Anyway, all sorted - the shelf is wiped and disinfected and all the stuff I'm keeping is washed or wiped and ready go back in there tomorrow. I'll also pick up another dehumidifier for the other shelf, hopefully that will stop it going manky again.

End of month review - all OK, age of money currently saying 37 days. The cat needs dental work which is likely to be a couple of hundred quid, but that's the only thing I can think of that's unexpected at this point. I do keep a vet bills pot but it's low at the moment so perhaps I should put more into it for a while. The car is due its service and MOT etc but that's all covered by the savings pot and so is the insurance. That's a gooood feeling . I did a quick comparison to gain a couple of quid cashback but my renewal looks cheaper than any of the quotes and I was very happy with the company when I did need to claim, so think I'll stick with them. Pleased to find that it has dropped below £300 for the year, at least for the basic - I paid for some of the extras last year and probably will again. The MOT is booked so fingers crossed it comes through OK, but it should do as there are no issues I'm aware of. :money: ticking along


Rosa xx

MuffinTops

Ooh well done Rosa, on the manky cupboard. Those jobs need lots of psyching up for me.

I had the same issue recently with pots being a bit low on funds. I've been rolling with the punches far too much on my YNAB, so I think I need to get a bit more organised with what's where.

Fingers crossed here for your MOT too. MTxx

doingitanyway

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Thanks Tink, glad to hear it should work. I have a lot of small pots etc that take up loads of space, aren't being used and won't cost much to replace when I do want some. Plus a couple of currant bushes that are currently in pots but would be happier on an allotment. I think it may be time to let some garden stuff go so that what I have now can work properly, and when I do have somewhere to grow things again hopefully I will find what I need at the time. Like with everything else, I'm finding it much easier to just let stuff go now that I'm not frantically pinching pennies and scrimping in other areas.

My favourite simplicity write also has a lovely article on letting stuff go, even when you paid too much for it... http://bemorewithless.com/stop/


Rosa xx

All this letting go sets up a cycle where there is more flow and more opportunities for you to invite the right things in...however reading that back sounds a bit new-age, but I still think it :rotfl: