Balancing not just the budget

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

I do need to stop anticipating payday, though the monitor for the office is about the last major thing I need anyway,

Have you bought that?

Try https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/ and plug your specification in if not.

RosaBernicia

ZTD wrote: »

Have you bought that?

Try https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/ and plug your specification in if not.

Yes... and I confess I just went to the local Curry5 as wanted it in a hurry and it's difficult getting stuff delivered when out all day (this kind of thing is a bit too obvious and expensive to get delivered to work). Sanity saving, if not very :money:.

Will remember that link in future though, so thank you


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Famous last words... :rotfl:

Sunday shuffle reveals that I am way over budget for this month, and I've got a day out with a friend to cover yet. I'm well into using up the spare of December's paycheque. However, it does include a lot of stuff for the house which has got it fully functional and just about presentable, and most of Christmas, since I've ordered presents in advance and budgeted for the extra travel - so frankly, am not going to worry about it. CC statement balance has been cleared so nothing is costing interest, I'm just effectively borrowing from my own savings pots - and I should have some switching bonuses soon


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

And another Sunday crept up when I wasn't looking!

No change from last report, though I do have to claim quite a lot of expenses back which should reduce the scary figure at the top of YNAB. It's still within the spare of December pay though, so will even out within the month.

One account switch successfully completed, and the other should go through tomorrow. Slightly annoyed at finding I have to wait on a letter to get into online banking, so will be a few days before I can definitely check what has come out of where, but the mortgage is definitely OK. Will make my small overpayment again later this month, despite being technically ahead of myself.

Next :money:mission will be to get myself a new credit card, either with a bonus or with an ethical provider (obviously both if that's possible). I should find out the situation with the electric when doing a reading for the switch in a few day's time, and that's already switched to a good option and should have £100 taken off the bill with the switching bonus.

Christmas is pretty much budgeted for, including some extra charity donations, so hopefully that's nearly sorted. I finally managed to find some winter boots last week, and unearth a pair I'd forgotten about, so that's now sorted for the year too

Plodding upwards


Rosa xx

doingitanyway

All sounding positive Rosa

RosaBernicia

Wrote a long post yesterday, lost it after somehow changing the input mode and couldn't be ***sed retyping!

In short...

• New accounts set up
• Transfers required for switching bonuses done - per month required for M&5, and one more month for B account
• Meter reading done, and should switch today
• Direct debit for electric taken by old company and notified by new so double this month :mad: but the account is in debit and I need to pay it off anyway, so am letting it slide. Will work out what next when have the final bill.
• CC application done - though very annoyed to find that the JL/ Wa1tro5e one is actually done via HSBC. I had hoped they were more ethical. May email them about that.
• Finally got a whole £8 out of TCB ... has taken months to come through
• Spent too much time untangling my accounts on YNAB as took a few days to get the online access and check the switched ones, plus a refund to PayPal caused me total confusion (it stayed there instead of going back to the current account, and some of it was used for payments that I had expected to come out of the current account but didn't) - now sorted
• Small MFW overpayment made
• One charity donation made, need to think about where else to donate the money
• Almost all Christmas presents bought, just need to collect one from the post office and buy another when I get into town.

All of which leaves me £7 within budget including my December paycheque :rotfl:. There are a few things I may be able to cut down but I may also need to allow for more petrol, so will keep adjusting as I go along.


Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

Stopping by to announce...

Budget busted due to vet bill - took small cat in as worried she has flu, but apparently more likely she's allergic to something. Probably something hiding in this tip of a study so another reason to do something about that. £60 for antibiotic injection in case of secondary infection, even though she doesn't have a primary infection?.... but they never let you out of there without something Guess I should be grateful we still have an NHS for humans. Will be covered by next month anyway but a reminder I need to build the vet bills pot back up.

Haven't been well the last couple of days - took time off work and cancelled financial advisor appointment, but was still trying to get studying assignment done and noticed I was doing it very reluctantly and getting anxious. Finally feeling brighter and decided it's just going to have to go in late. I am regretting signing up for this course as am sooooo bored and fed up with writing essays, but also feel guilty at not appreciating it as it's paid for by work and an extra transferable qualification. Still, it's not worth being miserable over so it can just push off down the priority list

Had a good chat with a friend on Sunday night and realised that I really want to free up my time. I've spent soooo long doing way more than a full time job and found myself insanely jealous at her descriptions of long walks in the mountains and time to cook from scratch . I think plans for the new year are slowly coming together. I only have two more assigments for the course, which takes me through to February, and I've got another project on for a potential career move which would also finish around then. And I could potentially drop my extra contract - I'm bored with it as the work is rarely interesting and the money isn't sufficent to cover my time - definitely if making the career move, but should really do it even if not. So hopefully I can make changes by the spring


Rosa xx

redofromstart

I find it really hard to motivate myself to study things I am not interested in, even if somebody else is paying. I'm impressed at your sticking power.

RosaBernicia

redofromstart wrote: »

I find it really hard to motivate myself to study things I am not interested in, even if somebody else is paying. I'm impressed at your sticking power.

I procrastinate mightily but am slightly more stubborn than I am lazy so things usually get done.

Surprised how much I am resenting this one though. I think it may be because so much has changed now and I feel steadier in my life in general - so it's harder to convince myself that another line on my CV will make much difference.

I'm beginning to think I should be just as careful how I spend my time as my money :think: :idea:


Rosa xx

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Budget busted due to vet bill - took small cat in as worried she has flu, but apparently more likely she's allergic to something. Probably something hiding in this tip of a study

If it would make you feel better if it were tidy, then tidy it. Then you can come up here and empty a few of my boxes... :rotfl:

RosaBernicia wrote: »

so another reason to do something about that. £60 for antibiotic injection in case of secondary infection, even though she doesn't have a primary infection?.... but they never let you out of there without something Guess I should be grateful we still have an NHS for humans.

I feel I must jump in here and defend your cats. When your P60 comes, compare how much you've spent on NI, and how much you've spent on vet bills.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Will be covered by next month anyway but a reminder I need to build the vet bills pot back up.

That's what these pots are for, to take care of the inevitable, but badly timed events.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Haven't been well the last couple of days - took time off work and cancelled financial advisor appointment,

Blatted with Zinc and Vit C?

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Had a good chat with a friend on Sunday night and realised that I really want to free up my time. I've spent soooo long doing way more than a full time job and found myself insanely jealous at her descriptions of long walks in the mountains and time to cook from scratch .

Is that what you're going to do with the freed-up time? If not, then what?

RosaBernicia wrote: »

I think plans for the new year are slowly coming together. I only have two more assigments for the course, which takes me through to February, and I've got another project on for a potential career move which would also finish around then. And I could potentially drop my extra contract - I'm bored with it as the work is rarely interesting and the money isn't sufficent to cover my time - definitely if making the career move, but should really do it even if not.

If you're doing the career move for the money (and are bored with it already) - is that a career move you really want to do?

RosaBernicia wrote: »

So hopefully I can make changes by the spring

Make a plan (with milestones) - don't hope.