Batten down the hatches.....

Orange_Ena

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

I'm just in the process now of trying to open a basic bank account to become my 'everyday spending' account. I thought that might keep me more accountable now that there may be some surplus each month... Sounds like it works well for you.

I'd definitely recommend it. All the important fixed DD's are taken care of, plus a surplus for bills that fluctuate a bit like my mobile bill. Then the rest is spends or savings and once it's gone, it's gone. It's also good to see a smaller amount of spends available, rather than on payday when there's my whole wage in there.....obviously not for long :rotfl: So if I only see this other £700, or less than that actually once the savings accounts are filled, it really makes me careful. I actually probably only have about £200 quid at the most in my current account when it first goes in, the rest is visible but squirreled in the savings account. Good luck!

Orange_Ena

Oops, it's been a week since I last logged on I started my 2nd job on Saturday and I worked Sunday and I've worked every day since :eek: Little bit tired now and still 3 more days to work before I get a day off. But I can't relax as I've got a funeral to go to on Monday. Then I'm working Tuesday but then finally, I have 3 wonderful days off :T

A little catch up methinks.......

Friday
* £18.11 on some groceries, mostly offer items that will come in handy if there's an apocalypse. I seriously have a problem with 'over-stocking'
* 2 PA surveys
* VO survey
* 247SB earned

Saturday
* NSD
* VO survey
* 88SB earned

Sunday
* NSD
* Too tired for surveys!

Monday
* £4.07 on a few lunch bits
* VO survey
* Youg0v survey
* 180SB earned and a £10 Am@zon voucher redeemed :T

Tuesday
* £10 deposit for the works Christmas meal!(already budgeted for)
* £24.15 on groceries and receipt scanned on checkoutsm@rt
* £30.09 on petrol
* VO survey
* 8SB earned. Poor show today!

Wednesday
* NSD
* PA survey
* 206SB earned

Today
* NSD - my 4th since Saturday.......a record for me
* PA survey
* 102SB earned

One good thing about working more is that I'm going to bed earlier than I was. Most nights I was going to bed between 12.30-1.00 am :eek: But now it 11.30 at the latest. I do feel better for it so hopefully it's something I'll continue with post Christmas.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it but I absolutely hate my job. It's really affecting me, and I'm not sure how much longer I can carry on. I don't want to do it anymore and I can't do it anymore. I'm trying not to slip into a total depression about it but if I don't change it soon, I don't think I'll be able to stop it happening. I've tried telling a few people how much I hate it but I get the feeling people think I'm mad for wanting to quit, how much money I'll lose, my car, the pension! Well I don't give a sh*t about my pension cause I can absolutely not carry on for another 30 years being this miserable just for a pension!! What these people don't know is how some nights I cry myself to sleep, dreading what the next day will bring, wondering how I'll get through it, and some nights as I'm going to sleep, I hope that I don't wake up. How terrible is that? I'd never do myself in but if it was natural, it would be out of my hands.

I was going to try and stick it out for another 3 years but I know now that I can't, so my new plan is to leave by Christmas 2016 at the latest. Unfortunately I'm stuck with a lease car for which I have to pay to terminate the deal. If I leave before next September it's about a grand, but in the second year of the lease it's about £600. Far from ideal but it's my target to aim for. My mortgage deal ends around April next year and I've made some enquiries and I'm hopeful that I can get a much better deal.

And now for my confession. I am seriously considering *read - more than likely* going to borrow extra on the new mortgage to clear some of my debt :eek: Not all of it, maybe 3 or 4k. I know, I know! It's not the mse way but I'll feel a huge weight lift if my debt is less, although I'm fully aware I'll still owe it on the mortgage. If my outgoings are a bit less, I'll feel more able to survive with a job that pays less than what I'm used to. Even though I'm sure this is what I'll do, I'm not going to relax my debt busting ways. I'll still have about 3k to clear myself so I'll still be doing surveys, I'll still get a lodger, and I'll still be a tightwad, scanning my receipts for a 1p! I've learnt my lesson and I don't intend to go back to my old ways. It's more important than ever to live within my means so that I can leave my job and survive. And hopefully be happy. And maybe start overpaying that mortgage!

I feel better for getting that down, it's out of my head for now!

Please tell me I'm not crazy!!! :D:o

crazy_cat_lady

Ena - you sound like you really need a break and a bit of a rest. Everything gets too much when you have no down time, as I know from experience. Be kind to yourself. I have absolutely no comment to make on extra borrowing other than to say that the rules don't fit everyone all of the time. If that's what you need to do to feel better about your situation then why not?
I think that having a plan in place will make things more bearable in the short term as well.

catriona79

Ena, just wanted to say hope you sleep well tonight. So sad to hear how you feel about your job. Really pleased for you re new job.
As for mortgage consolidation - I did it and it was great! I paid off some of my debt and kept some in savings. It's better than endless worrying!

Sending hugs x

GoingToDoIt

Hi Ena,
I think that if you hate the job that much then you have to plan the exit strategy. Crying yourself to sleep is no life to be leading. However you don't have to make any decisions about re-mortgaging right now. Do some calculations, research and mull it over and see how things look in a few weeks.
The whole lease car situation seems very unfair?! I don't drive so know nothing about these things. Anyway I'm one to talk, went out and burned £3 on a packet of veggie fish fingers today ( I had to have them. I could have cheerfully attacked anyone who stood between me and them)
Have you thought about what job you would like to do?

lcc86

Hi Ena, I can completely see where you're coming from in respect of your job having been in a similar situation myself more than once!! :eek: all I will say is no job is worth your health. One thing I found was that desperation to leave a job made me sometimes think about my debt in different ways. I found that as soon as I got a different job I felt my debt was so much more manageable and less daunting. Perhaps you would feel like this if you got a new job, who knows. At the end of the day you have to do what's right for you whether that's borrowing on your mortgage or finding a different way to tackle your debt. Keep us updated on what you decide to do, and don't give up!!

doubleug

Just spotted this ...most interesting.

For the last 10 years-every spring--I have listed out all my regular bills--then -like you-forced the issue on whether i needed the product or whether it was an essential. With utilities -with the exception of Water-it was possible to achieve a saving every time "renewal date " came up.
Looking ahead i see no reason at all to see any increases in most of my outgoings-in fact I started setting "target prices" of the maximum i was prepared to pay!.

My latest massive saving is the cancellation in private health insurance. Asked by my health provider why I was discontinuing I told them that I had never made a claim in over twenty years --and the monthly payments which rose every year way above inflation represented poor value for money, inbuilt profit for the provider and stress for the customer.

catriona79

Ena - it's been a while, hope you're doing well and the money keeps rolling in, with the second job and no time to spend any of it!!!

Christmas is around the corner!

Forgot to say - Happy Payday!!!

Orange_Ena

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

Ena - you sound like you really need a break and a bit of a rest. Everything gets too much when you have no down time, as I know from experience. Be kind to yourself. I have absolutely no comment to make on extra borrowing other than to say that the rules don't fit everyone all of the time. If that's what you need to do to feel better about your situation then why not?
I think that having a plan in place will make things more bearable in the short term as well.

Thanks CCL. I've only got another 3 weeks at my main job before some time off at Christmas so I'm just going to get through it and then definitely rest! Can't wait!

I'm still mulling it over but unless I win some money, I think it's the right thing for me. I'll reassess when the time comes though. Thanks for the post

Orange_Ena

GoingToDoIt wrote: »

Hi Ena,
I think that if you hate the job that much then you have to plan the exit strategy. Crying yourself to sleep is no life to be leading. However you don't have to make any decisions about re-mortgaging right now. Do some calculations, research and mull it over and see how things look in a few weeks.
The whole lease car situation seems very unfair?! I don't drive so know nothing about these things. Anyway I'm one to talk, went out and burned £3 on a packet of veggie fish fingers today ( I had to have them. I could have cheerfully attacked anyone who stood between me and them)
Have you thought about what job you would like to do?

Thanks Gonna. I can't do a lot until about February other than think more and keep plugging away. I really don't know what I want to do. I think what I'd prefer is to get put of this job, get a temporary job and then think properly. I don't want to just jump into something while my head isn't in the right place. I'm going to contact the careers service after Christmas and hopefully they can help me a bit.

Veggie fish fingers? Well a girl has got to eat!