Batten down the hatches.....

Orange_Ena

GoingToDoIt wrote: »

Hi Ena,
I love being bossy, I'll tell you what to do!
1. Get a notebook/spreadsheet/pintrest board and price up all of the jobs you want done about the house. Make a proper project plan.
2. Have a look at Kon Marie stuff and keep sorting the house out. Sell what you can (of course!)
3. Price up how much you will earn as a minimum in your new job/career
4. Work out how long you will need to have the lodger for to finish off the debt and earn the cost of home improvement project
5. Spend a few bob on mini improvements to tide you over- tin of paint/new towels etc.
Why would you do the place up before getting the lodger? They might mess it up! :rotfl:

Ah thank you so much gonna, that's so lovely of you. I need a proper kick up the bum to get on with stuff so I will sit and do this. I've just been moping about mostly, sort of frozen and just turning things over in my head. Definitely need a list and a new pinterest board! Thanks again lovely x

Orange_Ena

Been too long again! I really need to post daily and read diaries cause I'm so behind with it and I really don't want to lose my motivation now :eek:

Riiiggghhhhhtt, time for a catch up.........

Sunday 24th July
* NSD
* Youg0v survey

Monday 25th July
* NSD
* £2 received for a Shp0ck item
* 66SB earned

Tuesday 26th July
* £3.20 for lunch
* £35 for fuel
* £40.96 on groceries, household things and cat food
* PA survey
* Cancelled N0w TV as my free pass ran out but they've charged me £6.99 as I forgot to cancel before it was taken! I've hardly watched it, 2 episodes of Extras in fact, plus about 6 programmes on ipl@yer
* VO survey
* Youg0v survey
* i-S@y survey
* 95p sweep into my FD savings account
* £1.31 sweep into my overpayments account

Wednesday 27th July
* £35.05 on clothes in Asda but I'm taking a £14 item back tomorrow
* £7.99 on downloading an album. I hardly ever buy music so a once in a while purchase is ok
* £2.39 in T3sco
* £3.10 in the chippy
* 2 PA survey
* £50 Youg0v payout received and transferred to my overpayments account
* 150SB earned

Thursday 28th July
* NSD
* £5.50 received for 2 Shp0ck items
* Did a meter reading as requested. I'm coming to the end of my deal so I need to do a comparison and switch via the cheap energy club for the cashback

Friday 29th July
* £6.79 in the c0-op
* £15 for fuel
* £22.50 in T3sco on things for the weekend away
* Youg0v survey
* i-S@y
* VO survey

Saturday 30th July
* £5.09 in T3sco on sweets
* 50p car parking
* £5.29 for lunch
* £4 for a programme, I went to see the Rocky Horror

Sunday 31st July
* £2 in Asd@
* £12.09 in T3sco
* PA survey
* P0pulusLive survey

Today
* NSD
* VO survey
* Youg0v survey
* £2.02 sweep into my overpayments account
* £1.50 sweep into my FD savings account

I missed my end of the month round up so here it is......not as good as previous months but all extra so I'm happy:

• PA - £14.95..................total YTD £187.14
• Youg0v - 400pts/£4.50...................total YTD 3125pts/£31.25
• SB - 1946 (enough for £10 voucher)..................total YTD 18204SB
• Pinec0ne - £6................total YTD £30
• P0pulusLive - £13.................total YTD £88
• VO - £10.50..................total YTD £106.75
• TCB - 0.................total YTD £44.65
• i-S@y - 950pts (enough for £5 voucher)................total YTD 4920pts
• Inb0x£s - £1.70...............total YTD £7.64
• Other income - £55.04................total YTD £674.07
• Roadkill - 0...................total YTD 8p (I have been looking!)

July total - £120.69 :j

Total YTD - £1257.09 :T:T:T

Other totals:

• Nati0nwide sweeps - £6.60.............total YTD £53.26
• FD sweeps - £5.57..................total YTD £48.76
• NSD's - 8.................total YTD 59
• Books read - 1 (The Girl on the Train).................total YTD 2
• DVD's watched - 0................total YTD 7


In August I'm aiming for:

• 12 NSD's
• 1 book read
• 2 DVD's watched
• £50 extra income


I've got an appointment in 2 weeks with my favourite GP and I want to discuss going back on antidepressants. I've been struggling a bit and crying more than usual so it's definitely time. I feel a bit paralysed and I can't seem to make up my mind on things, just silly things, and some big things too. I do need to write everything down cause it's all in a jumble (thanks gonna )

I've spent the weekend in my hometown and I've often thought about moving back but I felt a real pull this weekend. I've been looking on rightmove for months, looking at my hometown, where I live now and other random seaside places just to see what's about. I've never really loved my house, I bought it cause that's all I could afford at the time, but while I do like being here cause it's my little sanctuary and it's very much improved decor wise to what it was, I would prefer a flat with no garden.

I don't spend time out there cause it's a mess and I hate flies :eek: But I don't know whether my desire to move back to my hometown and buy a little flat is just so I have to leave my job. But then I think, what's here for me, where I live now. Well my parents for a start. A few friends that I rarely see. That's it. I've got work friends but they don't live in this town. My school friends are in or nearer my hometown. My brother and SIL are in my hometown (and they're trying for a baby ). It would make more sense to move back rather than to a random seaside place where I know no one. I would love to live by the sea but I'm just not confident enough to do it on my own, not yet anyway. It might sound silly but I feel like my job is crushing me, killing my spirit and I need to get away and recuperate where I know and feel safe. Then who knows. Maybe when I feel better and feel less like the world is on my shoulders, I might meet a nice man I can have a future with, maybe by the sea :rotfl:

How do people make these big decisions? It's easier to say what I don't want but that's not going to get me to what I do want!

I'll be back

Orange_Ena

My little pots have been growing and I've now got enough for my line rental which is due in a few weeks. I'm with Plusn3t and I've been on a half price broadband deal which ends this month so I rang up to see what I could get and they've offered me half price broadband for another 2 years :T I'm really happy with their service so I'm going to go ahead and it'll be £4.99 pm unlimited. The line rental is about £186 which does give me a bit of a discount rather than paying it monthly.

I've also got about £115 ready for my house insurance which is due in September so that should be enough! I feel very organised

My emergency fund / savings pots have also grown from £849 at the end of June to £1150 and I should be able to add a bit more this month in sweeps, surveys and selling stuff. I'm pleased with that but I've just got to resist making a large payment to my last remaining CC :rotfl:

GoingToDoIt

Hi Ena,
Sorry you've been struggling. I think talking with GP is a good idea. You have a lot on your mind, so much so that it can be paralysing like you say.
I have thought a bit about moving back home due to my health being rubbish. If I do I think I would rent my place out for a bit (although I really don't want to have to move).
At least you are keeping up with moneysaving (and you made it to Rocky Horror-that must have been bittersweet). Just remember you're on track to leave your joyless job. The debt is being paid off, you have the emergency fund, you have enough to pay annual bills....it takes time but you are getting there! Martin says :money:

doingitanyway

I'm glad you have the kittens to keep you cheery.

I 100% understand about the bathroom and needing it done. The dilemma and not wanting to take on debt even 'good' debt in case your situation changes. It's different when you have a other half but when it's you the buck stops with you and it can feel stressful sometimes but you are doing an inspirational job here Orange Ena. You and MT are one of the reasons I started a diary in the first place after years of lurking...:)

Well done on +net. 1/2 price for a further 2 years :T

Have a good day x

doingitanyway

I missed a really important post you wrote, just seen it.

I don't have any answers but I just wanted to acknowledge it and say don't undervalue being clear on what you don't want as it is a big step towards what you do. Treat yourself extra well for a bit and stay with these feelings if you can bear to as the answers can start to appear. Talk to someone who is a good listener so you can hear what is in your head

I have no doubt you can work through this and emerge even stronger

((hugs))

DIA x

ChicaBonita

Hi Ena, just popping in to say you're still doing really well, I look at your totals for money made and I'm in awe! Need to step up my game!

As for the big life decisions, you seem to have been unhappy in your job for a while, and that is such a crushing thing (to some extent I feel the same way, so can empathise). I think you need to think about what's good for you at this moment in time, and all roads seem to lead to your hometown. Think about exactly what's stopping you from making the jump? Everything that's worth having is difficult, as they say I hope seeing the GP is beneficial for you!
(I hope I don't sound patronising! :eek:)

BettyBones

Awww.... Ena... come and live by the sea with me. I too hate flies (more than you could ever know) and I'm not averse to the odd little trip to Tesc0 on a Saturday for sweeties either I'm sorry to hear that you've been struggling lately but making an appointment with your GP is a good move. Definitely better to get on top of it now and not let these feelings fester. Maybe spend some time visiting some seaside places too. It doesn't hurt to window shop. Are you close enough to the sea to be able to go exploring for the day on a weekend? Although I live by the sea already I do like to go and explore seaside towns further afield. I haven't yet found one that I'd like to live in more than where I am now but thoughts of moving to a little seaside town further along the coast in Dorset, Devon or Cornwall do occasionally cross my mind. Maybe go on some day trips and try some on for size. Pick up the local papers and see what jobs, entertainment, social life etc are like. I do that when I go down to Devon & Cornwall for work. I get off work asap, visit the beach, have a nosey round the town and the estate agents windows and pick up the local papers to take home with me. At the moment I'm quite liking Lyme Regis in Dorset. Who knows? Maybe one day...
x

Orange_Ena

GoingToDoIt wrote: »

Hi Ena,
Sorry you've been struggling. I think talking with GP is a good idea. You have a lot on your mind, so much so that it can be paralysing like you say.
I have thought a bit about moving back home due to my health being rubbish. If I do I think I would rent my place out for a bit (although I really don't want to have to move).
At least you are keeping up with moneysaving (and you made it to Rocky Horror-that must have been bittersweet). Just remember you're on track to leave your joyless job. The debt is being paid off, you have the emergency fund, you have enough to pay annual bills....it takes time but you are getting there! Martin says :money:

Thanks Gonna. Yes, moving is very stressful and not something I'm looking forward too really. I hate that being in limbo out of control feeling, waiting for other people to do their bits! If only someone could sort it all out for us eh? Leave the house in the morning, go to work then go to the new place and everything is unpacked and in place. :rotfl:

Ah yeah Rocky Horror was great, 22 years I waited so it was a big deal. It brought back a lot of memories but now I've made new ones We dressed up and I think we looked great. Not quite as daring as some though! My eyes! My eyes!!!

Thanks for the reminder that I am getting there. I will get there!

Orange_Ena

doingitanyway wrote: »

I'm glad you have the kittens to keep you cheery.

I 100% understand about the bathroom and needing it done. The dilemma and not wanting to take on debt even 'good' debt in case your situation changes. It's different when you have a other half but when it's you the buck stops with you and it can feel stressful sometimes but you are doing an inspirational job here Orange Ena. You and MT are one of the reasons I started a diary in the first place after years of lurking...:)

Well done on +net. 1/2 price for a further 2 years :T

Have a good day x

Ah yeah, my little babies. They are good therapy

Awww DIA, thank you I'm very glad you de-lurked and started your wonderful diary, it's lovely to follow your journey

I've had thoughts about the bathroom, more of that in my update! But yes, it is hard on your own, to be responsible for everything. But then I haven't got a bloke costing me money, leaving the water running, eating me out of house and home or whatever!

Thanks for your other post too. I've got a counselling session next week. It's through work but they're a confidential service so I can moan about work but I think she thinks it's more a confidence / loneliness thing rather than truly hating my job so I can chew her ear off about what to do. I did tell her that I want all my 8 sessions as it gives me a relaxed morning off work lol. I think I was a bit too honest but I do find it really helpful

Thanks again lovely x