The impossible dream

Tahlullah

I didn't know MaccyD was a good hangover cure? Must try it the next time I over-indulge! Thanks for he tip Tall Girl.

Yes, I am getting legal advice, which I am paying for. I was recommended this particular solicitor by a Barrister friend of mine, so I have faith. But as I said, no-one cant predict the vagaries of the British legal system. There is no such thing as a 'certainty' in English law.

Ultimately, I remember people on here saying I should walk away when the organisation was in trouble, but for some reason, I ignored the good advice and decided to 'fight' for the organisation and the staff's jobs. Unfortunately, eventually, you can fight no more. But what you can't predict is the actions of others who are determined to destroy rather than build.

It is a familiar pattern for a lot of charitable organisations at the moment. Usually, there is a pension deficit, which now rings bells for me. Plus, unpaid bills which are bounced from month to month, depending on cash flow. But because the Trustees have a duty to do the best by the staff, the Charities Commission and not be seen to be jumping ship too soon, they allow a situation to drag on until it hurts everyone more than if they had called it a day a year ago.

I hope the org you worked for survive this current environment, but without a huge injection of capital, I doubt it will in the long term. They did you a favour by letting you go. You didn't have to watch it sink.

Pointless ruminating in the subjunctive so will just move forward like you did. Onward and upwards and all that.

Tx

Tahlullah

Hello.

Roundup of the week.

Reading other diaries for inspiration. Worthwhile use of time. At least I'm not spending when I am reading!

Didn't ride my bike as I had to drive to other offices for work. One day I had appointments booked but they were cancelled, so I could have cycled that day, but found out too late. Guaranteed it will be raining all next week.

Managed my 4 NSD's this week.

Still have a bit of money under some budget headings in YNAB before the beginning of next month including £12 for diesel, so feeling positive as there is still about 1/4 tank of fuel left. This will carry over into next month allowing me to budget the difference elsewhere.

Still only have £48 in my buffer account, but have £110 in the account for upcoming bills. Money budgeted next month for these categories so the figures will improve albeit slowly.

I am feeling very positive, as I am sticking to the budget and clearly saving a small amount, whilst putting £50 per month to the mortgage overpayment.

Also applied for a PT job working from home. Probably won't get it, but you have to be in to win! It's casual work, so no fixed income per month, but if I got it, it would help a lot in relation to positive budgeting.

Need to go shopping next week at Teskos.I really do appreciate the clubcard points, they make a big difference at the end of the year, by paying for the Christmas holiday food. Leaves me with more money to pay for presents and alcohol from the allocated money. Plus this year, it should be easier still as I have an allocated Christmas budget that I am saving into.

So, Mortgage payment day is the 7th of the month. The mortgage is in 2 parts. I am focussing on Part 1 and this, if I carry on with my current projection, should be repaid by March 2019.

The 2nd part is where I am focussing my £50 overpayment, to help reduce it a bit every month. I can refocus on this once Part 1 has gone.

This is what I am aspiring to. To only have one mortgage account. But I can only achieve this once everything else in life is stable, which it isn't at present. Although I know there is no such thing as stability; something always comes along to spoil that perfect moment.

We all need to have a dream, a goal, something to hope for. This is mine.

Tx

armchairexpert

You're doing a great job, Tallulah. It's hard when all you have are little bits here and there, but keep dripping them all into the mortgage and the pot will be full before you know it.

Tahlullah

Well, had to spend some money today. And what a palaver that turned out to be. I can honestly say that NSD's are far easier on the nerves!

Why you ask? Well, YNAB said I had £5.00 personal money left to spend before the end of the month. Not bad I think. Except I needed to spend it on car parking for work

And can you withdraw a £5 note from the hole in the wall? No, the smallest denomination is £10. So that was stressy as to how I would get my only £5 in the world (this month) into my pocket to spend on the car park. So, I shuffled what little money I had around so as to ensure I didn't spend out of next months budget; and withdrew a £10.00 note.

Then I had to go to the shop and buy a mint Aero so I had change. And the change was a £5 note and £4.20.

At the car park, the fee was £4.50! So, not enough money for the meter. That meant I was stood in front of the meter, in the car park, stressing about how to pay the fee. And no shops in the vicinity. In the end, I had to buy it on the phone app. So that was £4.50 money not budgeted anywhere that I had to find.

Back home and I have been shuffling money around to make sure I am not spending from next month's money this month.

It does mean that my 'dentist' savings pot is looking somewhat depleted, but I suppose that's the purpose of YNAB and rolling with the punches.

I do feel extraordinarily happy though, as I am still living on money I have, rather than money yet to be allocated to spend.

And to top it off, I wombled a 20p coin.

Now I have to put 'car parking' into my monthly budget and moved my last £2.50 across so it will be there for next month. Perhaps I will just increase the 'diesel' budget by £10.00 when I can afford it. It is unusual for the parking fee to be that high.

So, I class this as a very bright and shiny green day as I have stayed within budget even though it wasn't a NSD.

DeterminedSingleMummy

Hello Tallulah, I've been reading your diary for a while now and your last post sounds very much like me. Spending next week's budget and moving around things so it "balances" and you are still spending within your budgets. I'm glad I'm not the only one that does it lol I do my budgets weekly so if i do have a few heavy spending days then it's I can even it out with no spend days. I'm not sure I trust myself to last a whole month lol

Xx

Tahlullah

Thanks for reading DSM. I never thought of trying to budget weekly, not on YNAB anyway, but I see how that would work.

You have been doing great with your mortgage over-payments. You clearly have a plan.

I will look for your diary and look for your hints and tips to see if there is anything I can do to improve, bar stop eating!

Unicorn_cottage

Hiya! Tahlullah is YNAB worth a go? It is something I have been thinking about for a while as our food bill is HORRENDOUS! Might help we work out a track and stay on it?

Tahlullah

Hello Unicorn Cottage. YES!! YNAB is definitely worth a go. I am one of the slower ones on here, so I can still sit staring at the screen, saying 'What does that mean?' But persevere because it does click and you really do stop overspending.

Try it free for the first 34 days and if you like it, sign up. It works out about £40 for the year depending on conversion rates.

But, it does say that if your food bill is high, perhaps you eat that much and you should accept it and budget for it, rather than saying you want to spend £150 on food when you regularly spend £200. If you don't accept your spend, you will always overspend and feel bad. Just budget for your real spend by pulling back in other places and you will feel better because you are spending within your budget. Then you can begin to reduce it slowly, if possible.

Can't recommend it enough.

Thanks for visiting.

Unicorn_cottage

Is there a £ version of it - sorry to ask!

Tahlullah

In the free monthly version, it works in $, but you just imagine $ to be £, works the same. When you pay the full subscription, it allows you to change the $ to £. There is no loss, it works the same if you are working in $, £ or Euros.