This Time I'm Really Going To Do It

ajmoney

Watty1 said:

Lovely weekend. Am dram plays in a local garden for a donation to the local church and picnic with jazz in our local church Sunday afternoon.   Failed to plan the picnic well so spent too much in an "emergency  solution" on both occassions.

Keeping a record of my spending is both scary and illuminating.  It shows that I "throw money" at an issue like a picnic (£11 on cakes for everyone going when I could just have taken my own food) £22 on a non alcoholic pimms for later in the week when I am hosting a party (could have just told everyone to bring their own drink) and £17 on picnic for 2 food at local co-op (could have made sandwiches if I had food in).

This month was about looking at where I spend and why not leaping into frugaldom.   I'm learning about me in the process and the record is shining a rather harsh spotlight on my spending.    Very often it is a panic spend when there is a problem when if I sat and thought about it I would do so much better for less..

This is the approach I think I am best taking for now. Where am I spending my money and why. It might help me cut down on the sweet treats when I am out and about too!!!

Watty1

@ajmoney it really is making me think. 

I'm also now selling stuff on bay of E and Marketplace.   Have to say I prefer Marketplace.   So much easier, upload a few pictures and a description and a few days later someone picks up. Not everything I've listed has gone but selling the kennel the ex built for WattyDog that WattyDog never used as a duck house gave me a lot of satisfaction (£35) and selling his dumbells (£15) felt like little wins.  I then used the money on nights out with the girls.   Felt like a real win

Watty1

More from the conveyancing solicitor. I need to have a sworn statement I'm not insolvent signed and witnessed by a solicitor.  I thought this was really odd but it seems it is because the mortgage company see the transaction as me "giving him" my half of the rental property and so they need to be sure I am not disposing of assets prior to going bankrupt.

Made sense when explained but of course I now have to get to a solicitor. My conveyancing solicitor is 250 miles away and the village one is acting for the ex so this means a trip into the local town.  I got super stressed about this as I'm busy at work then sat and thought about it.  I do not need to drop everything and rush and do this.  If I am busy it can just wait until I have time in my schedule to take half a day out.   I will ask the chap who did my will, who I only asked because his partner was the criminal solicitor from my arrest and the firm already has proven my identity so in about 3 weeks I will make an appointment.  The ex has not hurried himself and it occurs to me I have no need to add to my stress levels rushing about to solve this.    If he had dealt with this months ago all the paperwork could have been in place.  He did not.  I feel anxious about having to do this but equally anxious that he will have to wait.    The later is only because I have always fallen over myself to do what he wants.

Humdinger1

'Lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.' I think that was a takeaway from a time management course.  Another was that you can't actually manage time as you start each day with 24 hours; you can decide what to prioritise.  When feeling under pressure, I sometimes ask myself gleefully 'What am I going to neglect today'? It really cheers me up.  You are,  as ever, right dearest @Watty1.  Love Humdinger xx 

Watty1

Humdinger1 said:

'Lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.' I think that was a takeaway from a time management course.  

I absolutely love this!   I think it could be levelled at me often as I am a last minute type of girl but it absolutely sums up this situation.    As I feel my stress levels rise I remind myself of this.  Really love it.

Like what do I decide to neglect today too!    Bit snowed under so going to work this evening but that is my choice. Work began on the stable roof today.  The VNM offered to do it which will save me a lot of money. I wasn't sure about him doing it but he is going to fit it around other stuff (even less sure) but on balance I decided he has offered genuinely and although he has never done anything like it before if it all goes wrong I am no worse off.  He has only done a couple of hours but a start has been made and if he finishes the job this month then the stable will no longer leak in so many places.

Watty1

I rode the Charming Cob this morning. We were out for an hour and he has regained so much his strength and fitness since the operation last year.    I came back and just sobbed, could not stop crying.  Think it is the emotion of everything I have been through.  Charming Cob just munched his hay net while I cried bless him.  

daisy_1571

Sending you a big hug

Dxx

Karmacat

That sounds very healing, Watty.  I can imagine you felt tired after all that, hope your day was okay.

Suffolk_lass

Late to the conversation, my comment about the planning consultants is that B is piggy-backing on A's idea of a business conversion that you relayed to him. As long as you are sure he knows what he is doing, there is no harm in that but I'm not clear if he is just a Q expert, whereas A, having a partner overseeing silent one from the bigger firm might offer reassurance, although if the silent one is left to himself, less so. At least they have been upfront about it (many the accountant who gets their secretary to enter clients' data into the HMRC SA portal and then prints it off with the HMRC engine having done all the work and presents it charges the client for their premium service).

Second thing is that if it is a business conversion, the business could be VAT registered (voluntary registration, no minimum) and you would not then be paying the 20% levy on the building work; it would be reclaimable by the business.

Watty1

Lovely day yesterday. Had an afternoon tea party for Royal Ascot Ladies Day, nine of us in all. Most of us dressed up with hat and posh outfit and we had a sweepstake on each race.  Really good fun.  Lots of food was bought in to contribute to the afternoon tea and there was a lot of left overs even with some taking home bits for the evening.

Today I have feasted on left over sandwiches quiche sausage rolls and salad for all meals and told the VNM to help himself whilst working on the stable roof over the weekend.  He assures me he will finish up anything left!  

Nice just to have relaxed fun with friends, particularly nice as it mixed up my friendship groups and everyone got on and had lots of laughs.  

WattyDog wore a bright pink tie for the afternoon started off looking wonderful but within an hour the tie was skewed and he had disgraced himself by stealing the food carefully put aside for the 'gluten free' friend of cold meat and salad.  He left her the salad leaves