Pay Off Before Lay Off!

elantan

Isn't it jut amazing being out in the crisp autumn/ winter air

You will need to post a wee pic of your knitting accomplishments. ... Wish I could knit

Habibiboo

elantan wrote: »

Isn't it jut amazing being out in the crisp autumn/ winter air

You will need to post a wee pic of your knitting accomplishments. ... Wish I could knit

:wave:
Too true about the great outdoors Elantan, and the best bit is it costs nothing!

Yeah, maybe when I get the hang of putting photies on here I could do that. You know, you could always start knitting by the fireside (once fire is sorted and TV is gone)!

Small MFW actions today as work was not easy today.
Have revised my household budget for 2014 to try to incorporate the £200 per month over-payment as a "normal" payment - just about do-able but is dependent on me earning a baseline which I have been hitting regularly over the last 6 months but isn't guaranteed (the joy of self-employment)! Still, we do have the space for students as a fall-back position!

Today's grey cloud: One of my chickens has stopped a-laying. She's clearly mistaking free-ranging for free-loading!

Today's silver lining: Two old mattresses successfully passed on via Freecycle, so I can start to get small room decorated (part of 2014's plan to have students). Am now saving all Eb@y cash earned to put towards decoration and am setting a budget of £50 to do the room, based on the amazing and inspirational stuff Frugaldom has been achieving on a similar low budget!

Today's happy thought: This time next year the mortgage [STRIKE]should[/STRIKE] will no longer be in the 100s of 1000s bracket!

Hope everyone's OK, off now to sew up more Christmas hand-knits :wave:

want_to_save

loving your diary hun

Habibiboo

want_to_save wrote: »

loving your diary hun

:wave:
That's very kind of you want_to_save, I find it really helps to be able to think about what I can achieve each day, even in tiny ways!

Today's MFW action was tiny actually, a NSD but, it was in the face of extreme temptation, so I put a £1 into my sealed pot to celebrate!

Today's grey cloud: A client has pushed on a deadline as the work he wants me to do (which I was going to deliver next week in return for immediate payment in time for Christmas / end of month coffers) can't be completed because part of my end of the work relies on me being able to access his website, but his website developer has missed his deadline and thus shoved mine along accordingly ~ meaning the web developer will still get his cash before Christmas but I may not :mad: Trying not to feel grumpy as I know the cash will come through as the client is professional and trustworthy, but a little grumpled about a situation not of my doing which might well directly affect my money for the month!

Today's silver lining: At least the client is grateful that I haven't thrown a hissy fit and brandished the small print of our contract at him ~ tis the season of good will after all, which may mean that we might have a more lasting professional relationship than I suspect he's going to have with the website designer!

Today's happy moment: I've successfully trained the blackbird to come to the back door for mealworms! I just wish he'd let Mrs. Blackbird and the robin have a chance, as it's the robin I'm really trying to feed up!

Hope everyone's safe and well!

elantan

We had an admiral butterfly flapping about out house yesterday and today ... Kinda dumbstruck about it tbh ... It's December did it not know it is meant to be sleeping? .. . Hope the robin gets some of the mealworms eventually

Bah to customer putting you back but yep I think the fact you didn't throw a hissy fit might turn out to work in your favour

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hope everyone's OK ...!

Been horribly inactive on here as I seem to have been equally horribly over-active in RL - what is it about stopping work for the holidays which makes clients suddenly decide they need X, Y & Z extra before the cut-off? Not complaining though, it's all money on the mortgage even though I seem to have been working well into the night each day (if that makes any kind of sense)!

In between, recent MF actions:
* Checking banking and small tilly-tidying across to mortgage account. Trying to get into the habit of doing this more regularly as I want to try to do it at least every other day in the new year.
* I've changed my domestic budget to try and live even more frugally in the new year and shave a bit off the household costs to put towards making that regular overpayment.

Today's grey cloud: One of my clients has had to let me go for the new year as he's closing shop after a row with Google and one of his own big clients: he's no longer getting work and I'm the knock on effect! Feel sad for him though as he's just had a little baby and all, so tough times ahead all round!

Today's silver lining: Only five more work days until stopping for Xmas!

Today's happy thought: Mr. Blackbird has introduced Mrs. Blackbird to the meal worm stash - they both come down every morning and lurk until I take pity on them!

Hope everyone else is managing OK, tough times all around I know at the moment. Hugs to everyone who needs one!

:wave:

Habibiboo

:wave:

Another busy day, but slowly getting closer to the Christmas break!

Today's MF action: checked account to make sure that all's in order with the new cap (limit), which comes into play 1st Jan. Needed to check that this month's interest has gone out because I don't want there to be a hiccup and find myself going OD on the account - not when I was the one to ask for the drop down Looks OK but I'm going to do my December "books" early and hopefully pay in another overpayment before the end of the month which should add a cushion and start that 2014 goal a little early, esp with the MSE news item about overpaying mortgage in December being the way to go!

Today's grey cloud: I've spent three days trying to write an Xmas card for a friend who lost her son this year. I just don't know what to write. "Merry Christmas" sentiments just don't cut it and I'm running out of time to post it.

Today's silver lining: Managed to rush the dogs out today before evil weather set in, and found my first "roadkill" for my sealed pot - 2 x 5ps!

Today's happy thought: 3 work days till Xmas holidays!

Hope everyone else is managing to hang in there too! X
:wave:

elantan

could you maybe write merry xmas on the card so that when she looks back on it she may smile ... but send a wee personal note along with it, explaining that you have struggled to write the card but didnt want to not send one, and offering support?

it must be hard for families that have lost loved ones especially the first year, although i dont imagine it ever gets easy

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hiya, hope the Tilly Tidies are helping. I even move 1p if that's all there is, just to get me thing happening every day. However, as I've cut down our spends now, there are days with no activity in the bank and no pennies to TT :eek:

Have a good Christmas and re your friend. We had a similar situation in our family and my relative was joyous to receive cards knowing that people were thinking about them. That meant such a lot when reading the cards again in the new year.

As life continues for the rest of the world, the person with the loss is coming to terms with such a lot and knowing that they are in people's prayers, or being sent love or whatever your belief system is, will be a huge help.

I hope you don't mind me posting but your post struck a chord

Best wishes Tilly x

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hi all

Tilly and Elantan, thanks both for your input re: the card In the end Ijust wrote what I was feeling for her (but without too much gush), I figured there's no such thing as getting it right and she's one of the kindest people I know so she won't take any of my ineptitude or poor articulation the wrong way but as you say will appreciate what I'm trying to say.

Today's MF action: small tilly tidy (totally agree Tilly,thanks for this, trying to make this a daily action). Also had to pay cheque in to my household account so withdrew all cash I'm allocating to January, what's left in there will cover dds, that way everything I earn in Jan will can go straight into mortgage ac as OP, I won't have to worry about needing to take off food money etc! Well, that's the plan anyway!

Today's black cloud: Thinking about a few people who are having a sad time, but it's OK to do so.

Today's silver lining: Happily plodding on in myself and am on top of the Xmas shopping!

Today's happy moment: putting undies on radiator before taking showers on cold mornings, nothing like toastie undies to get the day started!

Hope everyone's OK X