I've had the worst of times - now for the BEST of times!

liltdiddylilt

Hey p&f

I am reading and loving your update. Your advice is precisely the same advice I would be giving people having discovered YNAB and saving up in advance for things and not overspending it is a fantastic feeling!! I get paid on Monday and am just going to stick it all over into my 5% account until January for a few days interest. I can't remember the last time I didn't at least leach into my overdraft at this time of year..

Well done you!! :D and me! :D

peaceandfreedom

liltdiddylilt wrote: »

Hey p&f

I am reading and loving your update. Your advice is precisely the same advice I would be giving people having discovered YNAB and saving up in advance for things and not overspending it is a fantastic feeling!! I get paid on Monday and am just going to stick it all over into my 5% account until January for a few days interest. I can't remember the last time I didn't at least leach into my overdraft at this time of year..

Well done you!! :D and me! :D

Well I have leached into my overdraft a little bit but I have done for some months due to lots of extra expenses - I am on track to be totally out of my overdraft by February payday and that's fine with me.

However, not using a credit card is a totally new thing to me and I've impressed myself really. It's a crying shame I didn't actually do something like this years ago but no point in worrying about that now. I spend far too much of my life worrying and fretting and beating myself up over past mistakes, big and small, none of which I can do anything about now. It's not helpful and it's got to stop.

Those extra expenses in the past would have gone on the credit card and not been paid off and then some more would have gone on the credit card 'just until payday' and not paid off. It's a ridiculous way to manage money.

Anyway, the good news is that we've done almost all our spending (gotta pick up stuff from the butcher in the morning) and I think I'm going to come in under budget. Have to work out my final figures but it's looking promising. The freezers and fridge are groaning with food so I'm hoping that the food bill will be a bit lower in January too.

Thanks for dropping by, Lilt and season's greetings to you and yours. :xmastree:

peaceandfreedom

Hi everyone.

Taking a quick break for a cup of tea and some peppermint creams before tackling the next jobs of the day. I had a long list of jobs to do today and the last ones left are .... the cleaning jobs of course . Because I hate cleaning with an abiding passion and will find displacement activities all day long. Give me a spade and ask me to dig the garden for several hours, I'd much prefer that.

Actually, I did lots of work in the garden yesterday, managed to make quite a big difference in the time I was out there - boy did it need it, it really looked awful. Lots of dead vegetation now on the compost heap and it's all looking much more respectable. If only OH had mowed the lawn in the Autumn when I asked him ........ :mad:

I have lots of cooking and general prep-work to do tomorrow so I want all the drudge jobs out of the way today. And I might as well do it now because I am being an unpaid taxi driver at midnight to collect DD1 so no chance of early night anyway.

All the Christmas shopping and food shopping is done, the menus are planned for Christmas Day (just the family) and Boxing Day (about 12 people). Looking forward to a very restful weekend after that.

I have lots of ideas and plans for next year, most of which will involve getting stuff done that I've promised myself I'd do over the years and never have done. I really really want 2015 to be different.

I feel I have taken a big step this year, no longer using credit cards and using YNAB religiously. I've also lost weight and kept it off though I'd like to whittle away a bit more. To me, it means I CAN actually change my ways and I intend to accelerate that process in 2015.

More about that another time when I don't have so much to do. Hope to write some updates after Christmas and I think I'll probably start a new diary as well.

peaceandfreedom

I doubt I'll get around to posting on Christmas Eve so to all MSE-ers, young and old, I wish you a very merry Christmas and a wonderfully fabulously brilliant 2015. :xmastree::rudolf::snow_laug:xmassmile:xmassign::xmastree:

liltdiddylilt

Seasons greetings to you also. I went over-budget and lots of rejigging has been done so you are beating me in some areas!!

Merry Christmas, and a Happy and fruitful New Year, with the year ahead being precisely what you wish for. Good luck with 12 people on Boxing Day!! :eek:

jwil

You've done so well P&F, yay for a CC free Christmas! :T :T

Looking forward to all your plans for the new year.

Hope you and yours have a fantastic Christmas!

:xmastree: :santa2: :snow_laug :snow_grin :rudolf:

vasseur

Just read all your diary...you're doing a fantastic job and I'm amazed by all your energy. You have inspired me to do more with my garden!

*subscribes*

peaceandfreedom

vasseur wrote: »

Just read all your diary...you're doing a fantastic job and I'm amazed by all your energy. You have inspired me to do more with my garden!

*subscribes*

Oh wow, thanks Vasseur - nice to have you along. :T
I will be writing properly soon but first I'm having a couple of very lazy days.

peaceandfreedom

My blissful afternoon - blazing log fire, Christmas leftovers, a nice drinkie, candles flickering all around the room, everything all warm and Christmassy - and two solid hours of Downton Abbey to catch up on.

Yay. :j:xmastree:

liltdiddylilt

That sounds fab!!

A very Merry Christmas to you, and the best of New Years. Wishing you health, luck and happiness in equal measure x