All change please!

MuffinTops

I think it's been about a year since I updated a diary of mine on here, although I have managed to remain a lurker for the past few months.

So now I'm back on the debt free diaries. I must admit I do prefer it here, and although I am debt free, I think this is where I need to be to remain that way. Since being away I have managed to become mortgage free as well as debt free, but the need to squander still lingers for me - much more strongly than I'd normally admit. It's even stronger now as I can feel myself developing an attitude of surplus! So an attitude change is very much needed.

Actually, I want to take this opportunity to change everything. My attitude to money, where I live, where I work, everything!

I'm hoping to move to Norfolk early next year without taking on another mortgage.

I've also started a part time online business, which has just gone live and very exciting to me. I literally spend all of my spare time working on it. Passive income my ar.... I've never worked so hard! The difference is, I'm loving it, so it doesn't feel like work.

So, here I am with my shiny new diary, hoping that I won't just be writing to myself . I do miss having somewhere to go and just blurt though which will also help me maintain focus.

I think that's probably enough inane chatter for one update!


MTx

2bak860

Cool - welcome back! I've only just started my diary, so any feedback you can give would be a real help! https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4969338

Interested in the passive income - without advertising it, what kind of work is it? I'm an unfocused web designer - could do with a passive income!

MuffinTops

Hello 2bak860. I'm sorry I've not acknowledged your response this week. I'll definitely have a wander into your diary and help to support your journey.

The passive income is pretty much web work, although I'm looking to move myself out of the web too. Oh dear, it's all sounding too cryptic so I'll pm you some more details to make sure I don't cross any advertising lines. As an unfocused web designer I think this could suit you.

MuffinTops

I'm not impressed that it's taken me a week to add an update! Although I've not had a bad spends week.

On Tuesday I was late to catch my bus and as I rushed putting my dress on I ended up ripping it! I have another dress which is looking quite aged too, so I went onto the M&S outlet sale and bought some work dresses. I feel ok about this because I found 3 really nice dresses that were a great price. Plus the 20% discount and I went through Quidco for cashback. So a £105 bill became £80 for 3 dresses and a summer long jacket.

Other than that I've only spent essential money on food. I'm going away for a couple of days this week, but that's all bought and paid for, including breakfast, so I'm going to also take some food with me to stop me spending mindlessly while I'm away.

This weekend has been very frugal as I've not left the house much. I can work out in the garden as I have wifi, but it's been so hot and I have no shaded areas. Time is flying by so quickly too, I swear at least 4 hours of today just sank into a black hole.

I think I need to make a list of personal things I'd like to achieve this week as I'm away for a couple of days and I need to keep all balls in the air

1. Lose 2lb through healthy eating.
2. Have a look at the dusty Jillian Michaels dvd's I have and see which one would suit me best right now.
3. Give myself a mini manicure to tidy up my poor nails.
4. Drink at least 1.5litres of water a day.
5. Fill up one large storage box with items to take to a boot sale.
6. Fill up 2 rubbish bags with recyclables and/or rubbish.

I'll stick with 6 for this week and see how I get on.

Let's hope this great weather lasts a while!!!!

MuffinTops

After a crazy couple of weeks things seem to be settling down a bit more again. I managed to get everything done on my list except for the drinking of water! I'm not sure why I have such a brain block on that as I know how good it is for me and how much better I feel when I'm hydrated.

If I'm honest, I'm not sure on weight loss as I haven't weighed myself, but I have been eating much better and being mindful so I'm happy with that. I'm scared to get on the scales as if it's bad then I lose motivation.

I have signed up on a movement challenge at work. I'm wearing a pedometer and have to upload my daily steps. This is going well and I'm over the recommended minimum of 10,000 steps each day. I did do my usual idiot method of going full force to start and gave myself some blisters so today and tomorrow I'll just aim for the 10,000 and give my feel a chance to heal.

My trips away were fantastic. Both were only for 2 days but they were great. I didn't spend a great deal there either. Just £18.16 on the first trip in Torquay and £10 exactly at the spa. I never have treatments there as it's far too expensive for what you get, and I paid for the room months ago. I did buy a couple of things for the business, but I've printed off the invoices/receipts and those are aside for when I need an accountant.

Today I've downloaded a trial run of YNAB as I've been looking at it for some time now and have decided that if it lives up to expectations I'll get the full version. I'm really liking it already but know it will take me a little while to get used to the way it works and have everything updated and making sense.

Again, I've been working online trying to make some headway and while on my breaks I had a couple of ideas I'm really excited about so I'll start work on building those this weekend.

I took my car in for its MOT today and it passed! So that's great news and nothing extra to pay out. I do need to get the car tax though but I can do that on Monday.

I'm feeling this post is a little haphazard which is probably due to not updating enough. So I'll work harder on more regular updates.

MTx

MuffinTops

Today has been completely spend free! So 1 NSD already on 1 June! I'm really happy with that as I really need to cut down on mindless spends.

I did realise today that I need one more dress for work. The last of my old dresses that I thought had some life left in it is also looking really tired, so I'll probably pop to the M&S outlet in the morning to get something there.

I managed not to spend anything as I've stayed in all day. My eyes are feeling a bit numb with staring at the screen all day so I'll keep it short. I've not been great on food today but I have no more junk in the house, so a positive has come out of that.

Tomorrow will be quite busy as I have some chores to run in the morning - getting car tax and a new work dress, but hopefully I can work again in the afternoon. I've set up 2 more websites and now I need to fill them with valuable content!

The weekends fly by way too fast!