My MoneySaving Diary - Attempt 3

Fishywiggles

Below is a link to my other thread that I started in May so feel free to read this to find out a bit about me.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/subscription.php?do=viewsubscription&folderid=all

I havn't posted recently as I have hardly any time so I may not post daily or even weekly, although I will try.

Mostly, posting on here is for me to be able to get my thoughts down regarding money and the affects of it.

Hope someone enjoys reading this if not I know I will benefit a lot from writing on here. Even now, I feel as though I am getting a weight of my mind and I havn't really said much!

Fishywiggles x

Fishywiggles

I think it is funny how I have to post a reply to myself =].

I have now reached £4,500 in my savings account which I am happy about. To be honest, I was a little off this mark and then I recieved the interest and it took me to £4,500.18 which made me very happy! (Imagine me squealing with delight at midnight one night when I randomly checked my balance and found out =]).

My target for February 2015 in £6,000 and with savings £500 a month as I have been doing, the reality is that I will have pretty much £9,000 saved by this time! I am very happy with that result.

The issue I am facing now is helping and convincing my partner to reach £6,000 by February 2015... This is proving a challenge even though he has let me have full control of his bank accounts and savings. He keeps his card and uses it whenever he can still though so he is still spending too much on too much IMHO. This is a working progress.

There are so many dilemnas going around in my mind at the moment involving work. I want to change jobs as I am in a rut in this job now and know that I can earn more doing the same job elsewhere. At the same time though, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to either go part time or take a break from working for a couple of months. This would allow me to focus on my Counselling Diploma and stop being behind on the journals and also to find a placement and get some contract hours in whereever possible. Finacially, I could afford this but it will mean that I won't be able to reach £9,000 and I may end up finding myself in a situation where I cannot find full time work again in time to start paying our mortage (which is what the February 2015 deadline is for).

Ah choices and dilemnas. The problem also is that I don't have the time to even sit down and give this a real thought. It is definitely not something I would want to jump straight into.

Anyway, better stop writing this essay and write one for counselling instead!

Fishywiggles x

Fishywiggles

P.S I will update my signature I promise.

Fishywiggles

Argh now that I have started posting again and just been reading through a DFW diary, I suddenly have the motivation to get things moving in the right direction... The problem? I don't have the time!

In a few minutes I am off to my lesson - 6:45 to 9:45 and by the time I get home it will be 10:30pm - bed time!

I am going to have to try and be motivated tomorrow evening after work when I am home (this is the place that the least amount of work or progress is made).

Normally, Monday and Tuesdays (if not working an evening shift) I stay late at work and sit in the office getting my journals done or researching money savings ways or reading diaries but tonight I can't do that.

Part of me is tempted to not go to class... No! I cannot do this. Missing a lesson will be more detrimental than the progress I would make elsewhere in that time. Dammit.

Better log off and make my way up to class...

Fishywiggles x

Fishywiggles

I had money come through today from the poll clerking I done for the elections in May - £141 for a days work. Not bad.

This means I have £4,600 saved now and my xmas/birthday/pshychology degree pot has increased to £55.

Unfortunately, some of this, maybe £20 will need to be used for petrol as payday is 13 days away and my current account is pretty much empty.

Slowly getting there.

Now to write around 9 journals by next Wednesday!

Fishywiggles x

Fishywiggles

Ok it has been a couple of weeks since my last post and I have made quite a big decision in that time.

After spending countless hours last week catching up on my journals for my counselling course, I decided on Friday that I cannot continue as I am. I am one lesson away from the end of this academic year and I was pressed for time for finding a placement so that I can get my 100 client contact hours that I need to pass the course. We have to fit these 100 hours in around what we are currently doing as they 99% of the time voluntary and by July 2015. For me, working full time, this was not sustainable. I was also so stressed out about the work needed and the placement needed for the course that I was not focusing on my relationship as much as I should and I could feel the effect of this.

So my decision was to withdraw from the counselling course and walk away knowing that I will be happier and healthier with a good relationship if I do. Also, I have learned so much from the course that in no way do I think I have wasted a year. I am a different person to who I was before I started yet my goals and aspirations have strengthened.

Friday afternoon I was already due to see my own counsellor (as part of the course) so I kept this appointment and talked to her about all of this and she asked me 'how do I feel when I imagine not doing the course anymore?' My answer was 'relieved' and she nodded and said good which means it is the right decision for you.

I then went home and told my boyfriend who was quite shocked but understood that it was my decision and he was happy either way. I think I sensed relief from him too.

Currently, I am waiting for confirmation from tutor about the withdrawal with is quite nerve-wracking because I don't know how she will react. I think she may be half expecting it as I have been behind on my work for quite a while.

Anywho! I have now have all the spare time in the world to focus on money saving! Which makes me very happy.

Mood status now - Happy but nervous, looking forward to what the future holds =].

Fishywiggles x

supersaver1000

Well done FishyWiggles. It's a tough decision. I was interested to hear what your counsellor said about you feeling relieved. Sounds like you've made the most of it and this is the best decision for you.

Fishywiggles

Thank you Supersaver1000.

When I first thought about giving up the course, it was very hard to consider because I thought people might think I couldn't handle it and I was giving up. It took me a couple of weeks to even give myself a chance to consider it as a viable option!

Once I was passed this point and realised that is it going to benefit me so much more to withdraw than it is to stay on the course, I realised that it doesn't matter what people think because this is for me. I am more than happy to tell people my reasons =].

I still havn't heard back from my tutor so it is official yet!! I don't want to start telling people until it has been finalised.

Fishywiggles x

supersaver1000

Good for you. Maybe you will still get a certificate of completion? My sil got one when she couldn't/didn't want to find a placement and was more than happy.

Fishywiggles

Thats good that they gave her a certificate. Unfortunately, I won't get one for mine because of the exam board. I won't be able to pick it back up from where I left off either because the exam board for Counselling is likely to change again this September. It is currently AQA but will mostly likely go back to NCFE (it has been chopping and changing between these two for the last few years for some reason).

It has been a few weeks since I withdrew from the course and I am so much happier and less stressed. It was definitely a very good time to do it because work has suddenly become a lot more stressful and harder. The work itself is beyond easy, its the atmosphere and people. We are going through a restructure (isn't everyone?) and we have found out about 3 management level staff who have been made redundant. We are an extremely small organisation so these 3 alone will make a massive difference. They are now looking into the admin that are managed by or worked with these 3 so it is a tenuous time for many. I am very thankful that all of this will only indirectly affect me and my department. The worst that it will mean for us is a bigger workload which as being the main admin department and front of house team, we are used to this happening. There are so many things pointing towards me finding a new job, I just can't pluck up the courage to do it. We will see how this pans out. Plus I cannot desert my team (no matter how scattered we are right now) because we are already short staffed due to annual leave and retirements. I am due to train one of our new apprentices too and there are only two members of staff (me and another) that can do this so I would feel so bad morally if I left everyone in the lurch.

anywho, money saving.... I am £900 away from my first target of £6000. In two months time I will have reached this =].

I have also started my xmas shopping in JULY!! I have never started this early. It will definitely work in my favour though. I have spent £15 so far and that includes presents for 3 different people. Very happy with that.

I have decided that I need to get a move on with my to do list which is just getting longer. I never have the motivation to get any of it done when I need to do. I procrastinate A LOT. Therefore, I am going to get 1 productive thing done a day. This will not sound like much to a lot of people but to me it will help a lot.

I will start this tomorrow as I am feeling a bit icky right now.

Anywho, sorry for the long post! If anyone is reading this that is.

Fishywiggles x

Fishywiggles

Productive activity for today...

Get out of bed? Lol

No today it will be to do 2 loads of washing and hang them out so that clothes are ready for work tomorrow.

(And be up and out of bed before the boyfriend is back from town)

Fishywiggles x