New Years Goals and Career Changes - A diary for a better me.

myteeduck

Well as luck would have it, I get my pay rise and 5 days later have a car accident.
My fault, and I have accepted liability with the insurance - no two ways about it, I ran in to the back of someone because I got distracted. I think my head has been out of it for the last 6 weeks. I am doing 3 peoples jobs and its causing me problems.
It has cost me £30 insurance premiums extra as I changed my job and they found out and £100 excess.
My insurance will go up next year which is now going to cost me a fortune.

I have checked my finances and don't think my pay-rise will cover what I have to pay out for the next year

So its back to the frugal board... so I have my dream job and life is still rotten. My sister gave birth to my niece the other day and thats not been as I thought it would be. I can't visit because everybody else is seeing them, so I just got told to sit and wait.

I had ever intention of joining a gym on the 25th but I cant do that now either. I have to stick with my mobile which is falling apart as I can't afford a new one.

I have 2 hen dos to attend next year which will cost me any savings I do have.

I just don't know what to do for the better...

beanielou

Just keep plodding

myteeduck

Me again, I forgot about this post if I'm honest!

I have had an ok November.

My baby niece was born on the 6th and she has kept me very occupied since. I didn't think I would see her, but I can see her whenever I wish, in fact i am allowed to stay over next Saturday, but I have been warned that I will probably be up all night playing peekaboo. My gorgeous friend also had her little boy 9 days early. She was due this Tuesday but had him last Sunday (22nd) so i have babies galore in my life.

I have sorted my budget out - I am up to date - christmas is paid for (well the money is in my savings account). I have cleared the money from my car accident and budgeted to pay off a bigger insurance pot next September.

I have taken out a new mobile phone contract but only after putting my budget in to the WORST CASE SCENARIO and only then as I could afford it, I went out today and signed up. I am glad I did - it is so much better than my 3 year old phone. I am going to sell my old phone as well as a speaker dock that I have, so hopefully some money will be raised and this will go straight to my mum, to pay off the vacuum cleaner. I am also hoping to sell my old vacuum cleaner, so I am hoping for approx £100 from all 3 items, which will clear most of my debt.

I have asked my work to pay for my next level of the AAT course, mainly as it links to my work and so it will be beneficial. I will pay it myself if they say no, but I class it as if I don't ask, I don't get. Also its not like i am asking them to pay for something which doesn't benefit them. I just have to wait for my boss to get 5 minutes free to open his mouth and ask the question!

I am enjoying work again - the new boss of my old department starts tomorrow so I am hoping a lot of pressure that I have had for the last few weeks will ease and I can be a member of my new department, instead of half that, and half my old.

Apologies if that above doesn't make sense, without going in to too much detail, its hard to describe.

I think in my last post, I was panicking about things that hadn't happened and may not ever happen. I have been worried about 2 friends hen dos next year. One I have decided not to attend - I like the girl but I don't see why I should fork out £100s to go to Ibiza for 3 days, for someone who never picks up the phone and calls me.

The other hen do, I will attend, but I have said I will watch the daytime event (some sports day type thing) and I will come for the meal and night out at the end. I will also offer to drive as I don't want to pay for a hotel when I barely drink anyway. I will happily drive and take people home if they don't want to stay either.

It was supposed to be some big weekend thing, but I am only going to attend the Saturday, I think, unless the Friday is a night in, in which I will probably drive again, or get last train home.

I am not doing a 2012, when I spent a fortune on hen dos and weddings. I refuse. I am having a year where I am not going to be forced in to doing things for the sake of joining in. I am happy to do what I want to do and my friends should respect my feelings. One will, the other maybe not so much, but in all fairness if she doesn't she's not a real friend is she?

My food shopping in November worked quite well. I bought loads at the start of the month, and then barely spent a penny the rest of the month. So I will do the same this coming month. I will shop Saturday and buy loads of veg, another bag of chicken and some rice/pasta and I will bulk cook a lot more food for my freezer.

Its been really enjoyable to do that this month.

Well its bed time for me. My cat is curled up and I think I will join her xx

myteeduck

I have started the Dave Ramsey envelope method.
It seems to be working quite well. I have little envelopes with my budget in it and if the money runs out, I can't take any extra money out.

I put £20 for shopping in the envelope in in 2 full weeks, I have spent less than £15. I have been strict and only bought what I really need. Most of the money from this month has been related to christmas presents so next month with be better.

I have decided that my goal is paying off my car quicker. In 2 years, I have a £8K bubble which I want to pay off sooner. I have worked out that by the time comes I will have £6K of it if I stick to my budget. I borrow the additional £2K off my parents and the aim then will be to pay them back within 4 months - I will be able to pay £500 per month. Then I will be free off car payments and will never take out another HPI agreement for a car. Once the car is paid for, I fully intend to hit the house payments, and if all goes to plan, in 7 years, I will have a car paid for and a house paid for, which my parents will sign over to me and I will then make a choice of what to do.

I am doing all this by embracing the minimalist lifestyle. I have followed the Marie Kondo method of tidying up, and I have got rid of a lot of stuff. I now only by something, if a) i can budget for it, and b) I have truly thought about whether is genuinely needed or I am buying for the sake of it.

I have stopped all unnecessary purchases by the envelopes and the minimalist life.

I have managed to find the money to pay my vacuum cleaner in full in January which is amazing!

I will keep you all updated on how I am doing.

myteeduck

I think last week could have been the worst week in all my life, but it has created something all the more better. I have done 18 hours overtime which is where I have managed to find the money to pay my vacuum cleaner in full this month. It will also help me get comfortably through January.

Also today, I have been told that I have been awarded another pay rise!! Only 1K but its amazing. Im a trainee but I am on now what my mum used to be on when she did the same role. I am sooooo happy. I must have shown some commitment (too right I did!) but they noticed and rewarded me.

I am so pleased!

xx

beanielou

Great news

myteeduck

Wow! Its been a while since I was here and I should really pack up my diary and move to another board. I am no longer a DFW as I have no debts (other than my mortgage and my car but who's counting those? ;D)

I am about to start AAT Level 3 but the funds are all worked out and I don't need to worry about that one.

So this is probably my last post on here. I do have a diary on the savings board if anyone wants to continue viewing my journey?

x