The single track road - life on a different path

MeandO

Not a very positive update today folks, sorry.

Finances/Debt
• Ebay items ending tomorrow and not doing great so far.
• YNAB needs updating tonight, but am still generally keeping up to date with it. I need to start saying no to myself (and others) more though.
• £30ish refund will be going back into the account this week.
• Car breakdown cover paid for (£28.80) out of car maintenance savings. Always nice to have the money available when these things need paying.
• Most bills have now come out of the account for the month. Trying very hard to manage the rest of the (little) funds left with the help of YNAB, but it will be extremely tough.
• A few more orders in to do this week
• Folks have kindly paid for DS's next term of his regular activity club, so need to pay that. They've rounded it up by £7, so will transfer the £7 to the debt.

Savings goals
• Nothing to report here unfortunately...


Home/Family/Fun/Fitness
• A couple more of DS's old puzzles and books sent to my friend for her little ones
• A couple of cushions no longer needed have gone home with my Mum
• DS came back from my parents on Friday so had two days of cuddles , now away with his Dad for 4 days.
• Saw Him for precisely 4 waking hours this weekend which is our lot for the week now. Wasn't great... he was tired and stressed after a long weekend with the nightmare child and was quite difficult to be around. Re-evaluating the whole relationship in my head over and over again since yesterday afternoon. Wish I had a crystal ball.
• Feeling very lonely and close to tears today with my Parents, DS, Him and even the ex all gone away. Wondering how on earth I got this lonely in life.

MeandO

Just chased my energy switch which is still ongoing... have been promised another 2-3 weeks and it should be done. Will save £6 a month when complete and should have the credit of around £50 from my current provider refunded, which I'll chuck at the debt. I know it's not much, but any little overpayment boosts my motivation a little.

MeandO

MeandO wrote: »

• Folks have kindly paid for DS's next term of his regular activity club, so need to pay that. They've rounded it up by £7, so will transfer the £7 to the debt.

Minimum overpayment to the loan was £10, so I've rounded it up and paid off £10.05 to make the balance neater.

Just looked at the loan account, have paid off £1850 in the last 4 months since taking it out, so am pleased with that progress. Balance is now £5650. Would love to pay it off and the credit cards (inc business debt) by the end of the year so the only debt I'll be left with is my mortgage. Not sure it's achievable, depends on how the business does, as also have £500 to pay to HMRC for last year's tax (due by March of next year), so that'll be paid first. At least it's a target I guess.

MeandO

I was hoping to take DS away for a night or two next week whilst I'm off with him - only to a City about 40 minutes drive away from us where I've earmarked lots of things for us to do, but I've been looking at accommodation prices and it's just not affordable. I'm going to be sensible and just take us out on a few day trips instead. We'll still go the the City, but only for the day I'm afraid. I'm sure he'll still enjoy (even though Mummy is quite disappointed. )

I've earmarked a few other free and cheap places for us to go too and have been looking at using my clubcard vouchers for entry tickets and meals out. I might make a list tonight of holiday things we can do together. Him is also off the same week and has his daughter, so we can do some stuff together hopefully.

apple_muncher

Do you have a railcard? I know you drive, but sometimes I find that being carried to my destination is bliss! And dd occasionally has her fill of getting in the car and prefers the train. Really makes you re-think what you 'need' to take with you! Food is our priority .

Took dd + friend to the Sylvanian Family shop in norf Lunnon today - quite an adventure. But I usedmy railcard and it only cost £12.60. A sackful of food and drink, a good park near the shop and sweets for them on the way back. A successful day out.

We have a local coffee shop that dd loves, and it is easy to combine with a visit to the local rec. Cheap fun.

Just to comment on your 'no comment' in the savings: WHAT ABOUT THE WHOPPING GREAT BIG MAHOOSIVE GINORMOUS £1850, eh??? Well done wonder woman!

Sending you lots of apple hugs xx

MeandO

Thank you Apple, my cheerleader as always
I wasn't really counting the £1850 as that's been paid off the loan, but it is quite nice to see how much I've cleared in a short space of time.


I don't have a railcard unfortunately, as I only use the railways once in a blue moon. Maybe once a year at the most. It's not a very cheap or practical mode of transport where I'm situated unfortunately.
I've decided I may even drive to 'the City' next week, as park & ride is only £3.50 and will work out cheaper (and much easier logistically) than taking the train. We'll see how things pan out though.



So, quick update tonight:


Finances/debt:
* YNAB updated, realised I'd already paid a bill I'd set money aside for, so that's gone towards the overspend in a different category.
* Still not spent a penny in my grocery budget since payday, but instead have used the £20 giftcard I was kindly given by my sister. Running low on fresh stuff though, so have started a list and will go to Aldi before work this week whilst DS is away and I am not running to a tight schedule as usual.
* Received my replacement clubcard today - old one not been scanning at self-serve or petrol tills for well over a year and never received the last replacement I requested, so my clubcard points should go up from now on.


Home/Family/Fun/Fitness!
* Tonight, I've put the first coat of wood stain on DS's pirate ship I've built him. It's looking good, even if I say so myself.
* Had a lovely chat with DS earlier and he's having a whale of a time, so has put my mind at rest a little.
* Second lovely chat of the day was with Him, who was really talkative, left me smiling and feeling loved tonight which I wasn't expecting after a bit of a rubbish evening together last night.
* Not managed much in the way of steps today as been sooo tired. I have been taking myself out for 20 minute fast walks at lunchtimes lately, so must get back to that again tomorrow. It breaks up the day, clears the cobwebs a bit and boosts my steps.
* Stuck to my diet today and have planned in tomorrow's food. Made the effort to cook for myself tonight (ok, so it was a vegetable omelette but it's a whole lot better than of late!) and have taken some chicken out of the freezer for tomorrow night.


It's remarkable how just making the effort to do a few little things can boost positivity so much in a day


Night all
x

MeandO

Finances/Debt

• £150 Paid towards tax bill from business account.
• Ebay items end tonight, currently around £60. Have also found a few more items to list.
• Forgot about one purchase made at the weekend which has sent a category on YNAB over budget - need to address and re-jig this tonight.

Home/Family/Fitness/Fun

• Lost 3lbs this week.
• Off for another power-walk at lunch time, as long as the rain holds off...
• Have so far resisted chocolate biscuits on offer in office today... I will resist!!!!!

MeandO

Finances/Debt:

• £112.34 made on ebay last night :j (before fees). £50.99 used for CC payment (see below) and the rest I'll put aside for our budget for school holiday fun next week.
• A refund of £84.99 will be going onto the credit card today after something I purchased a while back has stopped working (and I have decided to make do without).
• £50.99 paid off the business credit card, more than double the minimum payment.
• YNAB updated last night and balances adjusted.
• Still no spends from grocery budget. Will have to pick up some bits tomorrow though for DS's return home on Thursday.

Home/Fitness/Family/Fun:

• Cross trainer and run last night. Won't be doing the running again!
• Actually making the effort to cook myself healthy meals this week
• Something has pooped in my 'animal-poop-proof' rubber play chips in the garden. :mad: Cue lots of bleach down out there so the smell deters the offending cat/fox/beastie. Hopefully.
• A terrible night's sleep of less than 3 hours, with the rest spent tossing and turning. Think I may need to invest in some new pillows to stop the neck pain I seem to be getting at night.
• Tonsilitis is rearing its ugly head again (I get it bad and often).

Have a good day all
x

MeandO

Finances/Debt

• £84.99 refunded to credit card.
• 49p spent on a reduced photo frame set for a gift, out of the gift budget.
• £29.99 begrudginly spent on a new support pillow in the hope it helps me get some sleep and I can get rid of this horrible neckache I am waking with - money taken from ebay sales.

I've made a decision to close all of my physical e-saver accounts and put it all into my main bank account. Makes me slightly nervous, but will enable me to keep track of my balance and account in YNAB better and will force me to start relying on category balances, not what's left in my bank account.

That leaves me with my main account, ISA (which is the household/emergency savings) and my business account which I don't track on YNAB anyway.

If anyone has any thoughts on the above - good or bad - they'd be welcome!
x

apple_muncher

Popping in to say that your money needs to make you feel secure and safe, not nervous. I know some have several (or more) accounts, and work them well. I could not work it like that and am happy with a minimal spread of institutions having my cash. I can access my 2 main accounts on line, and try to do most things via cash not card, so that there are no surprises waiting for me.

And if you change your mind further down the line, you can always tap into the freebies being offered and open new accounts.

Is the neck ache due to stress and tension when you go to bed? Only asking because I get it.

Take care xx