Hope is not an Effective Financial Strategy

shangaijimmy

Oops. 5 days since i last posted, which astounds me, and i found my diary all the way down on page 5! A few people commented how quickly the year has gone, well i cant believe its 12th Sept...the month is literally evaporating!

Spent most of the weekend coming and going, and never really sat down and stopped.

Not much going on money wise. Child benefit came to the rescue but got swallowed up in spends (need to question Mrs SJ....). So will need to 'borrow' some cash out of savings for a few days. I don't like doing it but that's what savings are for and we all know its not easy having 3 kids, 2 cars, a big house/mortgage and an ambitious MFW plan! Mrs SJ gets paid 13 times a year rather than a set day each month and it always messes my organising up once or twice a year.

Retro.Monkey90

Hi Jimmy, great figures from August. Just catching up now as my own diary has been neglected because of that thing called life! Also cannot believe it is September, I swear it was May last week....

shangaijimmy

Totally agree Retro, i was even talking to my parents about Christmas presents for the boys tonight ! They've still got money left from last year!

I've managed to keep up with running as well. In last 8 days i've managed Tues, Fri, Sat & Tues. I don't feel as good as i used to, and as fluent i remember running but i'm keeping in mind that i'm 10yrs older!! I have noticed that all my speed has gone, and my ability to produce any turn of pace... And any incline really drains my legs. I feel fine on flat and heart & lungs easily manage it, but as soon as there's an incline my legs very quickly feel like lead.

I defintiely recommend getting rid of all technology though. No pre planned routes, no thoughts on hitting certain distance, no timing, no recording and comparing - it has helped me to just run, with clear head and enjoy being out (loved it tonight in the rain). So definitely not returning to fitbits, mapmyrun, watches and i even haven't been looking at the time when i leave/return.

So not a very MFW update, but an update none the less!!

Night all.

shangaijimmy

Well i thought it was 2 days since i'd last posted and its actually 5! We're desperate for payday which is Friday, and we're so short of cash that i haven't even managed any TT's as we're into borrowed savings. Managed to sell a couple of things on ebay, and now have a new full bag of stuff ready for listing.

Nothing to report really. We've been trying to spend as much time outside as possible given the impending dark nights and cold/wet/wind. So when finally home it's been shower and bed, asleep for 10.30 most nights!

MB has been ok, but made a couple of big mistakes that have eaten into my monthly profit, and lots of the reloads havent come off. But should still get £300 for the month.

shangaijimmy

Struggling with much to report on at the minute so thought i'd update on the whole bike situation... Those avid readers may recall a household dispute over Mrs SJ getting a biked. Now i had no issues with her buying a bike, more the cost of the one she picked etc...

Well so far its been a resounding success, and she's literally out for an hour every night on it. So a great start and i'm very pleased for her (not too pleased that i seem to have been left to do bedtime for all 3 every night though...)!

So money well spent so far. Well payday is Friday for Mrs SJ and Monday for me. I do need to do some accounts tidying up as new phone contract/provider and car paid off, so will hopefully get to that before the end of the week. I just don't seem to have much motivation on an evening at the minute to do anything other than dog walks and half watch sport!! Hopefully payday will spring me into life again as i have a Christmas target to achieve!!

Night all.

shangaijimmy

Well payday x 2 has arrived and our account in back in business!

TT's back up and running with 41p today, and i managed ti OP the £1.73 that was in the TT pot. I've also OP'd the £50 cashback for our broadband switch. Finally I've paid back the £200 that we borrowed from savings. I'm hoping we can tighten up a bit this month, but not sure Mrs SJ will appreciate that thought!

In terms of MB, with a week left of the month i think i may get to £300 profit which will add a nice £150 to the mortgage. I have to go away with work for a few weeks in October so the other £150 will pay for a big night out for me and Mrs SJ before I go. * Must make a note in my diary to order some flowers as its our anniversary whilst I'm away!

Silence101

I always seem to breathe a sigh of relief when money comes in. Glad to hear the bike is being used!

shangaijimmy

Totally with you on breathing out... its just a shame it doesnt last that long!

Long day today, but a NSD which is always with of a mini fist pump. Need to spend some time on our budget later as we've been a bit lax, and i've got a few standing orders to sort. I borrowed some savings go pay for my car in June, which was 3 months earlier than planned. So now i've paid off car number 1 i can redirect that cash to car number 2. So spreadsheet and standing orders fiddles for me tonight, which i always enjoy! I may even bore Mrs SJ by making her look at our budget so she knows where we are upto.

shangaijimmy

Budget and standing orders sorted, and an early glance at OP's for September i think we'll settle on about £660 - still on course for below 100k at New Year! Couldn't enlist the eyes of Mrs SJ though!

I've TT'd 30p this morning, and it feels good to have cash in the bank to TT again...though we'll see how long it lasts!

shangaijimmy

Long day negotiated today and have 2 days off now :j. I've worked the last 13 so am definitely due!

Dog walk, snooze and tidy up The garden is all that I've planned.

NSD today so a great start to post payday. I'm also counting down the days to posting September accounts, and then submitting my MFi3 figures. A touch early but I'll be away when they are due.

Next on the horizon is house insurance.