Got here by luck, intending to stay by judgement.

greenbee

Well done on your decision to pay off the remaining CC before overpaying the mortgage. That's the biggest sign of your change in mindset.

Pay that off.
Get your small emergency fund in place
Build up your big emergency fund (for this you might want to find out whether you can draw down mortgage overpayments. In the past I've used mortgage overpayments as at least part of my emergency fund, but you need to remember about them when you remortgage otherwise you can end up with no emergency fund).

MrBloater

In the 8 days since I last posted I have nothing positive to report, and am only adding this in an attempt to get myself kickstarted again. I'm off work whilst the wife and kids are still at theirs and I'm not at my best on my own. Brings back a lot of memories of souldestroying months of unemployment when I was younger, and I haven't helped myself by gorging on all the benefits programmes that are popping up on the TV, and thinking how lucky I was to escape all that, seeing a family over the road quite literally implode this week with the son being arrested, the Mum moving out and the Dad just looking like a shell, and then the news of one of my musical heroes son's tragic death in a location I know very well. This fog is thick and I'm struggling to get the motivation to get washed and dressed let alone think about moneysaving. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

mark55man

Doing well to put fingers to keyboard Mr B - clothes are definitely second when you are home alone

bexster1975

Sorry it's a tough day MrB.

Remember by keeping this diary you are not only helping you and yours, but inspiring others.

I agree, home alone clothes are genuinely optional ( keep the curtains closed though!:D

Bexster

Ellsbel

Hi Mr Bloater.
I've followed your diaries from the start with huge interest and rooted for you all the way, although this is the first time I've posted.
Just wanted to say, I totally understand the fog, the reasons for it, and what it does to you.
Yesterday's news was awful (he's a musical hero of mine, too)- I can't really bear even to read the reports about it; just the day before I'd had a moment where I realised how much my love for my family - especially for my beautiful teens - is the one thing that keeps me from sinking completely into the swamp sometimes. When something like this happens, not only does it depress further, but it terrifies too.

Anyway, I didn't mean to bore with my own stuff; what I came out of the woodwork to say was: like many others here, I'm rooting for you - give your loved ones an extra tight hug tonight, and here's hoping for a brighter you tomorrow.

beanielou

Keep plodding~~easier said than done though sometimes.

MrBloater

Still plodding. Nice to see on all the various credit reports I have that the closed accounts are started to be registered, and even though they are meaningless - I'm happy to see improvements in my credit score. Will be even happier when I can cancel the blooming trials of two of them though - going to have some phonequeue fun later methinks.

Forgot to mention in my last doomy posting that I got offered an incredible deal at the car dealership - brand new shiny one in Italian Racing Red for only 7quid a month more plus a £1200 deposit contribution. In a parallel universe, there is a Mr B who took them up on this deal. But not in this one. So keen were they to get me to sign up that they tweaked the figures on the early settlement charge for the leasing agreement and I now have a revised figure (in writing, from head office) which is three grand lower than it was before. Still doesn't make financial sense to trade it in yet, but I'm looking at six or seven months down the line now to get another car solution.

I am struggling to keep all the plates spinning - my exercise routine in particular is slumped like a grumpy teenager on the backseat - scowling at anything who even looks at it. There's nothing to be done with moneysaving til the Car Insurances are due in September, so now is probably time to see if I can get back into shape to lift the clouds that are way too close for comfort.

newgirly

Well done for resisting the temptation at the car dealership and planning ahead instead, its terrible temption looking at cars!

Sorry you have felt so low lately, I hope you are feeling a bit better today

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Hi Bloater, the soundtrack in my head all week has been 'Into My Arms', can't believe such a beautiful boy could have given up like that, but we never know what's going on in other peoples lives or heads.


Are there car lease options through work for you or Mrs B or would that be too much of a tie in?

mark55man

Mr B - glad you are shaking off the blues.

You are suffering from MS burnout - the daunting realisation that this is for the long term, and whilst you have been super organised in getting the best deals for yourself actually (well in my experience) the savings you get from good deal making on these annual or structural changes are more visible BUT less significant than not (over)spending on the day to day journey through life.

for me 6 in the family (+2 moggies) that equals 6x3x365 meals a day or 6000 meals a year - even saving 15p a meal is nearly £1000 and it sounds like yours is similar.

You are a spreadsheet expert - now I would love to see you try and calculate the savings from a few simple changes in your spendin. eg My family likes diet coke (prob a bottle a day between us) - we changed to Lidl Freeway saving and saved hundreds. Get the same for less. We got a new Lidl a couple of years ago knocked 10% of most items - noticeable savings. You can get Lidl Fatigue but whenever I change it works out dearer so just shows how much you can save from that aspect.

And if you need to go off the rails - do it by buying a nicer weekend meals, than a new car :-) - that's thespirit