My Journey To My Pot Of Gold

MuffinTops

I thought I could smell chocolate!!!! Thank you Sam! I seem to have also arrived before anyone else as there's so much here - or there was so much here! Thank you lovely Sam.

Mr 3TL is being a lovely distraction, but now money is slipping through my fingers far too easily!

Rosa - I've saved some chocolate for you too!

MTxx

MuffinTops

It's been far too long since I last posted.

Last week I was on a very intense training course, so I did manage to read a few diaries but had no energy to write much. Plus there was lots of homework so had to push on with that. I did the exam on Wednesday and am really hoping I've passed. I've also put in a request to do the 2nd section of that course now too. There are 4 parts, the first 2 are the more expensive, so it'll be easier to get the cheaper ones approved in the future.

We are getting our new Department Director announced tomorrow, so we're all a bit up in the air with work, which is why it feels good to get these 2 courses as my new job title (no promotion, just a new job structure throughout our company) as that links well with these courses I'm taking. I feel I have a transferrable role whatever happens.

The radio has been going well. My newest member is pretty much ready for his own show. He took the reigns on his show again last week, while I was co-host and this week I've told him I'll throw in a few curveballs just so he knows he can cope when things aren't going exactly as expected. Nothing serious, just the sorts of things that typically go wrong which can literally be show stopping if you're in the studio alone when it happens and aren't sure what's happened. He told me last week that he's really surprised at how much I let him do, and that I'm prepared to let him take my show to give him experience.

The other lad, M, couldn't come in on Friday as a friend of his was visiting. After chatting to the station manager, she's really pushing me to drop him now as he's not showing any real sign of wanting to learn. I've asked for 2 weeks to shake him up a little and I'll have to take on a whole new training angle now with him! My gut feeling is that he just isn't right for this, but I still want him to have a chance to prove me wrong.

Mr 3TL - well what can I say? He's still as stonkingly gorgeous as ever and treats me incredibly well! We went away last weekend to celebrate his birthday which was a fantastic weekend. It's also really nice to be able to just go away without worrying about finances.

It's also my closest friend's birthday and we always splash out a bit on gifts for each other, so it's been an expensive month. I've even brought out the CC to give me a chance to pay for it all over 2 months salary rather than 1. But now I need to sit and go through my finances again and work out a plan. My life is now in a place where I do want the freedom to spend a little more without it completely throwing off my life plans.

I've bought the Desire Map book and the Style Statement book (thank you Rosa) and need to make some cunning plans. So I think my focus now is about getting all of my ideas and wishes down and then work out how to formulate them into concrete plans. Something my course last week will help with too, in its own little way.

A big update for a drizzly Wednesday, but based on how well I feel things are at the moment, I think we can justify the return of the dancing girls?

RosaBernicia

Yaaay MT! I was just thinking last night it was a long time since we'd heard from you. I am really enjoying the Style Statement book, it asks some fun questions and I am finding surprising answers - so I hope you enjoy it as much as I am. I am thinking of going back to the Desire Map stuff over the winter holidays ready to get stuck in with my shiny new planner!

Sooo pleased that you and Mr 3TL are still twitterpated with each other :T. Fingers crossed for your courses and your work - all sounding good. As you wisely said a little while ago, it's all about finding the balance for enjoying the things we work hard for.


Rosa xx

MuffinTops

I've been able to really think about some things today and have made some decisions.

I'm trying to save far too much each month, and due to that some things are getting disorganised. This should have been apparent before when my savings goal wasn't rising like it really should be. Now that I also have things I'm happy to spend money on, I'm really noticing how tight those reins are. So, I have decided to set myself a realistic savings goal each month and redistribute what I was saving to other categories. Things like clothes etc that I currently scrimp on.

I have this big announcement happening at work tomorrow, which may cause me to rethink this (if there are too many of us in the department for instance), but I'm assuming we won't get told everything just yet. So, my next goal is to rejig YNAB and create a realistic budget for all required areas.

Let the games begin!

moneyonmymindsam

Hope all went well at work ..Fingers crossed...p.s it's hump day !!


MMsam

MuffinTops

Happy Last Week of October!!!

The weekend was really expensive. I went a little mad on buying presents, and now I'm back in reality. I get paid on Friday, and it's my first pay with the increase, so it will be interesting to see how much extra I have.

I was treated to a nice lunch on Sunday without having to pay a penny, so that was really welcome. I didn't even have to buy a drink. Yesterday I had my hair cut and had asked for a bit of a restyle. I had very long one length hair and wanted a few inches taken off and some choppy layers put through. I had to get her to cut it 3 times before she'd done more than just a trim on me. I had even taken a photo of what I wanted with me which she'd agreed was an exciting semi-restyle and would be no problem.

All done now, but it came to £83!!!! Eek! It won't be that much every time, but I just don't want to put a tight budget on my hair right now.

Roll on payday! I really do need clothing budget!!!!

I hope you're all having a fab week!

MuffinTops

All went ok, thanks Sam. I think it's probably a little too early to tell really. It does sound like the first thing will be a major cost cutting exercise, so I'm going to believe my gut instinct and try to make sure I'm as prepared for a door showing as I can be.

bellevie

I hope that's not the case with work MT, but I understand the need to be prepared for worst case.

Glad you are being treated so well, it reflects in your posts they are so happy, it makes my heart smile every time I catch up

moneyonmymindsam

MuffinTops wrote: »

All went ok, thanks Sam. I think it's probably a little too early to tell really. It does sound like the first thing will be a major cost cutting exercise, so I'm going to believe my gut instinct and try to make sure I'm as prepared for a door showing as I can be.

I agree ...if that is the case treat it as fate and a stepping stone on to better and brighter things .


Your hair sounds gorgeous ...she says looking at scissors and own hair then thinks ...maybe not such a good idea :rotfl:


its nearly Friday ...well, sort of....lol .:T

MuffinTops

I sat down yesterday and really went through the areas I need an actual budget for. Things I think I'll do without to save money and then end up buying anyway, without any real focus of money that can be spent. Invariably I'll end up adding bits to the credit card, and we all know what a slippery slope that can be.

So I think I've now figured out all the personal areas of bits and bobs that I want to put money aside for. I also managed to find out how much I'll be getting paid this month (they added it online much earlier than usual) and it's almost £100 clear take home, so where I usually add that to my savings pot, I'm not going to this time. I'm going to sit and look at my whole monthly salary, including the raise, and then allocate each penny to it's own pot. If I can up my savings then that's great, but experience tells me that pulling the purse strings too tight for too long has negative consequences when you're not in troubling debt.

I'm out tonight with 2 of my closest friends, which I'm feeling a mixture of excitement and lethargy! I know I'll have a great time once I'm out though, although I also know I'll be shattered by the end of the night!

I did manage to get my next lot of training authorised, which is fantastic news as that will really help my future, no matter what direction it takes. Then I received an email from the training department saying they're not able to book it as the company CC is maxed out!!!! What is that about? So I've got to ask my boss if he can let them have his card details (it's a company card, not a personal one) and hopefully get it booked and confirmed this morning!

The weather is horrendous today, but I think we could do with some rain to get our lovely autumnul colours vibrant again. I hope no one got too soaked though. I also think that, as it's hump day and things are still looking good in MSE world that the girls need to be dusted off again. Take it away girls.....

MTxx