My Journey To My Pot Of Gold

MuffinTops

I need to look at my life in detail and create a personal challenge. There is so much going on and so many options that I want to see what I'm capable of achieving if I really focus.

Work:
Who knows what's going to happen at the moment, but whether I keep my job here or have to look elsewhere there's a strong chance I'll need to work full time hours again. This means that I need to get myself in gear and figure out a process to ensure that I'm not wasting money due to lack of organisation. Lunches prepared in the evening for work. Keep my calendar up to date so I know what's approaching and can plan accordingly rather than have a panic and then rush around trying to fix things. Organisation is the key here!

Curent Home:
Not a lot to sort here, other than to pack my things up ready for an impending move. Making sure I don't pack things that I need in future and can't find (and may therefore purchase another!!!!!).

Potential Home:
I do really like the idea of living nearer London but outside the congestion zone and maybe having an apartment in the Docklands area. I've checked how much an additional mortgage would beon some apartments I like the look of online and this would be more than doable. I can also afford a 2 or 3 bed apartment meaning that if I needed to I could rent a room out.

Silly Spends:
This is the bane of my life! I think that my lack of being organised and remembering lunches etc not only encourages me to spend money on foods I shouldn't really be eating, but also to be exposed to the marketing tactics of these shops and stores I go into (£1 large bag of chocolate is the biggest temptation of mine). Plus, there are also shops I need to walk past (should actually run past ) but end up wandering in at times! It all adds up! So I've drilled down my categories on YNAB so that I can keep a closer track of exactly what these silly spends are going on.

Solutions:

• Bring breakfast in to work (I leave the house at 6am and start work at 8am so generally end up paying £1 for 2 slices of toast in the office canteen and then may also buy a muffin if I'm particularly hungry by the time I've arrived at work!!). This could be remedied with a sandwich in emergency or something healthier preferably. In the beginning it will be about getting into a habit, then I can realign that habit to make it healthier. One step at a time!
  
• Bring lunches in to work. Again, to start with focus on the routine and then up the ante by making it healthier.
• Have £1 in the office, in case of emergency only. Leave cash at home.
• Track every penny spent on frivolous unnecessary items and then, at the end of the month, show what that money would have been better spent on.
  
  Maybe on a great day out to make lovely memories, or a new pair of shoes/item of clothing, a beauty treatment or a boost of savings towards that beautiful watch I want. (This money will never go on credit cards or pot of gold savings as it's my spending money for the month).
• Stay organised on what's coming up socially and in birthdays/celebrations.
• Limit TV watching, as it's so life wasting!
  
  Instead, use YouTube for watching resourceful videos and read more books. Even a trashy novel is better than most TV shows. Listen to the motivational audible books and CD's I have!
  
• Do some form of exercise each day to get those cobwebs blown away and to increase the feelings of wanting to be more active. No gym membership! I have a bike, I have fully functional legs and I also have home weights in a spare bedroom that has a lot of space in it! On top of that, I have a few excellent exercise DVD's, plusYouTube is another great and free resource for exercise ideas. No excuses.
  
• Cut out caffeinated and fizzy drinks! Are you mad, woman??? There is nothing of any value in either of those categories. Drink lots of water (squash is ok to kickstart this).
  

If I move closer to London then making lunches and breakfast in the morning before I leave for work becomes a much bigger possibility. The thought of getting up at 4:30am to make lunch while I have my current address just isn't going to become a reality! So, for now, I need to make sure that I'm organised enough at home to be able to put together a lunch each evening ready for the next day. Thinking ahead if I'm out any work night.

doingitanyway

You're sounding really organised. I like the idea of looking at all the areas of your life...I might just steal this idea...:)

I totally understand how it feels to know that the buck constantly ends with you but you will make the right decisions.

I can't think tonight as tired so going to leave it there, but you continue to inspire me

DIA x

RosaBernicia

Oooh exciting *gets out pompoms for cheering MT on*

I can totally relate to the getting properly organised bit, am eyeing my old FlyLady stuff ready for when I've finished college!

It is sometimes draining doing everything, but it does also mean you have the freedom to do whatever it is you choose.


Rosa xx

MuffinTops

Feel free to take on any ideas you see DIA. It's not often I get ones others want to share, but I do find it can put things into perspective if you get a chance to look at a whole picture.

Did you manage to sleep well after being so tired?

MuffinTops

Loving the pom poms Rosa. Is this you?

I keep sorting out my flylady shiny sink and that really does help boost me along with other things. I guess it's the satisfaction of seeing how lovely that looks that I just want to spread the cleanliness!


I really do enjoy being in charge of my future, it can just feel a little overwhelming. However, if you live in your comfort zone then you don't really live! So let's get this party started!!!

doingitanyway

Hi MT,

I did sleep well last night thank you. I get so overtired sometimes

I have a few days off next week and I'm going to divide up the ares of my life and have a good old prod

I decided to cancel my gym membership when it expires in 3 months. You are so right there are cheaper, easier ways. I too have a bike a lovely Poppy Pashley. I will cycle, walk and do a DVD if I need motivation. However, when I am debt free I will celebrate by joining my lovely gym if I want to

I so need to join in on the cleaning vibe. I feel so much better with a clean and organised space.

I hope your day went well
DIA x

MuffinTops

Today is pay day! So I've organised YNAB better and just need to keep myself organised now. New financial month, new financial start.

I've been keeping things categorised in the account that money comes out of too, but now I'm getting to grips with YNAB I think I'll start to categorise differently, with more financial logic. I can keep an eye on the accounts by looking at the ............. accounts section! Magic!!!

Money was spent unnecessarily again on lunch but I was out last night with no preparation done, and I also had that feeling of giving up on it for this week and start anew for April. So meal planning is the keyword for this weekend. While I was picking up the cheapest lunch I could find, I also saw 4 packs of Mars Bars for 50p! So guess who bought the price again! Twice! I do like a chocolate bar of a work afternoon so I've decided this was a decent investment as at 12.5p a bar, it would have been rude not to!!! That was genuinely a proper grocery spend.

I need to pop into the big Tesco that's by my bus stop tonight to buy food for the weekend. I could drive out to the one I normally go to, but this way I'll save petrol money too! I usually go after my shows tomorrow, but now I'm doing 3 shows and training it will be nice to drive straight home. Part of me feels I should wait and have it from April's budget, but I think that it will be better to reshuffle things and take it from March as it'll save me a little doing it that way.

Tomorrow's show is all prepared and it's about April Fool's day. The origins, some of the best pranks, and various other bits of fun infomation. There are so many songs with the word Fool in them!

I think I'll head off home shortly. I hope you all have a wonderful evening.

MTxx

MuffinTops

Happy prodding DIA. It's good to divide and conquer!!!

MTxx

jodles16

Ohh I love the organising life list!! Very thorough! I think MMM would agree that spending that long commuting isn't the best way to spend your time and a place on the dock would be beautiful! Congrats on the offer of full time as well! Amazing stuffs!

Jodles :beer::D

RosaBernicia

MuffinTops wrote: »

Loving the pom poms Rosa. Is this you?

Haha, yes that's me, by the looks of it after an espresso! Give us an M... give us a T...

The YNAB categories across accounts thing really does help - I don't think I would be starting up new accounts without it as I would get confuzzled. I love the new credit card spend thing too, it means the money comes out of the current month even if you put it on a credit card - much less chance of the spend being forgotten and building up.


Rosa xx