My Journey To My Pot Of Gold

MuffinTops

This week has taught me that when I step back and reduce the noise that things just work better. I'm also very grateful for having the luxury of being able to do that!

I've tweaked YNAB again to try to simplify how I use it, and I'll feel any benefits next month. This is just about not spending too much on social events while maintaining my levels of cashback.

My focus is going to move away from thinking about money. When I'm concentrating on not spending, I'm still thinking about money and that makes me use money! I get paid next week and I'll withdraw my social and grocery money and then leave my accounts alone other than to check they're as expected and update YNAB.

I also need to stop writing such long posts!!!!!

Happy Thursday to all. MTxx

doingitanyway

Oh don't stop the long posts. I always learn something from them. I bet other people besides me do too. This is the first payday I have had that I am not uber excited and I think that's because I am trying not to fixate on money too much, so your post today was timely for me...
Have a good day x

moneyonmymindsam

Hello Gorgeous
Sorry I have not been on much lately - not been going through a good time but hope things are good your side.


Totally agree reflection time is always good.


Thinking of you ( imaging you are probably in bed eating chocolate lol )


Sam xx

MuffinTops

Hello DIA and thank you for your words of encouragement. It's nice to know that my blurtings help at least one person! MTxx

MuffinTops

Lovely to hear from you Sam, although sorry to hear things aren't going great. I hope they're sorting themselves out now?

If it's a weekend then I'm always in bed eating chocolate! MTxx

MuffinTops

Well that weekend flew by! I had my radio shows on Friday and think I may have "lost" one of the people who come in on Fridays as he just does an hour so wants to move to Thursdays. I've offered to teach him how to record his show so that one of those hours can be slotted into the Friday, so there won't be any gaps, just a recorded show of his. I may also have a new trainee starting during the school holidays.

I went to a friend's birthday meal on Saturday and was really fretting over how much it would cost, but it turned out to be a very cheap evening which was a major relief.

Sunday and Monday were spent clearing as I'm trying to get organised for an impending move. I had 2 viewings at the weekend, but I think my ad may be wrong as most of the people who come to view seem to expect it to be in a large town, which it isn't. I'll have a chat with my rep this week to see what's going on there.

No more viewings arranged for this week, although I have been talking to my neighbour again and after seeing a few viewers now, I actually think my neighbours will be better off with him moving in. I think most people are looking at a buy to let, so they could end up with anyone. It's a dilemma! I think I need to speak to my neighbours (attached to me) about it all again.

Payday today and I'm itching to get onto YNAB and sort everything out. I should get some time this evening to do that.

Happy new week everyone, although it's not so great that the weather is so bad. I popped out for a walk a bit earlier and had to come straight back as the wind and rain was so bad. May the wind be behind all who venture out today!

MTxx

moneyonmymindsam

Oh well done on the clearing.

I'm still very poor at the taking lunch to work thing, How about you any luck?

Plus one Bday looming so in a panic about the spends there!
Sam xxx

MuffinTops

Thanks Sam. It's a big job trying to clear everything out, but I'm getting there.

I've been doing better with breakfast and lunches at work. Not perfectly, but a definite improvement.

How's things going for you? MTxx

MuffinTops

It's Wednesday!!! Yay!!! A nice shorter week for everyone too!

Well, I've managed to completely update and tidy up YNAB. Having looked back at my spends in May, there's a lot of room for improvement. So, my new YNAB outlook starts today in that I spend cash and not use my cards. I've withdrawn cash for my social budget and my groceries budget and will see if that helps.

I'm also now using my TSB cashback card for my commute to maximise the cashback I can get. That's going to be fun to keep a track of .

I got home from work last night and packed away 2 boxes of stuff that I won't need until I'm in my new home. I bought packing boxes and tape months ago, maybe even a year ago, so it's great having those without having to spend out right now.

I'll also be opening a new Regular Saver account in a few days to save for my trip to Hawaii next year! If I have to definitely put that money away (I won't miss this trip!) then I may as well maximise my interest earnings.

Yesterday, I saw a property that has really got me excited. So I'm going to drive up to where it's being built this weekend to see if it's worth viewing the showroom for. I've not had any contact from my neighbour, but will chase him about it either this afternoon or tomorrow morning.

There's lots of great things going on this week! Despite the reasonably rubbish weather, I think there's lots to be happy about. So, Happy June everyone:

MTxx

MuffinTops

Last day of the working week for me, but I could do with an extra day this week as there's so much to do!

I opened my regular saver today to pay for my Hawaii trip at the end of next June. I'm excited about that, although as I could have my finances scrutinised with applying for a mortgage I gave it a more generic reference rather than "trip to Hawaii" like I wanted to!


I received a letter about my maturing regular saver to say that it would be sorted around 24th May. Nothing at all has changed on the screen with that, as the account normally disappears for a day or two and then the money shows up in a separate account! I opened that account early May last year and was expecting it to be paid out by now! It's a bit frustrating and there's no contact details. They do have a "ask me" section but that's less than helpful. I'll have to find their details tonight and call them in the morning to find out what's going on.

YNAB is all up to date and ship shape. All of my account rewards have been transferred to Halifax to be paid onto the credit card.

In other news, I think I've found where I want to move to!!! It's not going to be finished until this time next year, but it all looks perfect for my requirements. I've requested more information and I may go and view a show home this weekend, if I get time.

My neighbour is still dilly dallying. He told me yesterday he'd contact me in the afternoon with an offer after speaking to his bank, and then nothing! So, for my sanity, I'm ruling him out and anything he does will just be a bonus. So this weekend I'll be contacting a man about plastering the walls of one of my bedrooms so that I can decorate. If he has a few weeks waiting list then I don't want to wait longer than I need to. I'll book him for 2 week's time to give my neighbour his last chance at sorting things out.

I have no viewings for this weekend, which is great as I've pulled so much stuff out with a view to going through it all and clearing out. I'd also like to hold off on viewings until I either get an offer from my neighbour or get the decorating done to a better standard than it is currently.

SwagBucks are starting to really take off too. We now have 6 apps for the iPhone so it's easier to get them. Plus, I use the SB search bar for my music searches and get the odd bonus amount there too.

Money spent today was £3.50 (eek) for a bag of sliced mangos! So, I'll be buying fresh mangos and chopping them myself in future!

Happy Thursday everyone!

MTxx