NST: October: Letting go of the love of stuff.

stewby

Aw fmess... perhaps this was just the straw that broke the camels back (as the saying goes). You have been managing so brilliantly with your home life and have had the stability of work so there was no need to focus on that. However, now they are switching things around which is meaning that you have to try and balance both work and personal life.
I really hope you manage to see someone soon.
Hugs to you.

Apologies for no posting so far. We have a massive sickness issue at work (approximately five people off at the moment plus annual leave) so have been working lots. Hopefully this will show up next month in my pay.
I am passionate about my work and would never want to see anyone struggle... however, I have become more debt focussed in the past few months. It sounds awful when working in a care focussed role to talk about the money being earned.


In good news... spend free days, we are doing very well (not sure how many in fairness, will try to figure it out). Due to work, we haven't been near a shop in a while.


I was feeling really good last night as got home after a very busy day, feeling utterly exhausted to find OH quite animated and excited. He had been speaking to his work colleague about our future plans (once we are both debt free, we are starting our new plan in February) and they were really really impressed. Obviously, OH took all the credit, not that I expected anything else but just really pleased that he is getting excited about it.


Future plan for me involves: saving for the wedding, building up an emergency fund, paying extra off the mortgage. I know this sounds like a lot to do with the small amount I have been paying off the credit card but it actually works.
* The travel fund was £100. I took this from my budget account each month. This is now becoming the emergency fund so by the end of the 2016, we will have a bit of a £1000 safety net to avoid using the credit card for emergencies.
* The wedding fund is for £125 a month. OH is also paying the same so that makes it £250 a month for the next 26 months (wedding is April 2018). We will continue this on after the wedding for another year as the plan is to go on our honeymoon to celebrate our first anniversary. The honeymoon is going to be an extremely OTT affair (well, for us but maybe not for other people) so we need to save for it.
I know it sounds like a lot of money but the wedding won't cost that much I don't think and we love travelling.


Mortgage:
* Originally the plan was to pay an extra £158.90 a month which would make the actual mortgage payment £500 a month.
This would allow us to pay off the mortgage 3 years and 4 months early and save us £2954 in interest (according to the calculator on here).
* However, my dad has suggested paying an extra £200 a month as it is achievable with the spare money I have.
It saves us £3365 in interest!!
This allows us to pay the mortgage off 3 years and 11 months early... which gives me scope to try and aim for four years early.


Total coming off main account is: £325.
Total coming off budget account is: £150 (£50 goes into my extra savings account).
So all in all looking pretty positive. Cannot wait for February to come.
:j

luckystarr

Fmess Sending you hugs, I understand how you feel always here if you need a chat.

Dolly I am still feeling a little under the weather but I am ok.

Today has been a spend day, However I have managed to persuade OH to switch to the N@tionwide for our banking next month

Have a nice day everyone

lucky xx

dolly84

apple - well done you for spending your money in a small business rather than giving it to Costa.

stewby - there is no shame in thinking about the money you earn regardless of what type of job you do. You and your OH seem to really be on top of things and sound super positive.

Managed to deliver my last Avon parcel today and paid Avon what I owed them, called at the library and everyone got some new books, have walked the dog and the kids in the woods and have done a 15 mile bike ride with DH. The kids have done their homework and music practice and I am about to go and pack DD's bag with her for her sleepover.

Tea tonight is belly pork with hm marinade and hm salt and pepper wedges. I will be spending a small amount of cash on popcorn but currently have DS checking the shopping apps for any deals.

Fmess

Afternoon,

Thank you for all your support. stewby you hit the nail on the head there - work had become a safe place (constant routine/people etc) but the changes are unsettling me more than I can cope with some days. Today however, maybe because I'm not at work, I feel much better. I have contacted two counselling services and will await their responses next week.

Today was spendy- did the food shopping (and used up all the budget buying ingredients for batch cooking), bought lunch with my colleague and another dog bed! It's only been 7 days since I bought the last one but one of the dogs keeps hogging it meaning that the other one who should be sharing it has slept on the kitchen floor (lino on concrete) for a week. I know I'm soft but I felt sorry for him with winter coming so I bought a second small bed.

Better go finish the housework and start the lasagne.

bob how are you doing today?

andrar

Hi all. Stay strong Fmess, this is a tough old road but you've done the best thing in asking for help. That's the hardest step but now you're on their waiting lists that should help ease the anxiety, just knowing help is round the corner should help. I've suffered with depression and anxiety for nearly 8 years now, sometimes I'm so up, sometimes I'm so low. Every now and again I have to put myself back in touch with counsellors just to keep me from falling back over the edge. When I'm feeling particularly bad and as if the world is going to crush me I take a few deep breaths, hold it for about 5 seconds, then breath out. Do this a few times and it naturally relaxes you, it tricks your body into thinking you're sleeping as that mimics breathing when you're asleep. It works a treat just to take the edge off.

Anyhoos, enough of my rambling. I've had a NSD as didn't leave the house today, I've also had veg soup for tea which had been in my freezer for about a year, was very tasty. I'm quite looking forward to seeing the space open up in my freezer again with all this using stuff up! I've also got some sugar free jelly in the fridge that I found in the cupboard for dessert. Nom nom!

I've had my wardrobe clear out day. Nearly filled a Macmillan bag that got pushed through my door. Will finish off tonight before bed (essentially so I can get in my bed as all the clothes are currently on it!) so they can collect the sack on Monday. Very therapeutic and I found 15 rugby shirts I'd totally forgotten I had from my years of playing/supporting. I'll be getting them out for rugby training so no need to buy any new kit now, yay!

I'll be spending tomorrow as have to travel about 3 hours to rugby match so will need petrol and to pay my subs and buy a squash after the match in the bar. Food should be supplied for free though.

Have a good evening everyone, I'm revelling in the amazing rugby World Cup matches that I've seen today, just wow!

Fmess

andrar thank you so much for your comments and the breathing tip. I've heard of a similar technique (breathing in for 5 seconds then out for 5 seconds) so I'll give your suggestion a go too

WelshKitty85

Hi everyone!

Fmess sending hugs. Well done on getting to the doctors. I really hope you get the support you need. I also strongly recommend breathing techniques. They really help me when things are getting too much.

Bob hope baby Bob is doing well as is allowing you to get plenty of rest!

Not much to report here, still plodding on with daily life.

juliejim

Congratulations Bob x

Bobarella

Hi All

Yes I am good thank you for asking Fmess

WelshKitty - she is not doing too bad on that score for a newbie

Julie Jim -thank you

Stewby -it's always interesting reading about someone else's goals for finances. I loved how OH is taking all the credit with his coles guess

Our own month so far. We'll. It's been a tight one with little free money for overpayment to the debt. But that said things are looking up for the remaining time pre xmas. I think we should be able to do at least 1 big slash the debt payment, most likely in December. This will be done via a combination of the business rent being paid up for the year and then in December my husbands work. I think I can see a way to getting us to £2k or less in that route.
But having set out to be DF by end of December I accept at the moment I don't see a totally clear route to that. But we would have blasted through from owing over 6k at the opening of 2015 to less than 2 by the end which would still be a great feeling.

Going into 2016 the business will be £400 better off per month. A huge weight off there.

OH and I were having a cuppa yesterday and talking about all this and I was saying what a nice start to 2016 we should have on paper. All of the old insurance nightmare stuff is now behind us. The business is ticking along ish. We've had baby which has been a constant worry in itself during 2015 as I think you always do worry until the baby arrives safely. Plus we will have the lowest personal debt in the last 3 years. So all good there!

OH needs to go and register DDS birth. Then we can also get her added to the child benefit. We lose some of it due to salary but she will still recieve something. I want to get her savings account open and done as she had a £20 cheque yesterday to start her off.
Does anyone have any good recs for the best child accounts at the moment?

Anyway off to make a cuppa. Have a good Sunday everyone.

Bob

Calling14

Morning turtles.

Fmess glad Your feeling brighter. I must admit to having few weepy moments this weekend, can't explain exactly what, miss my dog so much, decided to lose new boyfriend who just dragging me down, want someone with more get up and go. Car problems again, managed to get it sorted for now, no charge. Will have to work on Efund either for repairs soon or newer car.

Spent yesterday in diy mode so got lots done but needed materials and curtain pole so spent £17 in total. Curtains got from charity shop few weeks ago. Just need to get pole up next!

Bit more Diy this am, clearout for charity bag collection tomorrow and walk this afternoon.

Andrar proud of Wales performance yesterday impossible Australian defence and our Football team qualifying - good day to be welsh.