Big wheels keep on turning ......

LadyTrucker

Well after having a look around over the past few weeks I've decided to start a diary so buckle up and off we go.


So a little bit about me, I recently qualified as a category C LGV driver which means I can drive rigid body lorries and as soon as I sat in a lorry I knew it was what I was destined to do for a living - yay! At the minute I only work part time in a non-driving job which I hate so in the New Year I will be hitting the agencies to get full time work unless I'm lucky enough to land a job with a company of course.


My main aims for 2016 are as follows:


1) Pass category C+E which means I'll be able to drive articulated vehicles and hopefully have an easier life lol, cost around £1500 if I need more than one attempt!


2) Train to operate lorry mounted HIAB cranes because I want to work supplying the construction industry, cost around £600


I expect this list will grow as I go along. Anyway these things will be saved for as I don't do credit apart from my mortgage which is something else I want to get rid of asap. However my husband is a different kettle of fish and has a car loan to pay at £350 per month which was fine when he took this out and was earning double that a week but now is on long term sick from work and not earning. This means I am the sole wage earner for my family of hubby, 2 sons of school age and myself. I will include the financial bit tomorrow.


OK so the financial bits:


Incomings = £1100pm


Outgoings = £720 pm (doesn't include food)


I will try to aim for £250 pm for food but this could take a bit of time to achieve. Well let's see how it goes.


Theoretical amount remaining £130 pm


So on the face of things it's not too bad BUT because of the car loan we'll never survive so I either need to get a 2nd job or ditch my current job and work full time. The dilemma comes because my part time job is permanent but if I work for an agency then I will have temp work, mind you most jobs are long term contracts and the idea of working for different companies appeals to me so a mixture of thoughts with that one.

I need to have a think about where I can make cut backs to pay for my goals. I know we have loads of things that could be sold, we just need to find the motivation to be bothered selling them. I also need to do a thorough de-clutter but one thing at a time.

dreamywings1

shiny new diary! Good luck finding your dream job x

LadyTrucker

Thanks dreamywings1, I'm looking forward to starting my new career

Bobarella

Good luck with it all.

LadyTrucker

Thanks Bobarella

LadyTrucker

Day 1 of the de-clutter = 2 extra big black bags of rubbish to be thrown out. We don't have wheelie bins so are allowed to throw out 4 black bags a fortnight so with the extra 2 I will have the maximum allowed this time.


At some point over the coming weekend I'll get some clothes together to take to the local cash for clothes van, that should get rid of a few items!


Back to work tomorrow - groan!

LadyTrucker

Oh the joys! I need to add a new washing machine to my list. It hasn't actually packed up yet BUT to get it going I usually have to give it a smart tap, not today though I had to hammer the hell out of it to get the sensor to work grrr.


Ah well if it packs up there's a local charity recycling centre to me who sell 2nd hand appliances and furniture so I can always pick one up from there and they're all fully tested.


Technology - you gotta love it .


On another note: I've been having a shufty around the threads and many seem to be based around paying off debt (I know the clue's in the forum title) but I wondered if I'd be able to join in if I wanted to save up for things, like a new washer! and my next training aims? and not just general saving if you know what I mean. Not sure that's come out right lol.


I'll carry on looking, I'm sure I'll see something suitable

LadyTrucker

So today I came to the realisation that I would end up with a bit extra in my pay at the end of January you see I don't work on Fridays however if there are any bank holidays falling on a Friday then I get an extra 20% of my weekly pay so that makes 2 for Christmas and New Year's days - yippee!


I also got a voucher for a free breakfast OR lunch from the canteen in work so I need to use that tomorrow otherwise it will run out, minor win Oh and I found a £2 off a £12 spend at Poundland so might have a look to see what they've got, maybe some gifts for future birthdays or something.


With these things in mind I am aiming to make £100 a month through extra pay, selling, saving money eg insurance and from selling stuff so another target to go for each month just to add to the motivation I really need to add things to my initial post so I can find my aims easily.


On another note I joined the January NSD challenge thread, sailing and adventuring around the Med - how exciting!

dreamywings1

Good luck with the NSD........I have to do that! haha x

LadyTrucker

Thanks dreamywings, I'll give it a good go anyway!


Well I had a couple of what I consider to be minor wins today. I used my voucher for a free lunch and ended up being given an iced Christmas cake bar, so a nice cup of tea and cake for 3 o'clocksies for the next few days. The next win was my son found a penny and passed it on to me, I am so lucky and finally I went to the local supermarket and got a chicken madras and portion of pilau rice reduced to under £2. I love curry and this was much cheaper than a takeaway. I bought two lots, one for tea and one for the freezer to be eaten when curry cravings take hold lol.


On another positive note, tomorrow is my last working day of 2015, yippee! (I know it's the last day of the year anyway, but it makes me feel better to think of work this way). I have also seen an employment agency advertising for concrete mixer drivers and I'm giving it a thought. I'd like to drive a tipper lorry by preference but this could be the next best thing

LadyTrucker

Yay it's 2016!! Thank goodness for that, I need a new beginning since everything just seemed to have a stale tinge to it especially workwise! Hopefully this will change in the very near future and I will end up with a 'hobby' I enjoy doing for money rather than a 'job' I hate. If I want to bring about changes then I have to create the means to do this which I think I have done in a positive way. One more driver qualification test and I can drive for a living - yippee! (it's not as easy as just jumping in a lorry, there are 4 tests to become qualified these days).


I had a bit of an inspirational moment and for each month I will have some key motivational words to keep me focussed so for January I chose:


Learning, New Opportunities, Embracing Change and Future


One leads to the other so I thought they fit together nicely and who wants to live boringly when there's lots to see out there Live the adventure lol


Tomorrow I intend making a proper shopping list and sticking to it and meal planning around what I have here already since I want to keep hold of as much money as I can now otherwise I will never graduate to the 'big girls and boys toys'.


Final words:


Use your skills to pay the bills and if the wheels aint turning then you aint earning