Budget Wars - A New Hope (with apologies to George Lucas)

Hiddenidenity

See I can't offer anything practical I can provide something to laugh at

Keep your chin up, it takes time to get everything back into place after a bump, but you will get back to the top again x

emmie26

Oh Bob, I've been AWOL all week and missed your posts. I'm sorry it's been so fraught, it sounds like you are motivated to make some positive changes.
I went on some training today and had some really good advice which I'm going to try myself. We were advised to write a list about all the things that are causing stress in our lives and then put them in order of most stressful to least stressful. Next we had to think about what would have to happen for each stress that would make it go away (perfect situation). Finally try and think about one small change that you can make that will take you towards the stress free ideal (for each problem) these have to be small changes that are achievable. The idea is that by making small changes in each area you feel much better week on week. I'm going to give it a whirl tonight with some post its and see, as I've been feeling a bit bleugh myself.

sashybo

Good luck with your goals Bob, I'm sure you'll achieve them. :T

Take care of yourself, dodgy hug time. :grouphug::rotfl:

Eager_Elephant

(((Bob)))

Is there anyone nearby who you could share the school run with? So you take their child there and back one day and they take your son the next day or maybe one does morning and one does afternoon. Not all the time but even one day a week would give you a breather.

Suffolk_lass

I'm sitting here, willing things to get better for you and while I don't have any words of wisdom or real reassurance, your inherent positivity will pull you back up. I love that you are finding positives but you mustn't ignore the pressures and stresses. emmie26 is right about that stress technique - it works! I also add two more I have used.

Look at that list of stress-inducing things and try to prioritise them (not as a one-off, more every few days) so you concentrate on the bigger things in terms of possible big changes while you are unpicking and re-packing your stresses, then look at the list upside down and see whether you can pick-off and eradicate any of the lower priority things without overloading yourself, using emmie26's suggested little steps.

My other technique is my dead-of-night technique. You write down what is waking you/keeping you awake when it happens (I have to go to the bathroom with my paper and pen or I wake my Husband :eek: ) and then in the morning look at them and address them - I put them in little mental containers of categories and look at all the bits in one list to see what I need to change. Sometimes just shuffling them around helps to minimise their impact.

Oh yes, and "lose weight so I am happy with my body" got crossed off ages ago. When it comes back I know other things are in my head (it's not like I lost the weight and I'm happy, I just stopped it causing me stress because I just like naughty things too much, so that was my (pathetic but effective) mitigation for it).

I know I said two things, but the other thing that is brilliant is "one moment meditation" - maybe try it, it's a short you-tube video and really works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8 here's a link - five minutes to learn and practice it. My work uses it in mindfulness and wellbeing courses

Florence_J

Oh Bob,

Siebrie told us on the wombling thread to head over, I hope everything improves. Let SugarBaby help you out if it is appropriate to.

f0xh0les

Reading and willing a regular long term booking to come your way....and a TV series needing your place....and a lotto win.

Bobarella

Morning All

I apologise for diving straight in and not replying to all the lovely and really appreciated comments above. I have about 5 minutes before all hell breaks loose in the front room (both children full of the joys this morning, and I can smell a nappy that needs changing from here)

So. I am currently on day 5 of being overdue with the rent. I sent my landlord a message explaining that I was waiting on payment myself. I decided to do it this way rather than have to borrow a big amount, because I knew I did have dribs and drabs arriving. This is the first time I've done this i.e so late paying. I dont like it. It makes me feel terrible, but equally I thought out the best and worst case scenarios and weighed it all up.
As I stand today, I am £77 short if the person who said they'd pay me today does. I have two enquiries that look likely to convert, so even by the end of today things might be different.

Enquiries have picked up a lot. I also have a good thing happening today which is a direct result of some free work I undertook. So you always have to think about the long game.

I also had the amazing stroke of luck of winning a week long drama course for my son! Purely via entering into something on social media. I am delighted. We had booked a two day course for him for the same period, so need to see what we can do about that, and what he wants to do of course.

I just wanted to get my thoughts down whilst I can.

Less good. I have cancelled a direct debit, that keeps representing itself and the bank keep charging me £15 to bounce. I could kick myself as I've lost £30 now, I should just have called the company concerned and explained and made a deal with them. But you live and learn. They will probably be annoyed, but I have to pay my rent, that has to come first.

Right be back when I can.

Bob

JoJoC

Just popping in to see how you're getting on Bob and sorry life is tough for you right now. In terms of the £30 lost, you should call the bank and request a refund of charges. They're often fairly obliging if you explain the situation and don't try to reclaim charges regularly?

I hope some of these bookings convert to take the weight off a bit.

Take care.

crazy_cat_lady

Fingers crossed that lots of lovely cash and bookings have come your way today Bob.