EH - Essex > Hebrides...the next step of the adventure?

HairyHandofDartmoor

Happy new year EH

117pauline

Happy New Year

May all your hopes and dreams come true in 2018

Take care
Pauline

Pippilongstocking

Happy New Year me dear! Hope 2018 is a grand one for you filled with many hairyplanes and adventures! xx

WannabeFree

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

Happy New Year me dear! Hope 2018 is a grand one for you filled with many hairyplanes and adventures! xx

From me too :A x

elly68

well after a dull night down the pub I think I might join you on scraggy island next year all the best in 2018

rtandon27

Happy New Year EH!

Wishing you Health, Well-being & Happiness for 2018

Scott_Weiland_2

Happy New Year Essex all the best for 2018

System

Happy New Year 2018. How was the break ?

EssexHebridean

Oh my what a lovely lot of messages to come back to! Thanks all - and Happy New Year to you all too!

Elly "Scraggy Island" made me laugh! :rotfl:

Had a lovely time - weather was astonishing after a windy arrival (although nothing like last years) the wind dropped to almost nothing for pretty much our entire week - unheard of at this time of year! Some lovely sunrises in particular and the cottage turned out to be literally overlooking the shore which was amazing. It was pretty cold - in fact about the coldest we've felt it up there but without too much wind it didn't feel that bad. Managed to run twice while we were there too - would have been more but for getting hit by the lurgy MrEH had before we went!

So now it's back, back to work and normality and a whole new year of challenges await! Essentially as last year I'm not doing "New Year's resolutions" but I have committed to this:

See what I can achieve;
Challenge myself;
Surprise myself.

Starting the year with a challenge to exercise every day this month - some pals are signed up to Run Every Day January but mine is more of a generic "Do SOMETHING every day" - I'm counting runs, the gym, intervals sessions and also a brisk walk of 2 miles or more taken specifically for exercise. Going well so far - I ran on Monday, did HIIT stuff on Tuesday and managed both the walk and an hour in the gym yesterday. :T

Also looking to generally re-focus on the financial stuff a bit. We've drifted into the habit of frittering a bit more than we used to - and the use of Apple Pay makes it all too easy to just stick stuff on the card when we're in Aldi etc so I think food spending has gone up a bit too. As I think I mentioned before Christmas I'm planning to do my "Frugal February" month on my blog again this year - where we will really tighten belts and focus on using the things we have, but to a degree I want to make that a focus for the year as a whole.

- I have toiletries a-plenty and want to break the habit of buying the odd thing that I spot because it's a bargain;
- I have loads of books to read so won't be spending any more on these - even charity shop paperbacks - until I'm through with the ones I have;
- The freezer is full to bursting and we really need to get some of the odds and ends out of it so this is a focus going forwards, and should also help with the food spends;
- There is plenty in the storecupboard too - and again I want to try to get this down a bit.
- I want to reclaim using cash for the "odd" food spends - I'll continue to use the Pay+ app for shops at ThaT supermarkeT and the CC/contactless for the other "weekly shops" but for extra odds and ends in Al's and Lil's for example I need to get back to using cash.

Of course the challenge to get shot of the 0% card continues, and our regular spending will carry on as usual also. My regular saver account matures this month so I need to remember to open a new one in order to squeeze in the additional payment - however the new ones only allow £250 a month savings rather than the old £500, so the balance needs to get redirected to the ISA.

The "proper" financial challenges for the year then:
- 0% card to be paid off by October using as much "free money" as possible
- Lundy trip in May to be covered from the "money we didn't know we had" savings
- Hebrides Holiday in October to be paid from the regular Holiday account savings.

That'll do to be thinking about to start with then! :T

MistyMountainTop

Very inspiring post, and well though out plans. I am torn between having general goals as you have listed or more specific ones. I'm not sure which would work better for me, but I didn't do so well with my list last year

Your trip sounds brilliant. Is it hard to leave each time or does it inspire you to get moved up there any sooner than planned?