Adventures of the Boy & Me..

Hiddenidenity

Good luck today x

Chandelier.

Yesterday ended up a blur and a day I do not want to repeat. It's onwards and upwards from here now though.

In regards to the debt today is payday and I've decided to take a different approach to managing my debt/paying off each month. In regards to each credit card the payments mostly come out mid month which makes me feel uneasy and it means I check my online banking more often. All my other direct debits come out on the 1st of the month and makes my budget easier to manage as I know what I have left each month if that makes sense. So I've decided to cancel all direct debits to credit cards and manage the balances manually. I am disciplined enough to do this and always on the ball. When I get time I may well look at setting up standing orders instead.

As today is payday, I've decided to already make June's debt repayments in light of cancelling the direct debits. It goes as follows.

Barclaycard:!£200.00
Virgin:!£25.00
MBNA:!£50.00
Halifax: £50.00

Total paid: £325.00.

I'll update my debt totals later on to reflect this and will post my other outgoings for the month and what I should technically have left. These payments should leave the bank within the next 2/3 days and I should not have to worry about payments for the rest of the month except if I want to make further over payments.

I think I'm going to have a bumpy road over the next few months in regards to my work situation. My fixed term contract ends at the end of June and I was relying on being able to pick up bank shifts to allow me flexibility regarding childcare and the boy. That is to be determined by the end of the month. I have a lot to prove over the next few weeks and it's going to be very pressured and I'm going to have to push myself further then I have before. It may not be the most positive update, but I am trying to see the positives within the negatives thrown at me. I've rode through the emotions yesterday and I've seen my nurse today.

It's my day off today and all that is planned is the boys ice skating lesson later on this afternoon. I've a few phone calls to make and then I think I'm going to play some board games with the boy.

I know whatever is thrown at me, I can fight and jump back. Resilience seems to be a good quality of mine even if I don't always see it alongside many other qualities. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can get back up and shine again. Yesterday was my rock bottom and wake up call. I shall make a plan of action later on regarding my personal self and goals I want to achieve.

That's all from me for now. Happy Wednesday everyone x

Chandelier.

Total Debt: 31st May 2017

Barclaycard: £400.00
Virgin: £250.00
MBNA: £3100.00
Halifax: £3050.00

Total: £6800.00

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As said previously, these payments are made in regards to June debt repayments but I thought I'd update this today so I can look back on it easier. Any other further debt repayments will be over payments for the month ahead. It's just made my budgeting for the month easier.

Chandelier.

June 2017 Budget

Income: £1440.00

Direct debits

Rent: £200.00
HTB Isa: £200.00
Mobile: £27.92
Phone insurance: £6.99
Denplan: £11.99
Gym: £12.99
Union fees: £16.40

Cash budgets

Entertainment: £250.00
Petrol: £50.00

Debt repayments
Barclaycard: £200.00
Virgin: £25.00
MBNA: £50.00
Halifax: £50.00

Outgoings: £1101.29

Amount leftover: £338.71

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I've not included other income such as tax credits, child benefit and child maintenance. I'm hoping to live off my wage solely for the month ahead and try to save the extra in a separate account as these payments come in different dates in the month of June and will be possibly be split between savings/emergency fund and further debt repayments/unexpected outgoings.

Chandelier.

As seen from the above, I have my essential direct debit outgoings which I shall leave for the bank to do.

The cash budget includes entertainment and petrol budgets for the month which may be variable. I shall withdraw these amounts later on today and pop into separate envelopes. Entertainment includes the boys activities mainly and possibly any days out. Any amount left over at the end of the month will go back into a savings pot.

The debt repayments have already been made for the month of June as stated previously. In the future I shall manually do these on the 1st of each month and these repayments may vary from month to month due to any possible change of circumstances.

Chandelier.

Aims for June


- Make £100.00 overpayment towards debt.
I'll look at ways of possibly increasing my income, trying to minimise further outgoings etc.

- Lose 10lb and go to the gym three times a week.
I've put on a stone since coming back from my holiday and I was already unhappy with my size. I shall do this by carefully watching what I eat and following SW, using old books from when I previously joined.

- Up my game at work.
I need to gain back the confidence, assertiveness and zest back for what I do. Mainly if I want to continue working on the bank for the flexibility and to further the potential for future job opportunities. I've somehow lost my way throughout it all and alot of this is down to my health. I'll fight back and prove others wrong. I'll be working closely with a mentor and taking charge alot more. I've a month to prove this and this will be a big focus for the month, without the bank work I'll have no income and I want to afford going on benefits at all cost. Being at work is one of my main purposes in life and keeps me busy and going. I truly love what I do and want to further pursue my career whilst getting myself better.


- See the positives within the negatives.
This is about finding coping mechanisms that work for me and ways to vent out my emotions. I've tried mindfulness in the past and it does not work for me. I need to find something that does.


- Slowly withdraw from social media.
I waste far too much time sometimes on social media, mostly when I'm bored. I don't think it benefits me in anyway possible and if my friends want to contact me then they have my phone number I occasionally post photos but not much else. I think a detox will do me good. I'll start by deleting the apps from my phone, tightening privacy measures and setting aside a window each day should I choose to check these things.


- Focus on improving myself.
I need to learn to love myself and appreciate what I have and learn to live with my condition. This category involves anything from finding myself a hobby I enjoy to finding ways to improve my self esteem and confidence. I also need to reevaluate some relationships/friendships I have in my life and consider whether they benefit me in any way. There is one person I'm thinking of cutting contact with, its just finding the guts to do it.

MistyMountainTop

That is a great list of aims! I can relate to almost every one.

The social media thing really is a time waster - I've not given up completely though I have cut way down on my time online in general. I use social media as a marketing tool but it's too easy to get lost and fritter away hours that would be better spent elsewhere. I've been able to get so many more things done since I've been more mindful about my online use. It feels good to be connected to the real world again, for awhile there it felt like my life was all online.

Good luck at work, it sounds like your plan is well thought out. I hope it all goes very well for you!

Chandelier.

Thank you Misty, you're totally right in what you say.

We'll I'm back at work today for the next three days so I've got my positive head on and I'm raring to go. I'm going to check in with my manager this morning and thank her for listening to me the other day and being supportive. She's a lovely lady.

Yesterday the boy and I had a relaxed day. We went for scooter ride in the afternoon and I picked up a prescription as I currently have an ear infection- I seem to be prone to these and it's always the same ear. On the way back I withdrew the cash for June's budget. It's currently sat in my purse but I will put it aside in envelopes later on today. We then went to the boys ice skating lesson and then back home where we had tea and then I took him to his dad's. I sat for an hour with his dad's family catching up.

As the boy is at his dads for the next couple of days whilst I work, I've no worries regarding childcare. I'm going to use any extra time I have to focus on myself and do some further reading upon things to extend my knowledge regarding key areas I want to improve on in my life.

The plans for today are:

- Seek advice on further courses beneficial to me. One has been identified.
- Find out my shifts for the rest of the month so I can plan around these.
- Create an action plan for work.
- Remain positive at all times and smile at every person I see.
- Place budgets into envelopes.
- Put petrol in car as it's the beginning of the month and I'm quite low. This saves a trip later on in month.
- I'd like today to be a NSD (I won't include petrol spends as it's already budgeted for).

Aside from that, not much else to report!

Chandelier.

So yesterday at work went well although I didn't end up leaving until well over two hours after my shift. I did most of my to do list but once I was finished I just wanted to go home and relax, which I did. Here is what I achieved.

1/06/17

[STRIKE]- Seek advice on further courses beneficial to me. One has been identified.[/STRIKE] I spoke with my manager and identified a couple of courses which would be beneficial for me. She's emailed the correct departments and we are awaiting confirmation of this.
[STRIKE]
- Find out my shifts for the rest of the month so I can plan around these.[/STRIKE] I've only found out my shifts for next week but will look at the off duty for the month ahead later to get a better idea.

[STRIKE]- Create an action plan for work.[/STRIKE] Action plan created alongside as mentioned above. I'm aware of what I need to achieve.
[STRIKE]
- Remain positive at all times and smile at every person I see.[/STRIKE] Yesterday was a positive day and I smiled throughout. Comments were made about how big of a difference they could see in me.

[STRIKE]- Place budgets into envelopes[/STRIKE]. Budgets are set into both categories now and have been left untouched so far.

- Put petrol in car as it's the beginning of the month and I'm quite low. This saves a trip later on in month. I did not get to do this yesterday as after work I was too tired and wanted to go home, so I will do this either today or tomorrow.

[STRIKE]- I'd like today to be a NSD.[/STRIKE] NSD completed yesterday. I had no unexpected spends and it's one to add to the list. 1/12 NSDs so far for the month.

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I've not had major amounts of sleep last night. I did watch the new Beauty and the beast film which I thought was okay but for some reason I thought it was going to be miles better. I need to find something new to watch.

02/06/17 To do list.
- Stay positive.
- Double check off duty and try get next months.
- NSD.
- Put petrol in car.

That's pretty much it for today. I've other things on my big to do list to complete but these can wait. I've enough on my plate at the moment.

My mum is picking the boy up from his grandparents today and taking him ice skating. I'm also working all day tomorrow so she will be looking after him then. A busy couple of days ahead I guess.

Hiddenidenity

I've come off all social media and the kids think it's amazing I'm not looking at my phone as much etc! I hadn't realised just how much I was online

Have a lovely weekend x