And so it begins: The Pig Vs The Mortgage

Mrs_Money_Penny

Hi Pinky hope all is well with you x

Mrs_Money_Penny

Hi Pinky Hope all is well. x

pinkypig

… sneaks sheepishly in to say hello and Happy New Year!

I’ve found myself in a reflective mood the last few days, pondering life and how it’s changed and it’s mainly changed for the better . Although I’m determined not to get caught up in the self imposed pressure to change my life in 2022 it has made me think about what makes me happy and what doesn’t!

Our life was derailed a bit in the early part of 2021 and it’s been a testing year.  Routines were disrupted and equilibrium was shaken!  As it’s not my story to tell I’ll leave it there but it’s been horrid and now it’s much less so, so onwards and upwards

The long and short of my musings is that routine makes me happy, gratitude makes me content and security is at the core of my well-being .  My diary focussed on all of those things and helped me be a better version of me so it is to be resurrected!

MFW has always been the board where I felt at home so although I’m mortgage neutral I still technically have a mortgage so I’m hoping that gives me the right to stay!

My goal is to not rush into setting any goals and I’m going to use January to mull over where life goes next.  However, routines will be honed and gratitude will be practiced.  I’ll take the rest from there.  

Today’s focus is to shift my mind back to small steps to happiness and freedom and to set a realistic budget for living, savings and pension contributions which will help gather together a financial update as I move towards setting my sensible and realistic goals for 2022.

Small steps to happiness today include;

Coffee in bed

Catching up with Cherry Daff’s new diary 

Glancing across at my once anxious rescue dog who these days looks anything but anxious!!

Happy Monday to you !

PP x

Cheery_Daff

Yay PP, welcome back!! So lovely to see you! Sorry to hear it's been a tough old year. Love the focus on routine, gratitude and security though. Looking forward to seeing how the year unfolds for you! Xx

(Don't waste half your day reading my diary though 😮😂😂 it's a load of waffle, as usual!) Xx

rtandon27

Welcome back PP - I'm sorry to hear you had a struggle over the past year - your postings have always been such a source of joy, I look forward to tagging along on your continued journey!

Mrs_Money_Penny

So good to hear from you. Sorry to hear you’ve had tough times. xx

South_coast

I was only thinking earlier this morning that we hadn't heard from you for a while! Glad to see you back, your diary always makes me think about the simple pleasures in life

VintageHistorian

Welcome back PP! Hope you feel able to come back a bit more throughout the year!

pinkypig

Hello 

It is so nice to ‘see’ so many old friend!  I hope you are all well and have had a happy and thrifty start to the new year .

Thank you for your kind words, I was merely a bystander to the tough times but it’s hard when it’s happening to those you love .  Things are definitely on the up for them now and hopefully it can be left firmly in the past.   Hence the focus on gratitude and contentment!

I’ve got a plan !!!   I’ve decided to go back to a version of my savings pots which I loved but then sort of forgot about .  To keep it manageable I’ve simplified it to ;

Long term savings - not to be touched until retirement (this includes two regular savers the proceeds of which will be transferred into this account when they mature).  

Annual expenses - annual insurances, car costs, Christmas and holidays 

Accessible savings - this includes my emergency fund. 

Pension AVC to top up my occupational pension.  My occupational pension was due at 60 but is now 67 so my AVC will close some of that gap if I decide to bail out early!

I now just need to figure out the amounts.

Today’s small steps to happiness and freedom included;

Two cups of coffee in bed - making the most of my last day of my holidays!

Requested TopCashback payout of £7.20 

Used TopCashback £2 off £5 spend to buy new pillows as mine are so flat!  I keep things that I need (but not urgently) in my eBay basket and wait for the TC £2 off offers as eBay always tracks and every £2 helps!  I’m also going to make a dog bed cushion out of the flat pillows.  They were £8.75 with the cashback do my TCB payout almost covers the cost .

Did a spin class and  20 minutes of yoga 

Cheap, healthy eats using up what’s left in the fridge and freezer ( slightly squishy mango and yogurt for breakfast, stuffed mushrooms and salad for lunch and a traybake from the Green Roasting Tin using spinach, green beans, avocado and cous cous for dinner).

Drank enough water

Had a bubble bath and a face pack

Walked the dog and managed to dodge the rain 

Cleaned the inside of the car which was grim!!

Made some spicy lentil soup for lunches and a veggie curry for tomorrow’s dinner and one for the freezer 

Had a night in front of the log burner watching a fab series on Netflix 

Off to bed now as I’m back to work tomorrow which will be a shock to the system!

Night night 

PP x

pinkypig

Hello

Well that put a torpedo through my zen state of mind !!  The work I thought I’d done ahead of time has become the victim of moving goal posts and I’m now up against a very tight deadline and my timetable that I’ve planned everything around has changed has changed at less than 24 hours notice.

Right - I’m grateful that I have a job and usually it’s nice and I’m grateful that I work four days and therefore the week will end on Thursday.  Flipping heck, how long until half term …

Anyhoo, enough of that nonsense, I’ve caught up on Cheery’s diary and I’m going to nick one of her many great ideas

2021 Accomplishments 

Completed (and cash flowed) fairly major work on the house and have gained a new room (office/gym type area) snd have the open plan living that opens up on to the garden that I’ve always dreamed of.  Cost a chuffing fortune, was two months living in one room and without a kitchen. Worth every penny, cold shower and inch of dust!!

Did a lot of prep work on the garden

Survived a year juggling teaching for those kids in school whilst doing online lessons and home learning for those who weren’t and only lost my sense of humour once (and that was in November so I nearly made it).

Provided  practical and emotional support to some my most loved people when the sky fell in

Became an empty nester and coped.

Remained mortgage neutral and managed to rebuild my savings a little.

Researched and have made inroads into a new business venture for 2022

OH moved house and although it’s a project it’s also a lovely home.

Landed (and have kept hold of ) the world’s greatest partner (for me) who continues to be the kindest, most supportive human I’ve ever met.  

Watched our little fluff ball find her paws and settle comfortably into her forever home .

Bought a new to me car

Didn’t catch Covid!!

Room for improvement/anti accomplishments (??)

Gained 10 lbs!!!

Allowed my exercise to become hit and miss rather than the routine it always was .   I still love to run but they’ve become shorter and less frequent.  I also missed my spin classes but was too scared to go back amongst the germs when they reopened.  I’ve bought myself a spin bike - no more excuses .

Only paid £35 a month into my AVC

Got into bad phone habits and didn’t read enough books.

Still too much coffee and not enough water.

Too much snacking.  I got away with it when I was exercising like a loon but the menopause and a reduced exercise routine have put paid to that!

Next step - some goals.

Today’s small steps to freedom and happiness were;

NSD

Nice chat with DD

Cheap healthy eats - leftovers so no cooking

Only had one caffeinated coffee ( managed to manly wean myself off few months ago - the withdrawal was bloody awful!!).

Had a bubble bath whilst watching an episode of a grim but compelling documentary on my tablet propped up on the laundry basket!  This completely reset my day after a few ‘challenges’.

In bed with electric blanket on with a book ready to be read until lights out at 10.30

Happy Tuesday to you 

PP xx