And so it begins: The Pig Vs The Mortgage

Mrs_Money_Penny

Hi Pinky I remember when I stopped having coffee due to chemo treatment the headaches were truly awful. I vowed not to have much coffee after that. But of course bad habits have started up.
So glad your back really enjoy your diary xx

Baileys_Babe

@Mrs_Money_Penny glad to hear you are in a position to resume coffee drinking 🤗

Cheery_Daff

Many excellent accomplishments there PP, and I'm so glad you now have the room you've always dreamed of! Love your lists of small steps to happiness 😊😊😊 I've actually never tried watching TV in the bath, and I really must! I usually read, more recently just go down Internet rabbit holes on the phone... in our old house I just got out when the water got too cold, but now we have a combi boiler so I can just keep topping it up, and often end up in there for nearly 2 hours 😮😮😂 Maybe if I was watching a programme there would be a time limit? 

On the other hand, I do like a bath, and nobody can get at me in the bathroom, so.   😂😂

Sorry about your shifting work deadlines, what a pain! Well done for not losing your patience til November though, that's most impressive.

pinkypig

Hello

Thanks so much for popping in, especially those who share my caffeine withdrawal pain!  It was a really unpleasant few days but I’m glad I did it.  That said, I do enjoy my turbo charged one that I have in the morning!

You can’t beat a long bath Cheery - they are the best!!

Work has been really nice, the children are so much better behaved than some of the adults . I’m determined to keep on top of of my marking and admin as I enjoy my teaching so much more when I do.

I have quite a long drive to work and after my reflections on last year I’ve moved on to pondering goals.  Rather than jumping into the usual (and quite negative) change this and don’t do that or do this because you’re currently inadequate/unsuccessful etc I’ve tried to focus on the why.  For me that is progress, growth and improving my sense of fulfilment in certain aspects of my life.  

To that end, I’ve not actually set any goals yet as I’m putting in an interim step which is thinking about what I want my life to be.  Once I’ve got that straight in my head I’m going to set goals to move me towards it.  The pace will be slow as my tendency is to go full throttle and then beat myself up if I don’t do enough, do it well enough or do it quick enough!

I started with things that make feel happy, content or more relaxed.  I’m sure my list is not exhaustive and I will amend it as the weeks and months progress.

In no particular order, here goes!

Financial security, the freedom it brings and the worries it eases.

Healthy living - when I’m exercising regularly, eating well , drinking enough water and getting enough sleep I feel great.

Self care - making time to read, have a bath, take a coffee back to bed at the weekend brings me a huge sense o contentment.

Hill walking, love the scenery and the solitude.  OH and I also have our best talks  when out walking.

Our dog, we love her so much !

A clean and organised home

Doing my job well - I hate it when I’m not on top of things and feel like I’m not giving the kids the best of me.

Routine in each and every aspect of my life.  I’m a true creature of habit

Time with OH, it’s the greatest source of contentment in my life

Family time.  I’ve finally accepted that I’m a home loving introvert but I love have my family around and feeding them.

Cooking and eating 

Things that cause me angst and that need to limited or removed completely 

Negative people, they drain me

Not being able to say no - I need to set boundaries

Self doubt and being overly self critical.  High standards are good but within reason 

A particular financial/business situation that has dragged on because I keep feeling guilty and giving second chances.  No more, it’ll be gone by April!

Unconstructive worrying.  I need strategies to deal with situations that I cannot control.

Being rushed/late/ up against last minute deadlines.

I think that’ll do for now!! I’ll ponder those goals over the next few days.

Today has been a good day!  It’s also the start of the weekend for me

Fire is on, risotto is nearly ready and I’ve just had a lovely bath and got into my pjs.

Happy Thursday to you

PPxx

rtandon27

What a lovely post PP - lots of food for thought there. 

I'm also approaching this year through the lens of thought.  There is a lot we need to do over the next 1/2/3 years & need a solid plan to ensure momentum in the correct direction.

Cheery_Daff

Oh PP, what an utterly MARVELLOUS list! I identified with so many things there (not the dog, lol)

pinkypig

Hello 😀

Thanks RT, we do love a list don’t we?😂

Hello Cheery, I hope you’re feeling better.  Your new diary was my inspiration to get started again, so thank you x. Cheery dog sounds like a character!  Our lovely girl is a rescue and it’s almost like she knows we’ve saved her.  Although very nervous and insecure she’s settled in so well and 18 months on she’s just a joy. Obedient, confident, loving and great company when OH is away.  He’s never had a dog before and he’s smitten!  

Yesterday was a good day.  I got my head around my first ‘Things that make me happy ‘ point and came up with the start of a plan.  Here goes !

Financial security - becoming MF was a huge milestone for me and the peace of mind it has brought me in the wake of my divorce is immeasurable.  It’s also allowed me to give myself the gift of time and reducing my teaching by a day has improved my quality of life enormously.  I’m also enjoying my job much more.  I’d like to be able to go down to three days if I ever want to so a key goal for me is staying mortgage neutral so that option of working less is available to me.  The money in the OS savings pot is not to be touched - ever!  Had I not started my journey to MF I would still have 51/2 years to run on my mortgage!  51/2 years of paying £1024 a month in repayments 🤢. I’m not going back there.  I’ve got an emergency fund for emergencies and I have everything I need.  If I want something then I need to save for it in my accessible savings .  This is what I did with my renovations.  It took me a while and I picked up extra work to boost my savings.

So my steps to ongoing financial security are;

Maintain OS pot balance so I am mortgage neutral 

Start an annual costs savings pot for the car, holidays, Christmas, insurance, logs etc

increase AVC contribution 

Put fixed amount into long term savings 

and short term savings as soon as I get paid.

Stick to budget for personal spends (£50), Grocery (£150), Transport (£150)

I’ll give some thought to thrifty things I can do to achieve these whilst still enjoying a lovely life!

Today has been a step in the right direction .  I’ve set up my annual costs savings account and out the first payment in .  I’ve transferred my amounts to long term and short term savings and I’ve applied to increase my AVC. 

Other small steps included;

Had coffee in bed and read one of my ‘new’ Christmas books.  OH is getting into the swing of things - he got it from a CS😀

Went for a run in the snow !  Very cold and muddy but felt really good for doing it.

Cheap healthy eats ( banana, yogurt and granola for breakfast, hm veg soup for lunch and an empty the fridge stir fry for dinner).

Food shop done for £28.26 - I did a stock check and a meal plan before I went.  I’m doing a use up challenge this month as the cupboards and freezer are rammed.

Got all my Jan and Feb birthday presents in the Matalan sale and 10 birthday cards for £2 from the CardFactory 

Cleaned the house - I love it so much since the alterations that I don’t even mind housework!

I’m currently in my bed with my first coffee of the day, listening to the rain.  Doggo is in her bed looking very cosy and OH is still sleeping.  Gratitude and contentment in abundance 😀😀

Happy Saturday 😀

PPx

South_coast

Love the idea of focusing on "Things that make me happy" - it makes perfect sense 😀!!!

pinkypig

South_coast said:

Love the idea of focusing on "Things that make me happy" - it makes perfect sense 😀!!!

In theory, quite straightforward! 😂😂

pinkypig

Hello 😀

Well today has been a day for hunkering down, it’s cold and the rain has lashed down and OH has had a positive LF test😱. Mine was negative but we’ll see how long that lasts 🤢. 

Other than that it’s been a lovely, cosy day.  I actually love pottering around at home 😀. I’ve taken the opportunity to think about some realistic health goals that nurture my mental as well as my physical health.  In the past I’ve been so focused on achieving physical health goals that it’s impacted on my mental health which isn’t a recipe for long term success😂. I’m not there in terms of my goals but I am focussing on balancing them with being kind to myself. We’ll see🙄

Today’s small steps to happiness and freedom included;

A good sleep 😀

A very leisurely start, I woke about 7 and read my book, drank coffee , enjoyed my new pillows and felt very content indeed.

Achieved water before coffee routine 

Made soup with frozen broccoli and the last of the Christmas Stilton.

Had a daytime bath and face mask and watched a lovely YouTube video on slow living

Lit the log burner early and had an hour curled up next to it reading my book.

A very cold walk with the dog in between wintry showers.  Getting home was the best!  The fire was blazing and everywhere was so cosy and warm.  I lit my new candles (nothing is kept for best anymore 😂), moved the dog’s basket next to the fire, made an oat milk cappuccino and snuggled up with my book.  Bliss 😀😀

Pizza night 😀. Made the sourdough base this morning and the sauce is in the freezer and the toppings will be whatever is lurking in the fridge. Will eating off my knee in front of the telly.

Happy Saturday 😀

PP xx