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early 40s and not fabulous at all
Comments
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bubblycrazy wrote: »The only thing I can add to the great advice is, don't stop posting! The people who fall off the waggon tend to stop posting for months and then come back and say oops. If you're feeling rubbish then pour it out on here because the support to continue will get you through.
Your SOA is missing quite a few things so if you can get the recommended one to load at some point that will be more accurate.
Totally agree, don't stop posting.
This is your diary / journal and it doesn't all have to be debt busting and finances etc.
Put in whatever you want.
I use mine that way and I find it helps to keep up contact with the good folks on here.
We are a supportive community here but we cannot support folks if they're not here, IYSWIM...
So, post... whatever and whenever... it really helps
BUGGRITMILLENIUMHANDANDSHRIMP I TOLD EM! - Foul Ole Ron
It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you do not know where you are, and if you don't know where you are, then you don't know where you are going. If you don't know where you're going, you're probably going wrong.
R.I.P. T.P.0 -
Mine isn't always finance related and neither is my Scottish friends
We are both mountain bikers, UC likes home brewing and is the next contestant on the British bake off. I chat re date exploits :-( lol
Finance doesn't have to be the be all and end all of everything. I went some bad times with mental health a year ago I found this site helped me so so much.Cashback Earnings YTD £46.04 Survey Earnings YTD £182.66
"Always always train, be the best version of you that you can physically be"0 -
MSE Andrea has posted a thread with a link in it to another calculator that may help with putting together an SOA. Should be floating around on page 1 of the main DFW board somewhere.🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her0 -
Thank you!
I have an irrational fear that going to a GP and admitting depression won't actually be good for me. Sort of - if I officially admit that I cannot manage anymore - everything will crumble in my life and there's no way back. I'm also scared that they'll prescribe antidepressants (I hate pills) and that I will end up paying for counselling. I'm not necessarily ashamed to talk to the GP about it, it's just that I always thought I was strong enough to deal with problems myself... with the help of friends, family, healthy eating and so on. I'm probably wrong...
You know what - for some people the classic path isn't necessarily the right one. I DID go to the GP about it - terrifying though it was - and yes, she did want to put me onto anti-depressants, but I declined and said I wanted to see if I can work through things myself first. that was 10 years ago - I now have a huge fund of coping strategies to deal with various triggers, and I'm still not on tablets. Sometimes it's bad - but i know now that those times will pass. (Sometimes it's good and believe me I know that those times will pass too! :rotfl:) but I've found my own way of dealing with it that suits ME. Someone said to me many years ago - when the black dog arrives, best take it for a walk in the sunshine and see if that helps - and that is most definitely something that DOES help - fresh air and exercise. That won't work for everyone, but it does work for some. Equally some folk find that a short course of Anti depressants can help them to find enough daylight to feel their own way forwards from there, while others realise that life is so much better on the pills their "right path" is to keep on taking them. There's no one size fits all solution - it's about finding what suits you and your needs.
As for feeling your diary isn't right for here if it's not all debt-busting - blow that for an argument - I'm not even in debt any more and I've been posting nonsense on here for years! :rotfl:🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her0 -
Thanks again everyone. Yes, I will stick around for a while, it's already been a very positive experience!
Re the GP I'm giving it a couple of weeks to see how I feel. If I up my exercise level and sleep more I might be seeing things with different lenses.
@117pauline: too many of the things I like to do are not cheap... the only exception is hiking.
Had a busy one at work today and it hasn't ended yet. Took a late lunch at 3pm and it was free (provided by work), so that means I won't be spending anything today. I need to buy groceries tomorrow or on Saturday though and because I'm maxed out on the OD it means it will go on my CC. Pay date can't come fast enough...
To do for tonight - cupboard inventory to see if I can skip/reduce grocery shopping until next week.0 -
Scott_Weiland wrote: »Mine isn't always finance related and neither is my Scottish friends
We are both mountain bikers, UC likes home brewing and is the next contestant on the British bake off. I chat re date exploits :-( lol
Thanks Scott :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
Actually, i'd love to present Bake Off with Noel
It would be absolutely MENTAL :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:BUGGRITMILLENIUMHANDANDSHRIMP I TOLD EM! - Foul Ole Ron
It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you do not know where you are, and if you don't know where you are, then you don't know where you are going. If you don't know where you're going, you're probably going wrong.
R.I.P. T.P.0 -
It sounds more fun than my whining on here
I've downloaded my Barclaycard #2 and my Halifax bank statements - where the bad spending happens. I filtered by date - 21 Aug - 21 Sep. It's worse than I thought. £296 on groceries alone. Now, that does include some toiletries. Most of it is Ocado (main shopping) but also Sainsburys and M&S - which are on my way home from work - easy top ups.
My child does school lunches and eats dinner at her childminder and at her dad's on some evenings.
I'm afraid to do the total for eating out and clothes. I might discover I'm eating my income. Literally.
PS. We need milk and some fruit to last us until early next week.0 -
It sounds more fun than my whining on here
I've downloaded my Barclaycard #2 and my Halifax bank statements - where the bad spending happens. I filtered by date - 21 Aug - 21 Sep. It's worse than I thought. £296 on groceries alone. Now, that does include some toiletries. Most of it is Ocado (main shopping) but also Sainsburys and M&S - which are on my way home from work - easy top ups.
My child does school lunches and eats dinner at her childminder and at her dad's on some evenings.
I'm afraid to do the total for eating out and clothes. I might discover I'm eating my income. Literally.
PS. We need milk and some fruit to last us until early next week.
Change your choice of supermarkets...
I consider myself a bit of a foodie, I like good food.
However, top price does NOT mean top quality.
I shop mostly in AL dee Why
A lot of folks shop there nowadays but I've shopped with them for years.
Some folks think, oh that's the shop for poor people... so what
I seen, mercs, Audis, BMWs, range rovers and even a frickin BENTLEY parked in their car parks
Good produce at a fair price
Switch n save
No, I dont work for em BUGGRITMILLENIUMHANDANDSHRIMP I TOLD EM! - Foul Ole Ron
It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you do not know where you are, and if you don't know where you are, then you don't know where you are going. If you don't know where you're going, you're probably going wrong.
R.I.P. T.P.0 -
The closest ALDI is 1.7 miles away and I don't have a car, that's why I shop online. I believe the top ups are an issue.. also brands most likely. Will try to post my last grocery receipt here.
I tried Tesco and ASDA and settled on Ocado. My friends say ASDA is cheaper than the other 2 but in my experience it wasn't. Plus, we live on the 2nd floor. Tesco and Ocado bring the shopping to my door. ASDA refused.0 -
My nearest is about same distance. I walk there n back or I cycle... it's a nice free workout
I did the whole online bulk order thingummybob with the biggies and I was... underwhelmed. Fresh produce close to dates, damages etc. Booking a suitable slot... Nope, do it meself thanks...
I reckon I am saving at least a third on my shopping by shopping there
BTW I'm not having a go at you or anything, just saying take a different view...
Sometimes an outside viewpoint can highlight something you wouldn't otherwise see BUGGRITMILLENIUMHANDANDSHRIMP I TOLD EM! - Foul Ole Ron
It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you do not know where you are, and if you don't know where you are, then you don't know where you are going. If you don't know where you're going, you're probably going wrong.
R.I.P. T.P.0
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