Starting over...

ladymay

What a crazy fortnight! My friend came over from the USA, we hung out, we went to London to see Dita von Teese, I've started on a new website for the new cabaret act, I went on a cruise, I went to North Wales, I've driven almost 2000 miles and I'm so glad to be home!

I went a little bit off the rails financially and I've had to shell out some business costs, but actually the combination of getting a lot of bargains with my Christmas shopping (which is now complete!) and booking in a last minute gig for tomorrow night means I'm still on track to save £4k. Between family time, volunteering, starting my new online course and 2019 prep I don't have time to take on any more work so I need to tighten the belt again.

I'm back on the ship two weeks today for my last stint :eek::eek: I still haven't contacted the new company but I probably will by the end of the month. In the meantime, it's a busy weekend - singing at a Christmas fair all day tomorrow, then out for dinner with a friend followed by a gig in the evening. Sunday is my godson's christening and I'm staying with friends for a couple of days. At some point soon I have to sort out the chip in my windscreen that appeared last week... And then before I go back aboard I have a hospital appointment, seven volunteer shifts, my first course deadline, my first business mentoring session, and seven gigs. I'll be glad to get back to work for a break :rotfl:

I've been thinking about how to best use the savings next year... I've decided to give myself until my birthday in April to get up to a full time wage with my singing. Essentially, the £4,000 will be spent as follows:

£2,000 - living expenses
£1,000 - car insurance, tax, service and MOT
£1,000 - business investment

Any earnings from the first three months will be going straight back into savings.

Bit of a mind dump tonight! Really pleased with how things are going.

ladymay

Mornin'!

What a miserable, grey day today! Aside from driving to my volunteer shift and to my mum's I'm staying inside all blooming day!

Had a lovely few days - both hotels I sang at on Saturday asked for my card and 2019 availability :j , the christening was gorgeous and I loved hanging out with friends (didn't even take the laptop with me, bliss!), and I managed to sort out a £20 Mr T voucher from Top Cashback so the weekly shop is done. BOY has Mr T gotten more expensive! Including a bottle of wine and a cake for my flatmate's birthday, some much needed tights and stocking up on half price body lotion, the shop was over £45 :eek::eek::eek: the voucher still made it pretty cheap, but I spent nearly a tenner more than when I shop at @ldi/ L!dl and @asda. No treats either! I'm back to work next Friday so I'll do my best to eke everything out til then.

I'm pretty much at my budget for the year now. With the exception of sorting out the windscreen that should be ok seeing as I'll be on the ship soon. I just have to remember that anything I pay for now comes out of next year's money....

Lots to do today:

- Download promo video someone made for me
- Continue cleaning and tidying flat
- Look for rooms for when I'm working in Blackpool in Jan
- Book in cracked windscreen
- Update finances
- Check all payments will go through (new bank card)
- Go over Christmas show
- Check prescription is ready and get it filled if possible
- Get refund for ear plugs I haven't used (such a glamorous life)
- Make list for rest of the week
- Start dementia care course

Happy Wednesday, everyone xx

ladymay

- Download promo video someone made for me Done and uploaded to my social media pages
- Continue cleaning and tidying flat I mean, it's a work in progress
- Look for rooms for when I'm working in Blackpool in Jan Done and sent to friend to have a look over
- Book in cracked windscreen Done
- Update finances Not done
- Check all payments will go through (new bank card) Done
- Go over Christmas show Not done
- Check prescription is ready and get it filled if possible Done and done
- Get refund for ear plugs I haven't used (such a glamorous life) Done, meant my prescription was only £4.11
- Make list for rest of the week Will try and get that done now
- Start dementia care course Not done

Got a fair bit done today - finances and coursework will have to wait til tomorrow though; I didn't sleep well last night and I've completely run out of steam! I did, however, get my social media marketing done which wasn't on the list, and I fixed my mum's wardrobe door Had my follow-up hospital appointment for my jaw issue - the surgeon said she wants me to contact the local DAS (Depression and Anxiety Service) again to get reassessed, and she's also booked me in for a consultation to possibly get botox. Much as I'd love it to work its way up to my forehead, I don't think it works that way :rotfl:

Quite a lot to do tomorrow- Mum's struggling with her arthritis in this cold and damp weather so I'm going to take doggo for a good long walk for her after another volunteer shift, and I seriously need to get a shedload done before my gigs start up again on Saturday.

My holidays went faaaaaaaaar too quickly!

ladymay

Morning!

As I said, busy couple of days ahead...

- Banking
- Start new course
- Sort out Christmas show
- Clean entire flat
- Update finances
- Detailed budget for first part of 2019
- Find track for new song
- Follow up on recent networking
- Email potential new agent
- Find video editing suite I can actually work with (only time I miss my fruit-based devices )
- 2 NSDs

Right, quick brew before I crack on!

ladymay

- Banking Done
- Start new course Done, module 1.1 complete
- Sort out Christmas show Not done
- Clean entire flat Pfft...
- Update finances Not done
- Detailed budget for first part of 2019 Nope
- Find track for new song Nope, got distracted and got some others instead!
- Follow up on recent networking Done
- Email potential new agent Not done
- Find video editing suite I can actually work with (only time I miss my fruit-based devices) Done, and new video is up on my main social media page
- 2 NSDs One complete - tomorrow won't happen thanks to hospital car parking

Busy old day as I predicted - Volunteering was fine but I got DRENCHED on the way in, as I did when I took Mum's dog for walkies AND when I walked home. My jeans are still damp now... at least I got my steps in :rotfl: found an editing app that I like so that's handy! And made a nice dinner with tons of roasted veggies to warm me up

Work-wise, I've done a bit of singing practice for a last-minute gig I've got tomorrow - I know I said I wouldn't take on any more work but my Christmas / New Year contract has been shortened by two days and two hours of singing tomorrow covers two days of entertainment management wages (can you see why I want to sing full time??)

I've also got a cancellation hospital appointment tomorrow for the possible botox treatment. Fingers crossed it all goes well! Unfortunately that means tomorrow won't be an NSD as planned as I'll need to pay for parking, and if I'm getting needles in my face I'm definitely getting some chocolate afterwards.

Plan for tomorrow:

- Volunteering 9-noon
- Take dog for walkies and Mum to the supermarket
- Pick up parcel from PO
- Hospital
- Get ready for gig
- Gig!

Assuming nothing else comes up, I can crack on with the list again Saturday evening.

I could definitely do more today, but in the spirit of self-care I'm going to make a hot chocolate and watch some N3tflix.

I heard this phrase on a podcast yesterday and it really stuck with me: Don't sacrifice what you want most for what you want now… I must admit I had a look at properties today to see what would be in my budget in a couple of years. If I really knuckle down for two years, I can get together a decent deposit and buy my own place by the end of 2020. More determined than ever to make this work!

Night all xx

ladymay

I had plans to get a load done this evening, but my energy has totally disappeared. Combination of lack of sleep, lack of junk food and just generally having a lot on I think... new plan for tonight is to wrap my brother's, his girlfriend's and kids' presents. And then go to bed.

I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed today, and regretting taking so much time off earlier this month. There's so much to do before the end of the year for the business, and I think the only I can figure things out right now is to decide what absolutely has to be done before I head back to the ship on Friday - everything else can get done in December when the ship is only sailing in the evenings; I'll access to wifi and lots of free time most daytimes until Christmas Eve.

I really must:
- Finish my first assignment (due Wednesday, probably 6-8 hours of studying)
- Visit the family (Should all be done Sunday and Monday evening)
- Wrap everyone's presents (all to be finished by Monday evening)
- Get windscreen chip fixed (booked in Monday)
- Banking (Thursday afternoon or Friday morning)
- Finish up all my gigs and volunteer shifts

Definitely giving up for the night! Off to bed with a book, night all xx

ladymay

Well, today's been marvellous - went for a walk at 6.45am and saw the AMAZING sky with a very cool Moon and nearby Venus, had a lovely networking breakfast today where I met tons of new contacts (must start using LinkedIn more...), had a nap before my gig only to receive a message that flu has hit the nursing home and they need to reschedule for January, so I napped some more , got my coursework done for my first assignment and sent it off to be scrutinised, made a very nice sweet potato and butternut squash soup for dinner and the next couple of days' lunches, and now I'm just trying to sort out my New Year budget. Time to massively tighten the belt. I used to be pretty skilled at this but I haven't had any practice for a few years...

Good news on the windscreen chip - my mechanic says it's only an advisory and to keep an eye on it. MOT and service are both booked in on 2nd Jan.

Tomorrow, I have my first meeting for potential business mentoring and another gig. And that's it! I keep saying it, but I think I'm going to have a really good tidy and clean in the evening. Definitely need to do my bits of handwashing that have been in the corner of my room for a month *slaps wrist*.

Can't believe I'm back to the ship in three days for my final stint - this year has flown!

Hope everyone's enjoying this evening x

ladymay

Another really good couple of days...

Firstly, I passed my first assessment for my Dementia Care course with flying colours :j

Secondly, I had my first mentor session at the local business centre (thank you EU funding!) - I got loads of info on potential contacts, I've got everything I need to come up with a basic business plan and marketing strategy, I've been accepted for free digital marketing advice, and I know now the areas that should be my main focus over the next few months :j:j

Thirdly, I booked in 12 gigs for next year. Unfortunately I had a wedding cancel today as well, but I'm over £1500 up for the day. I now have my rent covered til September!! :j:j:j

All this good news has made me quite sleepy... I cooked an "ifits" dinner tonight (if it's in the kitchen it get used up!) and made a lovely stew to be batched up and frozen. I might have eaten a double portion, but considering it's mostly vegetables I don't even think that counts as seconds..:rotfl:

Back to the ship tomorrow - these six weeks have flown... Ironically, because it's off-season and the ship only sails during the evening (except for Mondays) I'll have more time to work on everything because most of my daytimes will be free. Lots to do - I have another assignment due before Christmas - but I'm feeling really good about the future.

Off to bed in a bit. Still need to pack but that doesn't take long, definitely need to at least try and catch up on finances but other than that I'm all set for the high seas once more!

wishingthemortgaheaway

Do you use Ynab? If you don't, have a look on some of their tutorials about dealing with variable income. I think it may suit your approach and help you to feel in control of things.

Have a great ship tour. I'm assuming it's no where exotic.

ladymay

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

Do you use Ynab? If you don't, have a look on some of their tutorials about dealing with variable income. I think it may suit your approach and help you to feel in control of things.

Have a great ship tour. I'm assuming it's no where exotic.

Ooo, I'll have a look. Thanks Wishing! Hope you're well?

No, France and Belgium. Both of which I love, but I'm staying firmly in winter