Molehill currently feeling like a mountain

katiepants

Thanks, I know exactly what I should be doing diet-wise, but as we all know actually doing it is another matter!
I'm not 110% sure where all my money goes. My horse isn't actually that expensive in the summer as he's out on grass for most of the day (less forage and bedding bills), my guess is it's social stuff that eats up my money. I find it hard to say no to stuff like concerts far ahead in the future and then forget when the time rolls round to pay my friends for the tickets etc.

....


I had a rubbish morning at work - I'd made a mistake and ended up having to talk it through with the department manager. Felt like a schoolgirl being called in to the headteachers office. It knocked my confidence a lot and I felt really down all day. I know everyone makes mistakes, it's just not nice when it's you!

beanielou

katiepants~~ Sorry that things are so tough at the moment.
I have no words of wisdom for you.
All i can say is keep plodding

katiepants

Feeling a bit better today. I went to my exercise class last night (already paid for) and got ridiculously hot and sweaty and tired. Came home and had a cold shower and a good nights sleep and woke up feeling a bit more like myself.
OH was up at 5.30 to leave for a work trip, so since I was already awake, I got up just after 6. Made myself a yummy lunch of couscous and vegetables, and had a lovely juicy peach for breakfast that OH's Mum gave me the other day. Work feels a bit more manageable thanks to the to-do list I left myself last night.

Tonight I'm going out for Mexican food with people from work. I'll just drink water, and have my eye on a burrito for just £7. Oh, and a bit of money for parking but that's unavoidable. OH is away overnight so I'm really looking forward to not cooking/washing up tonight. I can have someone else feed me for once! When I get in tonight I need to give my knees and elbows a good scrub in the bath as I'm having a spray tan for the wedding on Saturday. Hopefully being paid for by the Bride although she hasn't made it very clear.

Payday seems a very long way away. It's a week tomorrow...

I'll keep plodding on.

beanielou

Enjoy your meal~~& no washing up

katiepants

Thank you, meal was lovely! And very filling, just a small amount really, but I couldn't finish it.

Have had a bit of a realisation moment today. Maybe this is my actual LMB. Added up overdraft and CC is £571 of debt. It just keeps creeping up and I know it may not seem like a lot, but I know it could easily just spiral out of control. I only earn £1400 per month, so it feels a bit impossible at the moment. I'm not entirely sure what I have to show for the debt, I only know that it started with the week off sick last year.

I can't really work out where the rest of it went, but I think I have a problem with saying NO.

So I need to become ruthless, and practice sating NO as much as possible this summer. Yes, the 'thing/holiday/trip/concert' might not be until November, but at some point I'll need to pay for it, and until I have the money available I'm going to have to be a party pooper. It's going to be incredibly difficult but its got to be done. I can't keep living beyond my means.

- I could do with sourcing a bit of extra income, but can't think of anything. I don't really have anything of value that I could sell, and not enough tat for a car boot (although...maybe I could pool tat with mum and others?).

-My horse is as cheap as he can be. Very clean, doesn't eat much, no health problems. To save money here he'd have to go back to live with my Mum, so that'd put pressure on here, and I'd hardly see him.

-Considering selling my car for something smaller and cheaper, but it's such a great car and has saved my bacon may a time in bad weather. My mum lives alone in the middle of nowhere, and it's reassuring that I could get to her no matter what. I may re-consider next spring.

-food shopping is as cheap as it can be. I cook everything from scratch, take a packed lunch 99% of the time, and have almost zero food waste.

- not sure about bills. OH pays most of them and I just pay him my half. Recently negotiated a reduction with Sky (we use them for broadband), and water/gas/electric is pretty reasonable I think. My monthy bills (rent/gas and leccy/internet) come to £330. That doesn't include the council tax, or TV licence.

*sign* adulting is very hard!

Working_Mum

well done Katie you seem to do a lot of things in a very good MSE style!!

Could you cut up all of your cards and set yourself the 100 challenge (I think it is on another thread) - you basically breakdown the debt in 1% chunks - so you have to find £5.61 to pay off 1% of the capital owed.

I did it for a stubborn HoF storecard balance and I have found that I have made 4 x 1% payments this week alone without too much hassle and it felt good!

I have found so much of my debt free journey is framing situations - have you read Dave Ramsey?

Good luck!

katiepants

Working_Mum wrote: »

well done Katie you seem to do a lot of things in a very good MSE style!!

Could you cut up all of your cards and set yourself the 100 challenge (I think it is on another thread) - you basically breakdown the debt in 1% chunks - so you have to find £5.61 to pay off 1% of the capital owed.

I did it for a stubborn HoF storecard balance and I have found that I have made 4 x 1% payments this week alone without too much hassle and it felt good!

I have found so much of my debt free journey is framing situations - have you read Dave Ramsey?

Good luck!

Thanks, never heard of Dave Ramsey, but will look him up!



I’m very tired today. Lovely though it is, the daylight creeping in at 4am keeps waking me up, and I’m just dozing from then on. Also, I was just saying to myself last night that my hayfever seems to be abating a little. Famous last words – woke up this morning with such itchy and swollen eyes!

Last night I paid my last livery bill for June, and also got cash out to put in the wedding card for Saturday. I don’t need to spend anything at all now until I get paid next weds.

Wedding tomorrow, and the forecast is fantastic. Excited for a great party!!

katiepants

Feeling horrible today. It's so hot in the office, and I'm covered in midge bites so I'm itchy as well. Combine it with the antihistamines that I'm taking for said bites (and hayfever), and I'm drowsy too. I hope it cools down soon or I'll never be able to get out on the bike.

I've decided that I might have to sell my car. I just don't think I can afford to run it anymore, and that it would be more sensible to get a smaller, more efficient one. The only thing that worries me is if we get another bad winter like last year, then I might really regret it. will talk it over with my OH tonight.

The other thing I'm considering selling is my camera. I never use it, and it's probably worth about £400. It's just got a lot of emotions connected with it... not sure I can bare to.

I signed up to one poll yesterday and I already have over £5. It looks like you need to get to £30 before you get paid so will have to wait and see. Also got 2000 points on YouGov, so 2/5 of the way to £50 with them. Any other good ones I should know about? I gave up on swagbucks because I kept getting screened out.

beanielou

If you dont use the camera maybe it is time to let it go.

katiepants

beanielou wrote: »

If you dont use the camera maybe it is time to let it go.

Yes, I think it is. It makes me a bit sad though, as it was my dear Dad that taught me how to use it, and I lost him in 2013. In all honesty I haven't been able to pick it up and use it since then...

It will be better off being used properly I think, and I never have time to go out with it anymore. There are other ways I can remember him.