Financial Freedom + Self Care

HairyHandofDartmoor

SnowBallBunny wrote: »

Happy New Year to each and everyone of you. It's a New Year good people. Something good can always happen. :j

Progress:
It can be easy not to recognise the progress I've made so here's a quick update:

Debit Card There was a point when I was living off my last credit card and my other accounts were maxed out. I'm working, all transactions are being made through my debit account and I've lower my expenses as much as possible. My credit cards have been in an envelope not being used for over a month and that's a step forward. I look forward to paying them off.

Paid a friend back £15 - I paid a friend back who donated to a group art project I was planning to do. I've decided not to do it so I paid her back. Really appreciate her support, I was really touched when she donated.

Homeless Shelter: I'll go back to the shelter to volunteer next week. I took a break over Christmas so it'll be good to help out again.

Realisations: I think that before my LBM I was in a rut. Very outwardly 'busy' and productive but really I was unhappy, harboring the debt and putting other people and their happiness before myself. I think this is a chance for me to take a step back and to look at my life and career and to build something better, to focus on my happiness in a way that I wasn't doing before. It's scary, because the prospect of change can be scary and it's also necessary. And in the long run this will help me moving forward.

My career path. My job. What I should do creatively, these things have been so unclear and I'm unsure of what to do moving forward inorder to benefit me in the long term. In all honesty, the lack of certainty has been frustrating and depressing. I know that when I improve my wellbeing (exercise, sleep, meditation) things will become clearer. I also just need to not place so much pressure on myself. Small steps are the way to go.

Snowball Pressure
While temping it's challenging to budget and to successfully complete a debt Snowball. This is because you are paid hourly for your work. If you're ill or there are bank holidays you don't get paid. This is tough to deal with when you're in debt because it makes budgeting challenging. I have budgeted monthly and weekly and regularly check my balances but having one salary, one amount you can count on each month is a LOT easier to monitor and manage. I'm proud that I was able to put aside £400 from mid November - December but I know that I'll save much more when I have a fixed salary to look forward to. So the key here is that I know that I'm doing my best.

Fun I'd like to have some this year. So I'll do my best to keep you updated on that. :rotfl:

Job Search
I'm finishing off a job application tonight. It's a Junior Project role within another department in the uni. If I secure the role, I'll be able to clear the debt within the year and gain more experience. I'll start calling recruitment agencies again tomorrow.

Your new year goals sound very sensible and focused Snowball. Make sure you keep reading them to remind yourself of the direction you want to go in.

HairyHandofDartmoor

SnowBallBunny wrote: »

I have a job interview! It's for the Junior Project role I applied for just before new year.

I'm preparing for that interview. I was also called about another role tonight so I'm working on a Personal Statement.

Thanks for reading.

That's brilliant :T. Good luck with the interview. Keep confident and focused and you will start to achieve all of your goals .

SnowBallBunny

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Your new year goals sound very sensible and focused Snowball. Make sure you keep reading them to remind yourself of the direction you want to go in.

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

That's brilliant :T. Good luck with the interview. Keep confident and focused and you will start to achieve all of your goals .

I hadn't thought about reading my goals back but that's a good idea. Thanks for your encouragement and positivity. I really appreciate it.

SnowBallBunny

I've finished the personal statement for the second job application. I'll focus on my interview preparation this week and work on another job application over the weekend. That job application will be for another Junior Project role.

I'm feeling tired. Really hope to get some sleep tonight.

Thanks for reading everyone. Have a good evening.

doingitanyway

Good luck with the job interview.

SnowBallBunny

doingitanyway wrote: »

Good luck with the job interview.

Thank you!

SnowBallBunny

Hey everyone,

I went to my interview this morning. I think it went well. I'll hear back next week. I'm working on another application this weekend.

I went to an art gallery briefly after work today and listened to a song that was on my mind. I hadn't listened to music for ages or been to a gallery. Hope to do more of these things moving forward.

Band: Parliament Funkadelic
Song: One Nation Under A Groove - Funkadelic

doingitanyway

Love that song...'One nation under a groove, nothing can stop me now...' looks like nothing can stop you either

SnowBallBunny

Unexpected expenses

£6.59 - I bought a house warming gift (a pink Anthurium plant) and a greeting card for my cousin. I had dinner at her new place this weekend. It was great to catch up with her. It's lovely, so proud of her for getting on the property ladder.

£183.64 - Took two days off. I felt sick on Monday so I didn't go into work. I booked annual leave for one day this coming week - week commencing 15th January 2018.

Homeless Shelter

The homeless shelter is closing next week, so I'd like to volunteer there one last time. So I'll see if they have room.

My sister and I have signed up for two shifts at another winter shelter that'll be open until March, it's near where my parents live so we'll visit them and volunteer.

Personally...

I've been feeling down lately. It's the debt, my career path and just my life choices - what should I do moving from here? My Mum thinks that I should focus on one thing at a time. And I try to remind myself of that. I also need to do something to take my mind off things, perhaps I'll start up my art group or finish my online course. I do need to focus on something else.

Thanks for reading DFWs. I appreciate you.

SnowBallBunny

doingitanyway wrote: »

Love that song...'One nation under a groove, nothing can stop me now...' looks like nothing can stop you either

Yes it's a great song, I want to listen to more Parliament. And there's plenty of other music I want to explore too. Afrobeat, Funk, Rock. Anything good but preferably music with positive lyrics, something uplifting. :j