Positive Balance: Focused on Budgeting

PositiveBalance

Thank you but ooh, stay safe @savingholmes - we couldn't do without you! Definitely stay at home!

How do you find working at home, BTW? I like the theory but am not sure if I would like it as much in reality. I know there is little choice at the moment, though.

savingholmes

I liked working from home better when I went in the office part week - easier to stay motivated. It was a lot easier when the others were  out of the house -  now there are 4 of us home including as 22 and a 16 year old it is tougher to work. I used to love the peace of being in alone. I can be very productive working from home depending on deadlines and the type of work - it's when workload drops that it is trickier to stay motivated. The priorities have completely shifted in recent weeks which also complicates the situation.

PositiveBalance

That sounds like I suspected, @savingholmes. I think I could cope with part-time working from home, but I think it would drive me mad full time but not because of too much company - quite the opposite. Also, Fido would require constant petting and get in the way of the computer screen!

PositiveBalance

In other news , as best I can calculate, I will hopefully get paid just over £2K at the end of the month thanks to the overtime I did. Alas, there doesn't currently appear to be any more additional - or even regular - overtime in the offing, so I might not be quite as rich as I was hoping to  be in the next few months.

Ah well, we shall see what comes out in the wash. I'm lucky that at least I can still pay the bills, which is more than some.

savingholmes

I think the one thing to come out of this is an increase in gratitude where we've kept our jobs and continue to put literal food on the table or even just to be alive. It's a very scary time though for all.

PositiveBalance

I agree @savingholmes. I'm glad to have a steady if not brilliant income and be able to carry on paying the bills as well as pay down some debt. I imagine many others will be feeling the same and I think this is giving all of us the opportunity to consider what is really important for us in our lives and hopefully reconstruct accordingly when things get a bit more back to normal.

I'm not falling into fear, though. I'm out and about going to and from work and getting on with things in a sensible manner. I went to the post office today and some people looked like they were going to die in there - backs against the wall and everything!

Today I spent money on postage and £19.50 on a new bus pass for the week. I normally get a monthly one but I'm getting them weekly just in case I do get ill so I don't *waste* it.

See...going about things sensibly!

savingholmes

I would be one of those with my back to the wall. Glad you are being sensible though

PositiveBalance

It's not that bad, out and about!

I was gifted a bottle of wine and biscuits yesterday (yum!) so I drank some of it last night, which was lovely.

Fido's food has finally been delivered today so I can get her back on the stuff she needs. I'll make a point of ordering another two months worth when I get paid as the delivery times are ridiculous at the moment and I can't afford to run out again.

Today is nicely domestic - a bit of exercise and some housework. I've just had a shower and washed my hair, am about to hang the bedding out now I have washed it and I hope to get a bit more done in the kitchen as well as the ironing.

I think I've realised I'm tired. I think a few early nights might be in order.

Today is officially a NSD!

savingholmes

Well done on the NSD. We too are trying to make sure we have a spare bag of pet food in at all times. It's been ridiculous lately trying to get dry pet food in particular.

PositiveBalance

Hello,

Sorry for the late reply but typing on my mobile since the forum changeover iata pain in the peach emoji!

I have been incredibly busy working a crazy number of hours for the past few months. The upside is that I managed to top up my emergency fund up to £1000 last month in my main savings account (on top of the £200 I have in Premium Bonds but I psychologically seem to be unable to touch them.)

And...I also paid off £500 off my debt last month plus £750 this month!