taking responsibilty to get me where I want to be

efes_shareholder

HI Kitten - I've reinstated the air purifier in my room and this seems to have helped a lot - I think its something in my living space but at its worse it didn't matter where I woke up , I was still suffering.
Thanks for the tips , I will check them out.

Last few days have been very spendy - I feel like this months budget was a pipe dream and certainly that my tapping of the c/c I clear each month is having a derogatory effect.
It short , I've lost focus and the wheels have come off a bit.
There is simply more month this month then there is money - There are a few factors but the main one is I have to get my eye back on the ball.

I still have a 70th and 21st to cater for , I have just got the bill for e March from my credit card and its not so bad and I can see this is an area I have to stop giving myself extras on , so.........the reminder of the month and the 70th and 21st will be covered from savings and the card will be removed from my purse and banished and as time passes and pay packets come in the budget will be back on track.

Its so easy done and I am not helping myself with where I want to be - Its a habit I was very wary off and now I can see why.
I am clearing it each month but the realisation is , this money is then gone from the following months budget and we are back to square one.
I have 6k stashed away in bonds ( with an extra £50 in wins) and an emergency fund of around 1k which is my floating balance in my current account.
I am going to clear my "spending" card this month and not use it again and use the EF to cater for the additions - If I don't have the card this will right itself as typically some months are more expensive then others.

The reality is that I am not yet cutting my cloth tight enough and I need to
The vaping is a huge help and my motoring costs are lower , I've trimmed my social calender and all of the birthdays after this month are done until August.
I need to get back in control
Having my EF in with my current account for the 5% interest is not really helping the way it should so come pay day this month I will putting this back in to the savings pot of my account , adding to it hopefully and moving my available budget for the month in to my monzo account as that is available money

Blimey , being a grown up is tough at times , particulary this month where its difficult to know where the money has gone too - Off the top of my head , the repair to the car paintwork , my holiday balance are two factors - I didn't help myself yesterday by buying a wind deflector for the car however I've been on the look for one and they generally retail at around £160 and I've picked this one up for £55 via gumtree.
Its going to be very handy when I do my girls weekend next month as it will mean we can have the roof back for the journey and still have our belongings under with the seats down and it will make the driving experience much more comfortable on the sunny days where there is still a cold wind.
If I don't use it as much as I thought I can sell it on and not be out of pocket.
Did I need it ? Its probably not essential , Did I want it ? Yes !
I also want a dashcam but I think I am going to have to lower my requirements on this and maybe revisit it in July but the beast is due its MOT

efes_shareholder

Also to add , I think I have found the gym.
Its £16.99 a month with no contract and round the corner from work
Its also open 24 hours and most importantly it has showers !!!!

My local leisure centre where I go aqua want £40 a month and a 12 month contract - I don't really want to be tied in to that so I think I will go to the place local to work and dump the weekly aqua class or just go sporadically

efes_shareholder

Stepping in to Monday a little shocked and a little stunned and giving myself a massive kick up the backside

As i said last night , this months salary has kind of obliterated however today the reality of how much kicks in.
i've written down every spend , accounted for every payment and aside from the wind deflector which wasn't a must have , there are no reckless spends there are however some catch up historic spends

I need to get back on the boat but it feels like paddling a canoe upstream - I'm a little perplexed that despite knowing it was a heavy month , its as heavy as it is

I have no option but to use the EF as a contigency plan and make more effort to get this budget working
The budget doesn't work when it includes historic spends and i think the fall guy of this will be the EF which I will have to replace

Cancelling anything ( including aqua aerobics ) other then the family birthday things this weekend but inclined to carry on with the intended gym membership , My chosen one is on the doorstep at work and is £16.99 a month with £15.00 joining fee ( one off ) and no contract compared to the leisure centre which is £47.00 a month , min 4 month contract and £40.00 one off

I don't know whether to join or wait - I am thinking it will give me some focus and something to do ( along with keeping me clean !! )

I need to give myself a pep talk and realise that despite this set back I am making progress - 13 months ago there would have been no EF , it would have been straight in to the overdraft
Although I've been tapping the card , it has been paid off and not added to the debt
The bills are all paid , with over the minimum payment
There are no longer any defaults on my account
My son owes me £55.00 which right now I could really do with !!

I have made progress and I am learning - in the last half hour I have had an invitation to a weekender in July which my friend is attending , I have been the last 3 years and love it however I didnt book it for this year as it was one of the things I decided to forego
she has just texted and asked if I want to take the place of someone who has now decided they can't afford to go
I paused and thought about it , however I know it doesn't help the situation so I declined

It seems so long until pay day now but I have to chuck it in the bucket and get back on this horse , it could be a lot worse !

efes_shareholder

so the gym membership is activated - however it did mean that card needed to be tapped as this is how the first months payment is taken

As part of the membership I am able to take people with me so I am dragging the bestie along to join in with me and hopefully she will join

Its not a great month but I've been talking about it so long that I needed to bite the bullet and just do it , and I am hoping that healthy body will in turn present a healthy mind

No spends yesterday or today and none planned - oh no just remembered 80p in the vending machine for Coke at work as I have forgotten my large water bottle today.

I have a tub of pennies at home - I am thinking of taking these and cashing them in as the month is that appalling that it may be needed.
I've just done an order at work that brings a £22 quidco payment but unfortunately it won't bring it yet.

My son cannot send his payment until his loan hits in a few weeks but thats not the be all and end all - I just need to get by this month very very sensibly or as sensibly as I can at this stage and improve my management from here on in

efes_shareholder

Happy hump day people

So the Gym is joined and tonight is the first induction and I feel like the new kid at school.
I could quite easily wimp out and go home right now but I have my kit so I'm going to put my big girl pants on and go !!

No spends today but I need some birthday cards , I am inclined to try and go to the card factory at the weekend as their cards will be far cheaper.

Nothing to report in the financial world , I have moved my EF or the remainder of it from current account and left myself a small balance to hopefully see me through the next 13 days

My wind deflector has arrived just in time for the sunshine and was fitted to my car in my lunch break - hopefully I have some sunglasses somewhere in the car and I will saviour the journey home in the sunshine - VIA the gym.

I have a busy weekend but I am perked up that my friend who moved away last summer is coming home for a girls night out for our friends birthday.
I wasn't sure if I would go but my wing women and I have not had a night out in nearly a year so I absolutely will.
On recent nights out it has felt like something was missing and it took me a while to realise that it was her absence I am feeling so I'm looking forward to seeing her for alcahol minus her husband who I do love dearly but some nights you don't want the boys coming to play too

I may have to take my hip flask in my bag to keep the spends down on this one !!

efes_shareholder

So I went to the Gym , I realised just how poor my general fitness has become
I think this may be a long process
I did some rowing and the cross trainer and that was about my lot

I've bought my kit to work but I think I will go to aqua aerobics instead tonight
I feel quite stiff so hopefully it will loosen the limbs up a little

Taking my best mate to the gym tomorrow as I'm allowed a buddy and again on Monday all being well

Realised that each visit is going to cost me a £1 in the car park so depending on how many times I go that itself could get quite costly

Until my general fitness improves or the summer is over I am going to stick with my aqua but maybe not go every week

In other news , payday seems so so far away , I'm using the wait to remind myself of my goals and consider all ways to achieve them.

I have made lots of changes but I haven't yet got a grip on the budget or got it working for me
I feel like I am just shifting things around but not making any huge progress............mind you refusing the weekender was progress for me

efes_shareholder

Hope everyone had a wonderful easter

I thoroughly enjoyed driving the car this weekend in the glorious sunshine

Had a night out for my mates birthday and overspent - partly due to my so called mate offering the bar man a drink on my round for a joke
My look said it all - I was not impressed
Suffice to say I was drunker then I ever remember and all caution of thought of what I was spending went out of the window - Total spend £38.15
According to my kids however this is tame for a drunken night!

Also had to attend my neices 21st which was in a nightclub bar and typically night club prices - Total spend there just short of £10.00

Sunday was dinner for my mums birthday in our local pub - Sister and I covered the cost of mums dinner between us , My middle cub made a slimming world friendly cake for her which was a nice touch and kept the cost down. Total spend here £26.75

The budget this month is completely off the rails - I just have to chalk it up to experience and try and be much more on the ball going forward

It wasn't helped yesterday when the dog who is the bain of my life took a turn for the worse , he was struggling to walk and was shuddering in pain and his face was sunken.
He really seemed unwell and I was convinced that he had renal failure - I've never seen him in so much pain and looking so poorly
Bring on the bank holiday vet visit - Off course , mum didnt have any money so I had to step in with the EF and off we went
After blood tests to check his liver and kidney function and a good checking over , it appears 14 yr old fido has bad arthritis in his hind legs and had been suffering a major flair up
he is fine now but my pockets are £225.00 lighter , I will have to come to some arrangement with my mum for this to be repaid but at teh rime I was more concerned that on the anniversary of my step dads passing we wouldnt be bringing the dog home.

efes_shareholder

Happy thursday people

I dragged myself to the gym after a long day in the office yesterday and felt better for it and also slept better ..........after the last visit I ached for days and although I can feel I did something I chopped it down to 45 minutes last night and have realised I need to build my general fitness up.
I am surprised how much I better I feel after a work out , I need to hold on to this any time I am losing the inclination to go.

Have managed to keep the spends to a bare min since the weekend - Had to bite my tongue on the motherships birthday as she had wiped out the healthier bits I had got in myself for my lunches this week since she hadn't shopped , wasn't impressed as its just a general lack of consideration towards me and very selfish but she was off the hook cos it was her birthday !!
The dog continues to be below par - he is off his food so therefore we can't medicate him , will I think have to monitor this

I have 80 miles left in my tank - I am hoping and praying it gets me through to payday next tuesday.
I only really have to get to work and back so fingers crossed however the dregs of the tank seem to go so quickly and it will be tight
Don't know the car well enough to know how close I can risk it - I've got to 15 miles left before and lost my bottle !!

I have football with the eldest nephew on Saturday - I think this will be my last visit for a while.
I love going but my 4 games this month have been part of the reason why there is no money left when there is still month.
Fortunately close season is approaching

Work is frantic as my supervisor is on hols so I have work of two people but its nearly the weekend and I'm thankful for a 4 day week

efes_shareholder

phew , we made it to the weekend

A little battered and bruised but in tact , 3 gym visits and an aqua aerobics session completed this week

4 more days to payday

Haircut tonight ( £20 spend ) but needed desperately as hasnt been cut for 3 months , I dont want to go I just want to curl up at home with some vino

Hope everyone has a great weekend

pidge04

Good on you joining the gym! I wish I could become addicted to exercise!
4 more days until pay day ... the end is in sight!!