Oh pants I messed up BIG!!!

Broke_Bear

On the list for today is the pruning, weeding,planting the box hedgelings and adding some compost to the veg bed which needs building up.  If there is then time I might pop out and get some multi purpose compost and some seed compost and continue the production line if not, today will be another NSD.  Yesterday I pricked out the snap dragons and half of the nicotiana, the other half could do with another week of growing before pricking out.

all quiet on the pennies front, just the normal monthly routine waiting for the next SC statement and pottering on... looking forward to being in the 29’s though!!!

SuperFrank88

Hi,

Just read your diary. I am in the position you were in last year. Building up EF while waiting for accounts to default before starting DMP. I am on month 2 since cancelling DD’s, you know.... the frustrating ‘waiting’ part where you feel like nothing is actually happening. 

I too had planned to set up with SC. Then I thought about going self managed. But I have more than double the amount of creditors than you so I am guessing it would be good to start with SC to get everything set up. How easy did you find the setting up process? 

Good luck with your journey.

Frank

Broke_Bear

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read SF88.  To be honest it was really straightforward and relatively painless.  I took lots of advice from reading the DMP support thread on the diaries, made sure I had an EF (even if it was wiped out between November and January.  I also build enough wiggle room into my step change budget to allow me to be able to build this back up (albeit slowly) and will eventually allow me to save for f&f’s.

with my level of debt compared to income (I owe about 18 months salary) this will be a long road, my DMP is due to last about 15 years, so I intend to just let it blip along with stepchange whilst living within my means enjoying life as much as possible (if very frugally) and then when I have saved up enough to offer realistic f&f’s I will look to go self managed and get rid of it all. I hope to have it all gone within about 8-10 years.

Broke_Bear

Jobs completed today include:
roses and raspberries pruned
box hedgelings planted out - OH did this whilst I was pruning.
flagstones moved from back garden to driveway ready for OH and friend to shift off to tip tomorrow- OH did this too

Seeds sown- both OH and me 
sweet peas
broad beans
tomatoes
2 x types of sweet pepper
2 x types of chilli pepper
clairy ‘blue jeans’
zinnia ‘Orange king’ 

pennies spent
£11.45 in garden centre on seed compost, multi purpose compost and plant labels
£6.45 in Co - Op on tonic water, becks blue and some iced buns 

total weekend spend £17.90 - not too bad and within budget.

off to make dinner now ant then settle down this evening with some diary reading or gardeners world magazine 

hope everyone one had a good day xx

Broke_Bear

Oh how the world changes.  As of tomorrow I will be working from home indefinitely, I have never done this before so will be a steep learning curve I think.

I hope everyone on here is safe and well xx

During this lockdown weekend I have been doing some gardening, potting on seedlings, sowing some more seeds and generally tidying up the garden.  I was so pleased that gardeners world will still be on our screens even if it is in a rather different format, Sir Monty of Don really does help to keep me sane in troubled times.

In other news my statement from Stepchange has arrived and I am now in the 29's so at least that is going in the right direction.

Keep pottering on everyone and stay safe. xx

Broke_Bear

Well the working from home didn't happen yesterday as our group IT hadn't got everyone sorted so we were all recalled into the office!  Going better today though as most of us can get on to at least our emails and some have full system access.  I am on emails only until a work laptop arrives as ours cannot run the required level of operating system.  Apparently it should arrive in the next day or so.

In other news, lockdown hasn't really changed things an awful lot for OH and myself as we didn't really go out much anyway!  have been calling daily to check in on Mumsy and OH has been doing the same for his parents to make sure they didn't need anything.  We are both loving the many NSD's we are having at the moment though  and the garden is getting plenty of attention from us both.

Hope everyone is keeping well xxx

Broke_Bear

Oh my days how time flies!
I have now been working from home for a fortnight and am starting to get into the swing of things.  I feel more in control working here than I do in the office... if only they would make it a permanent thing even for 3 days a week from home would be fantastic.  I am deluding myself it will not happen.

A mixed bag on the finance front, I have put much more away into my savings pots than normal but have also spent a bit more than normal too. I am now looking after our office fish and felt bad he was effectively in a bowl so I bought him a tank with a filter, this also makes him safe from the kitten. That was £50 gone! Then I bought some shorts online as the weather is lovely and in a fit of tidying over the winter when I was convinced I would be a waif by this summer I threw all of last years out when they were still perfectly good 😩 another £40 quid there! Finally, as I have started running again and only have either thick winter leggings (for running in weather down to -5) or 2 pairs of 3/4 pants which were in the wash I bought another pair of 3/4 leggings for a mere £31.  By the time the clothes arrive we will be out of lockdown, summer will be over (sorry guys all my fault for buying shorts and threatening to get my legs out in the back garden as not allowed out in public!) And I will be back in work!

Don't get me wrong I am grateful to still be working and getting my full wage, even more so that I am still financially better off than I would normally have been with commuting costs but I am still a little annoyed with myself.

in other news the garden is coming on ok and is now showing real signs of life, seedlings are doing well but it will be another month before they can go out in the garden proper.  My white camellia is in flower.... 

Broke_Bear

Here she is 

in_need_of_direction

So so pretty

Broke_Bear

I look forward to this com8ng into flower every year  😊