Hazelnutty's New Start

Hazelnutty

Hi Vix

Yes, the idea was to stay in touch with your research every day even if it's doodling or mind-mapping. Once term starts it can be difficult to find time for writing, so this little amount every day should help. That's the theory - I'm not doing so well in practice!

Hazelnutty

I've just paid a 50% deposit for our family hols this summer, which is :eek: financially but :j in every other way. We're going for a week's adventure hols in Wales, full board so no cooking or washing up, which OH and I really need! It puts my holiday virtual pot in deficit but it'll break even in a couple of months. I have until mid-June to save up the other 50%. Luckily finances ease up exactly around that time as I don't pay school fees then. So I think I'll be OK.

I haven't booked anything like this since the new chapter in my life started. I haven't dared. Just the thought of a big one-off expense :eek: But I work hard and we need a break, so I'm trying to stay :cool: I CAN DO THIS!

NY resolution wise I've completely failed so far on the exercise front but I've been doing meditation every morning this week and should be able to get to my first yoga class next week. How is everyone else doing?

themadvix

:T to the holiday - it sounds like it'll be fun too!

the_cross_rabbit

Holidays are essential in this household it keeps us all motivated on our MF quest. Love Wales, we are going this year too. Are you going North or South?
CRx

Hazelnutty

South and West - Pembrokeshire coast :j

newgirly

I’m not doing so great with my resolution to excercise more yet, but have started WW again and still don’t drink alcohol.

The holiday sounds a good money idea and well deserved

the_cross_rabbit

we're going to the gower. We've went to the pembrokeshire coastline years ago, beautiful area.
CRx

Crumpets

Hi Hazelnutty :wave:

Your holiday sounds amazing, a week of no cooking or washing up would be bliss! definitely money well spent :T Holidays are so important to me, they make life more fun!

How is your meditation going? what app is it that you're using? I feel I would benefit greatly from some morning meditation. This year we have introduced a weekly family meeting so that everyone knows what is going on and what needs doing. I've found this to remove a lot of 'mind baggage' as I feel it's not all on my shoulders once it's shared with the family.

I hope you're enjoying your Sunday

Hazelnutty

Before I start, Crumpets, I'm using Insight Timer (it came out well on some top 10 list of meditation apps I searched for). I did the free 7-day Learn to Meditate course and am going to start experimenting with other (free!) parts of the app tomorrow. Exercise is going woefully

January report!
Budgets:
Food: Budget £250, spent £236. Looks like I'm getting things about right. Fridge is empty though so big shop needed tomorrow!
Fuel: Budget £150, spent £124. Again, looking good.
Ents: Budget £125, spent £200 Waaay over but taking family to my conference this week just killed me. But worth it!
Misc non-food: Budget £30, spent £93 :eek: Mainly my purchase of eco lady products :cool:
Clothes: Budget £75, spent £72. This is going right down now as I'm not getting myself any new clothes.

Savings and OP targets:
OP: Aimed for £100 plus TTs, achieved (TT=£12.48)
Savings: Aiming for £162 (towards achieving 2019 goal of getting to £15k savings). Achieved £250 :j

Overall, I feel fine with this. It was always going to be an expensive month due to when my main CC cuts off (16th), so a lot of Xmas and Jan Sale stuff fell all in one CC month (16th Dec-16th Jan). I also have around £100 of expenses to claim from the conference. Some of my virtual pots are in deficit (unexpected new uniform cost as 2nd hand shop didn't have any blazers plus a few bits for the house and the deposit for the hols) BUT I will build these back up over the next couple of months. I'm sticking extra in those pots in Feb to help. This and the extra costs I mentioned does mean I will probably not hit my OP and savings targets in Feb, but TBH it was expected and normal service should resume shortly

Hope to check in on all your diaries later. :):)

x Hazel

Hazelnutty

An expensive day today but all planned. First big shop for a while £60 in Aldi, cleaner came today so house is lovely for at least half a day and finally got the deep clean on the car I'd saved up for. DD had 'lost some cheese' in the back and that was just the start of it :rotfl: I have to keep the car longer term than originally planned so it's worth trying to keep it in decent nick. It's a total luxury I know to have a valet but I would never have been able to get it done to this standard.

We're all feeling a bit sub-par in the house so this evening has been a frugal affair of beans on toast for OH and me and tomato soup for DD. Looking forward to Silent Witness tonight if I can stay awake. Looong days at work Tue and Wed but can't wait for night away with OH on Friday at a favourite place. :j