2019 - A More Old Style Year

CarshaltonClaret

I am a big believer in simple loving and it is an ethos I have been following for some time. For me it’s about refining and reaffirming the choices I make to sit more closely with my values.

I am really keen to avoid single use plastic wherever possible next year, which is just about considering every choice and identifying alternatives.

I will be aiming to OP as much as possible on the mortgage - we have 2 years remaining on a 5 year fixed deal and then want to consider moving so I really want to bring that balance down.

I have got out of the habit of paying for things in cash. It’s always my preferred method of spending as it helps me budget so will be going back to that.

I also want to make better use of my time. I have decided to post on here, rather than just reading, in the hope that it’ll be a more active, rather than passive, use of my time. I also want to read more rather than browsing t’interweb and to do more fun stuff in London, where I live.

Lastly, I am taking up the “walk 1000 miles” challenge again. I did it in 2017 and actually walked 1250 miles. I then stupidly thought I had it ingrained in my system and it would somehow happen magically this year but no, I probably managed 250 miles all year. So I am back to monitoring my daily mileage and recording to keep me accountable.

pavlovs_dog

beenthere_donethat wrote: »

What's this called, please? I've had a look but couldn't see it

Premieres on New Years Day according to this

dragonlily

I quite fancy the Kondo programme and since we found sky no longer sparked joy we now have Freeview and Netflix. Will look for that one. I quite liked the programme called 'Consumed' on there too, although it is an older series.

CarshaltonClaret so with you on the simple living! I think we have similar goals on the go .

Lastly, I am taking up the “walk 1000 miles” challenge again. I did it in 2017 and actually walked 1250 miles.

That is amazing, and a VERY long way (nearly 3.5 miles a day !!!). I want to try and do 10 -15k steps a day this year. Well if I can ever persuade my fitbit to sync again that is.... Really need to sort that out.

Bexter1975

Do you make a " vision board"? I appreciate this may sound a bit " woo-woo" but I've found over the last couple of years this really helps. There are loads of ways to do this - I'd have a google or Pinterest for ideas.

I have never done this, but have been invited over to a friends house to do this for 2019 in early Jan, I'm pretty excited about giving it a go!

x

black_cat

I definitely need a more Old Style Year! We moved house at the beginning of 2018 so need to refill the savings account. We're also saving for a special summer holiday as we've got two big birthdays this year.
Like "a winters tale" we have too much stuff (to be honest, me more than my husband), and we need to make more space for what's really important.Our house is tidy and spacious on the surface but the spare room and garage...:o ) It should be easy to entertain ourselves without buying more (we have more than enough books, DVDs, music, games etc). So, I need to :

1. stop spending and save more
2. declutter and minimise
3. meal plan and get organised
4. exercise more, eat healthily and lose weight

Good luck everyone!

joedenise

Dragonlilly - if you do 10,00 steps a day you will be doing at least 3.5 miles a day so it's not unattainable at all! I've done just over 10,500 steps today and have done over 4 miles!

My walk today was for about 40 minutes which was about 2 miles each way and my DH and myself walk for at least 30 minutes most days and it's certainly making us fitter. Got for it!

inkie

The best strategy I have for saving money is Quarantine: all the bills are paid from one account (our joint account, which we fund proportionally to our salaries); the savings pots each have their own separate accounts; we have a “Running Away Fund” for holidays; the housekeeping money gets withdrawn as cash; and whatever money left in my bank account is my “money to live off” for the month. Even my car’s mileage money from travelling for work gets quarantined into its own account for repairs, insurance and the inevitable replacement.

I do exactly this. we have separate accounts for a lot of different expenditure. It keeps us on track. I work out exactly what the essential expenditure is across the different categories and transfer these amounts to their accounts on payday. The surplus that we have is also transferred by standing order into our high interest regular savings account. Currently getting 5%

awinterstale

Sorry just seen this - it’s called ‘Tidying up by Marie Kondo’. I think there are 8 episodes altogether.

nannygladys

Hi everyone,
I'd like to join in please, I think I do have quite a old style life but would like to make it more so, by using less fuel (petrol, gas electric etc) using fresh food and making more use of what I have. I have already decided to shop for clothes in CS and making them (but not undergarments and socks), making presents or buying them from CS, growing more of what is relevant to me on my lottie and planting to grow throughout next winter not just for the summer season. I make jam and pickles, cook from scratch, recycle and reuse as much as possible. Im also a pensioner so I also have more disposable time to do these things so I have no excuses really, but I wont be getting rid of my breadmaker as when I make it, it always turns out as flat as a pancake!!!!
I don't have a lot of 'things' so I haven't got decluttering to do although theres always something that can go. I deal with cash on a day to day basis and try to keep to a budget, (going to try even harder this year) I like going places and seeing things, but I will make considered decisions on where to go instead of deciding on the day!!
Old style to me doesn't mean I'm hankering after the war years or austerity but a less complicated one.
Nannyg

kittydfw2012

I'm in a similar position to Siebrie in that I'm between jobs having willingly taken voluntary redundancy which came with a few pennies which need to last as long as possible as I don't know when the next pay check will be arriving. I'm usually very committed to work and enjoy my job but things were so bad that actually I'm not regretting my decision for a second, quite the opposite in fact. It's wonderful not to have to rush out of the door on a winter's morning, I'm 100% making the most of simple pleasures and having time to do things which make life good (afternoon piece of Christmas cake and a cup of tea) and save money (doing a detailed budget, making tasty vegetable soup using recipes from Jack Monroe - https://www.cookingonabootstap.com). Hope you all have a good old style day.

Angel_Jenny

I think I am restarting 2019 on 1st February! Going to class January as a trial month as I have worked crazy hours and have been ill too. x