The Four D's

FootyFanDan

Haha, lecture away. Seriously though it is good to get advice and perspective from people who have been through the experience and it's given me some things to think through . I want her to experience things i never did as a kid, i want to give her memories and am very conscious they grow up way fast! 

FootyFanDan

Evening All.

Hope you have all had a good weekend in the sun. I've enjoyed a quite relaxed 4 days off especially given the weather, mainly been spent in the garden soaking it up, weekends like these isolation ain't all bad!

Back to the work grind tonight, oh man these next few weeks of constant nights are going to mess up my body clock big time. 

Hope everyone is keeping safe.

FootyFanDan

Hi All, 

Hope everyone is keeping well. Not really had much to update really but everything budget /finance wise is going as well as can be. It feels like all the early hard work is paying off now, everything finance wise seems quite mundane..which i guess is a sign things are just ticking along. I feel quite lucky despite my concerns of going into work, i still have work and pay so that is helping.

I am feeling quite good at the minute with my finances, although the debt isn't tumbling down quickly i am now at a stage where i have made peace with how much / how quickly things will happen so i am not really over worrying right now. The one massive positive and (although it should be the normal and will be moving forward) is for the first time in forever i start a new financial year with all my priority debts up to date. Council Tax is not behind on any payments at all so go into new CT year with no debt, Electric and Gas are in credit, water all up to date. These are small steps but this is a huge indicator of how i am doing, this coupled with the fact i have a little bit of savings shows the progress i have made and i need to remind myself of that when i am giving myself an hard time.

My overall financial outlook as changed, i am now thinking of long term bills and making sure these are budgeted for which was never the case, i would just wait until the month that expected expense would arrive and pay it - same as xmas. I have needed a new phone for a while now and the old me would have sacrificed all my work of the last few months just to buy the phone but the new me will save up until i am in a position to buy the one i want knowing i will only replace this in another 4 or 5 years. I will not lie the new me still has wants and i don't think that is a bad thing, i love technology and they get used to the maximum so i don't mind spending on them, but i will no longer sacrifice other stuff for them or get into debt for them. It gets said by many but this forum and its amazing people have helped turn my whole outlook around so thank you!

Quick question...does a creditor have to default you? The account as been behind for a long time and i just assumed it had defaulted like others, but for some reason despite the missed payments (whole different story about why they were missed but maybe for another day ha), they are still marking as late payment and i assume now when i do pay this off its going to then stay on report for another 6 years from date that is settled?

[Deleted User]

I feel the same as you, concerned about having to go to work but also grateful to still have a job and getting normal pay x

FootyFanDan

Yeah, it’s a really strange place to be at right now. I do feel lucky to still have work and full income but naturally worried about been out and around people, I am being as careful as possible though so can’t really do much more. I am still not sure my employer is taking it anymore seriously than a few weeks ago the lack of leadership is truly horrific, even though I was prepared that they would be very unprepared.

Not really much happening MSE wise, budget ticking over nicely for now and can’t see any hiccups just yet...famous last words 😂

DancingInTheRain

So pleased you're sounding so in control with your finances, you should be really proud of yourself.
🤬🤬 to your work leadership though, it's individuals like them that are going to make this awful situation drag on.
Look after yourself x

FootyFanDan

Hey DITR! How are you keeping?

I feel so much more in control than this time last year, I still have lapses and feel annoyed when I know something I use loads needs replacing / upgrading and I am not in a position to do so coz of this debt. Although this whole MSE journey has made me fear spending money weirdly I used to not really think about it, but now I analyse and overthink every single purchase which is a good thing i guess.

Work situation is very frustrating, but i have gone past the angry stage now coz it just put me in a really crappy mood and i realised i can only impact so much on there choice so i have to just stick to what i can influence

FootyFanDan

Morning All, 

Hope everyone is doing well, 

Well, we are nearly at another payday . Another month of more money than month, this is becoming a regular thing now...people are going to start thinking i have got my act together financially soon hahaha! But its such a better feeling than struggling through my last week to payday.

Budget seems to be holding up pretty well and now feels like everything just rolls out now, no needing to worry over what bill is getting missed this month to cover arrears on something else. Lockdown is saving me money in some places but shopping budget gone up a little, mainly i think due to buying just a bit extra than i normally would to prevent me needing to go back as often.  I am now in a stable enough position to just allow standing orders / Direct debits just to take care of payments and then when i see my balance i know most of them are all taken care of. 

Nights are still the current situation at work which i don't actually mind too much, i have quite a big project at work and nights allows me the time and focus to be able to complete the huge admin side of it so that when the lockdown eases i can do the other side (whenever that may be) The deadline is going to be tight though...it was 9 months completion which was very optimistic to start with haha with but now i have lost two months worth of been able to do some of it. The one downside is that the 4 days i am off is tough to keep my bodyclock in check especially given DP and DD are in day mode.

Hope everyone is keeping safe, i am checking everyone's progress without commenting too much but cheering you all on

FootyFanDan

Hey All, 

Well end of another month! these are flying by,. This month has actually been a decent month budget wise, My YNAB is looking like an actual proper month as other few have been up and down while catching up stuff. One thing i have picked up is just how much i still buy the little food stuff on the way to work which adds up, also used the £50 buffer that was in this months budget on sun loungers - which is an expense that wasn't really needed however we are spending quite alot of time in the garden and we aren't exactly spending any other money we have in shops so a treat that would have been spent on rubbish anyways.

Food shopping is a tiny bit higher than the budget, by about £30, however this is offset by the fact my petrol budget was £40 less than it usually would be so no real loss, but need to keep an eye on it. I am really starting to see the benefits of my work, I now no longer spend nights awake worrying about the next knock on the door, its payday for me today thanks to Monzo hehe. I need to sort the money into accounts/pots but undecided on what to do i normally put money away (EF, Xmas for DD, Xmas for everyone else, Car Maintenance and then Car insurance for next year) I don't know if i should sacrifice all other pots just to get my EF up to the £300 i wanted and then start building other pots back up from next month.

Hope everyone is doing okay

DancingInTheRain

I'd say do the EF first then you have a buffer in place otherwise if an emergency pops up you'll end up having to use your saving pots or have to take on further borrowing.
You're in a good place with your budgeting so it's only a small diversion from where you really want to get to and then you'll get even more satisfaction seeing your pots build safe in the knowledge that you have established an EF as well as continuing to pay down the debt.