My 25 Months Challenge

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

Well i didn't get to pop back in because work has simply been draining

Food spends £4.57 only what was on the list :T & i didn't get an item as Mr Socks added something to the list instead so i thought mine could wait for another week to keep costs down

£20 Petrol top up to see me to the end of the working week. part of the reason i want a new job is work is a bit of a commute and sometimes i'm just in for a few hours so it feels like the first hour is just to pay the travel costs. i have taken this up with work but there is no movement on this at all. it wasn't what i expected when i got the job. But i did need a job at the time too... I have also needed to do a couple of small journeys for family, I combine these when i can but other commitments mean its not always possible.

Entertainment spends from the weekend £20.60 :eek: so i'll cancel another night out instead - the £20.60 does cover 3 different events. Socialising with friends and entrance fee for 2 nights with Mr Socks.

I have not yet totted up rest of weekend spends. but i will.

properly mentally vexed and drained at the moment. However, there are some good things.

Good things

skyline was beautiful as i set off to work this morning

clouds / sky were beautiful when i arrived at work

kept to the shopping list despite being very tired

realising i don't look after myself as soon as everything gets too busy - knowledge is good

Arranged appointment to tackle one of my many ailments

packed lunches - standard here

Low cost evening meals too - leftovers and 10p reduced items so freezer is still full and minimal shopping next week.

Other things

i've decided to remove alcohol from the food budget and put this from entertainment instead. if we went out it would be more expensive and Mr Socks won't reduce the weekly cost of this - he figures if we don't have it that week it will be there for another time so it's a fixed cost which is annoying me every week because with the price of this and cat food the cost is already high. I will leave cat food in this budget though. Mr Socks does contribute a bit more to the food budget for this (drinks) spend so re-categorising will mean i don't think it's hardly worth trying to reduce the food shop further.

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

whoops - meant to review rather than post.

hope all are well - tired. sure there's some 'other' things i meant to post. I will tot the spends up and post and will try and do a Friday review - may be on saturday but a tally up of where i'm at financially and then start the fresh 'month' from saturday onwards.

Herbyme

Bravo STSS for your hard work and determination!
Sorry if this has been asked already - what does 'mortgage neutral' mean?

savingholmes

Hi Stripey - sounds like you are still doing well under trying circumstances. Your clothes bargains sound great. How did you get on with your decluttering challenge?

Our fridge/freezer broke - so I decluttered it (we have a second in the garage I put some stuff into). I binned some stuff that was from 2013!!!! So think I met my challenge that way although it was partly cheating LOL...

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

carolinerunner wrote: »

Bravo STSS for your hard work and determination!
Sorry if this has been asked already - what does 'mortgage neutral' mean?

Hi Carolinerunner

Thank you for stopping by

Mortgage Neutral is when you have at least the same amount in savings as the balance of your mortgage. I think a lot of people do this due to higher interest on their savings than the interest being charged on the mortgage eg mortgage is £30,000 2% interest savings are £30,000 5% interest. HTH

Personally, i'd like all the mortgage paid off and savings and the priority for me is paying off rather than saving. However, due to several redundancies where I lost a lot of money, not just due to being out of work but because i had to apply for the statutory redundancy payment i need a buffer there which is why i have the savings (i see them as part of mortgage payment so don't touch them)

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

savingholmes wrote: »

Hi Stripey - sounds like you are still doing well under trying circumstances. Your clothes bargains sound great. How did you get on with your decluttering challenge?

Our fridge/freezer broke - so I decluttered it (we have a second in the garage I put some stuff into). I binned some stuff that was from 2013!!!! So think I met my challenge that way although it was partly cheating LOL...

Hi savings :rotfl: to your freezer declutter :rotfl: i was going to count a cocktail as decluttering as it used up a couple of bottles with only small amounts in :rotfl:

The clothes were bargains - the new work dresses in particular (£1 each) will come in handy as i only have 4 work outfits at the moment and am in 6 days sometimes.

I need to count up my decluttering but i don't think i got rid of 12 things and then thought i'd need to declutter more than i brought in too :eek:

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

Very tired so am going to have a rest in a minute

Just wanted to pop in and say sig updated :T

I've set myself some targets i'd like to achieve before the next payday - i'm working on pay day to pay day rather than full month basis.

snooze now though as i'm not up to anything when i'm this run down.

Tahlullah.H

Hope you feel more energized soon. Try not to get this low, recovery from rock bottom is a long climb.

Tx

savingholmes

I laughed at your decluttering too... sounds like we are similar currently. Hope you have fun this weekend

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

Hi Tahlullah and stripes

Thank you for stopping by.

Everything is very much a mixed bag of things at the moment as i struggle to move forwards.

Obstacles

Work is very draining and and i do not love the job I have had jobs previously which have been hard work but rewarding so the drain wasn't the same - if that makes sense? Opportunity Leave work at work! Go to work, work hard whilst there then walk away at end of the day - no staying later (unpaid) to finish something off; no taking on of responsibilities that aren't mine (it's not appreciated); no getting involved in any office moans - offloading doesn't help.

i realise i need a new job - i need to get over the fact that i feel like such an epic failure when i look for a new job but there hasn't been a single thing i want to apply for or can apply for when i've searched. Work in progress.

Birrthdays A month of significant birthdays coming up Opportunity Spend only what i need to and budget better for it going forwards.

Weight Yikes! :eek: Opportunity Pick a target and go for it. This is about my overall health too.

Good things

I know what i spent on food shopping so can keep track and update here. I spent more than i wanted (reduced meat & fish again) but i also got a few pre-paid meals as being poorly whilst shopping meant i wasn't up to cooking. Now feel like i wasted money but it was a good lesson learned as my cooking would have tasted better :rotfl:

The sky was very pretty on the way home

Feeling so bad i didn't hit my declutter target i'm going to part with 25!! things this week.

Freezer inventory - found tomorrow's lunch and tea :T

Got to dash - tea is cooking and washing is on so i'm juggling lots but wanted to post x