A welcome wake up call

Eyebright · 31 January 2020 at 12:26PM

Well done Twiggy, you are doing fabulous! I also like the idea of having that buffer in the account, but seeing it as zero. I used to do this back in the MSE days, and hopefully I can get back to that again. The priority at the moment is my EF and filling my sinking funds, but I'd like to get to the point of having a month ahead on the bills as I journey towards being DF.

It's good to have goals to aim for:j

Hope you have a good day

twiggy86 · 11 February 2020 at 4:53PM

Have I really not posted yet this month?! Well that shows that I've been slipping off the MSE wagon! I could beat myself up and tell you the naughty-ish things I've been doing (like buying lunch) but I won't!!! I what I will do is tell you the positives...
* I went away for the weekend and I spent within budget - I was hoping to come back with a bit more but I'm not allowing myself to feel guilty!!
* I've made all CC minimums for the month
* As it's a council tax "free" month, I've used that for an overpayment
* Meaning current payments for the month are at £332.57 with £125.76 to go to meet my monthly target
* Marathon training is still on track (including going for a 5 mile run on Saturday whilst away having drunk too much rum and had 4 hours sleep!!!)
* Got my butt back on here after going awol!!!

Maybe this will be the week that I reset and get back on the wagon but I did buy lunch today! My excuse, I felt like I needed some goodness so bought a salad - yes, yes rubbish excuse! So I'm going off to find inspiration to get back on track.

Sarahwithlove · 13 February 2020 at 12:03AM

It's so easy to slip back into bad habits. I've stopped taking my purse with me anymore and have a link to forums on my front screen on my phone then it makes me think twice about paying for it with my phone. Doesn't always work but does most of time. My card for petrol comes with me if it's needed but that has its own bank account.

twiggy86 · 20 February 2020 at 2:28PM

Yep, as you can probably tell my the silence, I'm still wobbling! No big spends or CC spending but just general frittering and not logging in my spending diary! However it is now catching me out as OH is having issues with payment so it's getting tight. Plus I had some things I was going to book this month which I haven't yet and may not have the funds to (train and hotel for marathon).
Haven't made any more CC payments, but then I always have a lull in the middle of the month so not overly concerned there - particularly as I will have excess in my pots to use which will probably meet my target for the month. So on that basis, imagine what I could have achieved without the frittering!

twiggy86 · 28 February 2020 at 1:18PM

Pay day = new month, new mindset!!! This month all spends will be tracked and this should get me back on the bandwagon!

Today I've made payments which I'm counting as Feb (well technically we are still in February!) as it came from last month's pay of £160 which means I met my monthly target (well and slightly exceeded). Definitely helped having a council tax free month!

Despite the above, my confession is that I spent on my CC! My reason for this is that I genuinely needed new trainers and had planned to buy them in March but couldn't wait any more - picture a blood filled blister on top of a blister on top of a blister etc!!! Given that I'm training for a marathon I couldn't have done another "long" run in the old ones - which I had for over 3 years. I technically could have reshuffled my pots to cover it but regardless it will be cleared again this month!

So here's to a new month and getting my total debt to under £10k!!!

twiggy86 · 11 March 2020 at 12:22PM

As you can probably tell from my lack of posts, I haven't fully found that MSE mindset again yet! I have making the excuse that I haven't had time to get on here to post, and yes I have been busy at work, but clearly I need to get my act together! Month started off badly, i.e. frivolous, i.e. takeaways (yes plural), but hoping I'm back on track. Pretty sure I've said this before but definitely realising that food is my area of weakness. I can only imagine how bad I was between buying lunch and takeaways pre-LBM!

Good news is my debt is now under £10k!!! Currently stands at £9,865.97 - hoping this will go down more yet this month as I've got a way to go to meet my monthly target, however OH is being mucked around with pay so it's a bit tight at the moment. Even more reason to reset again today! Need to make time to read some diaries to inspire me with everyone's progress!

Not the most exciting post - but its a post!!!

twiggy86 · 20 March 2020 at 12:10PM

I don't need to say that now is a very uncertain time for many, and I don't think there is anyone who isn't affected in some way. For me, whilst my job seems to be secure for now, my OH's is not so certain. I am currently working from home, which although I dislike as find very lonely, there are financial positives:
* No commute so petrol expenditure will go down (obviously I was already saving on parking)
* Not having to do hair and make-up so savings there too
However, it will mean an increase in other areas, such as energy and tea/ milk etc.

Unfortunately I've seen the lightbulb re emergency fund too late and am now really wishing I'd prioritised it given the uncertainty of OH's financial situation moving forward. So for a little while I'm going to stop all CC overpayments and use all the little extras to put aside. Meaning my targets are put on hold for now and I am taking the pressure off myself in this regard - maybe I'll set small interim savings goals. I am fortunate enough that I can cover all our bills on my wage alone, although it doesn't leave much else to play with. However, I know not everyone is this lucky, so I am trying to count myself as lucky. Also, as much as would love children right now, again I am fortunate to not have the additional stress of trying to manage work and child care.

My other concern is that recent history has shown that my OH really suffers mentally if he doesn't have his own money or feel like he isn't contributing to the household. I have a slightly not MSE solution should he find himself out of work which is to buy some materials we need to finish doing up the house. Financially this isn't helpful, but his mental health is also important as I need him around and am genuinely concerned what this could do to him. I'm hoping that if he is contributing to the house in a different way and keeping busy, it will help ease the pressure.

Hoping everyone is coping in these very difficult times.

twiggy86 · 23 March 2020 at 5:32PM

Not to much to report but need to get back into the habit of posting on here regularly to keep me on track.

I now have a miniature emergency fund of £125. This is a combination of my "save the change" for the month, plus the surplus of my parking and petrol pots for the month - I've just filled up my tank and given that I'm now working from home, I won't need either. I've also done a few more surveys on PA which has £11.33 payable and another 80p pending. Also hoping my first zipzero payment from last month clears (for some reason it was delayed) so that's £5.84 off my water bill plus I have another £8.55 payable (and 52p pending) which I will cashout probably tomorrow. So that should reduce my water bill by about £15 which I will then take from my account and transfer to my new emergency fund, along with the PA money.

I'm at the point where it seems so small it doesn't seem worth it but I know how much all the "odds and sods" add up, so must persevere.

OH managed to work today but has come home really down and says he doesn't want to go tomorrow (if you even can). Which is what got me back on these boards in the first place, when he was going through this before. So I just need to be thankful of the steps I've taken in the interim to improve my position - despite the lack of emergency fund. I do have £390 put aside for doing up the house, which is the money I was planning to use to buy materials to give OH some jobs to keep him busy - but the mood he's in today, not sure we'll be using it for that. I just really need for him to find his passion again, but for now we'll see how things go.

Chrystal · 24 March 2020 at 3:43AM

Hope OH feels better soon, take care of yourselves. XX

twiggy86 · 24 March 2020 at 11:18AM

Thanks Chrystal. He seems more positive today, although he isn't able to work today due to lack of materials but will have them tomorrow. I think the government's moves to help self employed are helping. This is extra helpful as where the mortgage is in my name (and therefore based on my income, which is unaffected) I believe I am unable to seek financial help. However as I said above, I am fortunate enough to be able to cover everything with a little bit left over - if OH doesn't get help from the government I have said this will be split 50/50 between us. Although in all honesty not sure what I'd need to spend as can;t go anywhere - maybe some wool to ensure I have a way to entertain myself with my crochet rather than just sitting in front of the TV when I'm not working.