Keeping Going For My Furbabies

StartingAgainAt29

Hi everyone!

I had a diary before while I was saving for a new place with my partner, and 15 months ago we completed on the flat, and moved in together.
....just under a month ago my partner walked out, leaving me with two cats, and is now forcing me to sell-up.

So, not only do I have the emotional fall out of a long-term relationship break up, but now I have the journey of selling a flat I don't want to leave, and finding somewhere else I can afford within my monthly income. I kept the two furbabies (meow), so it also needs to be suitable for them.

I have a credit card balance of £1344.95, which is a priority for me to bring down (I'm waiting for a £75 refund which will bring that down). I am also trying to be as frugal as possible, so I can save for the inevitable of moving to a new place, and all the costs that will come with that.

I have already started to batch cook meals, including lentils in for cheap protein. I was meant to get a new phone as my battery is dying, but I bought a portable charger so I don't have to panic when out and about for a long time.

I just want to document my journey here, as it was helpful to me when I was last on here, and I'm hoping to get fully back into the MSE mindset to really help me get where I need to be. I live in an expensive area for rent, and I can not under any circumstances afford it with the salary I'm on now. So I have a lot of important choices to make about where I live, and if I try to find a new job. I'm also getting used to the single life again, and wondering if I can really bothered at the moment!

Only time will tell. Here's to the next chapter:money:

[Deleted User]

That's a lot on your plate to deal with! Glad you have the cats - my small feline is the best support
Will subscribe to cheer you on, just one step at a time and in a few months you'll be in a completely different world, both mentally and fiscally, and possibly physically too! Exciting times ahead (even if it doesn't quite feel that way just now!)

StartingAgainAt29

Hi BlackCoffee, thank you so much for your message! I had a look at your diary and you've done so well! Yes, I don't know where I'd be without the cats, when my partner left it felt so odd and horrible going back to the flat, but knowing they were there waiting for me was a really big comfort. I am trying to be excited about the new start, thanks for the encouragement

So a couple of spends today although they don't really count in my budget as they come from the "Christmas Fund". I bought a new tree (:D) for £15, which I'll collect at some point this week; a nail polish to finish off my mum's beauty advent calendar for £3.99 (we've done our own customised ones this year rather than spending a lot of money on a generic one); and £3.99 on an unnecessary but really cute llama Christmas decoration. The breakup has really dulled the shine of Christmas for me, so anything I do find that ups my spirits I'm going to grab! My mum has spare lights for me so I won't have to splash out on those, and I have lots of decorations from last year so don't anticipate spending any more. Also withdrew £30 for my brother's birthday on the 29th, this also doesn't count as I have a "birthday fund":money:

I've added a signature to show my progress with my credit card, and my savings pot. This is connected to my monzo account, and has a good interest rate, and is accessible within 24 hours. I don't really have any specific plans for this money at the moment (or a goal amount), I just want to build up a pot as I'm not too sure what the next few months will bring.

Last night I had leftover lentil bolognese and spaghetti, and tonight's plan is spinach tortellini, pesto and brocolli. I'm planning to do a 3.2 mile run (training for a half-marathon) so the carbs will definitely be needed. Might collect the tree tonight if I have time and can be bothered! Otherwise it's a couple of tasks round the flat, and some re-watching Below Deck on Hayu (it's my obsession, I can't get enough of watching people who work on rich people yachts!)

linz

Hi,

Do you have to sell up or can you afford to buy your partner out? If your lender agrees you could do a transfer of equity into your name only? You could then get a lodger to help with the mortgage.

Good luck with the run - I recently did my first half marathon. Running is a great way to de-stress and it's free!

StartingAgainAt29

Hi linz, thanks for your message!

Honestly I wish I could buy him out. But, property prices are so high round here that neither of us can afford the flat on our own, even though he earns almost twice what I do and I earn mid-20's. It's not a bad area per se but the prices do not reflect what you get, it's purely because we're on the Elizabeth line.

I've done this particular half marathon before but years ago, as I stopped running for a couple of years. So glad I got back into it before the breakup as it has honestly been a massive help in keeping me sane!

[Deleted User]

All sounding really positive for you - a llama Christmas decoration sounds like a necessity to me

MovingForwards

Good luck with your diary and I'm sorry about the breakup.

Having your furbabies will get you through this.

A few things I can recommend is saving everything 99p and under from your current account and moving it to a dedicated savings account. Every time you have a direct debit or use your debit card log in to your account and move the pennies.

Get hold of the vegetarian student cookbook, it's a couple of quid on eBay / amazon. As the title suggests it's a simple, budget and quick cook recipe book. You can add meat / fish so don't need to be a vegi. Gives you meal plans for a month, broken down into a week of shopping.

I've moved from my debt diary to saving for a house diary. Logging random thoughts and just having a place to speak made my journey so much easier

StartingAgainAt29

BlackCoffee it's so cute I think you're right, it was a necessity

MovingForward thanks for the message and the tips, will definitely take them onboard I'm not veggie but definitely want to reduce my meat intake now that I am in charge of my own meals only! My ex was very focused on meat but I like trying to get my protein in other ways.


A £5 spend today from the xmas fund for the cats' xmas present. It's a cube which they've had twice before and love, but they are so chonky that they break it every few months lol.


Went and did my weekly shop at Aldi, didn't have to get too much really but still came to £15. I have plenty in the cupboard and freezer for next week's meals though, and food for work the rest of this week.


I went and collected the xmas tree today too - was prepared to battle with a huge box and have it stuck out of the top of my mini (I have a convertible and although it's teeny it's amazing what you can fit in it with the roof down!) Well when I got it it's in a tiny box which fit perfectly in my car - obviously meant to be :santa2:


I'm out tomorrow with the girls for our monthly book club, it's in a pub and although everyone else is eating I'm going to eat at home before I go. Then it's 2-4-1 cocktails. I'll have to pay for travel, probably a bus and a train, but I'll try and keep the spend below £20 as that's what I have left in my Monzo account and I get paid on Friday.


Going to chill and wait for the Apprentice later, might even have a Baileys :A hope everyone has a good evening!

StartingAgainAt29

Hi everyone,


Well last night was more spendy than I planned......it cost me £50 in total with travelling into town, eating and drinking. The plan changed, we were meant to be meeting in a pub and I would eat at home beforehand, but then it moved to a restaurant with a wine and pasta deal for £10. But of course, it doesn't stop at 1 glass of wine. Anyway, it was more than I wanted to spend, and it put me into my overdraft for a day, but I'm not going to beat myself up as I had a great time, and it's the first time seeing some of the girls since my breakfup, and it's good to get different perspectives.


I got paid today, so I moved all my money around, and put some money into my savings (£100). I have £60 not accounted for in my spreadsheet, so need to work out what that's for :think:


I did have a bit of an MSE win today, I took a chicken salad wrap with me to work for lunch, but it was one of the Director's big birthdays so they had loads of food out. I didn't even eat that much but I was stuffed :rotfl:so I've brought the wrap home and that will be my dinner, means what I'd planned for tonight can be left for another night:money:


It's my brother's birthday today, so I'm going for a run in a bit and will run past his to put his card through the door as he's out. Then the plan is for an early night, as I'm going to try and get a free meeting with a local solicitor early tomorrow morning, then I've got a hospital appointment for a monthly thing I have done. So from around 11am I should be free as a bird, and I've got next week off work so I am very excited :jOnce I've spoken to the solicitor I need to respond to my ex's rather cold and sh**y email that he sent last week, but that's a problem for another day.


Happy Friday!:beer:

StartingAgainAt29

Afternoon,


Was busy this morning, went to the free legal clinic and feel SO much better about my legal position with ex, going to write the email to him now so I can forget about it and get on with my weekend. Wasn't allowed to wait in the clinic so I spent money on a hot chocolate in McD for warmth, money on parking in town and then money at parking in the hospital. Total £5.09. I'm not going anywhere else today to spend, and won't be going out tomorrow either. Just finished cleaning the flat, so after writing the email I am going to CHILL OUT and make the most of my first weekend not doing anything since he left Lentil bolognese from the freezer for dinner too, carb loading for tomorrow's 6 mile run

StartingAgainAt29

Afternoon,

Popping on as I'm on my laptop having just sent the email to my ex and submitted the big assignment for my course for work. So glad that's over!

Did my 6 mile run this morning, no idea how I did it but my split times are so consistent even though I felt like I was struggling.

There will be no spends today, but I did accrue 11p of interest in my savings pot so that's been added to my sig.

I'm going to put up my Xmas tree tonight, and maybe have a chill with an xmas film. Tomorrow I've got to take the boys to the vets for their boosters and get their teeth checked, they're chonks so I've had to rope in my brother to help as I can't carry them both on my own:rotfl:I can't wait to find out how much they weigh tomorrow, at least 5kg each if not more. I'm going to take the money for that from a fund we had for the cats, so I won't have to worry about the cost.

That's it for now, happy Sunday :cool: