Keeping Going For My Furbabies

StartingAgainAt29

@Chrystal thanks, I've started to feel a bit more human! I've bought the medication, it tips me over into my OD but I hate not having any as it can be (not quite literally) a life saver.

So as I've been feeling a bit better I've done boring tasks that were on my to-do list like put my clothes away, and chop up some leeks and onions that were close to turning, to put them in the freezer. Also got some frozen peppers out to put in my wraps for work tomorrow and Wednesday. As above I'm now into my OD, with Monzo I get £20 with no fees so I'm £7 in the red, and I'm going to Aldi tomorrow so will spend no more than £13. I will sort out the shortfall on Friday with payday, will most likely mean I won't send as much to the CC.

Feeling ill usually makes me feel reflective, and I've been thinking about this MSE journey that I'm on now. Although having to watch every penny isn't exactly fun, it feels a much more authentic way of living for me. Growing up, my mum always taught us to be sensible with money, we weren't poor but we didn't have an abundance of it so always had to think about what we were spending money on. Even in Uni I was pretty good with money. My ex was always very flippant with money, and it always rubbed me the wrong way, but being with him for so long I benefitted from his careless spending (like meals out and takeaways) so I guess being careful went into the back of my mind. It was always there though. One thing the past four months have taught me is that I can be good with money, I'm not the most frugal but doing the best I can feels good. I'm sure I don't have to explain it to you guys! It did worry me spending my life long-term with someone with different money values to me. Fending for myself feels good, in part because I don't have to worry about what someone else might be spending!

I could go on for a while, so I better sign off so I can get the early night I was planning. Good night everyone!

astrocytic_kitten

Painkillers that help you function are essentials, I’m glad you bought them - not doing so would have been a false economy in my view.

Your reflections have hit a chord with me, I feel much the same. Now I’m tracking every penny and being careful what I spend it does feel more authentic and more true to my upbringing.

StartingAgainAt29

@astrocytic_kitten it's interesting isn't it, I think I've had it in my mind as a half-formed thought for a while, and it came to me fully yesterday. I think it ties into the anti-consumption/more enviornmentally conscious thing as well, just being more mindful of how I'm spending my money and what I'm bringing into my life.

Well I'm about 90% better migraine-wise so that's good! Felt like a proper human today and wasn't on my own in the admin department which always helps.Got some updates:

• Sold a pair of shorts, so that's £4.66 profit
• Hit £5.46 on PA so I claimed that and put it into my spending account (so brought the OD down to ~£2)
• Bought my travel insurance for Peru via topcashback for £28 so I think I should get ~£6 for that
• Spent £14.64 in Aldi. This was above my £13 goal, but as I'd put the £5 PA money in there it balances itself out

That's it money-wise. Will package the shorts up tonight and send out tomorrow on my lunch. Dinner is reheated sausage, leek and cannellini pasta. I might do some relaxing yoga if I feel in my mood for it (I'm almost never in the mood for it after dinner but the intention is there ) A friend has sent me a job spec for a job in London, the top end of the salary would make it worthwhile me going into London. She has a friend who works there so says she can connect us. We'll see!

bd80s

Glad you're feeling better, it's never fun when you're ill. 
Nice little MSE moves there will the selling and cashback, I've got a little while before any insurances are due so can't jump on the cash back bandwagon quite yet ...but i'll get there. 
Braver than me being willing to work in London, I don't even like it when I have to visit but then again I am a happy little country mouse

StartingAgainAt29

Thanks @bd80s! Can you believe this is my first time buying insurance with cashback....I usually remember after the fact I worked in London before, I can commute from where I live although it can be a pain. The last time I was there I struggled with anxiety as I was way in over my head with the job I had...it's great for a social life though which is something I feel I miss sometimes. I don't blame you not liking it though, it's definitely overwhelming at the best of times!

So no plan to spend today, ex has sent over the insurance money to my account so although I haven't checked the joint account I'm guessing he's sent the mortgage money over. I would like to think he'll keep paying no problem but I always have it in the back of my mind that one month he'll just stop. Try not to spiral thinking about that one!
Got woken up at 4am to a really weird screeching noise, turned out the boys had knocked over their water fountain so the motor noise was really loud. As I was filling it back up, Cat1 shot across the room, knocked my laptop off the table, that scared him even more so he ran again.....like !!!!!! it's 4am too early for this !!!!!! Did the boys' litter tray this morning so I didn't have to do it this evening. Plan today is work, post the parcel on my lunch, run 5 miles, and then hoover the flat. Not sure if ex is planning to come Thursday or Friday this week as he threw both days into the mix

I was on the OLIO app yesterday and spotted a jumper in my size and a fluffy scarf, not too far away from me. As its free I jumped on it, so I'm picking them up tomorrow after work. If they're no good for me to wear day to day I think they would be good to take to Peru, as they're free if anything happens to them I won't be too upset. 

Have a good day everyone

a_silver_lining

Hey Startingagain Had to comment as I realised I'd binge read loads of your diary!! 

Just want to say that it's really inspirational how you have grabbed the opportunity of this change to make a better life for you and your furbabies I'm a lady (I almost said girl, but I think I'm past that!!!) a few years older (33 next month, erg!) and have had a different kind of change with selling up my own flat to move to Ireland with my girlfriend. Furbaby, a big fat fluffy ginger rescue cat got driven over with us. I'd do anything for him, including living where we are now far out of the city to enable him to have a garden.

As I was reading your posts I realised that I hadn't really grabbed the opportunity of my change fully. I have used it as an opportunity to save again, and am working towards my goal this year. I used to run too and whilst I'm not sure my knees would cope with a marathon again, after reading about you booking races to work towards I'm going to look into some tough mudders for this summer so I can throw myself back into training. Apart from that I just keep counting my losses, of job opportunities, being away from friends, not being at 'home' in my flat, not having a garden. I think I will use your inspiration to think today about how I can change those into opportunities

StartingAgainAt29

Hi @a_silver_lining, it's always so flattering when people read my diary! Thank you for your kind words   You sound like you've had quite the adventure! Your furbaby sounds gorgeous Tough mudders sound really fun (if very hard work!), enjoy!

I did spend a little yesterday, but I'm not over my £20 buffer. I went and posted the ebay package, walked to the library to pick up a book that was on hold (I need to stop putting books on hold, I've got like 10 of them stacked up on my bedside table at the moment ) I then went to Home Bargains and bought some jaffa cakes and breakfast biscuits for work snacks, came to £2. I then ate a sleeve of jaffa cakes as prep for my run. I realised I was running out of bio wash, I get smol deliveries for non-bio and dishwasher tablets, so paid £1 for a sample order of 12 tablets which will get me through a month or so, I only use bio wash for my towels and bedding. Did my 5 mile run, was tough but happy with my time. Wiped me out though!

I've realised that the reason I'm in my OD is because the roundups that Monzo sends to my CC pot has left me with less money in my spending pot (it should have been obvious but it's only just clicked with me ). So this month I'll let the round ups happen, but I won't send any money to the CC until the end of the month so I don't get left short.

I've seen a challenge to get rid of 40 things across lent, so I'm going to try that. Didn't manage to find anything yesterday so tonight I will try and find 2 items.

Not impressed with ex this morning. Messaged me at 8am to say they were coming over today I told him that it was unfair to give an hour's notice, his communication hasn't improved and this will be the last time I am granting access. He said it was because their dog was in the vet and they weren't sure if they could make it today, why not text me last night saying that? At least I would have had a head's up! I told him I hadn't hoovered or tidied so I will not be accepting any comments about the "state" of the flat. He says they only need to put one panel of wallpaper up, but they haven't finished the spare room...not reminding him about that though. Told him to make sure the cats aren't locked in the bedroom again.

Payday tomorrow  

StartingAgainAt29

Forgot to add, I checked the account that my viral video is in to see if it has made any money. Drumroll, I have made..........................
25 cents
I'll try to not spend it all at once!

astrocytic_kitten

I was just thinking about that video the other day when my cat was doing something daft, and wondering if it had made you millions yet! 😂

db2016

on the subject of "viral" videos,
i have a collection of photos, some i took myself and some i "bought" with all rights etc (around 25k of them on old negatives that need digitising). and of a specific subject. kind of niche but not too niche, so know the world of copyright and licencing for use well. i presume you let a media company take over control of the vid, which is a shame because sometimes they pay really badly.
agency im with takes 50:50 (and i also sell direct to clients), and just this week i got a sale for one image of which my end will be £30 which when the "buying" of that image was a quid or less is a good deal. the best i had was a front cover on a disney book - and that was £1900 my side. which more than covered the images "cost to me", and copyright law states they will be mine for my life PLUS 70 years after i die, even if i dont pass them on in a will, so yea, things like that can be lucrative sidelines.

if you can i'd try get out of that deal with whomever and "sell" it yourself. even if its just on youtube. if it get shared organically enough, then that view on under YOUR name is better than under a big media outlets. - and also brings in scope for more, you could even do a blog on the back of it, it ALL helps. it annoys me when i see good pics or videos online that are given away for free, the good old "photo competition" being one! aka give us your entry, which we can make money off hidden in our Ts and Cs, and we will give you a mention at least, or at most maybe a small token, and people just like to see their name mentioned / or because they dont know they have something of worth!
the BBC are bad for this, just this week i have seen snowy or weather pics submitted by "readers", and these could have made serious money had they been placed right!