2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine

mark55man

Haven't done this report back against my OP for a while

Focus on Long Standing Goals

• Weight:- Weighed in today - 2 kilos down this week so now at 212lbs or a very little over 15 Stone. Looking very good, even if I slow down but averaging 3lbs a week consistently over Sept and Oct

• Money:- Going well 3 months not overdrawn, minimum spends on CC, fully paid off.  This month was closer to OD than expected because of my CC1 repayment last month, and had to do some serious cross account juggling, but made it 

• Personal Environment:- Last months push on decluttering prior to xmas, hasn't happened, maybe a National Lockdown (hopefully with amenities like the tip open) will work.  Equally though, we may not be allowed to have family round for Christmas so one incentive has gone.  It needs to be done though!

• Eat more frogs more often - not much frog eating going on - tried a few things, but with mixed success - I have a bit of a breather in my work after next week, so I will be at home (probably) and just get my head around all the admin and chasing (and DIY) that I need to do.  Home and work are a bit more mixed up at the moment than usual, will need some routines to separate.

• Long term finances - Mortgage/Pension - rolling on, starting to think about what I'm going to do post debt free day - but as I said above, I think CC-DFD is a few months into 2021 so have time to work on it, but initial thinking is to start with a bigger cash reserve to cover (and then replenish) Annual Expenses + 1 or 2 months living costs, then will put the rest into investment savings to create a matching pot against my mortgage, which I can't overpay quickly enough (terms and conditions) to achieve my 5 year goal.
• Personal stuff - Next focus is going to have to be back on fitness - I read a FB post that said its "better to be fit and a bit fat than it is to be thin and not fit" - I won't bore you with failed step counts, but I am going to try and find a way of making it happen and making it interesting for me as well as y'all

Keep well all, and keep safe - its dangerous out there - I think now of all times the old proverb "better to be safe than sorry" is more applicable than ever, and certainly more true than those advising safety as a barrier to progress 

there_is_a_light_2

Hi mark55man - just dropping by to say that I'm glad I came across your diary as it has motivated me to restart my own diary.  Well done on the debt busting and weight loss.  I'm about to embark on decluttering after 20+ years of  family 'stuff' building up so share your pain on that one. Take care and good luck on your journey.

mark55man

Hello TIAL2 - welcome aboard - I did join the decluttering thread at the start of the year but lost motivation in initial lockdown.  I will be trying to focus on decluttering and fitness next, so all company is always welcome.

With the lockdown your username is just perfect, because just like the Smiths song none of us will ever be going out   (PS hope you don't mind a little humour) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siO6dkqidc4 

mark55man

PS  - feel free to post a link to your diary and I'll pop along later - ironically I'm just going out now - but may be last time for a while

doingitanyway

Like you regular coffee is returning to my budget. I know that without them you can be a small island twice a year or something but paying happily as it is a small pleasure that I missed!

Your budget categories are looking good. 

there_is_a_light_2

mark55man said:

Hello TIAL2 - welcome aboard - I did join the decluttering thread at the start of the year but lost motivation in initial lockdown.  I will be trying to focus on decluttering and fitness next, so all company is always welcome.

With the lockdown your username is just perfect, because just like the Smiths song none of us will ever be going out   (PS hope you don't mind a little humour) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siO6dkqidc4 

Ha ha, little did I know 7 years ago how apt the name would be!  That's 2 words you don't often hear in the same sentence -  Smiths and humour - but I do like both.

mark55man

One for you at @doingitanyway although I'm sure you've seen it before.  Taken from @rugbymadfamily 's MFW diary

"If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." (Mark Twain)

savingholmes

Well done on the weight loss and the budgeting - everything going in the right direction

doingitanyway

mark55man said:

One for you at @doingitanyway although I'm sure you've seen it before.  Taken from @rugbymadfamily 's MFW diary

"If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." (Mark Twain)

Great quote and I agree totally

PassElephant

@mark55man Thank you. I didn't know what eating a frog meant and now I do.
Face it early, face it head on.
Cheers to you and Twain.