2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine

alt80

You’re smashing it as usual. Not long before you’re free of the debt now. Those long standing goals look a good idea and seem to help keep you on track - we’re having a look through some of our clutter over the lockdown too should have some additional time. Exercise - think you just need to make a habit out of it mate. Couch 2 5k worth a look? Think a long standing goal for me to sort my mindset out would be a good idea ha.

The Smiths - wow that brings back some early childhood memories.

mark55man

Yeah - exercise is going to get done.  Just slowly!

Don't be too impressed by long term goals - in the end we all get through the calendar one month at a time, and mostly we achieve stuff.  Mostly people achieve them as a result of how they have set up their lives, very few actually try and look that far ahead to modify and amend and optimise.  I'm not sure I do the latter very well, but at least it is there

I am having success with one thing at a time.  So I am I think going to keep going, work and diet, then work and exercise, then work and declutter.  although the repayment rate is high, its almost like that isn't hard work anymore - the surplus is the result of having got my spending urges under control - something that I think comes with age and just the inability to hold onto to a lifestyle beyond your earnings after the fifth slap in the face. 

At the end of the day (although I think I was ready for it) what the pandemic told me was the only way to make a dent in your debt is to be brutal with your expenses (which I'm not totally, but much more so) and the more brutal you are the quicker it will happen.  PLUS the recognition you have to learn to love the resultant lifestyle, because you need to keep it up - otherwise you will just head back down the plughole when you get to 0.  My aim is to overtake zero  from below and zoom a long way past it

mark55man

PassElephant said:

@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.

Thank you for the compliment @PassElephant- but the big time frog eater of these parts is @doingitanyway

alt80

@mark55man You’ve reminded me when I set up in business I wrote all kinds of forecasts and some real pie in the sky long term stuff (basically becoming a multi-national lol). I do still forecast and plan in business but my personal life has always been very chaotic unfortunately getting in the way of my business life these past few years - 100 know how difficult work/life balance can be. 

I think one of my biggest anger triggers is knowing it needs to be sustainable and learn to love the resultant lifestyle or it just spirals again. When I refinanced my portfolio and cleared the personal card debt I told myself I’d never do it again. Absolutely loath myself for hiding £100k debt from my wife and what I did after - less than a month it lasted before I was spending more than I earned. 

savingholmes

Glad you are doing amazing Mark and getting the best out of this weird year

mark55man

Thanks SH - been a demanding week at work, but have managed to keep it together despite the uncertainty of the lockdown, and events over the pond

Diet news, am now just under 15st at 14:12 after quite a dull week (mainly omelettes and cold collations) but was focussed on quick and mess free - and it turned out to be good for the diet as well

was reading through the last few pages of this diary to make sure I was caught up with comments and I noticed in one post I said this - My aim is to overtake £zero from below and zoom a long way past - and decided I liked it so much I'm going to add it to my signature, which is now very busy but I hope to simplify when I hit DFD - a win for all of us

mark55man

weekend spent inside - mainly watching CNN and feeling happy for the Democrats (and the world) 

had a bit of a sort out of my 2020 paperwork, getting ready for insurance season!.  have decided to leave the car MOT & service until after Christmas and boot it into 2021 - probably a mistake in terms of cars and winter, but it really feels like I'm not going anywhere really for a while lockdown-style so let the financial tin can kicking begin    

alt80

Well done on the weight mate. Just about there with the debt too, not long. 

Ha not just me who's been watching the election then! Know practically nothing about Biden apart from him being known as 'creepy Joe' but it's going to take a court hearing and the bailiffs to get Trump out of the White House I reckon lol. Tbh I'll miss The Donald, no way will Biden be anywhere near as entertaining. Who else could go into hospital with "corona"; out in four days with a top up on the tan and botox? BoJo needs to up his game ha.

On a more serious note ... I'm actually not convinced it's amazing news for Boris/ UK on the trade deal front.

Don't think it's a bad idea to leave car until after Christmas if you're not going anywhere between now and the new year tbh. Recently had the pain of one insurance renewal myself, hope you get decent deals on yours.

mark55man

True true - but anything that is bad news for Boris is a good day for me - the trade deal will get done whoever is in charge, but Boris has just had his evil twin pulled away and now he can't distract away from his own policy and personal weaknesses

alt80

I’m not BoJos biggest fan by any stretch but look at the alternative... Absolute joke choice for anyone who is making more than a couple of pennies a day. Labour always hated anyone they deemed “well off” but really anyone not reliant on state benefits, now same for Conservatives fml.

Boris is going to be coming after anyone with a ltd next budget. Already hates LLs. Don’t think for a minute he won’t make it harder for anyone higher tax bracket employed too. He needs the money to pay for his lockdowns but looking like tenants and the ‘poor’ will be bathing in champagne secure in the knowledge if they don’t pay it can’t be taken away.