2020: Becoming a Saver, Not a Spender

[Deleted User]

Poppy1984 wrote: »

Hi SSDD23
Just been reading your new diary from the start. After you've popped in on mine Sounds Like you are making fantastic progress and congratulations on being bad debt free what an achievement

How are you getting on with your 20 in 20 list? I also have a gratitude journal which I love but I dip in and out of it I don't manage to do it every day.

You are really inspiring me with all the exercise you are doing!

Poppy

Hi Poppy! :hello:

I've got a few in progress at the moment, mostly the charity one and date nights/cooking new recipes, I'll have a tally up on the 31st my gratitude journal has kind of taken a back seat too, mostly as I forget to take it out of my bedside drawer :rotfl:

I might just opt to write my gratitudes on here instead, as I am on here most of the time - care to join me? :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

I started this morning to listen to the podcasts of Rangan Chatterjee - if I'm being totally honest, I can't remember how I got into looking into him, but the end result was that I was looking at one of his books on Amazon, and someone in the reviews said to listen to his podcasts to get a feel for his style before buying the books, so I found them on Apple Podcasts.

The one I listed to this morning was sort of an interview with the guy who created the Calm app, who said one of the best changes he has made is to not look at his phone i.e. don't check emails or social media, until he gets out to his car, and to spend that time doing more productive things instead. I'm a stickler for having my morning coffee in bed whilst scrolling through Facebook! I did start charging my phone downstairs overnight which made a difference to our bedtime routine, I was paying more attention to OH, catching up on his day, etc (he can't do the same as he obviously has kids so needs to be contactable if anything were to happen, he also can't resist playing on his phone if it is there ).

So, I am going to try and do the same. You need to use your phone obviously for the Calm app, but it was all about you being in control of the technology, not the technology controlling you. I'm becoming quite screen-averse at the moment in respect of being able to spend quality time together. I'm looking to buy an extendable dining table with OH so us four can actually sit in the kitchen and interact properly over dinner, rather than the current scenario where both kids are multi tasking their phones and dinner AND watching the TV. I really don't like it! I guess I just remember how I was brought up and think it was a better way.

I think I'm going to like the podcasts to be fair, they are long/short enough for one of my trips to/from work, so easy to fit into the day.

I should also be able to fit in 10 minutes meditation/mindfulness in the morning if I am not in bed scrolling through social media!

StartingAgainAt29

Hi SSDD23, I love the calm app! I also use an app called Hold, where it effectively blocks your phone for 20 minute increments, and you accrue points. When I'm at work I'm terrible for picking up my phone every few minutes so I use the app to make a point of not looking at it. Otherwise when I'm at home I sometimes put it on airplane mode! I would like to make a point of not using my phone as much though, it's so easy to get get distracted especially when watching TV and then I realise I've missed loads of it

[Deleted User]

StartingAgainAt29 wrote: »

Hi SSDD23, I love the calm app! I also use an app called Hold, where it effectively blocks your phone for 20 minute increments, and you accrue points. When I'm at work I'm terrible for picking up my phone every few minutes so I use the app to make a point of not looking at it. Otherwise when I'm at home I sometimes put it on airplane mode! I would like to make a point of not using my phone as much though, it's so easy to get get distracted especially when watching TV and then I realise I've missed loads of it

Ooh it's always good to hear a positive review! I should really always be able to fit in something with mornings, lunch break, etc!

I currently have my phone on hold :rotfl: mostly as it looked like I couldn't see the rewards without having earned any points first, but I do like the sound of it, I think I'd be much more productive if I wasn't glued to my phone :rotfl:

savingholmes

This is the closest thing to social media I do. I couldn't cope with all the brag book stuff. I also found it sucked all my time and I felt most of it was deceptive. Their lives weren't bright and shiny despite all the exotic destinations and meal photos (why). Someone else recommended a calm type app to me - I may give it a go.

Good news - I have some swimming costumes that fit me and appropriately cover me again. The next step is arranging to go swimming. I'm thinking of trying to make myself swim once a week. If I get in the habit of doing that regularly eg for at least 4 weeks - maybe then pay for a membership of some thing. It's good that you are doing biking and walking more.

[Deleted User]

savingholmes wrote: »

This is the closest thing to social media I do. I couldn't cope with all the brag book stuff. I also found it sucked all my time and I felt most of it was deceptive. Their lives weren't bright and shiny despite all the exotic destinations and meal photos (why). Someone else recommended a calm type app to me - I may give it a go.

Good news - I have some swimming costumes that fit me and appropriately cover me again. The next step is arranging to go swimming. I'm thinking of trying to make myself swim once a week. If I get in the habit of doing that regularly eg for at least 4 weeks - maybe then pay for a membership of some thing. It's good that you are doing biking and walking more.

Yay to the swimming costume :j

I must confess I did almost none of my things I had planned for last night, mostly as I came home and there was plenty of SE work to be had, so I made up some hours. As I said to my OH, "the cycle path will still be there another day, the work might not be!"

Ran a tiny bit late for work this morning due to prepping our stew for the slow cooker, which meant I hit some REALLY awful traffic, but never mind, got here eventually.

I would be quite content without social media, as would OH, but as my mum and her husband are on the other side of the world, it's a way for them to keep up with what is going on with us, and vice versa. Speaking of mum, I need to post her card at the post office today, it's our birthdays soon :j :j (one right after the other)

Right, it must be coffee o clock, and time to crack on with some work...

Oh, and my YNAB payment went out today so I am officially paid up for a year :T

FootyFanDan

Glad to hear there was some SE to get your teeth into! Like you say take it while you can is the best way to approach things.

I am with u on social media, I sometimes wish I could just ditch it but we have partners family in Scotland so they kinda rely on our social media a little for updates. Plus a lot of my wider family are miles away so pretty much the same.

Yay to YNAB!

[Deleted User]

My lord I am tired today!! Hopefully the visit to the swimming pool in a bit will perk me up a bit, thankfully our dinner has been in the slow cooker all day, and the kids are having hot dogs. Their favourite, and quick turnaround time for dinner after swimming

I fully intend to just carry on working afterwards if there is a good few hours to be had again, OH is quite understanding (I think) and they will probably just be watching a film, anyway. He hasn't said whether I can pause the £50 payments to him and pay in chunks a few months down the line, so I am guessing it is a no, thus trying to get as close to my normal hours this month will help out a lot - I really want to make any kind of overpayment to the car finance this month, and pay something (anything!) into my LISA.

I don't think I said, but I booked us four a week in Europe through the Sun holidays thing, £125 for the week's accommodation. Haven't nagged OH for his half of that, but will just use it as leverage when we book the flights to make sure we split the cost overall 50/50. I would say where we are going as I am very happy with it, but having made my social media profiles private due to the kids mum being massively stalker-ish at times, I don't ever want to put anything too identifying on here just in case - paranoid, I know :rotfl:

I really am looking forward to a nice beef stew for dinner, something nice and hearty to warm the soul with this freezing weather!

savingholmes

Hi SSDD23 - the holiday sounds good.

On the social media - we do a v1b3r chat group and just post photos/updates (rarely for me) in there. That way I can avoid bragbook altogether.

[Deleted User]

savingholmes wrote: »

Hi SSDD23 - the holiday sounds good.

On the social media - we do a v1b3r chat group and just post photos/updates (rarely for me) in there. That way I can avoid bragbook altogether.

That's a good idea - when I catch up with my family this weekend I'll put the idea forward