2020: Becoming a Saver, Not a Spender

beanielou

That’s not good. 

Take care. 

[Deleted User]

Thank you beanie, I will

On a positive note, with the job I was struggling to see how I could attend an assessment day, they have contacted me today to invite me to an assessment centre on the 18th March, which gives me lots of time to book the day as holiday, so I will phone them later on and book that in. All the signs certainly seem to be saying I should go for the assessment day!

Sarahwithlove

SSDD23 said:

Thank you beanie, I will

On a positive note, with the job I was struggling to see how I could attend an assessment day, they have contacted me today to invite me to an assessment centre on the 18th March, which gives me lots of time to book the day as holiday, so I will phone them later on and book that in. All the signs certainly seem to be saying I should go for the assessment day!

That's great news. Fingers crossed for you. Have to say it's one of perks of working for the government. Good pension and sick pay! About the only ones mind. 

[Deleted User]

Sarahwithlove said:

SSDD23 said:

Thank you beanie, I will

On a positive note, with the job I was struggling to see how I could attend an assessment day, they have contacted me today to invite me to an assessment centre on the 18th March, which gives me lots of time to book the day as holiday, so I will phone them later on and book that in. All the signs certainly seem to be saying I should go for the assessment day!

That's great news. Fingers crossed for you. Have to say it's one of perks of working for the government. Good pension and sick pay! About the only ones mind. 

Thank you  

I'm still a little tentative about the potential hours impacting home life, but there is no harm in going to the assessment centre and finding out more information, plus it comes with better benefits than my current job and a higher salary, so no point making any decisions just yet!

I finally used my Calm app for the first time, doing it when run down probably wasn't for the best as I nearly fell asleep 

beanielou

Good news on the assessment day date

savingholmes

Congrats on the interview date

[Deleted User]

beanielou said:

Good news on the assessment day date

savingholmes said:

Congrats on the interview date

Thank you both! (I think that above is the new version of multi-quoting?!)

I am pleased to report that this morning I am feeling about 95% back to normal again, thanks to a decent nights sleep  

I have also emailed my boss and informed him that I have been invited to the assessment day next month as he wants to get me started on a course on my current job and I don't wan to start it and not be able to finish, so I thought the heads up was the polite thing to do rather than start it and not complete it when he has paid for it. I did explain nothing is obviously definite, though.

I got some proper self-care in last night, lazed in front of the tv for a bit, properly painted my nails whilst they are in a stage of being long (for me) and strong, and did my proper skincare routine including my tanning drops in my face serum, so at least I look a bit healthier, too!  

Still super windy down here but I'm just grateful that we don't have torrential rain or snow, so it could be much worse.

OH has sorted all his Valentine's stuff out, so far I just have a card and diddly squat for ideas, normally I'm really good with working out what to get him, this year my brain is pulling a blank! I like the stuff to be surprises, too, so don't generally ask what he wants or needs lol

[Deleted User]

I finally ended up googling today the best way to use YNAB with two income amounts per month as the big minus figure sits there for half the month at the top, didn't realise the solution was blindingly obvious... just put in your expenses that will come out before the second payment comes in, to be budgeted from the first payment. To make it easier, I have sections at the top with my "Pre-14th" expenses that all need to come out of the first pay packet due to the DD dates, all now filled with next month's payment amounts, then down the bottom I have my "Post-14th" expenses, which I will add in the budgeted amount when the money comes in, then it'll stop showing me big scary minus figures even though I know I have more money coming in!

Scrapped this month's as I like to start a new month fresh, and got it all tidied up and organised ready for the start of next month. It's now SO much more simple and easy to wrap my head around.

My boss was totally fine with the information I gave him earlier, I am lucky in that respect and he's said he wishes me luck for the assessment day. I just find it so much easier to cope with the idea of stuff when I know I'm not being in any way underhand or secretive, it stresses me out.

Today has been a NSD, bought lunch from home and didn't go anywhere on my lunch hour. When I get home it'll be time for dinner, and then I need to tackle the mountain of ironing (again). I'm doing well with keeping the washing up to date and keeping the house mostly tidy, it's just the blooming ironing I'm just going to tuck myself in the kitchen with my laptop to watch something whilst OH and kids watch TV or sit on their various devices, I feel too tired today to deal with the amount of noise they will all be making. I tend to "joke" that I'm the only one that isn't deaf, but they ALL listen to things at ridiculous volumes, and I tend to relax more with things NOT so loud that I'm sure the neighbours can hear it word for word

So today's big frog was emailing my boss, the little frog is contacting our local milk man to arrange getting the doorstop bottles in order to reduce our plastic usage. Once my current hair products are used up I'll be trialling using a shampoo bar instead. Only small changes but they are the easiest ones I can think of to start with.

Quite glad now I got round to painting my nails last night, it makes me smile looking down and seeing them look nice, for a change.

[Deleted User]

Morning everyone!  

Phoned the milk guy, that starts on Tuesday next week. I have worked out roughly what we should go through if we are getting bottles across a few days rather than the big bottles from the supermarket, and can always adjust if needed. It's all sourced locally and he has fab reviews, so looking forward to having the magic bottles appear before the house wakes up!

I didn't get the ironing done last night, I just didn't have any free space to do it in peace, OH and his boy were watching the football in the lounge and the girl was on her iPad and facetime in the kitchen so nowhere left for me to just whack something on to watch and crack on with it. That'll be a job for tonight, instead.

I think I need to book my car in to be looked at, last night when I drove home I had to slam on my brakes and this made my car do a little dance which I had put down to the crosswinds where I was driving at the time, but it pulled a few times this morning, too, and the winds were nowhere near as bad. This is particularly annoying as the 3 month warranty I got with the car expired two days ago.

I was going to take my car to get the wheel balance checked anyway as it's a bit shaky at high speeds, maybe that'll resolve. The garage I used with my old car was only about £20 and did it on my lunch break.

I will have to give them a ring on Friday when my second lot of wages drop. For now, time to crack on with work!

savingholmes

Hope you manage to get your car resolved. I tried YNAB for a few months but went back to spreadsheets. Glad is is now working for you though.