2020 - 'Nothing in your life will change until you make the decision to change'

savingholmes

Sorry Jwil and Beanie that you are feeling down / anxious. Definitely see / speak to GP. I am on long term meds - can't currently imagine being without them - they do make a difference.

jwil

savingholmes said:

Sorry Jwil and Beanie that you are feeling down / anxious. Definitely see / speak to GP. I am on long term meds - can't currently imagine being without them - they do make a difference.

Thank you   I've been off meds for just over a year.  I'd prefer to be off them, but will go back if it doesn't improve.  I'm feeling a bit better today, so fingers crossed.  I will see how I am after the holidays (it will be easier to speak to the GP anyway when the kids are back in school). 

jwil

Happy Easter everyone    The kids seem to have loads of eggs!  I did a trail for them while they were out on the dog walk.  They enjoyed it   We've got a nice beef joint for lunch too.  It's lovely and sunny if a bit cold.

I'm working on the self-care to try and break the anxiety cycle.  I'm feeling a bit better today, so fingers crossed it will work.  I downloaded some nature sounds from audible which I listened to last night instead of an audio book.  I find them very relaxing, and I think it drowns out the sound of DH snoring better so hopefully I'll sleep better which will help. I did some of my CBT course, and I've bought some probiotics to try and boost my digestion which is  always affected by anxiety.

I've been trying to make new eating habits too, and so now I only eat between 9.30am and 7.30pm.  It's a light version of fasting so 14 hours each day without eating.  It's helped me reduce the evening snacking a lot, and just by doing that I've lost 2lb last month without really making any other changes.  I'm making small changes rather than trying to do everything at once.  This month I'll try and up the veg a lot.

I'm reading a good book at the moment - 'Joyful'  by Ingrid Fetell Lee.  I think it was a kindle deal impulse purchase. It's about making your surroundings joyful.  It's good, and I'm going to try and clear some of the dumping grounds so we can have some surfaces and have some of the bits out that make us happy (and some clear spaces!)  Just make the house a bit more homely, even if it's still cluttered with DH's stacks.  I'll continue with the spring clean as that makes everything look better too.  I might consider getting a couple of houseplants, though I'm a bit of a serial killer, so I might have to stick to fake ones.

Yesterday I started spring cleaning my bookcases.  I pulled all the books out, gave them a flick through to give them some air (got that from Marie Kondo, and it's silly but it seems to work!), gave them a dust along with the shelves, and reorganised them.  I've set aside a few that I will read and then they will go.  I want to carry on with my photos while I'm off too.

DH has looked through some of his ebay lots and pulled some off, re-photo'd some, revised the descriptions, and bundled some up as well.  Fingers crossed they will sell now as they've been on for a long time.

jwil

Decluttering update.   

129. Wooden wine box
130-131. Brasso
132. Chemical
133. Wash brush
134-135. Aerosols
136. Crate
137. Ruler
138. DVD
139-140. Pens
141-142. Pairs shoes
143. Photo
144. Paperwork
145. Artwork
146. Carpet mat
147. Plastic tub
148. Glass jar
149. Gilet
150-153. Trousers
154-160. Clothing
161. Battery cover
162. Notebook
163. Bag
164. Book
165-166. Pen
167. Jeans
168. Dr Marten boots
169. T shirt
170. Underwear
171. Trousers
172. Book
173-196. Scalextric bits
197. Coat
198. Dress
199-219. Books

Decluttering 2021 totals:

Magazines/papers: 617

Ebay parcels: 121

Other: 219

Total: 957

Ebay listings: 159

Survey/other earnings:

Amazon: £22

Paypal/cash: £194.29

Other vouchers:£0

jwil

End of month update:
Debts:
1. £8,153/ £8,126
2. £3,754/£3,742
3.  £1,856/£0 😁
4.  £4,726/£4,708

Total: £18,489/£16,576

Car - £1,000/£600

Mortgage - £108,099.83/£106,263.76

Savings:
LISA: £494.61
Premium bonds £250
Emergency fund: £287.91
Cash Buffer: £360
House improvement fund: £500

jwil

Finally updated the declutter list and the financials.  I'm very pleased with how it's looking.  I've had a letter saying one of my debts has been passed on, so I need to write to them this week. I'll have to see if it's been sold or not.  

doingitanyway

You are doing great on debt and savings. I like that you have tackled debt whilst building savings.

jwil

doingitanyway said:

You are doing great on debt and savings. I like that you have tackled debt whilst building savings.

Thank you   It's so new to me having savings and I love it, it's such a relief.  Being able to pay that vet's bill without panicking and we've pretty much covered DH's car bill between us too.  I can't access credit (and don't want to) so it's really important for me to build them up.

remote_control

I use an app called fastic, it is free. It has helped me to stop evening snacking and also if I do I then don't get to eat so early the next day. Haven't lost weight, it's only been two weeks but I've eaten more than usual and maintained my weight so it's a win!

jwil

remote_control said:

I use an app called fastic, it is free. It has helped me to stop evening snacking and also if I do I then don't get to eat so early the next day. Haven't lost weight, it's only been two weeks but I've eaten more than usual and maintained my weight so it's a win!

Thank you, I shall take a look    Well done on eating more yet maintaining! I've been doing it for 3-4 weeks now, and I've only slipped a couple of times.  It works well as it means I have breakfast after the school run, and then no snacking in the evening. It's surprising how much it's helped yet how easy it's been as I haven't changed what I'm eating.  I haven't really missed the evening snacking.  If I can gradually replace some of my other eating habits then hopefully I'll see some real results as time goes on.