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

jwil

doingitanyway said:

You've been so busy! Must be great to know you have the main elements of Christmas dinner sorted.
Thanks for the BHF postal donations link.

Thank you, it's definitely a nice feeling.

retiredandskint

Wow you are firing on all cylinders.  I've decided this year I'm just dishing out money this year.  I won't get to see family so Christmas day will be on my own.  I don't mind I've lived in virtual isolation now since August.  Given my health I think it's safer not to mingle.

Talking of my health, I've had a recent CT scan and though I'm not 100% clear it's certainly in retreat.  I have another chemo cycle on 17th Dec and will have another CT scan to see what the next steps are.  All the fluid has now gone from my lungs which is good.

Thank you for the tip of having both DVD selling sites open.  On some DVDs there was a biggish difference in price.  Anyway I've made just over £50 between the sites.  I won't think about what Mr Retired paid for them 😂

Keep up the good work.  You've only got to see how far you've come x

HairyHandofDartmoor

You're so organised for Christmas Jwil, well done 🎅. It will definitely make you feel less stressed when December comes. I've put up the decorations including the trees, but I haven't written a single card or bought any presents yet 😳 .

jwil

retiredandskint said:

Wow you are firing on all cylinders.  I've decided this year I'm just dishing out money this year.  I won't get to see family so Christmas day will be on my own.  I don't mind I've lived in virtual isolation now since August.  Given my health I think it's safer not to mingle.

Talking of my health, I've had a recent CT scan and though I'm not 100% clear it's certainly in retreat.  I have another chemo cycle on 17th Dec and will have another CT scan to see what the next steps are.  All the fluid has now gone from my lungs which is good.

Thank you for the tip of having both DVD selling sites open.  On some DVDs there was a biggish difference in price.  Anyway I've made just over £50 between the sites.  I won't think about what Mr Retired paid for them 😂

Keep up the good work.  You've only got to see how far you've come x

Oh that's fantastic news about the scan and that it's all in retreat and your lungs are clear.  That's such good news.  It's a shame you won't be able to spend Christmas with the family, but fingers crossed it won't be too long before we are all free again, and hopefully coinciding with the better weather too.

That's a great result on the DVDs, I also found that there could be a big difference between sites.  It's definitely not worth thinking about how much we've spent on stuff 😱

Thank you lovely, it's great to hear from you

jwil

HairyHandofDartmoor said:

You're so organised for Christmas Jwil, well done 🎅. It will definitely make you feel less stressed when December comes. I've put up the decorations including the trees, but I haven't written a single card or bought any presents yet 😳 .

Thank you   Yes, it will be nice to just chill.  Well done on getting the decorations up, that's a job for today and cards will be done soon too.  You've still got plenty of time to sort presents and cards

jwil

Little miss had her birthday, and was very excited.  We went to the seaside yesterday for a walk and a play on the beach.  Just locally, didn't travel far.  She was also star of the week at school last week, so very proud of herself

Today I'm hoping to get some of the decorations up.  I've also got a load of listing to do, as it's the last time I'll put new stuff on before Christmas.  I like to end listings a couple of weeks ahead so we don't get caught out by postage delays and people wanting refunds for things that arrive late.  It gives me a nice break ahead of Christmas, and then I relist stuff to go out over the Christmas period when it seems to be a good time to sell things.

I've got Monday and Tuesday off, so I'm hoping to get the wrapping done and everything sorted that needs to be posted too.  Then I'll be pretty much done

This year is the first year I've really been able to afford Christmas, so I've had a spendy few months.  From January I'll be cutting back and trying to get saving.  It would be nice to start getting the work on the house done, but I also want to make sure we've got a good cushion in case DH loses his job, or in case mine goes.  I think I've got a year of being safe, and then things will be changing again, so there's a chance I'll be at risk.  I must use this year wisely and to get on top of everything.

I'll be starting to think about what I want to achieve next year and set some targets soon.

jwil

38 listings done yesterday, and a few more items sold.  They've been posted.  A few bids on items as well

Today I've wrapped most of the kids stuff, I'll finish that tomorrow and also do the stuff that needs to be posted.  I've ordered the last couple of bits I wanted to get and that's me done now   What a relief!  We went to Lidl this morning to get a couple of bits, and got some of the treats that we can only get there, so I won't need to go there again before Christmas.  We also popped to Asda, and DH has managed to book a flu jab for tomorrow.  Fingers crossed they don't cancel again!

DH put up some more lights at the weekend, but we haven't done the tree yet, so I'll probably get that done tomorrow.

We've booked the kids into see Father Christmas at the local farm shop.  It's one we've done each year, and they are being incredibly strict with social distancing and limiting numbers in anyway, so the extra precautions with that should be good.  It will be nice for the kids to have one small bit of normality!

I've cashed out on PA today and also cashed in a £5 amazon voucher from another site.  They went towards today's orders.

It's payday today, so I've just paid all the bills.  Will catch up on the financials too.  This will be my total for this year as I won't pay any more until the end of the month and I'll count that for January.  I'll have to sort out my spreadsheet for next year now too.

jwil

End of month update: (I'll work out totals for the year tomorrow)

Debts 2020

1. £8,309/£8,153

2. £3,778/£3,754

3. £1,872/£1,856

4. £4,759/£4,726

Car: £1,600/£1,000

HMRC: £288/ £0   

Mortgage: £112,675/£108,100

Other 'debts' (savings)

General emergency Fund - £1,000/ £352 (£680 to go)

House emergency fund - £4,000/ £4000 (£0 to go) 😁

Mortgage overpayments - £20,000/ £160 (£19,850 to go)

Car replacement fund - £3,000/  £175 (£2,850 to go)

'Official' debt of - £20,606/£19,489

= £1117 paid, 5.42% cleared 👏 

Unofficial 'debt'  (savings targets) of - £28,000/£23,313

= £4687 paid, 22.75% cleared 👏

beanielou

You are doing so well.
When does your first debt fall off?  A big one or a wee one?

Kitten868

You sound super positive and organised and in control. I'm so happy for you. Maybe its where you're having a better work life balance with time off and time at home? Maybe thats something you can look at for yourself going forward. Maybe its where the house is clearing and feels more yours and you feel more in control of it? Either way you are doing so so well and I'm so impressed by you. Xxxx