Facing reality

Sarahwithlove

shoppingobsessed2020 said:

Sounds like a good plan,  I don’t know if it will help but I have a massage chair, must have cost about £80.  When my back is niggling I sit in that and it does the trick meaning my osteopath visits are few and far between,   Could be worth looking into if your finding you are needing more massage.

fab news on the debt free plan for the credit cards, Will be here before you know it.

Thanks I think my dad has one so may have to ask him if he still has it. I have a hand held massager which my chiropractor uses whenever I visit her so think maybe I just need to make sure I use it every day. 

Mum2Nan

Cars are so expensive aren't they?  Sorry you are suffering from a bad back, no more gardening for you!

I have never had a housemate so forgive my ignorance but why are you spending so much money on her and her family?

M2N

Sarahwithlove

Mum2Nan said:

Cars are so expensive aren't they?  Sorry you are suffering from a bad back, no more gardening for you!

I have never had a housemate so forgive my ignorance but why are you spending so much money on her and her family?

M2N

Yep, luckily I have saved up for the insurance, tax and mot and service providing it doesn't cost me too much more.
Sadly the back is an ongoing issue for several years now that every time I think I'm getting somewhere it ends up flaring op again. Luckily I thjnk garden is pretty much sorted for winter now other then a little bit of pruning and mowing the lawn. I will be able to manage that at some point.

The issue with housemate I think is because we have moved away from being housemates to friends that live together. I have been round her mums for dinner a couple of times and when her aunt visited from USA she brought us all a takeaway and I was invited along for that as well. Her mum then also brought us lunch and snacks whilst we were out at the zoo as well. So I can't complain just wasn't expecting the extra costs so hadn't planned for it in my budget. 

enthusiasticsaver

You sound really organised when it comes to finances. Next year it will be good to get rid of the Tesco card and just have your Dads loan. Do you do any back or core exercises regularly? My DH has back problems and now does a daily stretching routine of exercises designed to help with strengthening his back and they are making a difference. 

Sarahwithlove

enthusiasticsaver said:

You sound really organised when it comes to finances. Next year it will be good to get rid of the Tesco card and just have your Dads loan. Do you do any back or core exercises regularly? My DH has back problems and now does a daily stretching routine of exercises designed to help with strengthening his back and they are making a difference. 

Thanks I can't wait to get rid of it. Having ynab has made such a difference when it comes to being organised with finances. 
I have some exercises my private physio gave me for it which I have found his plan back out so going to start doing those again and hopefully that will help. Issue I'm having his where working from home in front of a computer all time again I am finding that by end of the day my back and shoulders are so tight that it's causing me to have tension headaches and only way to get rid of it is to sleep it off. Very frustrating. I've completed another online consult for doctors so hopefully they will give me muscle relaxant to help it as it has in the past. 

Sarahwithlove

Just a quick update from me. Took an old phone and tablet into be exchanged at weekend and got £85 for them both so that was good. Was going to put it into my clothing fund as need some new clothes for winter but then when went for my massage yesterday they told me they have started an offer where you can purchase a block of 6 for price of 5 so used cash for that and the money I had already assigned in ynab. My clothes I have put in my 0% credit card at the moment until I know what I am keeping as ordered 2 pairs of jeans in 2 sizes and a coat in 2 sizes as I'm at that annoying in between stage so depending on style and company depends what size I need. Plus sleeves on coats are always an issue for me. Once that's arrived today I will then just rejiggle my pots a little and then next month's massage money will go back in the pot to cover it. So not too worried. My nephew is also having one of my old phones for Xmas present so will only need to buy him the new case etc for it. He will be happy as he has a very basic one at the moment. But also saves on the present funds. He doesn't really need anything else so that will make him happy. 

Happy to say that the doctor has given me a strong painkiller and muscle relaxant so other than making me really drowsy it's deffo helping the back situation.

Cant remember if I mentioned it or not but my housemate starts her new job on Monday which is great news. 

Sarahwithlove

Why is it when it comes to money and paying off debts things never go to plan?
Turned my heating on this week only for it to not work. £40 later and plumber has been out and done a temporary fix for me on it meaning I have to manually turn heating on and off on the boiler. He's due to come out Monday or Tuesday late afternoon to fit a new reciever and thermostat (got it today £78) and then also do a service which will cost £60 and then however much he charges for fitting the reciever. Hoping I can get it all done for £100 but will have to wait and see. But this means that some of my categories I had budgeted for have taken a beating to make up the money for the boiler repairs without having to dip into emergency fund. Not too worried as its for things like home insurance and my footy season ticket next june/July so have plenty of time to make it back up but just frustrating. Also means no overpayment on card this month just the standard £250 payment.
Got my car insurance quote did the comparison sites and haggled with my current provider who I decided to remain with. Cost me a little extra but they have a claim back policy which means that if I don't drive all my miles I have put down which I don't think I will then it gets refunded at the end of the year. Its hard to know how many to put down because although work have told us we won't be out visiting until at least the new year and that even then if we do go back probably be a 70/30 split so mostly working at home they still want us to have the cover. Very frustrating as I'm not getting anything back from them now at least before when claiming my mileage it covered the extras as well as petrol. Fortunately Its less than I had budgeted so I have moved the remainder over to the car maintenance pot for now as service and mot are booked in for next week. Mot expecting anything other than maybe a new tyre. If anything is left after that I will refill the Xmas present funds pot so that then next month I can make up the extra in other pots. I also should get my back pay in November so that will help. 
Just frustrating as it has made me reconsider my finances again and I have redone my budgets and I think I am gonna have to just stick with plan of having my card clear by mid next year and refocus on building up the house fund for any repairs instead of clearing it in March. It's a 0 interest card so doesn't really make too much difference and can't see my housemate moving out any time soon. She's always said aim for end of next year but that was before she lost her job and mortgage companies like you to be there 6 months really before you apply anyway. It's also on our doorstep her new work so that helps. Im trying to keep the emergency fund is in case of major emergency not one that's less than £200. I also like knowing I have to there as back up if needed. 
Also forgot that I discovered I still owed £30 to my previous mobile provider, wasn't sure why and tried to argue it but didn't get anywhere and in end if wanted phone unlocked had to pay it so I did. That should hopefully remove them from my credit report as well. The phone is going to be a Xmas present for my nephew as it was only used for 6 months and I did flexi upgrade last time round. Was such as waste of money but at the time I wanted a new phone. Now I'm happy with one I have and on a sim only. He has his old grandads phone at the moment and battery keeps dying and it's not the greatest camera etc. This one is good for music too so he will be happy. Brought him a new case and a glass screen protector for it. Will also get a few little bits but that should help save a bit of money on his Xmas presents.
 It's my brothers birthday this week and he will be turning 30 and we don't normally do presents but I thought as he's in Germany on his own and I don't know what his ex intends to do for the kids for him I would send him a little bit of money to get himself a takeaway and some beers or something as I know he is struggling at the moment and going without to give the kids everything they need. Wasn't planned but can come out the present funds anyway and they can be topped up before Xmas.
Had my 2nd massage today from my block of 6 I purchased was great as could actually feel the difference the tablets have made. Have one more booked in for next week and then going to go back to two weekly after that hopefully.
Also my clothes order I mentioned above, I sent it all back. Going to hold off for now as just been wearing my fleece under my waterproof jacket and seems to be doing job for now. Jeans are just virtually impossible for me at the moment. So have to stick to my leggings for now. 

Parkyp

Hi Sarah, I’ve been reading your diary you’ve done a great job with your debt busting while sounding like you’re  still able to have a life. Shame about the heating only good thing is it’s happened before winter kicks in 🤷🏻‍♀️. That’s a great idea for your nephews present and a lovely kind gesture for brother which I’m sure he’ll appreciate. Have a nice day 

Sarahwithlove

Parkyp said:

Hi Sarah, I’ve been reading your diary you’ve done a great job with your debt busting while sounding like you’re  still able to have a life. Shame about the heating only good thing is it’s happened before winter kicks in 🤷🏻‍♀️. That’s a great idea for your nephews present and a lovely kind gesture for brother which I’m sure he’ll appreciate. Have a nice day 

Thanks for stopping by its nice to know I'm rambling to someone lol. 

Sarahwithlove

Today has been quite emotional day for me, my managers dad sadly died suddenly yesterday of a heart attack and it brought back a lot of memories for me in regards to my mum. I didn't sleep well last night as a result and sadly one of the worst things about me is that I'm such an emotional eater. So wasted money on MD for lunch and then sweets and chocolate this evening. Also bad for my diet. Came out my spends money for the month but just annoyed me that I allowed myself to get to this stage again. It's hard to pick yourself back up and the times we are in make it harder. Life is so short and precious and I'm struggling with not being able to see my loved ones. It's been a year since I last saw my brother and my niece and nephew in person and they are at that age where they just grow so quickly. We video call but it's just not the same. I don't have a great relationship with my dad I often feel like I'm the parent and he is the child as I have to deal with so much for him and get constant phone calls. We've never had a good relationship but then neither have my two brothers with him either. I often find myself envious of my housemate and her family she still has both sets of grandparents and has good relationships with both her parents. I would never begrudge her or anyone their family just wish I still had mine around.