Facing reality

Parkyp

Awe don’t worry about the money wasted or the diet sometimes we just need a blow out. My Dad has been gone 17 years and even now when I hear of someone losing a parent I feel emotional. My family all stay local So even though I’m in Scotland and we’re not allowed in peoples homes we can meet outside. It must be so hard for families who stay far away Especially now when we all really need each other. I think there is a lot more people out there who are emotionally suffering with Covid restrictions than we all realise. Make the most of seeing friends when you can. I bet your desperate for the football to get back, I think when that goes back we’ll know lives getting back to normal. Hope you feeling better 

Today x

mark55man

Hi Sarah - just read through from February - it was very odd reading the whole pandemic story in like 60 minutes!!

I posted once and then forgot to subscribe as in the old MSE it did it automatically - so you've done really well.  A whole 6 months has gone by and you have done really well over £500 a month is my maths is right

couple of thoughts - don't feel quite so guilty about the take outs if you have allowed some in your budget then enjoy the ones you have allowed yourself (and avoid the others!!)

plus I'm sorry to say but if you read through your diary from start to scratch and your frustrations with your flatmate you would see she is literally taking the mickey and you do need to call her out on it.  you need literally to stop subsidising her and say she needs to prioritise fairness over herself.  for sur eif there is an emergency you need to do something but you have your own challenge and leaking money to cover her so she can do things you have denied yourself is just wrong

sorry if that comes across as a nag, but it just resonated with me

anyway I won't go away for another 6 months I promise

Sarahwithlove

Parkyp said:

Awe don’t worry about the money wasted or the diet sometimes we just need a blow out. My Dad has been gone 17 years and even now when I hear of someone losing a parent I feel emotional. My family all stay local So even though I’m in Scotland and we’re not allowed in peoples homes we can meet outside. It must be so hard for families who stay far away Especially now when we all really need each other. I think there is a lot more people out there who are emotionally suffering with Covid restrictions than we all realise. Make the most of seeing friends when you can. I bet your desperate for the football to get back, I think when that goes back we’ll know lives getting back to normal. Hope you feeling better 

Today x

Thanks it is hard not being able to see people you love. Hopefully we will get an end to this but I can't see it happening for a while. 

Sarahwithlove

mark55man said:

Hi Sarah - just read through from February - it was very odd reading the whole pandemic story in like 60 minutes!!

I posted once and then forgot to subscribe as in the old MSE it did it automatically - so you've done really well.  A whole 6 months has gone by and you have done really well over £500 a month is my maths is right

couple of thoughts - don't feel quite so guilty about the take outs if you have allowed some in your budget then enjoy the ones you have allowed yourself (and avoid the others!!)

plus I'm sorry to say but if you read through your diary from start to scratch and your frustrations with your flatmate you would see she is literally taking the mickey and you do need to call her out on it.  you need literally to stop subsidising her and say she needs to prioritise fairness over herself.  for sur eif there is an emergency you need to do something but you have your own challenge and leaking money to cover her so she can do things you have denied yourself is just wrong

sorry if that comes across as a nag, but it just resonated with me

anyway I won't go away for another 6 months I promise

Thank you I know you are right and I have let her get away with things for too long. She started her new job last week so will be back earning again so I will be making sure she pulls her weight financially. 

Sarahwithlove

Busy week for me. Car had its mot and service, was alot less then expected so have done some moving about of funds again in my categories. Have a few advisories but the garage said won't need doing until at least the new year so gives me chance to save back up for it again.
Boiler ended up being a bigger job than expected and will need some work doing in time for its service next year but again I have time to save for it. 
Washing machine broke down last Sunday, fortunately my dad had a perfectly good one he doesn't use as he goes to laundrette. Only been used twice and both times I showed him how to do it. Anyway had to pay a man and van £20 to deliver and fit it but now I have a working machine.
Got an email from my gas and electric company to tell me that my direct debit will be going up by £30 a month
So annoyed as I did it based on last year's usage which included March to August this year where both of us were home all time I thought it would be more accurate. Have to wait and see hoping that much won't change as basically live with fans on during summer months and minimal heating in winter. But had to rejig the budget for next month now though to accommodate it.
Also had some clothes disasters this week including my fave bra so had to get a replacement which was another unexpected expense. 
This month feels like its been non stop unexpected expenses and I'd really like a simple one next month please. 

juicyjackieb

Hi sarah! I have spent an insomniac night reading from the beginning. Amazing progress, well done for being so disciplined. It’s so good you are using all the tools at your disposal YNAB etc to help you achieve your goals. Hoping your housemate starts doing her 50/50, you’re a better woman than me I’d be telling her about herself hahaha. 

Wishing you a chilled out, no emergencies, no dramas, free money through the post November.... wouldn’t that be amazing 🤩 

mark55man

Sarahwithlove said:

mark55man said:

Hi Sarah - just read through from February - it was very odd reading the whole pandemic story in like 60 minutes!!

I posted once and then forgot to subscribe as in the old MSE it did it automatically - so you've done really well.  A whole 6 months has gone by and you have done really well over £500 a month is my maths is right

couple of thoughts - don't feel quite so guilty about the take outs if you have allowed some in your budget then enjoy the ones you have allowed yourself (and avoid the others!!)

plus I'm sorry to say but if you read through your diary from start to scratch and your frustrations with your flatmate you would see she is literally taking the mickey and you do need to call her out on it.  you need literally to stop subsidising her and say she needs to prioritise fairness over herself.  for sur eif there is an emergency you need to do something but you have your own challenge and leaking money to cover her so she can do things you have denied yourself is just wrong

sorry if that comes across as a nag, but it just resonated with me

anyway I won't go away for another 6 months I promise

Thank you I know you are right and I have let her get away with things for too long. She started her new job last week so will be back earning again so I will be making sure she pulls her weight financially. 

That's a great idea - use her new job to have a conversation about resetting the financial relationship, and I would be minded to set her new contributions a bit higher to play catch up but without being unreasonable

Sarahwithlove

You know how they say when it rains it pours? Beginning to feel a bit like that for me at the moment. Boiler has now stopped pumping heat to the radiators so need as new diverter valve fitted but sadly I am in self isolation until next Wednesday due to my brother and his fiance both testing positive for covid and I was with them on Wednesday last week. Had my own test yesterday morning so just waiting for the results. So no heating for me until then and more money to pay out once its done. It's very frustrating not being able to go out at all. Currently doing an asda online order to come at weekend and adding things to it as they get low or run out. Means I'm living off the cupboards at the moment but it will help with the budgeting I suppose.
I'll do a proper update later if feeling up to it and respond to recent replies. But thanks for dropping by it's nice knowing I'm not just posting to myself lol 

Aspiration

We’re all here cheering you on!! hope the test is negative and you can crack on with the heating soon!

Sarahwithlove

Just realised I need to find another £100 between leftover pots for Oct and moving money around Nov then would be 50% of my debt paid off. I'm off to play with my YNAB figures