“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” - the second instalment.......

[Deleted User]

So it appears that something weird and wonderful happened to my profile with the switch to the new format and for some reason I’ve been unable to retrieve the “Seahorsey” profile but weirdly can access a dormant profile from 10 years + ago when I first discovered MSE. So I’m back as Seahorsey_thesecond! 

Long story short, as it’s all in my previous diary - I’ve become increasingly aware that I’m stuck in a rut, lost my sparkle and generally have lost sight of what I get enjoyment from and what makes me tick. I’ve increasingly put my life on hold until the next big milestone is out the way i.e. debt paid off, DS starting school, Christmas etc etc - you get the picture!  So this diary is an attempt to rediscover me and start living more.

I created “Project Sparkle” to try and motivate me. Here are are my goals to achieve by rend of March.....
Financial
1. Pay off overdrafts - £1650
2. Get Emergency Fund to £300 (increase to £1k once OD paid off)
3. Clear Very account - £165.45 (Done )
4. Clear Next account - £88.00 (now £18)

Home
1. Deep clean house and get it into a sustainable state
2. Look at fly lady / TOMM  and implement a little and often approach

Sparkle 
1. Plan 1 x family day out per month
2. Lose 1.5 stone (3 stone to go at!)
3. Restart C25K. I’ve not run since I completed my last half marathon at the end of September. (Underway!)
4. Enter local 10K at beginning of March (entered!)

Fortunately my previous diary was only a couple of months old so not a massive loss, so here we go again.......


 

[Deleted User]

So, a bit about the debts. They’re spread over 3 cards and two overdrafts plus currently a next account. The product of poor budgeting and a number of £1k plus emergencies (boiler, car, vets fees etc) that we’d failed to prepare for. 

Current totals are as follows:
OD 1 - £1000
OD 2 - £87.04
CC1 -£4280.83*
CC2 - £5180.90
CC3- £5315.88
Next - £18.00
Total = £15882.65

* includes £1000 money transfer to clear OD. This is currently sat in a savings account as OD is interest free currently until the new charges take affect 14th March. Plan is to clear as much of OD as possible between now and then and then pay the excess using the £1k. Any left over will either form an emergency fund (budgeted EF money will then be diverted to card payments). I know this seems a bizarre way, but our two downfalls have been the ODs and lack of EF. We cannot afford to go on treating the OD as our own money as the fees are massive and need an EF in place ASAP to safeguard us from accumulating more debt.  

[Deleted User]

Morning - looks like storm Ciara’s arrived. Fortunately we’re not due it as bad as some, but even so I’m planning on staying indoors as much as possible today! Will venture to the ponies as soon as it’s light and may pop to the gym whilst OH and DS are at *indoor* football training. 

Food shop was done yesterday- £55. I did an Aldi shop at the beginning of the month try and help cut down on our food shop. Last month I calculated we spent £610 on food - on average a whopping £122 a week - almost as much as our mortgage!  This usually comprises of one £90-£100 shop and a number of small top ups. Definitely an area to be worked on.

Weigh in yesterday was 2lb off so 4lb/ 45.5lb. Meal planning is definitely helping with this. I’ve not run outdoors this week but the distance is steadily building on the treadmill. Still a way off the 10K but I’ve got a few weeks yet. 

Hoping to get some eBay listing done today. Got a massive pile of good quality clothes that DS has outgrown so hoping to be able to shift some of those.

Stay safe everyone x 

in_need_of_direction

all all looking positive

[Deleted User]

Thanks in need of direction 
 Managed to survive the storm reasonably in tact - bit of damage in the garden but grateful it was nothing major.
£20 eBay sale has cleared the next account  now focussing on the OD / EF got a month to pay as much off the OD as possible.

Sarahwithlove

You’ve got this. The new overdraft fees are crazy it makes me so glad that I haven’t had to go into mine at all during this time. 

savingholmes

Hi Seahorsey
Glad you made it back on the forum. Well done for clearing Next. I have a very visual mind and whenever I saw kids t'shirts with Next on them - my mind shouted NEXT! It kind of applies in this situation too - you are putting that card and your OD behind you and calling out to the universe NEXT. You will get there...

craftyali

I cleared my Very and Next accounts last year.  A good feeling.  I have been letting my overdraft go to nearly the limit every month for years, whilst I tackled credit card debt that had higher interest rates.  Now I am going to start clearing it this month seriously.  I look forward to seeing my account in credit all the time!

Sarahwithlove

Have you checked to see if you would be eligible for a balance transfer or money transfer to reduce the interest you are paying? 

[Deleted User]

Sarahwithlove said:

Have you checked to see if you would be eligible for a balance transfer or money transfer to reduce the interest you are paying? 

All the cards are currently 0%. I’ve did a MT to pay off the OD a couple of weeks ago, so it can be clear ahead of the charges rise. That 1k is currently sat in savings until 14th March as my larger OD is currently interest free. I’m hoping to raise pay off a bit between now and then via eBay and fb sales- I’ll then use any excess to kick start my emergency fund.

OD 2 is now -£40.02 thanks to a couple of eBay sales. Would love to clear this by the end of the week. 

Funny oldday weatherwise yestersday, bright dazzling winter sunshine, torrential rain, gale force winds, sleet and snow!!!  Pretty sure we had a bit of everything! For once I really didn’t mind being stuck indoors at work! 

Back at work today, I’ve got so much to do - I can feel myself getting overwhelmed by it all again. When I came back from mat leave, they kept my cover on full time, so there was essentially 2 of us doing the role, albeit me at part time at 60%. They left a year ago and I’m now picking up the whole lot on 3 days a week. I’ve raised it with my manager but it’s falling of deaf ears. I’m refusing to put my MH at risk with it again, so am doing what I can in 24hrs a week and leaving the rest. Won’t make me popular but will hopefully help flag there’s an issue - you cannot do 64hours worth of work in 24 hrs!!! 

Anyway - rant over! 

Best spring into action and get ready to face the day! Have a good one everyone x 

[Deleted User]

Morning! 
Just catching 30 mins to myself before the chaos of the day begins! 
Blood test results are back and show that my vit D is low. Been given a crash course to boost me up to where it should be and then will need to take with over the counter supplement. Need to pick them up today and get started. Fingers crossed they help.

Project sparkle has taken an unexpected twist - I have a ballot place in the Great North Run after several years of trying!!! For the first time in a long time I felt genuinely excited! It has cost me a small fortune (entries plus over night accommodation) and I’m ashamed to say the accommodation has gone on the CC, but it’s one that’s on the bucketlist and probably will be a once in a life time thing. I celebrated with a 5 mile run yesterday - it was slow and messy but felt so much better afterwards but plenty of time to improve ahead of September.

Moneywise, not a lot to report. Plodding til payday! Will make a shopping list later for the weekend but there shouldn’t be a great deal on it. The Aldi shop has helped massively - will definitely make a habit of it.

Right I best get on - have a good day x