Make a Wish, then Make a Plan

DaisyCheerings

I have drifted along in life far too long and now I need to decide what I want to do, where I want to be and then make a plan to get me there.

My life currently is fine but doesn't spark any joy in me anymore.  I have a nice enough house in quite a popular area with lovely neighbours, although I do live on a very busy and noisy road which I've never enjoyed.  I've recently found out that my neighours are planning to move, so I'm thinking it's a good time for me to seriously think about taking that leap myself.  My job is also "fine", but again isn't something I get excited about so is no longer a good reason for me to stay living close to London anymore. 

So a little about me.  I'm 49 years old and live alone.  Due to the amount of hours I've always worked, I don't really know many people in the area I live as I'm just hardly ever home.  Currently working from home every day and being around for the Thursday evening applause has shown that many people who live near me are lovely warm people, but I don't actually know any of them very well at all.  I am very blessed with amazing friends, but none that live particularly close by.

I'm now in a position where I will either be allowed to work from home a lot more, cutting out a lot of hours commuting, and/or I can reduce my hours at the office by going to part time.  Due to my company wanting to reduce their salary outgoings, I've offered to reduce my hours to help my case.

I love travelling, and before all of this virus impact I was travelling around as much as I could.  I feel like that life will be a bit of a memory for now, although who knows what long term impact any of this has had. I am considering in the future buying a type of camper van to travel around the UK and Europe more as that's something I've been considering for a while now and shouldn't cost a great deal to visit places.

Lastly, I'd like to do more work for myself.  I do have a few little ventures I'm trying out, and they seem to have potential, so if I can reduce my office hours I'll be dedicating those extra hours to make attempts at increasing my own financial benefits.

So what areas do I need to initially focus on?  Firstly it's paying my debts down.  I'm not sure of the exact amount, but it's around £14k I believe.  I'll put the full amount here when I've worked it all out.  Next or alongside debt reductions I need to get some essential work done on my house.  My heating system broke during lockdown and as I want to move I'll pay to get it replaced rather than repaired as my boiler is over 20 years old now.  I'll look and see if I can move any debt to interest free as my last interest free term is about to end.

So that's the boring back story.  I am a very positive and optimistic person, so hopefully that'll come across more in this diary, but that writing things down here will also motivate me in getting more things done and closer to making my personal life dreams more of a reality.

I'm very new here, but have had a look at a few diaries which I'm finding so inspirational.

DaisyCheerings

Credit card debt:

CC1 = £9,182.22
CC2 = £2,447.62
CC3 = £901.94

TOTAL = 12,531.78

Rgib89

Hi looking forward to following your journey x

Ponylover

Welcome! Sounds like it's all change for you :-) 

FOMO_overspender

Look forward to following your journey. I have found this forum to be such a great support already and I only plucked up the courage to post my diary yesterday! 

DaisyCheerings

Rgib89 said:

Hi looking forward to following your journey x

Thanks Rgib89.  It's feeling a bit scary as I've drifted along so much, but a good time to evaluate and change.  I'll have a look at your diary later today. x

DaisyCheerings

Ponylover said:

Welcome! Sounds like it's all change for you :-) 

It really feels that way.  Thanks for commenting on here too, it's nice to know I'm not just talking to myself (which happens a lot in real life! )

DaisyCheerings

FOMO_overspender said:

Look forward to following your journey. I have found this forum to be such a great support already and I only plucked up the courage to post my diary yesterday! 

Thanks FOMO.  I really feel I need that support, so am looking forward to reading your diary too.

DaisyCheerings

Today I have requested an interest free balance transfer credit card so that everything I pay off is reducing the debt without additional interest payments.  I will continue to pay the same amount I currently pay in the hope of reducing the debt to 0 as quickly as possible.  I was immediately accepted, but don't know what the credit limit is at this point.  In my application I requested a balance transfer for the highest CC so I'm hoping they'll let me have at least that amount.

I have also noticed that I'm spending far too much on shopping as I just wander around picking up what I fancy eating for the week with no real thought about the price.  I write a list too, but that doesn't seem to control what's spent.  So that's a definite change I will now make.  I've got YNAB so I'll set that up for 1 June to keep a close eye on income and outgoings again.

I do have some money in an emergency pot, but don't want to touch that unless I really have to.

In other news, I need to do some decluttering if I'm to move so I think I'll tackle one room at a time on that.  Upstairs rooms are the worst ones as they tend to be more out of sight!  Goodness knows what rubbish I've accumulated since living here!  I have some holiday left to take from work before the end of June, so while we're not allowed to travel I think I'll book that time off to have a house blitz.

FOMO_overspender

That's great news on the 0% BT. In my experience, if they accept you then they normally also accept the BT but I am sure you will get confirmation through soon enough. 
I hear you on the shopping front, especially at the moment when everything seems more expensive and also branded! If you can shop anywhere where you can scan as you go around I find it helps massively, as you always see the cumulative amount as you scan and put things in your trolley (Sainsburys have the handheld machines). 

Ponylover

Certainly big savings can be made by meal planning and not buying as many nice treats. Boring but sometimes necessary!