First Steps to Solvency

alt80

Last day of freedom so we are going out for dinner tonight lol. Then no more November spends can only get takeaway for dinner / coffee etc so don’t really see the point. Does mean entertainment has been burned through but doing well on the booze spends, not had much to drink at all since budget reset. So groceries should come in below budget for this month.

@DayDreamerandGeneralWaster yes going to try to now I think. Can’t be depressed about it forever not going to help anything. 

rugbymadfamily

Haha also have the same planned - dinner out tonight means the majority of our Entertainment budget has gone in the first week of the month....but no more opportunities for entertainment after this so might as well get dinner out this evening - enjoy :-) 

Sounds like you're having a really good week and some break throughs on the mindset front, really well done and keep up the good work.

RelievedSheff

We didn't even think, we could have gone out tonight for something to eat. Mind you I suspect everywhere will be busy with people thinking the same thing.

Never mind. The BBQ pulled pork in the slow cooker is smelling amazing.

alt80

@rugbymadfamily mate my entertainment has been decimated already (‘month’ starts 26th). Dog walks are free though so win win ha. Don’t know if any fireworks will be happening will have to find out.

Trying to be a bit more objective / business first rather than ‘but I want’ like a 5 year old lol. Said it before and I’ll say it again time for me to grow up. I have a lot more than most so lots to be grateful for just been so wrapped up in my own image for too long. Just trying to be honest now to myself and others. Property mate sent a house for me to look at - told him looked a decent deal (7%ish yield, single let and easy) he wondered if I was interested before I’d have made up some excuse but just told him I’m not in a position for it right now but if he wants to go for it I’ll gladly manage it for him. If he doesn’t want it I’ll probably ring around a few people lol will help the cash flow for the BTLs with these little res management deals. Actually had a better conversation about it tbh because I wasn’t trying to BS why it wasn’t one for me right now. 

@RelievedSheff don’t think you need to eat out with the pulled pork cooking away. 

lostmyusername

A monumental shift in mindset from you - and such a good thing! Enjoy your dinner out, hope it’s absolutely lovely. Sure your wife and son are loving the extra family time and the dog must be loving his walks.

Sun_Addict

It’s really great that you’re making a start on changing your mindset. It will take time but at least you’ve recognised the problem and are doing something about it. It’s obvious you have a real passion for your cars and can see why you want to hold onto that. For me it’s my holidays, I need my three trips abroad a year, that’s my thing. Obviously not this year 😩 Although managed a sneaky week in Zante in August.

Hope you’ve had a fabulous evening meal out with your family, plenty of good times to come when we’re out of this rubbish time.

FootyFanDan

Wow! The change in mindset is brilliant, whilst I get why you wanna look back on what u could have or should have done in the past but that seems to trigger crap feelings. Keep trying to focus on what you are doing to change things now, it won't all happen at once but its certainly evident that its defo happening. Glad your son had a good birthday and glad you got some much needed family time too. Keep going your on the right track mate

alt80

Dinner out was ok but not amazing - pub was running out of everything, can’t blame them really. Atmosphere was there but everyone behaving even though busy table service only etc. Got a taxi there and back as both wife and I wanted a drink couldn’t even walk there because I can’t put any weight on my foot at least the wine numbed it a bit haha. £85 spent more on wine than food as my meal was really not great so got a refund. Made up for it with the wine. Stupidly tired right now - had about 4 hours sleep total last night and that was broken.

Thanks all re mindset it’s a battle everyday but trying to turn the corner - not going to get there unless I put the effort in. I shouldn’t always be looking for what’s next / better. 

@Sun_Addict Love my two/ three weeks a year, get away from it all. Had some very extravagant hols but that is something both wife and I are ok with cutting back on as we’ve had better cheaper holidays truth be told - going to more ‘authentic’ places, staying in places people from those places actually stay, enjoying real food and gen having a week or two away from it. Really hoping we get to Greece next year to see my parents - love island hopping there cheap and completely different culture have to be prepared for v basic accommodation though. You should consider if you like Greece also mainland too.

@FootyFanDan Thanks mate most things seem like a trigger right now not going to lie. No temptations over the coming few weeks is a relief - already concerned I’m going to struggle when lockdown ends again wanting to spend etc. Battle with it every single day but I can either be resentful I can’t have everything or try to look at what I do have. I have a son I need to set a better example for and believe it or not some staff that look up to me - yeah god help them ha. My wife is happy when I’m making time for her and son to be honest I am too. It’s 100 not a buzz but also not self destructive.

RelievedSheff

I think as you get more and more into the mindset that you will realise that not everything needs to be "a buzz" Getting "a buzz" isn't actually important and that what really are important are the people around you that you love and who love you back.

alt80

Lockdown 2.0 day 1 had decent nights sleep don’t feel too bad this morning. This time it’s not really affecting business- did last time tbh I think it set me off on the debt panic ha. Did have every payment holiday going to clear the cards to the £40k level at the end of lockdown ha. Not going to do anything like that this time- don’t need to. Actually can’t quite believe that it’s under control currently and I’m both managing to pay the debt and not add to it. Appreciate a lot of people reading this will be thinking managing to not put your life on credit is hardly any real achievement- it is to me.

Had a really strange conversation with FIL on the phone this morning. Called to tell me that he was glad I didn’t look miserable with family Halloween and son’s birthday haha. Really he wanted to quiz me on the debt he’s got some obsession I’m going to wind up getting my res home repossessed can’t lie I took some pleasure in telling him I’ve binned £10k off the debt since September lol. 

@RelievedSheff thanks hope if I get away from needing the highs all the time I won’t get the massive lows that seem to accompany. Probably sound like I’ve got some kind of bipolar disorder, to my knowledge I haven’t and with all the counselling I’ve had I would have thought they’d know if I had lol.