First Steps to Solvency

alt80

Day 25. Must be making up for a lifetime of bad sleep at the moment - 8 hours three nights in a row now. Took my son to school and busy day on the work but am at least in the office for the day. Need to catch up on the personal finances over the next few days too already know the past month hasn't been amazing in terms of moving towards clearing my debts. Looking on the bright side do know I've not added to my debt which pre-lockdown was a !!!!!! miracle month. 

@RelievedSheff thank you. My son is more excited for that little car being in our garage than when I got the f-type haha he loves it. More money wasted on cars I know but I have said if we enjoy it as a family I'd like to buy it some point next summer leave the fast sports cars behind for quite a while I think; they aren't good for me.

@Willowtree222 thank you I've had a brilliant time not guilty for spending tbh I've spent money on a lot worse stuff than family weekends away in my time. Not gonna lie I have indulged my son a bit this weekend probably to the point of needing to wind it in a bit now really.

@getmore4less definitely surprising when you're a gluttonous !!!!!! like me eating 3 courses every !!!!!! evening add in a few beers and a couple of bottles of wine it def gets expensive. Idk definitely have spent more than accounted for and I should care but don’t really. Onto planning the next one with a bit more self awareness of how much we spend on food and drink ha. Strange in a way to actually plan for this stuff; pre-covid we used to go away and I couldn’t tell you what we spent but it wouldn’t have been any better than this weekend, in all likelihood would have been a lot more. Next one coming up this month centre-parcs with the in-laws - can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to sharing a lodge with them haha. 🙄 

Plan to meet up more often with MG lot they have 2 other old cars my son loves them all. Suppose I remember being run around in cars of a similar age but they are def a novelty for my boy, that and whenever he’s seen the MG he’s always been going somewhere. 

Yeah I spend a fair amount of cash on petrol actually dread to !!!!!! think how much I’ve spent on it over the years ha c18mpg has been my average for most cars and when I had my P38 with the old Rover V8 15mpg was a good day haha. I'm kind of coming round the the electric for day to day; I actually think it’s going to work quite well and for most days be a better car than the BMW - school run/ work etc. Still love my RR though lol don’t want to give that up. I know taken me long enough to come around to the idea of a second family car for stupid reasons really like the EQC having 4 doors fml but that was tripping me off beyond belief a couple of months back. Not sure on electric for a long journey yet though - the range quoted is not really achievable from what I’ve read and what you’ve put up there about the McArthur Glen charging points doesn’t give me confidence haha. I’m still not 100% convinced it’s the future over the hydrogen fuel cell route but we will see and as the EQC is on a lease I’m not tripped off with future values of that. I hope petrol will be around for years to come and can enjoy my Range Rover.  

MovingForwards

Thank goodness for that, MG's are great fun and provide that real driving experience. 

With your fuel, do you collect points as you could save them up towards an annual treat.

You're sounding refreshed and the weekend away has done you good. Cleared your head and let you see what adds value to life. Keep it up!

alt80

Day 25 through. Been busy on the work front again keeps me out of trouble. Managed to cook a chicken curry this evening. Wife is off the mfp rn and I’m back on it of my own accord steady 2k calories, 15k steps including 3km run and Monday upper body workout. Back in the game ha. Need to get back in the debt payoff game really too. 

Wife has agreed to look after a mates nail clients when she goes on maternity later in the year. All good but there I was thinking that’s a bit more cash in the pot each month for a while when wife starts doing this work but no my Mrs is working for free - she’s told the girl she can have the income ‘for the baby’ fml. She’s got a heart of gold tbf but def yet another reason to realise I’m on my own earning for this household and always will be haha. 

On another note how many of you watching Love Island? I’m a !!!!!! love island widower for the next 8wks I think it’s on for and she’s already stalking Brad the Labourer been back on IG to check his profile fml he turns up in NG I’ll 100% be divorced. 

@MovingForwards I’m doing ok thank you. Just need to keep on the right path that I’m on at the moment. Know it’s not easy but if it wasn’t doable I wouldn’t have been on it for the past 25 days would I ha. 

We are looking forward to having the MG.  My wife is picking it up on Wednesday and surprising son that is if Brad the Labourer hasn’t come knocking on my door first fml.

Fuel yeah I’ve got the Shell app - fill with VPower and get the money off every 10 fill ups -  not a lot but it’s something. 

alt80

Up at stupid o'clock after waking up. Did go to bed at a sensible time tbf and had a bit of sleep but woke up then couldn't switch my brain off tripping myself off about just how much a battering my cards have taken this month despite me having next to no access for the majority of the month. 

This month was a 5 figure spends month. Total spent (including debt repayment): £10160. Total card debt stands at: £34540 which represents a reduction of: £665. Not pleased with various spending (not counting weekend away) and not pleased with the 5 figure month which was preventable but at least there is an overall reduction even if it is small. I am looking forward to the day I don't keep waking up thinking about this stuff tbh lol. 

FootyFanDan

Hey mate, just wanted to pop by and say you are smashing it right now!. Loving the positive updates we are getting, I too had a bit of a spendy weekend (we were away at the coast for a few days). Them amusements don't half know how to get you haha loved the smile on daughter face while she way having fun....even if in the end I prob paid £25 for a flashing dice and a sticker diary 😂😂 not very MSE of me! I admit though that the sheer joy on my little ones face made the money not matter. It was budgeted for in a way so not too fussed. Also ate out at fab little street food place that was yummy...anyway I digress point I guess was that it sounds like you and the family had an amazing weekend and the money spent was worth it. I know you eventually want more progress on the debt front but the time at the moment you are creating with your family is much more precious.

Well done on 25 days too - you are doing great

Sun_Addict

You’re doing really well. Don’t worry so much about the spends, you’ve enjoyed yourself and you’ve had some lovely family time. You’ll soon be at your first goal and will get your reward of the gym membership. You can do it 💪

How kind of your wife to do the nails for free. It’ll keep her busy and not spending anyway. Plus she won’t have time for Brad the labourer 😆

getmore4less

alt80 said:

Up at stupid o'clock after waking up. Did go to bed at a sensible time tbf and had a bit of sleep but woke up then couldn't switch my brain off tripping myself off about just how much a battering my cards have taken this month despite me having next to no access for the majority of the month. 

This month was a 5 figure spends month. Total spent (including debt repayment): £10160. Total card debt stands at: £34540 which represents a reduction of: £665. Not pleased with various spending (not counting weekend away) and not pleased with the 5 figure month which was preventable but at least there is an overall reduction even if it is small. I am looking forward to the day I don't keep waking up thinking about this stuff tbh lol. 

Easy for me to say.

The individual months will be variable, it the trends over the years that drive the end result.

The weekend has shown there is good value from that sort of spending so plan in more.
Maybe drop to 2 course meals in the budget.
Look(job for wife) for vouchers at restaurants to stretch the budget, as much as I like some items I try to keep off the big money ones I can do good at home like steak.

It does seem that eating more substantial meals puts you in a better mental state and sleep better

If there are some odd overspends then that is something to keep an eye on so it does not get out of control every month.

The key here for the month was no new debt it still went down, still going in the right direction.

Major progress on finding balance, only a few weeks ago it was still extremes.




Wife doing nails make sure she takes costs out of the payments before she hands over the surplus cash.

Giving her time is one thing but she should not be paying for materials and miles if she travels to the clients.

Has she decided what she will do with any tips? 

RelievedSheff

Your debt is going in the right direction and you are still able to go out and spend time with your wife and son.This is part of finding that new balance for you.

You are doing great. Keep it up.

MovingForwards

What you're feeling is normal, it's showing your thought process is swinging the other way. The hard part is not letting it eat you. This was a planned weekend away and the next one will change as you pick up on what you would do different.

Now, mentally file it away under 'done' and move on.

stymied

I was wondering if you could make the nail money into the Christmas budget then there’s a direct motivation to keep earning. I know that still leaves you with having to earn to cover all the mundane stuff plus some of the treats but it might be a step in the right direction.