First Steps to Solvency

getmore4less

Worth trying the 5am routine for a while.

As you are already dry what about 5am January

I have had mixed sleeps did a midnight to 8 am this morning with a 4am wake up but got off again massive BBQ dream 2nd stint.

With the 5am there must be a bit of time before son needs to get up opportunity to tick a trigger off the to-do list.

If trying for school hours a chance to check/adjust the work schedules before going offline for the breakfast and doing the school run.
Work day(proper lunch)
Pickup and early-ish bed.

You did mention school hours could be a stretch, might be worth thinking about how you avoid it happening too much, what sort of things could disrupt mornings or evening and how you can preempt that happening.
Eg. Allocate early site jobs to others, your first should be after school run, don't get tempted.

alt80

Day 214 

I know I shouldn't be up past midnight, absolutely whacked tbh. I woke up at 5am on 2nd. Yesterday I couldn't get to sleep, finally did, kept waking up and was up again early today not been well and tbh got through my steps and planning my work week out. Today's cal was making time to do something kind for someone else I've been absolutely whacked all day it was a bit lame, morning cup of tea in bed for my wife and son and making a bit of time for a kick about. Have been to bed once tonight, couldn't sleep nearly had my 30 mins up in the office so will be going back to bed. Spent no money, didn't want to go anywhere. 

My Mrs finished listening to this recovery book by Russell Brand can't say I like the man that much but his recovery book was good I'd listened to it first and wife decided to listen to it too after, she thinks it's a good book too, worth a listen if you can tolerate Russell Brand speaking for a good number of hours ha. 

@getmore4less I'd love to get into a position I found myself sleeping early enough for a 5am January. Managed 2 days so far tbf but I think tomorrow will be a write off can always see and aim for day after after a days rest iyswim. I'm not actually officially doing dry Jan, have this thing about setting targets with drinking because every time I've set a target I've !!!!!! up and drink and that leads to a heavy session or has done every time I set a target for drinking on here. 

100% when I get up early I find I'm actually really productive. 

I'm trying to stick with the school hours or as near to as possible for this month; some good things to think about and implement there, thanks mate.

alt80

Day 215 

Think I was asleep for 1am and up 7am, so not terrible. Happy new work year, I love the first day back of the new year one of my favourite days of the calendar lol.

Want to keep to my plan for the month. I’m still not too well really. 

Todays cal: write a list of things you’re grateful for and why. Going to do that before bed tonight hopefully a bit earlier and back to 5am wake up but not getting stressed over it, trying to take the life is a marathon not a sprint approach haha.

No plans to spend in fact tbh I don’t know when the last time was that I did spend on stupid stuff impulsively. Learned a lot from having very limited access to personal money, it has forced me to have some discipline I think probably did prevent a couple of potential complete relapses too tbh. Not sure what I do from here I accept it is a bit weird having no access to personal money at all and at times it’s !!!!!! awkward really. Something I need to think about over the next few months but no big deal really. 

RelievedSheff

You are strange liking the first day back at work after New Years.

Most other people think it is the worst day back   

getmore4less

I worked with a Chinese team so it got even weirder.

While off for Xmas/NY that team worked so you tried to manage a bit of time for support(check emails) but mostly they got on with the work and the continuity of workflow was in place. 

No sooner are you back and into the swing they take a long break for their new year and you(UK part of the team) pick up the workload for a bit.

alt80

Day 216 

Two no spend days (I don't count things like food etc. spends = off plan spends rather than general, everyday on plan spends, know everyone thinks of this in a different way). 

Todays cal: 'look for the good in others and notice their strengths'. Done alright with this today, new year is my time to look at how my team is doing and start reviews so this has been a good one for that today.

Slowly putting together some lists with my wife forward planning some spends. Not getting tripped off about it and where I do I am ensuring I do the right thing - walk away. 

Struggled a bit with putting the work down tbh I know I don't need to do some of the things I do and it is compulsive, know it's better all round if I do as planned so sticking with that even when difficult. Sleep hasn't been amazing in all honesty but I'm not letting it trip me off like I have done in the past. Two of my staff are going out this weekend, one who likes to drink too much said it was about time I came out again, had a bit of a wobble for about 10 minutes or so but I know what it leads to, I know it's not going to help me and tbh I've had a while to think about the impact my actions when out with staff in the past have had and I don't think it presents me in the best light and as a result my company.

@RelievedSheff I love it, first day back with my team, thinking about reviews / development. They are refreshed from a break and now I've started to embrace some time off I am too. I was !!!!!! stoked for it yesterday ha. 

@getmore4less that sounds like it worked well, ultimately I've found if you have the right people, systems and expectations the rest falls into place fairly easily. Biggest challenge I've always found is getting and keeping the right people.

RelievedSheff

Sounds like you have had a great start to the year

Long may it continue.

warby68

This could be your year @alt80 - you're off to a good start certainly.

BTW are you getting offers through to buy the RR ? We've had them for both our cars the last few weeks. My Mini has been going up in value lol and the BMW is worth about £5k more than expected just now. 

alt80

Day 217 - 31 weeks 

We have had a £35 'unexpected' spend today; wife bought a new bedding set for son, all in JL sale so not exactly broke the bank ha and to say not planned for would be lying; we have an amount to account against for household purchases. 

Calendar today: 'Take five minutes to sit still and just breathe'. Managed this morning when I read what it was a bit late about 9.15am at work. Been a bit of a busy one today not just work related. Read to my son this evening really I should say he read to me and passed me the book because I was falling to sleep fml.

@RelievedSheff thank you and I certainly hope so. 

@warby68 thank you, I hope it is. My secretary said she's pleased to see me not working myself 'into the ground today' and I deserve to have this additional time with my family that meant a lot tbh.

Re RR - yes, I have been getting some very good offers, it'd pay my finance off and give me about £7.5k in my pocket rn. I have had moments I think about selling it but then I drive it and it's a brilliant car, I still love it which you can tell me is ridiculous all day long but I can't think of anything under about £150k I'd want to replace it with either. It's something I have thought about and at the point I own it outright, it will become much less of a financial burden and I'll be able to extend the warranty until it is 10 years old.

mark55man

I agree new to 10 years old is a great plan for a car you love to drive.  I tend to start at 5 years old and run until 10 expecting no trouble then a few more if I can get away with it.  The only exception was in 2015 when we had had a run of bad luck with bangernomics and bit the bullet on a 30% off new registrations deal at the local Vauxhall. BUt yes when the loan for them were paid off it created a lot of headroom on the budget