Cutting it Fine - the challenge is on!

debtfreeoneday

Hope you have a restful weekend. 

SandyShores

Thanks dfod, I've never felt so tired just doing nothing.  But the rest is doing me good

savingholmes

Congratulations

Kittenkirst

SandyShores said:

Thanks SH and dfod.  

DH and I have both been offered new posts.  So now we're going through all the paperwork and wondering if they are right for us and so on.  We're both going to see what happens and just go for it.  Although we've got our huge mortgage, my job is in the same sector so is safe.  DH's would be new for him, so he is going to take it one step at a time and see how it goes.  You just have to try and go out of your comfort zone sometimes.

Pretty worn out again this week, with the job news, studying and working.  Hopefully next week will be a bit calmer.

Wow SandyShores that’s massive news! Well done to you both for being offered new jobs Your posts always inspire me that you crack on and get things done!!

SandyShores

Thanks Kittenkirst - I think its my northern stubbornness (you can take a girl  out of the north).  Sometimes I think I should just take a break but I'm glad I haven't.  It finally feels like we are getting somewhere, and luckily we are both on the same page these days that if it doesn't work out we're still fine.  Something I wish I could have told my younger self - keep on keeping on, and don't worry so much !! because it really does work out in the end.

SandyShores

Not sure that I've checked on my targets for a little while. 

I'm currently making a mortgage overpayment of about £80 a month (to bring it up to £1k off the equity each month), so I plan to have a total of £1k OP'd that way this year.  I'm not sure about making it up to £4k, as we've a couple of projects to pay for yet, but I'll leave that as my target just in case. 

The emergency fund has taken a back seat - we have money in the pot, but that's already allocated.  So our emergency fund is effectively currently at zero.  We'll be in a position to start building it up again in September, when all the major projects should be completed.  The EF should be at £6k by December and we'll start the OPs seriously then.  I'm planning to keep most of the EF in premium bonds when the time comes.

Xmas saver is coming on really well, half way to target and I'm hoping to exceed target this year.  It was really useful last year paying some big annual bills and a few bits for Xmas.  Someone asked why I don't just put the money aside each month for the big bills, and I wasn't really sure.  Its partly because we aren't huge spenders at Xmas, but it also gives me the incentive to collect those points.  They are only worth pennies on their own, but totting them all up together for a target, motivates me.  Last year I paid kitty's insurance (about £100), had the car serviced,  bought the turkey and handed out some cash pressies.  It meant we didn't have to dip into any savings or monthly money, so I guess its swings and roundabouts how you do it.

My running is going well, although I haven't made any major strides I am keeping going.  I had a bit of a blip with eating, which luckily was balanced out because I've kept the running going.  So, as that's now under control, I need to apply what I do in the rest of my life and really focus on stretches, strength training and walking.  

Here's hoping the job turns out to be all that I expect, and I have been enjoying studying which has taken up loads of my free time.  The sideline and hobby room are having to take a back seat at the moment, but those can be part of 2022's targets!!

The next few months will be key, we'll see how: the job changes work out, DD's career path goes and how an unexpected situation with the neighbours resolves itself.  We're holding her steady (and glancing in the rear view while firmly focussed on the future ).

SandyShores

So, I forgot to include in the above that Mr Shores and I both have our own personal pots of money as well these days.  I always used to be running on overdraft, and Mr Shores credit cards were on fire.  These days I keep a nice balance (few hundred at the moment) and so does Mr Shores - who no longer owns a credit card.  

I'm saving up for a few things at the moment including a new bed, and Mr Shores has the savings for a shed.  It really is amazing how things have turned around - it took a lot of hard work, but I am very grateful indeed.

I have been really busy during the week, so I'm making the most of lazy weekends.  I enjoy being busy, but it is a bit too much at the moment.  I'll take the weekend to sort some things out and start off Monday with a plan

SandyShores

Just thinking about sorting out the garage.  We more or less threw everything in when we moved.  When we get some nice weather I need to empty the shelves onto the lawn, organise the stuff and send a lot of it to the CS or dump.  I've also got to have a clear out of my wardrobe as there's a few items in there waiting for the CS, ebay or recycling.  Was just mentioning to SH that a cluttered room is not good for relaxing.  I need to get on and create that peaceful haven of a home

SandyShores

Its definitely time to start tidying up the garage, but I'm dithering about starting as I'm just not in a decisive mood at the moment.  I need to get myself back into decluttering mode.  I should be able to start donating stuff to the charity shops again soon and I've a few things that I could put on fleabay.  Money has recently been focussed on the outside, and it would be good to have a plan for the inside too - which isn't my strong point.

SandyShores

I was just reading my earlier post about going out of your comfort zone.  MrShores is taking a bit of a leap, which might pay off or might not.  So of course, as I'm a bit of a worrier, I had to pull myself up earlier.  It wouldn't be ideal if it didn't work out, but its not going to be the end of the world.  And if it did work out it would be the best thing ever.  So, note to self, stop worrying and keep positive.  All the work we've done getting out of debt means we are in a pretty good position, of course I would have liked to have built up my EF first, but at least we don't have all the old credit card debt we had and I have the MSE forums if I need support and advice.

The only other thing I have to say, before settling down with my kindle, is that tomorrow I am going to do a bit of furniture shifting.  The desk is going into the corner.  I prefer facing the window, but it will be more out of sight tucked into the corner.  Its like the start of a  sliding tile puzzle though - there's not much room at my house, so to move one thing you have to move something else into a different place - and to do that you have to move that into a different place - and so on.  Hopefully when we have a shed we can move some stuff in there and have more room all round.

Happy weekend everyone, looking forward to a well deserved break from work