the daily nudge

Grogged

@couth, yes I count the mortgage as a debt.
@savingholmes, yup, as it doesn't contribute financially, I don't count it.
But it obviously contributes in many other ways (quality of life, etc.).
If we ever downsize, then it will come into its own then! 😁
I think it's personal choice, so it's down to how you feel about it.

SandyShores

I'm the same with eebaying.  I did lots in the past, but it does take a lot of time and I like to make sure that everything is immaculate/perfect to avoid any complaints, whereas with donating to charity I can just make sure its clean.  So I tend to eebay easy to sell/high value stuff and I have been using the charity donation button too.   

Couth I'm glad I gave you a chuckle with my home ownership outright measurement - it is lovely and warm in my cloakroom and there is hot and cold running water so I feel quite rich when I'm in there   Wait until the summer when I'm languishing on my fully paid for patio I will be feeling very blessed  

Not sure which room comes next or how to account for the garden.  Is a square foot of garden worth the same as a square foot of house?  I guess it could be as the house square footage is doubled as its over two levels?  (and what about the garage?).   Its interesting hearing about the different ways people are accounting for assets, I need to have a think about that - anything that helps to motivate me and of course Mr Shores!

couth

I should've called my diary the weekly nudge

Not much to report, apart from being annoyed that I missed out on an E.ON energy deal and now I have to research a new deal again. I'm within 50 days of British Gas deal ending so shouldn't pay exit fees. The weekend was quite spendy, we had a restaurant meal out with my support bubble family - we went ice skating first (pre-booked tickets), then we decided to eat out. It felt so odd in many ways, we have not been to a restaurant since my birthday, which was in the summer - and even then it was quite a limited affair. Too many restrictions, but it was good to sit down with my friends, even though they are my 'bubble' we only see each other outdoors. 

I'm on track with my 2 active challenges - Strava 4x4 and my company's 500-min challenge. I even lost a bit of weight because of this, which means I will be able to indulge at Christmas

Grogged

Don't say that, otherwise I'll have to call my diary "what hill?" 🤣
Glad you enjoyed the weekend.
Good luck with the deal hunting.

couth

We all have a hill to conquer I've been reading some of your messages re: investing, that's my next hill to start climbing. Well, I did start a stocks and shares ISA earlier this year, but with a very low amount as I'm a newbie and I also don't have too much money to throw at it. So far so good though, my small funds are doing fine and I'm trying to find extra money in my budget, to invest. 

Speaking of extra money, I've just switched energy providers from BG to Scottish Power... the saving vs. the current deal is not much, but it's a lot vs the cost when the BG deal is ending. Hopefully SP will be decent on customer service. It comes with £25 cashback that will go straight to my mortgage, together with any BG refund, fingers crossed. 

In other news, I'm progressing a lot with YNAB learning and have decided to give it a try for a full year to better control my non-bills spending. I have a YNAB 4 license (long story, got it with my ex, we never used it) so that gives me a 10% lifetime discount to the online subscription. Or, I might try to use the old YNAB 4, although it's not supported anymore. 

Today is not too shabby, as my boss gifted me a "free day" as a thank you for the madness of the past year - our workload almost doubled. I spent the morning binging on "home-made cafe au lait" and croissants, arranging Christmas presents under the tree, and writing the last  Christmas cards, then I'm off for a run at lunchtime. After that I will literally do nothing - except for listening to music and maybe a long warm bath until 4pm when DD comes back from her last day of school in 2020. 

Cheers

savingholmes

How lovely to get an extra day off. 

SandyShores

Sounds like a lovely day off x

couth

2020 ended with a big bang. Several days before Christmas my DD started to develop fever. Next morning I followed... We booked a walk in test the same day and got the results the day before Christmas eve... both covid-19 positive. DD had low grade fever for only one day, and no other symptoms, not even tiredness. I, on the other hand, was a wreck for three full days. I had all the listed symptoms and more. This thing is ugly and powerful. I am probably considered a mild case and I am grateful I didn't have to get to the hospital, but I would call it anything but mild... I threw everything I had at it - obvs paracetamol, drank tons of water and tea, garlic, honey, ginger, onion "tea", vitamin D, C, fruit, did breathing exercises, kept windows open a lot - everything I could think of and found on the Internet. We ran out of kitchen towels and wipes (due to compulsively wiping surfaces), milk, bread and onions :-) luckily we have friends who live nearby and were able to drop off things. Despite all this, we celebrated Christmas Day with a nice homecooked lunch, dressed up and whatsapp-ed with family. I am now on the mend and really hope it won't leave my lungs scarred.. Finances and fitness obviously took a backseat in all this, although I believe running in Dec and my workplace 500-min challenge helped me cope, as it strengthened and oxygenated lungs. We are still self-isolating until the 1st of January and hopefully we won't run out of board games and books to read. I overdosed on Netflix, can't watch a screen anymore. My DD does Joe Wicks and dance routines but I cannot bring myself to do anything physical... yet! Hope I'll be able to do some light Pilates or yoga from tomorrow. 

Hope you all had a better Christmas than ours.

PS. We think DD got the virus in school, she was asymptomatic and passed it on to me. My ex didn't get it although she saw him the weekend before Christmas. I have not been to the office or on public transport since March, I have not been to any friends house, dined out 2 times since March, only saw friends outside, always within rules, always wore a mask everywhere, avoided in-store shopping, etc... but with kids in school everyday, it was bound to happen sooner or later. 

twinklie

Eek, glad you are on the mend. I've got a lung disease so I'm really worried about getting it. I'm working from home and not going anywhere as nothings been open since summer anyway - I'm in the north and have been under restrictions for what feels like forever. And fully expecting to end up in tier 4 shortly or with the full country in lockdown. If I get it, it will definitely be from the kids. 

SandyShores

Poor you couth, sounds like you have been through it.  Glad you are feeling a bit better and hope you are fully mended soon.