Hazelnutty's recover and rebuild plan for a happier, simpler life!

foxgloves

@Hazelnutty - I've been thinking about your question about lessons learned. I think I'd have to say there are three general ones which have all been important in my financial reformation:
1. Learning to budget. This includes trying new systems/tweaks, etc, until I found something that works for us & then sticking to it as part of my regular household-running routines.
2. Understanding the difference between a 'want' & a 'need'.....as in REALLY understanding it. Holey knickers....now that's a 'new knickers' need. Seeing some boots in the sale which are so fab they almost bring tears to my eyes or another 3 baskets which would probably look eclectic & lovely somewhere in my house.......those are wants, not needs.
3. Finally realising that the pleasure of over spending money is outweighed by the stresses of financial insecurity. i.e Buying myself two outfits followed by an unnecessary top-up food shop in M&S while horribly & illicitly overdrawn & nowhere near pay-day might be enjoyable, but spending the rest of the month dreading ever time I put a purchase through a till that the bank might stop my cards.......or its sister embarrassment of going to the cashpoint & trying to withdraw ever-lower amounts of money only to see the message 'You have insufficient funds' on the screen (like you didn't already know). And of course, the bigger side of the security thing is the importance of an emergency fund. Once I had one of those, I didn't have to keep using a credit card or my awful neverending flexi-loan to deal with commonplace emergencies like car bills or busted appliances.
And I suppose now that I am concentrating on saving, rather than debt-busting, I still think a really key thing is how lots & lots of small things add up. That's something which really surprised me, as during the Spendy Decades, I always believed I didn't earn enough to save, which was both untrue & complete rubbish!
Probably not the concise answer you were hoping for, lol!
F

Hazelnutty

Thanks @foxgloves for being so generous with your advice! 

For me, this is where MSE overlaps with minimalism (not in the purist sense but generally the way you can live a calmer, more meaningful life with less stuff, both physical stuff and other 'junk' that gets in the way emotionally etc). It makes sense not to buy stuff you just want or because buying gives you a momentary rush from a financial/MSE POV but also from a wellbeing POV. I definitely do better as an introvert with a less cluttered home that can be a haven and retreat from the world.

I guess where they can depart a bit is minimalism would say simplify your finances e.g. having one current, one savings, one emergency fund rather than trying to stooze or move funds about to maximise rewards. I've gone through a process of closing extra savings accounts (they were on 0.1% anyway) and having all my pots in one. I also closed my personal current account and my other credit card. I now have my debit card, one CC and driving licence in a satisfyingly teeny purse. OK I might miss out on the odd quid by not shifting accounts around and so I'm not being very MSE but I am appreciating the simplicity (& it definitely frees up mental space/time). I'll compare and switch for insurance and utilities and my remaining CC is J0hn Lewis for the vouchers lol but otherwise I've gone for ease of mind over maximising returns. If it delays my financial goals slightly, at least I've benefitted from less financial 'noise' along the way.

Speaking of clutter, I have freed the chair and added a few bits to the carboot box. We'll do it weekend after next, weather-permitting, as DD loves a carboot and she's every other weekend with us. Problem is she's a spender and all her proceeds tend to go on other people's junk (luckily she's not a hoarder either so there will be a periodic clear-out). 

Spent today:
£10 to DD to go on a picnic with her friend next door (from the pot I keep for her stuff)
£48 on a label maker and boxes for understairs cupboard and caster wheels for office chair (from home pot)

foxgloves

I never did much moving around between credit cards @Hazelnutty. Like you, I have my visa debit card & one credit card - the one you mention, as I too like the vouchers & am currently stashing them for Christmas. Mr F has the same, but his CC is from a different voucher giving chain of shops. We have our joint current account & 3 savings accounts. Those are pretty much savings for the future plus our emergency fund, which I insist on keeping in a very easily accessible account. For everyday living, I devised a system of 10 savings pots, each for a different category. It works for us. Everyone is different. For instance, I don't use YNAB or similar.... I like my trusty A4 Money Book & as it works, I can't see that changing. My home is in no way minimalist, but I do find I have developed less tolerance for clutter as I've got into my 50s. Am a big believer in 'Tidy home, tidy mind'. 
F

Hazelnutty

@foxgloves my comments weren't a criticism, just where my mind went! (I'm a bit of a wanderer and wonderer!) I completely agree with your 3 lessons.  I've just been musing about what my route will be for the next few years recently which is probably a mix of different approaches.

foxgloves

I didn't feel even remotely criticised @Hazelnutty. I do a lot of pondering around all the issues too, though I usually keep most of my ramblings to my own diary, lol.
F

Hazelnutty

@foxgloves

Hazelnutty

Today's goals:

• Scheduled run tick! I definitely am starting to feel stronger. Stiff and shambling to start with, no quicker later on but at least felt good
• Clear out car [leftovers from car boot a couple of weeks ago but tbh there's also stuff from when we had to move out of the house temporarily for structural work. Now I've realised I can't replace my beloved Polo with an electric, I feel I need to invest a bit in the old girl. A clear out and clean will help   Fail on this one, mainly as OH said I should be relaxing at the weekend and offered to sort the car for me. I'm not very good at relaxing so ended up doing stuff in the loft lol. 
• Clear off the dumping chair in our bedroom [relic of having to empty to downstairs during building work and live among boxes upstairs. This poor chair is still covered in clutter. Sorting it out will make me feel better] tick! Chair is officially clear for sitting on (for now...)
• NUSD [No Unbudgeted Spend Day: basically an NSD, only spends have to be covered by a pot. I want to get some clear rubber casters for my home office chair so I can ditch the nasty chair mat. It gathers dust and is generally nasty. And some boxes to organise our new understairs cupboard] Technically a tick but the home pot is in deficit now until Monday payday and pot shuffle (just spent 5' trying to find an emoji for embarrassed but I can't get the hang of the new system on here! 

Ooh, and I also messaged M&S to automate the monthly £200 so that'll simplify things for the next few months. 

Hoping to swim with DD tomorrow morning (already paid for)  

HAve a lovely evening everyone!

anjyeah

Awesome diary and you look like you're off to a great start! I am really impressed with the goal-setting and planning. It's inspiring me to do the same, we will be here to cheer you on. Good luck! 

Sun_Addict

I did the C25K last year and still try to do 5k 3 times a week. I’m never going to be a marathon runner by any stretch of the imagination but I enjoy it, mainly after I’ve done it though 😆

Hazelnutty

anjyeah said:

Awesome diary and you look like you're off to a great start! I am really impressed with the goal-setting and planning. It's inspiring me to do the same, we will be here to cheer you on. Good luck! 

Thanks @anjyeah ! I'm a bit of a nerd tbh and love a bit of planning (ditto lists and stationery!)

Sun_Addict said:

I did the C25K last year and still try to do 5k 3 times a week. I’m never going to be a marathon runner by any stretch of the imagination but I enjoy it, mainly after I’ve done it though 😆

lol @Sun_Addict I'm definitely not built for running but did quite a bit in my 20s (including 2 marathons which I can't quite believe looking back ) and some in my 30s but always at my own slow pace! Now I'm 20 years older, even heavier, and gone are the days I can be bothered to care about even my level of PBs or mins per mile. Now it's being outside, preferably off-road (I love running in the woods or by water) and just getting away for a bit although admittedly 'a bit' is only about 20 mins atm!  I've signed up with OH for a 10K in the Peak District in Feb so that should be lovely if we can make it round