Future Proofing my life: Deposit saving then MFW journey in under 13 years

dawnybabes

I was told if you take large doses of vit d (like I do) you must must must take the Co factors.

LadyWithAPlan

Heading back into London after family weekend.  Been a bit dashing reindeer - flew in and went straight to college Thurs, home about 10pm  then up early next Friday am did a bit of work, washing and unpacking/packing to leave 2pm for the weekend. Will probably end up back at home for just before 9pm and my phone is reminding me I am doing my ems at 8.30am tomorrow - so will have to be up early as I walk 40 mins there ..

Had a lovely family bday meal which I normally pick up whole bill or half  and this time only picked up a 3rd of the tab (saved for in ynab) so I feel i saved   I also have the 20% off vouchers as I am a shareholder of the company which helps

VINTED - is not moving, I need to either add more, reduce prices or literally get it all to a CS. My dress wardrobe is too packed, I also note i picked up 2 new CS dresses for £1 each yesterday (out London) and the one definitely looks perfect for the winter running around. It helps having lost those 5-8 lbs..


Beans  and training and finishing 2024 strong
Was abroad last week so nutrition was best I could do and had a big family meal today so looking forward to getting back on target tomorrow. I want to lose the next (and hopefully last) 6-8 lbs in the next 6 weeks, ahead of xmas. One thing I have 'won' at goals wise this year is I have got back into regular training and lost some of those pesky pounds that have crept on.
My new HRT medication I think is helping as I wasnt absorbing the gel (had blood tests to check and my ostregen was low despite taking HRT  as directed) so I am now on a spray and also progesterone extra tablets  - I am definitely sleeping better and I can see that weird bloat/belly fat that I have never seen before  in my life which appeared since the menopause is actually shrinking - I am determined to have hit my weight/fitness/health goals for 2024 even if I have not some other goals

dawnybabes said:

I was told if you take large doses of vit d (like I do) you must must must take the Co factors.

you mean Magnesium? what else? My dentist didnt say anything about that and been on the 10,000ius for 3 years now.

College and learning
I, like many (other) kids , are in half term this week which is good as gives me a breather. I have looked at my too many todos schedule and decided i need to nail this software course first  (I am doing various classes and also started the home online version) but also I will update my CV this week.  Want to start picking one big project at a time to finish off rather than having 12 to dos.. i have told my one contract I am testing building a system for them (will be great as a portfolio piece for me) and as its my own time (not charging them yet)  if they want to start using it I can sell it/license to them. I have set a deadline of EOY for myself on this

MINIMALISM GAME started again 27+ items today
Removed lots of 15/16 tax receipts, and also got an old 'in-ears' I am taking back to London to see if it works (its gig technology) left by an ex who has now passed) 
I do enjoy the removing/decluttering  MG daily especially the 10pm dash to find things and after my trip away the home always feels cluttered. Plus I have bought 2 new CS dresses so determined to find 2 bits old clothes to remove.

WelshmansDaughter

There is a new london episode of LLL up on YT. Season 20 ep 4.
started out somewhere called Caterham
ETA South Norwood looks nice

TallGirl

Busy as always but you seem to thrive on it. I was relieved when my sole 5 week online class ended last week lol. 

Interesting about menopause medication we really do not talk a lot about it. We had a worked Menopause cafe and I was not going to attend but it turned out the others had come along as they were not sure if they had started or not. They could not talk to their mum about it or friends. I was able to share my very easy journey and show them the patches that works for me. They were so grateful. I always do wake up at 3 or 4 am in the morning your post made me wonder if I need to look at mine. 

Glad oy hear some news about more income we are all rooting for you buying something soon. I do hope the relief for first time buyers don't disappear completely in the budget. Interesting to hear what she says including about pension relief etc. 

LadyWithAPlan

@TallGirl yes I made sure I had bloods taken  and results arrived before I went in to see HRT Doctor as  last time  this was not the case and I needed my coil changing and this time they added the hormones in..

I went  last month in as I was exhausted and not sleeping, and being unusually unmotivated for me ...I have tried the little gel packets of oestrogen (made me v bloated), then been on oestregel (big bottle thats a pain to travel with for a year but felt better on it))  I had read a book on Menopause when I was at my DS playing Ms Doolittle and they suggested testosterone can really help.. So I got the blood tests before going to ask for some.

However my oestregen levels were only about 100 (something) and should be more like 400 (of whatever measure it is measured in) so she stated we need to get the normal levels up before looking at testosterone.
I now have a spray thing (Lenzetto) - so same hormone oestradiol but delivered in a spray and I have been prescribed 4 sprays each morning -  and I will go back after 8 weeks and after a further blood test to see if that is better. IApparently some people dont absorb it well through the skin via gel/pump

I do have a coil with progesterone in it, apparently its v hard to test for that hormone but DR said best to give me a tablet of it each night as well  - this is helping me sleep better and I am not waking up as badly.

I will go back in a few weeks  for the bloods- and see if just balancing the oestrogen/progesterone works) I do feel better and am sleeping better 
 I have a friend on testosterone and she feels amazing, however the potential side effects of permanent hair loss (my friend hasnt had this but it is a risk the dr said)..
Since I have said this now have 2 friends also going to check their hormone levels after HRT - NHS is so overrun that they just prescribe HRT and dont think to check back so we have to take our own responsibility for it .

WelshmansDaughter said:

There is a new london episode of LLL up on YT. Season 20 ep 4.
started out somewhere called Caterham
ETA South Norwood looks nice

Actually Norwood is an area I am going to look at as a friend lives there. You have got me on a daily diet of LLL

Will check out.

AnotherNewDay

WelshmansDaughter said:

There is a new london episode of LLL up on YT. Season 20 ep 4.
started out somewhere called Caterham
ETA South Norwood looks nice

The whole LLL back catalogue is available on E4. Along with love it or list it.
Caterham is on the Croydon/Surrey border

Watty1

Another vote for blood testing first.  After a disastrous NHS experience where a very old school  elderly doctor told me he did not hold with HRT and that if I was exhausted I should give up work I saw a private specialist in London. Expensive but blood tests revealed really low levels of thyroid and female hormones and testosterone so all were prescribed.  She actually wrote to my GP with test results and explaining that they thyroid should be prescribed by NHS.  Rest were compounded and prescribed.   I took them for a while and all was good.  Struggled with sleeping and private doctor upped the progesterone in the interim - but - a follow up blood test showed a completely different set of results and a new prescription made.  Her theory, the stress with the ex screwed my hormones, once he was gone and the property settled my hormonal balance changed because the stress hormones were not so prevalent.

My plan is now to blood test annually and check in with the private doctor. Expensive but my health really does need the support I feel.   Some of my friends have felt fantastic with GP prescription so it might just be how one absorbs them and the luck of the draw!

KajiKita

@Watty1, it really angers me the way (some!) male GPs make suggestions or decisions about women’s health. I remember when I had my hysterectomy (c. 20 years ago now) that my male GP at the time actually called me into the surgery to ask me to agree to have my ovaries removed at the same time, due to the risk of ovarian cancer which is difficult to detect. He literally had the paperwork drawn up on his desk ready for me to sign. So, not only would I have to recover from abdominal surgery and the underlying health condition that the hysterectomy was needed to address, I would immediately be plunged into the menopause in my late 30’s. 

I said no. 

He pushed. 

I got angry. He backed off. 

I felt like asking him if he would like to have *his* gonads removed due to the risk of cancer! Grrrr ….

KK 

LadyWithAPlan

@KajiKita I think I may have attempted to remove his gonads. So sorry you went thru that. Its like the insane way they do mammograms, if men had to squash flat their private parts to test for cancer I am 100% sure there would have been a less painful way by now. I had one, never again.

@Watty1 yes stress really does impact us - but wow on the hormones effect too!

@AnotherNewDay tx for popping in -  re C4 I dont have a tv  nor a tv license - so I cant watch live tv, but believe I can watch catchup tv fine - I will check again
(I have the Barb rewards box for probably being the only single person in CENTRAL London not to have one  I am up to about £165 I think in barb rewards, keeping them to use for Xmas - I last cashed in some points to get £25 M+S voucher so always useful.

Caterham seems a bit far but I am stopping looking for a month til I get the finances back in shape and a new contract. My MIP is dependent in 3 months regular payment of £X and that has not happened by my one contract job  so I need to get another new contract, I cant buy really without this.

I have decided fellow MSE'ers its all on board, cast off the anchor  and steaming ahead now for a 3 month of maximising earnings and being in a position to buy beginning Jan onwards

Monday 
EMS training - first in over a week
EOM list just compiling
Enjoying being back on my food slow carb after yesterdays cheat day (meal out and a pack of haribo and crisps as rude not to)


Home 
- everything looks/feels  a bit cluttered so sorting out flat
MG -  am back to tracking this  and marking off things on a notepad on the side of my fridge to get me to the count needed per day. So far (Tues 29th) 5 things decluttered -


Software course - doing 2 hours a day this week min as doing an intermediate course starting next week so need to get caught up on basics..

Grocery £169.88 spent plus £55.77 abroad food spend  so £225.65 (over my £200 monthly goal)   
plus junk food (sweets/biscuits)   £19.40

Popped into Morries on way home after gym this am - they are doing a spend £60 before Oct 31 and  get a £5 fiver  on top of normal points - you have to acrtivate the offer by Nov 3rdf (but spend by Oct 31) 
I note some people are saving the fivers at Morries for Xmas but think some have a 3m expiry date
Bought YS Beef cubes, chicken legs, some beans (tinned - not much  dried in this morries), YS green veg, nuts  £26.92 spent

I  am fine for food til EOM but I do need to spend an extra £14 to get the Morries £5   by Thursday but I will see what offers they have or stock up on frozen veg, beans and meat. I need to eat down and defrost the freezer so working on that. Just pulled out some lamb mince so may try a shepherds pie but with a cannelloni bean topping (!) 

Totals spent this year so nearly 10 months on food £2019.41 so £201 pm avg  - (not including family  bday or gift meals)

Groceries £1367.05
BULK £92.07 (so big bulk items eg protein shake that lasts over a month
snacks out £62.71
meals out (not bdays) £40.90
takeaway meals boxes £118
Junk (haribo/crisps)  £122.93 -
Abroad subs £144.54
Abroad meals £112.11

 I love YNAB for the detailed easily seen data - I started ynab Nov 29th  2023 so I will have a years full data soon  - I will then be  using average spend over a year to work out what to put aside eg elec - about £40pm I think its working at, maybe less.   Food as above £200pm

Tuesday
Some work done today but am definitely feeling more focused to get a new job.
I want to finish the software course first but I promise to get CV updated this week and start looking without waiting to finish.

LadyWithAPlan

Interest looming - I have a Mzo savings where I keep all my easy access money for bills, true expenses -  averages just 2-3k in per month, I can see I have earned £7.55 so far  in Oct - there will be 20% tax on that interest but still best yet in that acct  (was £5.44 last month) - now only at 3.85% rate  - still £7.55 is decent on money that has to be spent soon
I find once I siphon off my money for hse deposit savings  I will not transfer it back easily for day to day expenses.

I need to get my 'Next months money' category filled again - this covers for the next month the rent, the bills, essentials and also ideally the true expenses (so annual expenses /12) for the next month so if I dont get paid at the end of the month I am still fine within my budget.
I had it loaded up end of last month but its only got a few hundred in at present. So when I next get a chunk I need to not save it all for hse savings but instead get the 'NEXT MONTHS MONEY' category filled, and then 2 more. 
So I need to delay paying more into the hse deposit to get me fully 3 month sorted/saved first.

On my trying to save the extra £850pm approx difference between my current rent and what  my assumed  approx mortgage  payment will be - I have put aside £693 so far in Oct so pretty good there, added it to my TT isa and my Cov £250pm regular saver

I have nearly £2k on my cc thats to be reimbursed as well but that may take a few weeks to get thru. Very annoying to see the red overspend in my ynab. If it hasnt got paid off by end Nov by the client  sending me the cash  I will have to pay  it off (I never pay cc interest nowadays) 
I may yet swipe some of my MB £2K float to cover it, seeing red or a yellow overspend in the YNAB is uncomfortable as it shows you are clearly going into debt as you dont have the current cash to cover it. I could transfer some of my hse savings etc but that feels ridiculous


La Plan Baby Crypto watch   29/10     up    again    £144.03 (cost £132.66  ) 
last check  on  16/10  £136.06  - it is volatile

BUDGET  
Interesting and a bit worrying on this forthcoming budget - pension rules changes and directors dividend tax rates will affect me most - I dont smoke and any shares etc are wrapped up in my ISA/SIPP. I am newly a director of my own company (received no help at all during covid, as I was SE then and so started my own company  a couple years ago. 
I already pay tax on my interest due to my hse deposit being fairly chunky .... Be great if the £450k  SD exemption gets extended...

Mind you I am probably more concerned with the US election results .... 

MG GAME
I have managed to declutter 10 things today  but its day 29, so about to have v quick dash around to find 19 more things before bed . I suspect I have some paperwork that may suffice but not wanting to start that at midnight   

I do have some clothing to declutter but not mentally ready for that - did just check out my underwear drawer but as I am in the process of getting back to normal levels of pre menopause and pre covid weight/fitness now is not the time to get rid of clothes - Plan is to keep on training and my 6 days a week slow carb and get myself in great shape for yr end,