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

LadyWithAPlan

PennysIntoPounds said:

You already know what you want to do about the flat, just be brave enough to listen to your instinct. Maybe you can consult scary necklace

Genius my instinct says  dont do the 'what seems easy' option and go down the challenging the legality route...
I cant believe I am even thinking of this. 
However  once I sign I lose all my power and they could hike up rent the month after etc.  I will wave the scary necklace around in the morning

I do also need to get the new job and a new home  as a priority this spring but signing with the new agent feels like a terrible thing to do..whilst sorting out all else. 

@TallGirl yes its the fact the expensive tbrush lasted so long.. I am waiting though ...flat decision is this week's. 
I could get a contract from current company but I need the payment regularly ... and dont need to be 2 months into a Mortgage applic and no money comes in and whole sale collapses  cos of it ..

dawnybabes said:

Could it be your charger ? I bought a cheap charger off A***zon when mine stopped charging and it fixed it.

the thought of being in a pub / bar tonight fills me with horror 

happy new year x 

Ah I think its the brush but could have been the charger.. I have already thrown it away ... kept part of the base (glass cup thing) 
Happy new year! 



Had an early night last night and will do again today - I havent done a proper review of 24 and 2025 goals  yet - enough on my decision plate   but I am already following some NY resolutions 

- Go to sleep early and get enough of it
- no taking mobile phone to bed
- no more haribo/junk/dairy (dairy exception only when travelling/eating out and no other choice)
- get back on the slow carb/more beans + greens  nutrition 6 days a week as i feel great on it,
-  no drinking for 6 weeks 
-  chant morning and evening
- wash up and put away before bedtime so tidy kitchen and lounge
- journal first thing in the morning
- declutter and tidy as I go .. no leaving things for later

Grocery -  £11.35/£200 + £20 bulk
popped into local sains and got some meat bargains - a large on the bone outdoor bred ham joint - £1.60 vs £16 per kg .... so it was just £3.30 vs £33... I have frozen a lot of slices and made a soup stock and a bean and ham/veggie soup 
Also got some meatballs reduced
Plus some peanuts - better for me than crisps..

Hope everyone had a good first day of the year 

PennysIntoPounds

The 'now' easy option isn't the near or far future easy option if it means potentially getting trapped in a corrupt downward cycle taking you further from your dreams.
Easy to say never give up your power to anyone, but really really really dont give up your power to people who reek to high heaven of the stench of all that is foul in the world 

PennysIntoPounds

Soz, that was a bit deep, happy new year 😁

KajiKita

PennysIntoPounds said:

Soz, that was a bit deep, happy new year 😁

I think it was spot on tbh … 😊

@LadyWithAPlan, the job search recommences now? What can we do to help?

KK 

LadyWithAPlan

PennysIntoPounds said:

The 'now' easy option isn't the near or far future easy option if it means potentially getting trapped in a corrupt downward cycle taking you further from your dreams.
Easy to say never give up your power to anyone, but really really really dont give up your power to people who reek to high heaven of the stench of all that is foul in the world 

you are correct actually. happy new year!

I remember a  male older friend saying about the situation  -some of you may remember- where a female friend of many decades's new partner was super flirty with me, connecting with me on SM, saying how much he wanted to go to places I travel to and inviting me over when she was abroad (I was firm in my rejections) -  finally despite me trying to see her w/out him (managed 30 mins whilst he was on the gym once!) , he grabbed my breast in public, i was shocked enough into silence and grabbed his hand to push him off me .. and she was standing behind us - somehow she made it my fault... (still would love to have his level of convincing b***s***) and she stopped talking to me and I lost her as a friend.... insane as if he is grabbing me in public what is he doing in private

anyway my wise friend said he'd be told himself   'you can do the easy now and its harder later, or do the hard now and its easy later'
and so thats in mind. The first page of the new contract is so dodgy I cant sign it  (asked for it today to stall) - if they use it as its written - nope,,, I have called a friend who is ex law and I called the paralegal but most are away til next week so on her advice I will pay for some private advice on the matter then move forward.
Just need more info about costs/risks/processes..


Didnt sleep well last night but I am eating well, getting sleep,  no alcohol or sweets/crisps etc.
Back in the gym tomorrow as well.

KajiKita said:

@LadyWithAPlan, the job search recommences now? What can we do to help?

KK 

Actually KK your thread got me to finally do and add my cv to CV library before xmas and  i applied for over 35 jobs today..

I may have to start tailoring my CV/Cover letter more but luckily I have a broad and extensive CV and still got my current contracts so no gaps. 
I need to get the new job (have worked out a minimum salary to get me borrowing what I need for the mortgage - I can always leave it after 4 months once I have the mortgage if its not my idea of fun and i need a degree of remote cos of booked already summer  /march  side hustle work.

Not sure what other job sites I should be on - indeed?  - I choose not to be on linked in as too many diverse projects make it look confusing.
So any suggestions gratefully received - all my work come from working with people for decades. I do have some short contracts end Jan/Feb then end March by a company I have been also working with for a decade.
I guess I could use AI for every CV update.. but trying the throw lots of CV balls out first  

My oven having worked fine for years is somehow fusing the mains oven switch  off as of yesterday! I used it fine Dec 31st but yesterday when I switch it on it is turning itself off by tripping the fuse. Not gonna replace my oven right now - I do have the halogen for frying, roasting, grilling and my 6 in 1 pressure cooker/steam/saute/sous vide/multicook/slow cook .. however I dont have a microwave any more - threw mine out a few months ago and also gave away the solo  slow cooker. 
The old agents are unlikely to look - its my oven after all and not sure how easy to replace an oven fuse - anyone?

So maybe I need to pick up a cheap airfryer that also does other things?? Or should I get a cheap microwave? views?
I will be moving at some point this year so who knows what white goods will be there.
I did boil veggies in the saute function but not great..   maybe a microwave be better for boiling greens as that is main thing I need as the pressure cooker brilliant for stews etc and halogen for roasts/grilling  so airfryer a bit of a duplicate

PREMIUM BONDS
Hoping for a nice win today/tomorrow

EOY round up /review needs to happen tonight then plans /goals for 2025 - brain focused on the flat

USING UP/declutter
Got rid of the TBrush travel case
Some paperwork scrapped - need to dig for my initial contract.

I am on the last dredges of a facial cream, hopefully tomorrow then back onto the kiehls one I was bought last xmas (got a new kiehls this year as well)
I have more serums than I can shake at still (even more after xmas)  so using 3 in the morning .... no7 booster line serum, PSA  anti oxi, and a new vegan collagen serum (all under my day moisturiser and then no7 factor 50 cream)  the at night I am using a retinol, then an oil.... plus finally starting to use the eye creams I never use..

beanielou

Airfryer all the way.

LadyWithAPlan

EOY/EOM  24 round ups - not done MB  The money side  -
I will do personal review in next post when I have done it.

Pensions (2 sipps) mkts  have dropped this month  by over £1k so ending up EOY  Dec 24  £60,738.65 vs Dec 23  £50,403.12 
- added £4036.94  not as much as wished  - so £6.5k  up in mkts
The one van  sipp did well and the other one went down by £350! (all stocks and one has collapsed)

Good news is its over the £60k target  which was an aim - up £10k a year. TO D0 add more before April 5th.

NAV £ £178,144.80    so up    £9,847.33  despite lots of travel, costs, paying taxes on unreceived as yet invoices and serious underpayment,
This though is  inc the SIPPS. so thats basically the sipps

Hse deposit £117,406.15 this is DOWN from last year at £121k...
I did pull cash from PB's and am waiting for some big/huge  cheques still - I have also paid my Corp tax eoy - on invoices I have yet to be paid ...  and have not added the accrued interest I am earning.
I note all  this last  year I have had a £500pm rent increase so that £6k there I didnt save and didnt earn more.

Yearly costs
Food - £3,113.92 so  £259.49 avg pm
includes junk  £191.35
meal boxes/take out £126.84
Groceries £1728
Xmas food £184.51
Bulk £92.07
Abroad food  £791.15 - inc food largely at hotel/airbnb and odd meal out abroad (some on work trips so expensed/per diems)

- Does not inc bday meals, coffees etc

Social £2,812.01  so £234.33 avg pm
inc drinks, coffees, some meals out (not family), theatre etc

FUN stuff 2,790.23   - avg £232.52
inc hair , toiletries £189, clothing £490, £480 on the ems gym

Gifts inc meals out for family bdays  £1,528.67  - £127.39 pm 
I need to get mum her main gift  re-sorted as well so really £1648

Saved £8,053.51  so £651.08 pm (pretty good!) 
Inc SIPP additions, hse deposit interest locked in tax free accts,

Other monies  rec
Cashback £98.38 (got £21 more but will add to 2025)
Compin wins cash £155.40 inc sale of won phone
Gdwill /complaint £34.55 + £15 VODA for bb failure
PB win £325 (not good on over £16k)
supermkt vouchers £43.65
Vinted /ebay £48
MB/casino is £6.8k but yet to do Dec which think slightly down - casino swings .. and costs of software to come off that as well  - this is still  a great side hustle 5 years on


Baby Crypto £230.63  - was up at £250 a few weeks ago..
INVESTED £145.66 -  so Up £84.97 so 58% up (bit more as added in drips and drabs)
1% charges to buy so £1.46 costs so £144.20 invested 

This is my first full year of YNAB but good to have some real annual  figures now to budget with
Started Nov 30th 2023 so ignoring last xmas..
I can now reset some pots in line with avg spending eg £140pm gifts,  plus xmas food £16pm 

Review on cash /spending /year finances
Saved more than I thought possible £8k 
Super pleased I am over the £60k sipp target - next year £70k at least!
Not pleased my hse desposit went down  - i took out £3.5k from pb to help with liq and still waiting on big invoices.. then it will go back up
Earnt less this year - though fact I am charging interest on my outstanding invoices is earning me serious money (once it gets paid)
The rent increase I ignored largely  as in I didnt  try to earn more .. and my contract slowed down and   lack of regular pay cut into my savings and rent will go up £300 pm more if I go with these people.
Spending is largely under control - compared to last year has been a huge shift - thats the feeling  ynab poor effect. Having lots of money around made me feel I could buy what I wanted but once i started the ynab  - it showed  me all the money already has  got a job. so i spent less on clothes, going out, travel etc.
I travelled a lot but not quite as much as the year before.
Due to lack of payment I kept pulling out my xmas/tax pots all year  - I have paid my corp tax now Dec 31st   but got SA to pay soon
I am ending the year fitter and healthier and leaner, tx to the EMS so that £480 over the last 6 months been worth it and the slow carb bean direction - back on that day 2 and feel better already

LadyWithAPlan

beanielou said:

Airfryer all the way.

Does it boil veg?  as thats the bit I am missing - I have a halogen oven  already that roasts food like a dream - basically v similar  tech to an airfryer and if I am not fixiing the oven then I think lack of fresh boiled veg is the greatest issue.. I like my greens, hence me thinking cheap microwave.
I can saute onions etc in my pressure cooker 6 in 1 so thats high level frying sorted

KajiKita

35 job applications! Wowsers … 🤩😂👏😊❤️

Those will make you visible to both employers and recruiters. 

I think the only other thing I would consider doing is asking your network of people who they would use to recruit / source a ‘you’ and then contact those recruiters and ask for an introductory chat, what possible vacancies they might have on the books or coming up. 

You will quickly develop circles of recruiters - the innermost with live jobs that you are actively interested in / are applying for, next circle out you’ll have had an initial chat with but they don’t have anything yet, but you get the feel that they ‘get you’ / will sell you well, the final circle is those that are unprofessional / stupid / set your teeth on edge, BUT you remain professional with, as they might have the contact for that one job you want. It becomes its own eco-system. You obviously invest the most effort with the inner circle and work out as those opportunities fail / degrade for whatever reason. 

Air fryer won’t help you boil veg. Halogen mini hob is probably the quickest, easiest option and very easy to store for any future kitchen refurbs in future homes … 😉

I find your instinctive reaction to the contract interesting. There’s something fundamentally toxic happening here isn’t there … Don’t let the Bar Stools get in your head. We believe in you, rest well tonight. Hugs x

KK

South_coast

What about a steamer? Very cheap, and you can do chicken/fish in it as well