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

Lauraebrad

LadyWithAPlan said:

The sentence ' I am choosing to be frugal to support some fabulous life changing and affirming financial goals' rather than 'I cant afford this' is useful and motivating as well - as I really can afford things - whereas some people cant. It also takes away any guilt on spending  as I bought those succulents yesterday on the vodafone deal and I will enjoy them - and £3.99 for p+p only  is not a fortune and I have a treats pot anyway I add £20/month for anything I want so I have moved that over.

This is such a wise thought - I often feel that I'm being too frugal in some areas and could afford to spend more, or that I say 'we can't afford that' to my son, when what I really mean is that I'm saving so we can do other awesome things!  Thanks @Lady@LadyWithAPlan

LadyWithAPlan

savingholmes said:

Love the image.

You are doing well weight wise. Remember some fat is good and women need more than men.

 Indeed - I am all about having more muscle and focus on building that rather than ever worrying re weight itself. The more muscle you have the more you burn at rest, the more likely you are to survive a hospital stay (yes really and the more muscle you have, the shorter a hospital stay people had during covid it seems  from early research as well ) and the stronger your bones, the more flexible your joints, stronger connective tissues etc. Resistance training also leads to less pain, less fractures, fights osteoporosis  - so push ups  and dips whilst waiting for the kettle to boil are a good thing  

We all (men and women) lose a pound of muscle every year after 28 so if you dont do strength training then you naturally lose muscle and become less fit.  Especially important to us ladies as well as we approach menopause.

I always trained a lot  and weight lifted all my life 
When I am at 20% bodyfat I feel amazing and below that 30lbs of physical body fat level I always feel amazing - I  can feel it - its not just a number for me- the further I get away from it the more unfit I feel, the nearer I get the more I feel strong and athletic. This is decades of me knowing my beautiful  healthy strong body. 

My main focus right now is I am only 7st 1 in Lean Body Mass (lbm - so muscle and bone) so 99lbs - pre Covid I had 107-110lbs average LBM  -and no real strength training exercise during covid -  so now  I want to put on 9-10 lbs of muscle on - that will take months  as muscle takes longer to put on and also longer to lose (hence why its good if you are in hospital and have more muscle) but it means regular focused strength training  on getting stronger, lifting heavier so this is a serious 4 month til end of year goal to put on 4-5 lbs muscle. I am sure lifting all those hay bales, leaping over gates and fences  and battling strong dogs pulling helped  
Even if I manage just putting on 2-3 lbs muscle in the next few months it will naturally mean my body fat drops as I will burn more at rest, my metabolism runs high and I will feel extra amazing. 

I trained as a PT at one point - just so I knew what I was doing. However I have always eaten more protein than all the women I know - no faddy diets for me, always ordering extra chicken on the side of salad as protein is much harder to get in than carbs or fat - and many of my friends of my age now they see what I am doing as I still look fit with curves   no bingo wings and its all about weight training and protein levels (hence the vegan protein). 

Suffolk_lass

LadyWithAPlan said:

Yes it was you then who said that about why we are paying supermarkets to store their stuff - it really has stuck with me. So unless its YS or a bulk buy of value ..
Can I ask for further clarification - how many sub pots do you have on Grocery? Four?
 - bulk + grocery + treats/entertainment + dues/subscriptions?

I have various things I track but in the Grocery Challenge I keep it to 3. Stores, DD (milk) & Subscriptions (including a push payment monthly for eggs [and half a lamb most years]) and main GC. My GC or subscriptions includes all our cleaning stuff and toiletries but not my face cream... written down I think it's because it is a £50 purchase normally, but only about twice a year.

I track Treats and Entertainment (which includes irrelevant supermarket things I should stay clear of, like crisps or other snacks, ice cream, or wine) and lump it in with cafe stops, meals, pubs, gigs, tickets, holidays and what not.

Separately I record fuel, credit cards (I don't include these or I would be double counting) and pets, unless I buy pet things in the SM, in which case it gets lumped in with GC - usually it is cat litter as the other pet supplies are delivered.

Re your reactions to things - especially the marine based products - I wonder if it is the concentrated nature of them - so you can get away with fresh seafood but not once bits have been extracted, especially concentrated into a sprinkle or a powder. That is my reactive area. Dried shrimp sprinkled on Chinese food evoked an immediate reaction and hospital admission

LadyWithAPlan

Lauraebrad said:

LadyWithAPlan said:

The sentence ' I am choosing to be frugal to support some fabulous life changing and affirming financial goals' rather than 'I cant afford this' is useful and motivating as well - as I really can afford things - whereas some people cant. It also takes away any guilt on spending  as I bought those succulents yesterday on the vodafone deal and I will enjoy them - and £3.99 for p+p only  is not a fortune and I have a treats pot anyway I add £20/month for anything I want so I have moved that over.

This is such a wise thought - I often feel that I'm being too frugal in some areas and could afford to spend more, or that I say 'we can't afford that' to my son, when what I really mean is that I'm saving so we can do other awesome things!  Thanks @Lady@LadyWithAPlan

Glad to have helped and it is probably better as you say to be clear to your son - never too early to get them thinking  'do you want this now or this better thing later'  
Hard with kids of any age though eg me!!

.........................................................
NSD so 2/16

Declutter 6/5 - doing the items equal to the day of the month .. mostly old makeup

TT 99p

South_coast

Cheery_Daff said:

Ooh, love that you've made your own logo! 😀😀

I was just thinking the same thing!!!

LadyWithAPlan

@South_coast Canva is very easy to use for such things and free.


TT 86p  

Declutter 11/6 (as 6th day of month) - all receipts, opened bills, added receipts to accts package where relevant/scanned into Shopp** A lot of stuff to go in this house so slow and steady wins the race - as @savingholmes brilliantly suggested I am starting to look at it as preparing to move

Invoices owed/new job?
I have just looked at what is owing to me invoice wise  as it is still huge (5 figures..) so I will get on with chasing that again. From 2 companies . however great news is once I get paid I will be soaring indeed into my financial goals and deposit savings will rocket. Not done my Sept budget move of funds yet - though budget is done - it makes me feel very frugal as many of my pots are lean or bare!!

Looking online I can see some new jobs in my field at a higher day rate - which if i could do for 6/9 months would really get the cash in  so I keep saying I will update my cv but have waited/procrastinated  on my programme, life, my side hustle that is waiting on news... i am definitely not soaring on this but currently pecking on the ground for crumbs - admittedly large crumbs but I could be earning  artisan bread style instead (sorry analogy gone too far)
I know I am waiting to hear if this side hustle kicks off in Dec but ..I think if I journal about this daily maybe I will get the energy to rewrite the CV and get references from current directors.


I have signed up for a free 3 one hour (T/W/T 6pm) this week marketing course - I know loads about it but more to give me a push to restart some things and get inspired to move.

Selling stuff ...
Just looked at some beauty goodies I was given as friend gets them for free. One boxed unopened serum retails for £110! so I am waiting on ebay free listing and thats going on with another pile for ebay - gathering it slowly. Maybe I should take pics so I am ready to go - any ebay tips most welcome.

Think a few of my more expensive clothes needs to go on either vestiare or cudoni.
I gather Vinted is good for cheaper clothes - never tried selling on it - but at least I dont have to wait for free listing - GOAL - list 2 items on Vestaire or Cudoni today - 

Having some tech issues on my course which has stymied me - so I just need to focus on spending some mins trying to sort  - spent time over weekend and got frustrated but it is stopping me moving forward


Done some work this morning so now popping to gym - leg day and swim (yes I shower after swim at gym so saving money on showers ) and then will build my Sept soaring whiteboard and get jobs moving... I got fitter doing 18k+ steps a day with Ms Doolittle routine so I dont want to lose that now I am back WFH in London and not having to chase dogs, check horses, lug horse feed, climb fences! I feel fitter and want to keep that.

Hoping for a NSD - (currently 2/16 so far Sat/Mon)  but will look in local lidl in case of YS meat. Dont need much else. Yet to do full freezer inventory but there is a fair amount of frozen meat and batch in there.

LadyWithAPlan

Suffolk_lass said:

LadyWithAPlan said:

Yes it was you then who said that about why we are paying supermarkets to store their stuff - it really has stuck with me. So unless its YS or a bulk buy of value ..
Can I ask for further clarification - how many sub pots do you have on Grocery? Four?
 - bulk + grocery + treats/entertainment + dues/subscriptions?

I track Treats and Entertainment (which includes irrelevant supermarket things I should stay clear of, like crisps or other snacks, ice cream, or wine) and lump it in with cafe stops, meals, pubs, gigs, tickets, holidays and what not.

Re your reactions to things - especially the marine based products - I wonder if it is the concentrated nature of them - so you can get away with fresh seafood but not once bits have been extracted, especially concentrated into a sprinkle or a powder. That is my reactive area. Dried shrimp sprinkled on Chinese food evoked an immediate reaction and hospital admission

Wow that sounds bad. I did end up in hospital with my overreaction as issue breathing and I had blurred vision cos eyes sweeled so much.
So yes that might be it ...the concentration -  I bought the very best on the market marine collagen shake and the face creams I gave to my mum  - I can eat some prawns, salmon, tinned tuna, sea bass, oysters  etc I am just not called towards fish - always meat and maybe it is because of this mad allergic reaction - sometimes your body is drawn towards or away from the thing your body does not like. Now I just try to eat fish 1 x a week at least just for the Omegas

Thanks on the extension of my Entertainment budget to become ' Treats and Entertainment' as well - I like that and will use. - I will also update my Hali pot name in your honour

I keep toiletries separately - I get some expensive stuff much cheaper  or free as having friends in the business. A friend in the building is always posting who wants this for half /a third price etc
So I put £40 away a month  for beauty so I always have cash ready to go for a deal. Plus I get Boots points etc.

I do have a few expensive products I love and buy but all of them last for months eg  certain products eg Mac Cleansing Oil - expensive but lasts a full year and brilliant on my skin.
Origins Mega Mushroom toning lotion - £25 but lasts a year and my skin yells YES! every morning I put it on.
Intelligent Nutrients leave in conditioner - again my friend owns a salon so I get cost price ..again lasts forever


Moisturiser/serums I use what ever I get cheap ) as long as no marine collagen in it!

Unfortunately I have discovered Revitalash eye growth serum - annoyingly it is absolutely brilliant .. bad news is its expensive £90+  - good news is it last for months - not sure how long yet  still on first bottle - and I no longer need to use expensive mascara (love YSL Faux Cils) as my eyelashes are now so long and thick I can use any mascara - one swipe and I look like I should be auditioning for Love Island (lol) - picture is not me


Gym and swim - yes! HIT 13 mins, 25 mins for leg day and 25 min swim and then quick shower at gym. Having seen a friend who is mid 60s in her swimsuit looking amazing and trim- she swims daily it has got me on fire to swim each time after my weight training. Treadmill is boring and swimming even in pools just lifts my heart.

NSD 3/16 - I managed to not go to Ldl after the gym to look for YS - I know I don't need anything desperately and got loads fresh veg and apples in. Very well done me!
I find it too easy to buy Lid* offers but I did do  a mini freezer  and larder inventory before I went to the gym as I have been away for most August - so I know I am fine.

Trick is to stock up in batches (especially with food prices shooting up)  otherwise I buy too much stuff on a daily basis inc too much veg!  - I need really chicken, YS meat, mince especially turkey, mayo, onions, some frozen peas and blueberries, tomato puree and passata stuff. a few tins of tuna for stocks, some decent coffee (so will use my Sainsburys vouchers)

Chestnut recipe anyone?
I have some chestnuts which have been pre-prepared that expire this month (I won them in a food package months ago) so I need to find a chestnut based recipe! Any suggestions?

Reminder 'I am choosing to be frugal to support amazing life affirming and life enhancing financial goals'
Watching 

Electricity
- I paid off remainder of what was owing (long story ombudsman involved in my favour etc) so I am flat and ready for October....Reworked my Sept budget for it. I did put on my CC so as to get that credit score moving.

Programme
Looking at my programme and seeing if (having failed to get it released by last Xmas) I can get it by this! I had done it all and recorded audio and printed it out to do final read through and my computer died .. and last back up I had was 6 months prior .. which stopped me in my tracks. I am now looking at setting a pre xmas 22 target for release. Just writing some focus areas now.

savingholmes

Could you set aside tomorrow to progress new roles and just get that part over with - and then go back to your wider to do list?

LadyWithAPlan

@savingholmes I am prepping a big list for Soaring Sept and yes a new contract needs to become a priority. I am definitely procrastinating here on this (for like a year if I look at entry one on my diary!) 

Need to get two lots of work done today, the gym and swim, plus the course tonight again.

I did the first of the 3 days of that one hour online course (free) last night so I am choosing to use that as a way to look at my programme again - so will report back on decisions on that - either I go for it for pre Xmas launch or I give it up. They are offering one free place as a prize to those who turn up to all 3 and do homework - if I get free prize I will do it but I will not pay over £2k for it - some weird free 'accreditation' 

First proper bulk coffee buying!
Sep 22 GC £35.52/£160  + £15/55.50 bulk
I am very excited to report a grocery spend for once as I have found a great bargain plus first time I have bought coffee in bulk
 £19 spent - I will split across £4 GC as will use this month and £15/£55.50  bulk

I love my coffee and whilst I can and have downgraded many brands I discovered I can't on coffee. It is my one expensive habit Amazon had sent me an offer £5 off £15 spend until Sept 11 (check your emails as you may have it as well).

I was thinking there is nothing I need to buy but I am on my last pack of coffee - I buy ground or beans only as I have a stove pot and an Aeropress (which are brilliant and make superb coffee). I also have a Nespresso milk frother I use every day for DF milk lattes plus a coffee grinder.
My Nespresso machine died and whilst it was fun - I will not replace it as too much waste for the environment and not cheap capsules. I hate instant and will not drink it. (I have the dream of buying a red Smeg expresso machine one day but I am choosing not to save for my house.)
Either way some quick googling through Amazon and to check which coffee beans deals counted towards  and I have bought 2 x 1kg Lavazza coffee beans - with free delivery and the £5 off it comes to £19. So £2.70 per 250g where it normally costs at least £4 something for Lavazza or worse for 250g... - My favourite Creme E Gusta ground sometimes comes in at  bargain £3.75 for 250g where I get v excited.

Saving at least a pound if not £2 per coffee 250g is fabulous. I do and will continue to buy deals when I see them - Waitr*** sometimes gives me £1 off coffee and then I also combine with a 2 in 1. However this is bulk stores and it will stop me dashing to the store when I get close to running out of coffee i have some pretty good tins to keep it fresh once I open it.


FOOD
I made overnight oats yesterday but I added also a scoop of vegan protein strawberry flavoured - so GF oats, DF milk, linseed, flax seeds, frozen blueberries and scoop protein powder. Super delicious and healthy for breakfast.

I froze my HM GF seeded bread I made and I am really enjoying toasting a slice with DF butter or some YS pate as a snack. Its really tasty even if it did not rise well - I will make more GF bread and plan to do a chicken pie with a GF crust 


NSD STILL 3/16 as today spendy

TT £1 

Declutter - none as yet today but I spent 90 mins catching up with a friend on the phone via my airpods pro (a thank you gift from work) so I tidied my study during the call as I have free hands so a lot of stuff moved, some bits decluttered and it looks like a new study this moving so it was more like 25/6 yesterday.

I have been perusing pinkypig's journal - not that far through and she was talking about this book that really was helping her tidy and keep on top of her stuff.
30 days to a clean and organised home -Katie Berry 
Managed to get a copy for free - you don't have to do 30 days straight as some  days assignments would take me a few days  - there is a daily cleansing routine and then a daily task and organisational task ..Idea is you go through in strict order-  I am going to follow through to see  how it works...

Will report back

To Do
work client a
work client b
Invoice client b
Chase all invoices again
White board my Soaring September and print it out DONE
Do one hour course and Homework for it DONE
Start building CV for currrent post
Gym and swim
cook pork for dinner with potatoes  DONE
Meal plan - I have some meal ideas but not written it out/S-Sheeted the meal or what I need to buy - too many people are saying how its saved them a fortune beyond batch cooking which I do do
Day 1 of organised book-
          clean your spice drawer or rack DONE
         +   do the daily cleansing routine 
         + Sort laundry out DONE
Early to bed
Get tech stuff sorted
MB
Comping 

LadyWithAPlan

Afternoon all  -lunchtime check in

VERY EXCITED! The people running the free DIY course  emailed me to say its starting next week and did I want a place YES! I have responded by email and also called and left message as really want to do this. Next week we start with basic plumbing! Did I mention its free - all the other courses are about £160 a day 
We will also be covering drill, carpentry, electric, plastering, tiling and bricklaying.
It was @Sistergold who inspired me as she has done loads of DIY  courses and is now welding!!
I will do this course and then see here I feel I need to learn further..
Cisterns here we come   Luckily after all the dogs/horses/fences I have no nails left to worry about.

I really feel that this is a huge positive energy step towards owning my own home. I don't like new builds, I don't like these square boxes with thin walls and high monthly service charges. I really feel I will be buying a fixer upper - hopefully liveable   I need to know these skills as a single woman  - the flat I nearly bought last October had so much work needed and I know I I didn't have the knowledge to even bargain properly with contractors.. So this is me stepping up and being a property owning woman


FOOD
I just made lunch of YS pork and apple sausages sauteed in my 6 in 1 pot, with peas, carrots and some mash I made yesterday from some very old potatoes that were in a F&V L**l box a month ago. Plus I cut off bits from a slightly squashed apple (from my haul from my Ms Doolittle time) and gently fried the apple at the end with the sausages - I have never fried apple before but it was a healthy, tangy and tasty addition. I made apple sauce yesterday with mustard as well
I am really trying to get to zero waste here. Eyeing up some left over celery that was bought Sun and looks a bit limp.

NSD hopefully one today if I can avoid Lid* YS check ups after gym so will make 4/16.
Really enjoying not spending and focusing on what I can control. Reading more MSE diaries has convinced me to resist opening my purse not even for odd coffees and every time I pop to a shop it costs more than I need even if I am buying YS. Freezer has enough in for well over a week - just taken a batched HM beef chilli out freezer and loads now cooked sausages left. I may try a toad in the hole for the first time ever with GF flour... I found some easy bake yeast as well in my spice shelf doing day 1 of 30 day cleaning exercise and  also some kaffir lime leaves I thought I needed to buy for Thai green curry ... will pick up some lemongrass etc at weekend shop.


Energy - Everyone check your bills as I am having a nightmare and my energy company has added on amounts unexplained..and wrongly 100%
 I am having an ongoing fight again with Scottish energy company - ongoing not fulfilled ombudsman case but separately they forced a elec prepayment issue (they should not have as against the ombudsman agreement which was in my favour- ) Either way I am paying down what I owe  electric wise- as cant get hold of anyone in complaints/resolutions for months now as main customer services cant help and I just want it done - then I will raise new ombudsman  ..
I asked for a bill 21 june for May 2nd-June 21st - then Sept 6th for  consecutive period starting June 21st to Sept 6th for update as I have been oping to get it down
I OPed in full what they said Sept 6th so now flat and then noticed that the closing balance on june 21st bill was £54.32 less than the opening balance they used (so also 21 June)  on sept 6th bill - Electricity smart reading is exactly the same - so closing date of one bill June 21st and opening date of consecutive bill June 21st is definitely the same day. They just added 54.32 from nowhere.
Spent 2 hours on live chat yesterday with guy who issued the bill - he kept denying it was an issue and showed he could not even read his own bill - kept referring to wrong sections and adding up wrongly..  but I even built a mini spreadsheet of payments made vs what was due and new electric charges. Finally (without admitting fault he said he has referred  it to a special team and said he will be back today! - he has at least emailed today via LC to say he waiting on them. 
I am right based on the bills they sent me - just this random costly difference between closing/opening balances so waiting to see next step or I will be opening a resolver complaint.. Plus I will need to check last bills.

TT today  £1.17

Declutter 15/8 - this removing things as per day of month is really working for me. Lots of paper bits - some old S&S isa stuff I dont need and I part tidied a study drawer to find things to declutter. Some plastic frilly hats to straws! I also found £2+ of change in drawer so that has gone in my grocery purse and I moved a £2 coin to my mortgage unicorn pig.

Free 3 session online course - last session is today  but I could not really focus last night as was also on LC with energy company.
There is a prize of a 6 week course they will announce tonight for those of us who turned up 3/3 days - I will do that if I win as good focus - I am using it to kickstart my programme and get it done. Fingers crossed. if I dont win then I will need to find my own focus to get programme done.

MOST IMPORTANT -To do today - tech - really need to sort my tech issue out - as I chased my side hobby and this possible brand collab and it is still looking positive apparently,. it could really change my finances so not getting over excited but I do need to do what I need to be ready if they say yes - including doing the course I bought and hardly watched. Tech issues stopping me doing next step
We having a call for next week with next steps, possible contracts and dates!

Invoices still unpaid 
I am definitely not very motivated to do work for the 2 companies who not paying me - it means I am not earning as I am a contractor so will do a few hours now but grr. Its a lot of money and will help me build my home deposit levels to dizzying heights. I may need to get a new job but if this side hobby collab comes off I will not

30 days to clean and organised - 2/30  today is
Cleaning task - clean fridge day so I will do that -
Organising task - below kitchen sink (argh) 
Did not do all the 30 mins daily cleaning yesterday but most and my bedroom and lounge look much tidier this morning.