Budgeting by the beach

DaisyCheerings

I've been on here lurking for some time, and I think it's time I started my own diary and keep it updated.  I originally tried to get this diary started in 2021, but just wrote one post which I then deleted.  I've decided to resurrect this one on Friday 6 May 2022.

Last year I decided I needed a fresh start, so I moved close to the seaside.  I absolutely love my house and I love this area, with the only potential downside being that it's a more expensive house which required me to borrow more.  I also want to make lots of changes when I can, so that's going to require a lot of money (which is a lot more money than I currently have).  So I need to pay off debts and get a savings pot together.

There are so many things I'd like to keep a track of and also improve, which I'll list below, so I'm hoping I'll be able to motivate myself and hold myself accountable by writing things down.

Areas I need to focus on are:

Finances:

The main reason I'm here.  I have a decent corporate job and am also in the process of starting up a side business.  So many things have risen in price by a huge amount recently that I want to keep a track of what I'm buying and how I'm spending.  During the pandemic I became really anxious about being a one income household, so that's prompted me to think about other ways to bring in a bit of extra money.

Exercise:  

My Dr recently diagnosed me with very low Vitamin D (which I'm sure many of us have after being confined to home for so long).  I don't want to rely on vitamins, so I'd like to be able to replenish my levels of Vitamin D by being outside.  I've also got a few home exercise items (weighted hula hoop, resistance bands and weights) so no excuses on exercising, even if I'm stuck indoors.  Living so close to the beach is great for going for a brisk walk when the weather is nice, and I don't currently do that nearly as often as I should.  I want to start getting up a bit earlier and heading off for a sunrise walk along the beach when I can.

Health:

I'm overweight and it really affects my confidence as well as makes many tasks feel much more difficult than they should.  I need to do something about that now.  I've also been told I'm pre diabetic, so sorting out my diet and exercise should help get my blood sugar to normal levels.  I've bought a blood glucose reader, so I'll keep a track of what I eat and how it affects my blood sugar.

House:

I've always been a bit cluttered.  It's another reason my finances aren't as healthy as they should be as I just see something I like and feel the need to buy it.  So I need to keep on top of it all and make sure that I don't fall back into bad habits.  Because I love this house, I want it to always be nice, and that's motivating me now.  But I'm still not in a particular routine on keeping it ship shape and would like it to become second nature, as it seems to be for so many people.  I'm currently in the process of putting some things together to sell online or take to a boot sale.

So that's me.  I'll work out what my total debt is and I'll add that to my signature.

Debt on 01 July 2022 = £42,083
01/11/2022 = £38,749.23
01/12/2022= £37,913.09

01 January 2023 = £37,075.87

DaisyCheerings

2023 GOALS and RESOLUTIONS:

1. TBC

DaisyCheerings

Today has been a packed one.

I have a lovely large workshop in my garden, and I went out there with a sign I'm making to paint it.  I used Matt white and gloss black, but I think I should have chosen spray paint for it, rather than pots of paint.  I've put on a couple of coats, and left it in the workshop to properly dry overnight so I'll see how it looks tomorrow.

While I was waiting for the first coat to dry I went into my garage to saw down some wood that's in there that I want to get rid of.  It's really long pieces of painted skirting board so I want to cut them down to a decent size and see if the tip will let me throw them in the wood bin.  They may decide it's trade waste and not let me without a charge, but I'm hoping they won't care for the small amount I have.  I managed to saw down about 5 pieces but a hand saw isn't really working so well. I have an electric mitre saw so I may set that up and use it to get the rest done a lot faster and easier.

Once I did that I cleared out my utility room.  I've been using it as a bit of a dumping ground for all sorts of things and so today I cleared everything from the floor away.  It's not perfect in there as I have some bits and pieces on the worktops that I need to find relevant homes for.  But as it's already looking so much better I should feel motivated to get the worktops done tomorrow and then I can mop the floor and wipe down the cupboards and skirting boards.

I then painted another coat on the sign and while that was drying I cut my grass in the garden and did some weeding.  I find weeding so painful on my knees and back but I love how much better my garden looks when I've done it.  I also cut back some plants that were growing a bit wildly, so they're all looking better too.  I've never done gardening before, but I'm enjoying learning.

Lastly, I made an attempt at strimming the sides that my lawnmower can't get to, but my strimmer isn't great.  I bought one that had a plastic blade rotation (rather than the vinyl string stuff) but it just gets stuck on anything that it touches.  The garden at the front is really overgrown and I was hoping I'd get the work initially started by strimming it down, but I'll need to come up with a plan b for that.

I'm shattered now.  It's just starting to get dark so I may run myself a bath and have a relaxing evening.  I have the Harry Potter books on audio and like to listen to a chapter or two when I'm relaxing in the bath.  Stephen Fry is such a great story teller.

foxgloves

Good luck with your goals, @DaisyCheerings. I love gardening, but you do eventually realise that you can't do it all at once. It's good for fitness, free vitamin D, fresh air......& can also be a source of healthy organic food for those of us with a veg plot.
F

WinterWarrior

Good luck Daisy. Your house sounds wonderful.

DaisyCheerings

Thank you @foxgloves.  That's a great idea to create my own veg plot.  I'll stick with the flowers for now as I'm just learning, but I may start a little herb area, to get me started.  Thanks for the inspiration.

DaisyCheerings

Thank you @WinterWarrior.  I appreciate you reading and commenting.

DaisyCheerings

This week feels quite successful in the financial world of Daisy.  I've kept to my budgets on the personal items, which is generally my downfall.  If I'm careful then I'll be ok this month.  I have to buy some diesel this week for a long trip, which I have a £70 budget for.  I'm going to put in £50 as I already have way over 1/4 tank.  I have no other long trips planned this month either so if this works then I'm £20 in credit which could potentially be transferred to another pot, if absolutely needed.

I've also been onto my energy company as my smart meter appears disconnected on the gas side.  They've said they'll get it done in the background for me, so hopefully that will connect in the next few days and I can keep a check of what I'm using and what it's costing.

This week has been a mixture of weeding when the weather's been good and sorting out boot sale items when it's been raining.

Food and exercise needs improvement.  I think that's all I can say on that subject.

DaisyCheerings

I've been through all of my bills and direct debits to see what I can clear out and have cancelled a few non essentials. I keep wondering if I should keep my Spotify subscription, but I do use it so I'm going to keep it for now.

My spreadsheet is up to date with all of my outgoings and when they are due to leave my account. That's really useful as that seems to be where I get confused.  I think I need to add some recurring calendar reminders for myself.

I've found a hairdresser near me who cuts hair for £25, which I think is a decent price.  I coloured my hair yesterday and my eyebrows so I'm looking a bit more put together now.

My smart meter still isn't working, despite contacting them twice and them assuring me they'd be in touch on 1 June to update me.  I'll get in touch again and see if that fixes it.  I just want to know how much gas I'm using to make sure I keep it under control and don't get a shock bill.

I was hoping to do some gardening today but the weather has been horrible. So I think it's an admin day.

kayannie

Just read your diary. Good luck with your plans. We bought a place by the sea during lockdown, it's very tiny but although we are retired we still haven't got straight. We inherited a very overgrown garden & have concentrated our efforts on that for now as we needed to get a veg patch up & running. The nearest shops are 10 miles away so produce from the garden is a necessity. Your house sounds lovely, good luck with everything.

DaisyCheerings

Thank you kayannie.  It's reassuring to know that it's not necessarily a fast process to get straight.  I hope your veg patch is starting to come alone.  I don't know very much at all about growing anything but learning as I go with the plants.  I'd like to start a very small veg area at some point, but that's a ways off yet.