Learning to walk before I run

Alchemilla

edinburgher said:

@Suffolk_lass - it does feel a wee bit like I should be doing a victory lap, although it will need to wait 'til the 7th Poor crocodile, he can stick around. It reminds me a bit of a silly slogan T-shirt that I saw once that said don't fight your demons, recruit them The crocodile/demons (in the form of my bad habits) will be kept clearly in sight to help me make better decisions in the future.

I think we will need some savings for the future and I have started using a LISA to serve as a small endowment policy of shorts to bridge the delta between how much mortgage we'll pay off in the next 18 years and the total balance. In terms of surplus, however, I'm not sure that the picture is as clear as I'd like. Our energy fix expires in a month, our mortgage fixes in a year and we'll have additional childcare costs from the end of the year, even with our regular £220/4 weeks in vouchers.

I'd like to personally thank you for introducing me to the concept of virement. I have been able to apply sensible rules and guiderails to this so that we don't end up completely skint from re-allocating money from one pot to another. It came damn close, one of my first goals will just be to do as little as possible financially during March and let pots replenish themselves Knowing me, I won't be able to leave it alone entirely, maybe I'll come up with something practical like a wee "auto virement" macro on my budget spreadsheet that reduces all lines by x% and adds this to the savings line?

Your plans sound very exciting, I will catch up with your diary soon

@Alchemilla - the littlies are thriving - thank you DD1 is enjoying strike days, is engaging and chatty as ever and has really got on board with the whole big sister thing. DD2 is crawling, standing, teething, refusing to sleep and starts nursery this week.

I saw from your diary that you are dating again? You are very brave - I do not know how I would cope now if I had to wade into the waters of online dating etc. I hope you manage to meet someone worthy of you who is worth your time.

Hello E. Hope you are doing well. Only a year and a bit late replying. Feels like time travel!!

How is the 30s house and the littles?

edinburgher

Happy New Year folks, think it's still ok to say that before February arrives?

I am laid up in bed recuperating after a minor surgery, quite uncomfortable but a rare bit of breathing space as Mrs E is holding the fort, a chance to chance to take stock.

Work continues to be grim and management display a lack of competence in supporting myself and others that has made it very hard not to take things personally. I am sticking to my boundaries and continue to point out the bleeding obvious (that the workload is unsustainable). The message seems to be sinking in a little, perhaps helped by colleagues saying similar, but it hasn't (and realistically can't) make any difference. I continue to look for new jobs, but the jobs market is poor. Still, I live in hope that 2025 will be my year for a change

Financially, 2024 kicked our ***** and I feel scunnered. One aspect of returning to work was that I was effectively banned from doing overtime, which has had a negative effect on our income. I refuse to ask them to reconsider, however, as I frankly refuse to ask them for anything anymore. I have ramped up my study activity, and there were months where I made £££ from Prolific. In fact, I'll have to do a tax return for the first time ever! In terms of our finances, everything that could go wrong, did. We replaced numerous kitchen appliances, the cats were ill or generally expensive, and we have £,£££ worth of damage from the recent storm (large fence falling over, garage roof damaged). Inflation of every kind continued to mean prices only went up. I am trying to remain positive, and I know we're in a better situation than the majority of folk, but we are running to stand still (much as when I started this diary).

It's not all bad. Mrs E stands to be promoted from April, she will find out by the end of February if she has been successful. DD2's childcare costs should drop significantly from August (assuming she gets into the local council nursery). DD1 no longer has childcare costs bar a week or two of summer holiday clubs.  

In the immediate term, there isn't a whole lot than I can do. I cancelled a cheap gym membership that wasn't being used, Mrs E and I are no longer taking pocket money other than my survey earnings, we've both reduced pension payments, and I've been forced to roll my personal savings into our general budget. We would consider remortgaging (rates have improved since the Liz Truss fiasco), and surely to goodness our luck has to turn at some point?

In spreadsheet terms, our NW went up by £12,000 during January (investment gains, spending less, reducing debt, and wages falling at opportune times). In theory, we are now 75%+ FI. It doesn't feel like it!

I hope you are all well? Ignore the gloomy tone of this post, I'm feeling a lot better than I have done in a while, but it's January and I'm lying in bed wincing.

Glad to be back.

Alchemilla

edinburgher said:

Happy New Year folks, think it's still ok to say that before February arrives?

I am laid up in bed recuperating after a minor surgery, quite uncomfortable but a rare bit of breathing space as Mrs E is holding the fort, a chance to chance to take stock.

Work continues to be grim and management display a lack of competence in supporting myself and others that has made it very hard not to take things personally. I am sticking to my boundaries and continue to point out the bleeding obvious (that the workload is unsustainable). The message seems to be sinking in a little, perhaps helped by colleagues saying similar, but it hasn't (and realistically can't) make any difference. I continue to look for new jobs, but the jobs market is poor. Still, I live in hope that 2025 will be my year for a change

Financially, 2024 kicked our ***** and I feel scunnered. One aspect of returning to work was that I was effectively banned from doing overtime, which has had a negative effect on our income. I refuse to ask them to reconsider, however, as I frankly refuse to ask them for anything anymore. I have ramped up my study activity, and there were months where I made £££ from Prolific. In fact, I'll have to do a tax return for the first time ever! In terms of our finances, everything that could go wrong, did. We replaced numerous kitchen appliances, the cats were ill or generally expensive, and we have £,£££ worth of damage from the recent storm (large fence falling over, garage roof damaged). Inflation of every kind continued to mean prices only went up. I am trying to remain positive, and I know we're in a better situation than the majority of folk, but we are running to stand still (much as when I started this diary).

It's not all bad. Mrs E stands to be promoted from April, she will find out by the end of February if she has been successful. DD2's childcare costs should drop significantly from August (assuming she gets into the local council nursery). DD1 no longer has childcare costs bar a week or two of summer holiday clubs.  

In the immediate term, there isn't a whole lot than I can do. I cancelled a cheap gym membership that wasn't being used, Mrs E and I are no longer taking pocket money other than my survey earnings, we've both reduced pension payments, and I've been forced to roll my personal savings into our general budget. We would consider remortgaging (rates have improved since the Liz Truss fiasco), and surely to goodness our luck has to turn at some point?

In spreadsheet terms, our NW went up by £12,000 during January (investment gains, spending less, reducing debt, and wages falling at opportune times). In theory, we are now 75%+ FI. It doesn't feel like it!

I hope you are all well? Ignore the gloomy tone of this post, I'm feeling a lot better than I have done in a while, but it's January and I'm lying in bed wincing.

Glad to be back.

Get well soon Ed. I hope you find a better employer this year and glad to hear Mrs E and the kids are good 🙂

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks for the update Ed. 

Good to hear that - bl00dy bosses notwithstanding - family life continues to bobble along.  

Great to have you back......

Greying X

beanielou

Good to hear from you. 

South_coast

Yay, Ed is back 😀! I've been missing my fix so much, I had to turn to your old diaries for consolation (it's currently Feb 2017 and you're sleep training DD1). 

Sorry to hear some things are still pants (I had been wondering how you had "weathered" Storm Éowyn). I really hope the tide starts to turn for you soon, you have so many people here rooting for you x

BookWorm

Good to 'see' you Ed...I'm another who has missed your posts.   Sorry to hear you are currently laid up. Hope you are back on your feet soon and that 2025 is a better year for you. 

Loads of positive vibes being sent your way

BW

rtandon27

So lovely to 'hear' your voice Ed - get well soon!

LadyWithAPlan

Sorry to hear about you being unwell, and you have certainly had a tough year. Winter does always turn to spring and NW increasing by £12k in a month and being 75% Fire is v impressive - the results of your constant focus.

I do hope the work situation gets better.. I had to google 'big riddy' but AI only came up with Big Roddy - a musician /MC/rapper so I am currently bopping to his  'Beautiful Day' and 'Ima Act A Fool'   so still clueless on the riddy

QueenJess

Yay!  I'm so glad you are back as I have also missed your posts.  I thought about you a lot last year when you were off work and I basically quit without a job and was in a different but similar boat.

Any step forward is good and it is just tough financially out there at the moment.  It feels like everyone is cutting back, so you are definitely not alone.  You will definitely be better than most with your sensible approach to finances over the years and a drop in nursery fees has to be a good thing; it's so bloomin' expensive.  I will heave a sigh of relief once mine are over.

There are more important things than money and it feels like a good thing for your mh you can't do overtime.  Good going on the Prolific surveys.  I kept missing them when I wasn't working and they are now all taunting me now I am working

As for new year, you could pretend you meant the Chinese New Year