Lifestarts has a 5 Year Plan!

Skint_yet_Again

@Lifestartsat40 I think dog fencing is an essential 😆 We did the same on our patio when we got our Lab over 4 years ago & bought picket fencing from b n q. If she is allowed through the gate she digs holes in the lawn 🙄

She gets plenty of walks too but has the occasional wee on the patio and likes to sit outside the back door on the step surveying her domain and barking at the local cats 🤦‍♀️

Lifestartsat40

Skint_yet_Again said:

@Lifestartsat40 I think dog fencing is an essential 😆 We did the same on our patio when we got our Lab over 4 years ago & bought picket fencing from b n q. If she is allowed through the gate she digs holes in the lawn 🙄

She gets plenty of walks too but has the occasional wee on the patio and likes to sit outside the back door on the step surveying her domain and barking at the local cats 🤦‍♀️

That's exactly what we bought - the picket fencing from B&Q! 
I learnt my lesson last year when I spent a fair bit on plants and then he just kept jumping up into the raised beds and trampling them including knocking the buds off my lovely peony so I never saw it flower and eating my patio rose bush  
Theres also the issue of the mud he brings in especially now the weather is turning - so I don't feel too bad about the spends! 

Lifestartsat40

Couple of small wins for me today 
Was able to take back a few bits that I bought for the dog fencing as we decided we didn't need the metal fence supports as we can screw the fence posts directly into the bottom of the raised patio area. 
Asda sent me 24 eggs with my online shop (but I only ordered and paid for 12) so its poached eggs on toast for lunch! 
Made another £250 from my business (after I put some away for the tax man) but Im going to hold off allocating this as we may have another bill coming in and this will cover it - also need to fund the rest of the christmas presents. 
Minimum payment on one of the cards came out today - so another £100 off the debt 

Decided to paint our hall yesterday as it was looking really grubby - used some paint leftover from the bedroom. Started on the glossing this morning but the gloss had about as much coverage as water  Decided to make a trip before this afternoons school run to buy some Dul*x - then decided to check in the garage first and found some other own brand gloss but this is covering much better so thats another £15-£20 I could have spent but didn't 
Have a lovely day all 

capuchin

These small wins feel nice as you tighten up the budget; you start to appreciate the smaller things in life [financially speaking!] fare more  

I've been doing some maths today (mainly for my own benefit) and basically discovered that selling 50% of a potential boat acquisition is a great way to finance her. If the other guy owns 50%, they pay half of the running costs, as well as caring about the condition and value they leave her in etc. The obvious difficulty would be finding somebody suitable and willing! But I think IF you could, it'd be a great way forwards.

In my scenario:  I'm looking to buy a shell, then fix her up myself to be eco friendly and ready to roll. (Big batteries and solar for the majority of propulsion etc) , put her on the Caledonian and then advertise selling a 50% share to an individual/small family. (I feel individuals can be better as usually its just a man and his dog. Kids can be problematic) - I believe this will recoup around 60-70% of my upfront costs. I'm going to name her Lemuria

enthusiasticsaver

Good that you have made a start on the loan overpayments and yes it needs to go hand in hand with budgeting and saving for future expenditure. Christmas is one time when people can go overboard.  We normally give a few small presents to our DDs and SIL and money as they put it towards things like home improvements and holidays so only DGDs really to buy for.  

Lifestartsat40

So I switched bank accounts last night for the £100 bonus which I thought would go a long way towards helping with the final Christmas presents. I had about 5 linked savings accounts with my current account which I used for 'pots' but they were earning something like 0.1% interest so I have withdrawn the full amount from each and put everything into my Marc*s savings which is where I keep my emergency fund - the interest rate on this is 0.6% so not brilliant but its nice that all the money is together. I have set up a spreadsheet with different columns showing how much is assigned to each 'pot' so I don't lose track. It's also easier then to add different virtual pots instead of having to open yet another savings account. 
Off to do the weekly shop after I have walked the pup. I have a list and need to stick to it as things are a bit tight in the joint account until Monday when I get paid. 

savingholmes

Well done on the switch. It all helps

Lifestartsat40

Its a great feeling when you realise that you have changed. 
Earlier in the week I saw that my fave skincare brand had a fabulous offer on QVC - I added it to my basket and was all but ready to checkout when I stopped myself and thought 'this is a want, not a need' There's no doubt that it was excellent value, but I had already swapped to a cheaper brand which is suiting me fine. 
Then there was the coat, I saw a lovely coat on Vinted and talked myself into thinking it was ok as it was second hand (and £20 as oppose to the £80-90 it would have been new) again - just about to buy then stopped myself and thought 'I don't NEED a coat - I have plenty' So I swiftly stepped away from the keyboard and instead listed one of the coats I already have for sale - a double Win! 
Finally last night instead of buying my usual weekend bottle of wine  - I bought a bottle of low calorie tonic water for 45p and enjoyed a G&T instead (already had the gin) 

I'm off to work at 2pm until the early hours and then I am on leave for a week so looking forward to that - have a great Saturday :0

Lifestartsat40

Get paid on Monday  - but I've already updated the spreadsheets and signatures to show  the debt reduction - Its hard to keep motivated in between paydays but I have a couple of things on the horizon coming up which are exciting. 
Switched our mortgage deal in the Summer and it takes effect from 30 Nov 2021 - Therefore mortgage payment will drop £66 which is a good reduction. 
I can also give notice on my Phone Contract on the 28th Nov - Will get a SIM only deal so this will reduce from £52 to about £8 - another excellent saving. 
I don't think I will automatically throw this extra at debts, I will more than likely review our 'pots' to make sure that we have adequate money set aside to avoid having to buy on credit - Could really do with a pot for DD as now she is at FT school there are school expenses, uniform as well as the usual clothes etc. 
When I checked my payslip I noticed I was a bit short this month so emailed payroll to find out why. I have recently been off sick but I had not reached the stage where my pay reduced - however they had assumed I wasn't coming back yet and reduced my pay for the last week of Nov - they have said they will correct it in Decembers pay - Its not a lot but it means that instead of moving the full amount into our holiday saving pot - I will only put half in and then make up for it in December. 
Also found out that the overtime I have booked in for the last week Nov /First week December won't get paid until January which is annoying as I won't be able to use it for Christmas but as least with the savings 'pots' theres somewhere to borrow from if necessary

capuchin

Lifestartsat40 said:

Its a great feeling when you realise that you have changed. 
Earlier in the week I saw that my fave skincare brand had a fabulous offer on QVC - I added it to my basket and was all but ready to checkout when I stopped myself and thought 'this is a want, not a need' There's no doubt that it was excellent value, but I had already swapped to a cheaper brand which is suiting me fine. 
Then there was the coat, I saw a lovely coat on Vinted and talked myself into thinking it was ok as it was second hand (and £20 as oppose to the £80-90 it would have been new) again - just about to buy then stopped myself and thought 'I don't NEED a coat - I have plenty' So I swiftly stepped away from the keyboard and instead listed one of the coats I already have for sale - a double Win! 
Finally last night instead of buying my usual weekend bottle of wine  - I bought a bottle of low calorie tonic water for 45p and enjoyed a G&T instead (already had the gin) 

I'm off to work at 2pm until the early hours and then I am on leave for a week so looking forward to that - have a great Saturday :0

Yep noticed myself doing similar! Really nice feeling.

I think I've noticed similar insofar as I've not really budgetted enough for my pots and have been a bit overzealous in paying off debts leaving me *nothing* spare. Think I need to get a small transport and 'one off expenses' pot going, as I'm currently using my weekly expenses pot for it, and it's leaving me a bit short.

I think it gets easier once you get into the swing of it and aren't overthinking it and checking accounts daily!