Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

savingholmes

Thanks for the encouragement @LadyWithAPlan

PADs - are Payment A Day

Just had mackerel, jacket spud, bell pepper, tomatoes and spring onion for lunch. Need to make myself get back to working now.

I agree I need a different word - treats / naughty food / junk food - none are quite right. Calling them high sugar / high fat foods - still makes them sound super-tasty to me so not sure what else to call them?? They are definitely sabotaging my goals - so probably more akin to 'land mines' or 'goal stoppers'.

L9XSS

Lunch sounds lovely (my kind of lunch too!). Just starting work, back shift so need to run.....
keep up the focus and your vision will become reality with lots of choices that you wouldn’t necessarily have had if you hadn’t have started this journey and diary.

beanielou

You save just under my monthly income!

WelshmansDaughter

Diabetes makers perhaps? I've started calling mine Replacement Motivators 

jwil

I'm happy with my pension provision so like you, want to focus on retiring early or reducing hours once I get to 55/57.  For me, I'm not doing AVCs as they can only be taken at the same time as my pension and I want something sooner.  

I haven't done as much research as you so I'm sure I could be more efficient (and I'm not saving much at all at the moment anyway!).

girlatplay

My OPs are PADs really.  I paid off £20k of debt in 2.5 years using the PAD principle.  I've just saved £180 in a month using it.  I highly recommend them.

MovingForwards

You'll find the right financial balance, keep working the plans out and it will appear.

Perhaps call the treats whatever your highest, or lowest, weight was as a reminder of where you don't / do want to be.

savingholmes

Thanks WD, Beanie, GAP, MF and Jwil

Beanie - You manage really well on limited income. It makes it even more impressive that you are DF and MF.

Congrats GAP - I know it felt such a long journey for you at the time. You are doing so well with saving towards becoming MF now too. I think PADs could be a future way forward for me - but target right now is to learn to stick to my budget plan. When I spend my gift card at Mr T and future ones at MnS - I may use them as a basis of a PAD. Right now just seeing as 'savings.'

Jwil - yes - we are fortunate when it comes to pensions. Just have to play with different ways of achieving freedom. I'll carry on thinking about the best way forward. The AVC provider is still not set up at work - so not sure if they will be deducted next month or not. After the first deduction I can change the amount if I want. I could even use AVCs later to buy extra pension if I didn't need the lump sum. Lots of options.

WD and MF - Even though I've eaten plenty today - lovely roast beef dinner for tea - still had too much non-essential food on top. It was one of my best roast beef dinners yet. I'd had a big joint earlier in the year and frozen 2 uncooked portions. This was one I forgot I had so felt very much a gift! My TRE started at 12.30 today so not mega impressive but okay. Still want to eat though - still on sugar craving spiral. I need to 'fast' for longer to break the cycle - and perhaps allow myself bigger portions of 'main meal' food rather than giving in to treats. 

Food left for this week:

• 2 cooked chicken legs
• Roast beef with veg and a portion of roasties and parsnips.
• Eggs
• Milk, porridge oats
• Onions, green peppers, sliced mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes
• Ham
• Parmesan 
• Store cupboard full
• Plums on tree outside
• Lots of apples

My freezer seems to be recovering now I've  reduced how much is in there and turned the fridge up so going to wait and hope rather than replace it.

NSD today despite temptations. I want more salad - although I ended up throwing my salad leaves as they froze (oops). I also need lo salt and some triple A batteries.

I've had a better working week. It definitely helped going in yesterday. I have tomorrow at home (and my cleaner is coming) and then the following day I am in the office. I then have the dentist (filling) and a GP review Friday - I've booked a few hours off to compensate - but it would be better if I used them to plug my flexi hours shortfall.

LadyWithAPlan

savingholmes said:

Thanks for the encouragement @LadyWithAPlan

PADs - are Payment A Day

Just had mackerel, jacket spud, bell pepper, tomatoes and spring onion for lunch. Need to make myself get back to working now.

I agree I need a different word - treats / naughty food / junk food - none are quite right. Calling them high sugar / high fat foods - still makes them sound super-tasty to me so not sure what else to call them?? They are definitely sabotaging my goals - so probably more akin to 'land mines' or 'goal stoppers'.

PADS are like a Tilly tidy then - or a payment a day against debt or towards savings? 
Yes the language we use is important 
Maybe try a few to see what works  for you.

'Budget and diet busters - BDM's
Short term happiness, long term not helpfuls
Future Me not likey

or quote one of my fav drag queens Bianca del Rio and state 'Not today Satan, not today) Drag Race season 6 winner in case you are unaware

Maybe try only paying in cash for the BDM's  - even if you pay on debit card for the rest of the shopping - so you can physically see the cost of them leaving your hand - so may slow you down!

hugglemonster

Glad you've had a better week of work, I'll be thinking of you at the dentist tomorrow. I'll be at mine too and for fillings as well!

Would a fruit based treat curb the sugar craving? Obviously nothing beats cake but a crumble perhaps with those plums.

H x