The Mental Debt Struggle...

AntoMac

An extra month on your contract sounds handy Keedie. Nice bonus if it does happen Good that your wet room is in progress even if you’re a bit upside down short term. Isn’t it frustrating how many people don’t quite do what they say will, so you’re left to chase up on broken promises again. If I say I’ll do something I always try to be true to my word. Anyway, overall things are sounding pretty good for you right now. 

Cherryfudge

I've found having work done in your home is always oppressive, so I'm not surprised you feel overwhelmed, what with that and working and being in pain and having the absence of the carer to deal with. It's good you have been able to take action about the carer: you have given her lots of time but clearly she isn't about to return. I hope they can come up with the perfect person for you.

Keedie

I really do need to be more reliable with posting. It's a bit hotch potch, and the accountability really does make all the difference to my finances and mindset. So I need to more in tune with things in that respect.

I've still not heard from the physio, so that's on my list to sort out tomorrow. But yeah @AntoMac, I also keep my word to the best of my ability and it's really disheartening when people don't do the same. Especially when you're relying on them for something important... I've spent so much time chasing my tail trying to figure out what on earth is going on with the wet room and the toilet. The council surveyor returned my call and more or less gaslighted me and said that they don't decorate the toilet. Despite him telling me on both occasions that he came to sort out the specs, that it would be done. He also said that they would put a grab rail in the toilet and a raised toilet seat. Well I've got a raised seat that is actually too high, as I am only 5 foot 1, and I dunno what they were measuring when they made me stand next to the toilet, but I think that might get rather uncomfortable. Or maybe, I just need to get my head around it all. I don't deal well with change, so maybe it's just that?? 

I really didn't want to fire my carer, but the reality is that she more or less already fired me. I sent her the letter template early yesterdat evening that the employer insurance guy sent me. It essentially asks what's going on and that she make contact as she has not been to work and not given an explanation etc. She then sent me a voicenote on WhatsApp but deleted it before I could listen to it. She's not made contact since, and I keep checking my emails, but she didn't respond so I'm still a bit confused. I can only assume that she has had a really tough time and forgot about me 🤷🏾‍♀️.

What I'm about to say, may make me sound incredibly dim, but I forgot that I have my Help to Save account. It comes out automatically every month at £50, and I've not touched it since I started it in February 2023. I simply squandered/spent the £600 bonus that I got earlier this year. But I had look at it, and it's got £1,650 in there. When November's payment goes through, it will be £1,700. So it's kind of like my Plan B Emergency Fund. As I would use the money in my Natwest digital saver (Plan A Emergency Fund) in the first instance, and then failing that, I would use the Help to Save money. So when I add the £1,225 in Natwest with the £1,650 in the Help to Save account, I have £2,875. So I'm over half of the way to my £5,000 goal. Now that my brain has finally worked out that I can properly combine the two, I feel a lot better about one day reaching that goal.

I have also simplified my financial goals even further. And it definitely all feels more achievable. I needed a good think about everything, and what it is that I deem to be valuable in life, and that helped me to get on track with things. And I'm very excited as I'm £50 away from completing the 50 Envelope Challenge and that saves £1,275. Once it's done, I'll be able to get ahead on some of my savings goals for 2026, and to hit some of the milestones that I set myself. Yay! 😂

Makingabobor2

How lovely to have savings you had forgotten about. That will make a big difference. 

AntoMac

Wish I was dim enough to forget about a load of savings I had Keedie !!! What a great windfall and a real boost to your situation. Hope the rather unsettling situation with your carer is resolved very soon

Keedie

It will definitely be a big help @Makingabobor2. It's like finding money down the sofa, but on steroids. But only really because I'm not that sharp and I forgot what the money was for, and that it came out every month 😂.

My friend owes me some money and she'll start repaying that in January 2026. I'd lent her some money last year as she was going through a tough time. I'd forgotten about that too, but she reminded me today, and so I will put that towards the bookkeeping course money. So that I can repay my mum.

They've very nearly finished the wetroom. I'm just waiting on the electrician to connect the pump and extractor fan, and I think they are coming tomorrow. It's such a difference to the whole flat and I can confirm that my son was right, the grey lino with the white tiles and blue border is better than what I wanted, with blue flooring and tiles, with a white border. It's all so so exciting. This has been 3 years in the making, so I'm very happy 🤗.

beanielou

Great news on wetroom. 

Cherryfudge

How exciting to have the wet room nearly ready! I'm glad the colour scheme has worked out well.

You aren't the only one to forget a savings account. Don't ask me how I know! (Blushes and tries to look invisible).

Keedie

It's been a looooong week, but I finally have a wet room and it seems to be working fine. I need to take a picture so I can show you all (and you can pretend to be interested 😂). I'm absolutely shattered, but really happy. It's been a long 3 years...

On a financial front, I've finally figured out how to have a balance between budgeting and adapting to life as I continue to plod on. I feel a lot better for it. So this is my plan:

£2,000 overall, split into a monthly budget and weekly budget

Monthly Budget
Digital (£1,600)

£1,100 = The Burden (all bills and subscriptions)
£50 = Help to Save (for the emergency fund)
£200 = Homely Foodies (monthly food shop and any household bits in between bulk buying)
£200 = Golden CareCuffs (to cover my carer - when I get a new one)
£50 = Trek Travel (petrol, train fares out of London, parking etc)

If I do not earn enough to accumulate for the following month, then I will have the £1,600 budget. If I do earn enough, then I can do the cash side of things as well. The cash is based on weekly budget, so adjusts depending on whether it is a 4 week or 5 week month (based on the number of Mondays in a month, so November 2025 is a 4 week month).

Weekly Budget
Cash (£400)

4 Week Month (£100 per week)
£20 = Standing on Business (based £5 a week per sinking fund (KeeMari, The Gift, Cruise Control & Globetrotter)
£40 = Weeklies (top up food shop for fresh items, family fun, take aways, events etc)
£10 = Keedie Spendy (my spending money)
£30 = Dice Decider (savings challenges and games to make saving more fun)

5 Week Month (£800 per week)
£20 = Standing on Business (based £5 a week per sinking fund (KeeMari, The Gift, Cruise Control & Globetrotter)
£40 = Weeklies (top up food shop for fresh items, family fun, take aways, events etc)
£10 = Keedie Spendy (my spending money)
£10 = Dice Decider (mini savings challenges and games to make saving more fun)

I'm going to trial this in November and December and then near the end of the year, figure out what I want/need for 2026's budget and savings goals.

beanielou

Hope you’re enjoying the wet room. One thing to do is clear the drain every week. It really helps the water to run away smoothly.