Moving on with things

RelievedSheff

alt80 said:

@RelievedSheff I know and thank you, just a bit of a reminder of the start / middle of this year why we aren't going ahead with plans. Anyway, yes, my son is excited, he loves his holidays. Have a bit of a surprise planned, we booked a nice villa for all of us to stay in which my parents don't know about, was somewhat of a expense but I'm looking forward to giving them a holiday too.

That's a nice touch. I know you said that your parents place was small for you all. 

Hope you all have a great time. 

Bring back some sunshine and warmer weather as well please

savingholmes

Good to read you're in a better place.

alt80

All this holiday talk is a bit of a reminder to start looking at the plan for next year and the budget for it too. Planning x2 trips to Greece, x2 UK trips and x2-3 UK weekend breaks. In-laws are taking us to Centreparcs with son again, fortunately without wife's siblings, this year with one of the sister-in-law and family was !!!!!! awful, wife and I left early. Anyhow holidays are going to take up a fair bit of money. However, we are all enjoying them and I used to hate being away from home so it's something we want to prioritise. 

Also need to think about the amount we are spending on occasions; we have son's birthday, my birthday and Christmas coming up. Have some things for son. I don't want anything so that's not going to get expensive but do feel we need to make sure we don't !!!!!! up with buying stuff no one needs whilst making those occasions special. Will keep you posted ha.

@enthusiasticsaver thank you. Certainly looking forward to the sunshine. 

@RelievedSheff thank you and it is lol, OK for the two of them tbf but not for guests really. Beyond that my parents haven't been on holiday since pre-Covid and my sister and I were still kids the last time they had the means to stay somewhere really nice. Always makes me laugh that my sister takes her husband and kids there and they always camp there for the whole duration to save on accommodation. There's being conscious about what you're spending and being a tight !!!!!! imo. Whilst parents like to see them they can't wait for them to go, can't blame them tbf. 

Can't promise the weather I'm afraid ha. Really noticed autumn drawing in quickly over the past couple of weeks. 

@savingholmes thank you, had a good day today.

Four_Seasons

Lovely to have you back posting Alt. Have a wonderful holiday with all your family envy you the warm weather! x

RelievedSheff

We have started looking ahead to next years holidays as well. Still got a few weekends away this year and our Christmas/New Years mini break to look forward too this year well but the planning has started as to where we will head for our bigger holidays next year.

Our one week summer holiday is looking like a Norfolk and Suffolk break and our two week autumn break is most definitely going to be heading across to France and maybe Belgium as well. Will see how that pans out.

Good to see that you are planning time away with your family Alt.

Sun_Addict

How lovely of you to book the villa. It will feel like a proper holiday for your parents. You might not think it yourself but you’re very kind and thoughtful. 

I’ve booked Lanzarote for April and will probably book Greece again for summer. 

alt80

Thanks all, back now, had a lovely time with family just a pity I can't sleep ha. Might win the battle with that some day but rn I sleep when I can and try to be kind to myself when it's not going the way I'd like it to.

Been through many ups and downs like everyone in business but hoping the new PM brings some stability, have enough to work on without having to sail through more stormy seas ha. In all seriousness it would be nice to just have a steady year in business and personally too.

Didn't spend a lot whilst we were away, very little to buy as it's quiet and enjoyed the villa rather than going out. Staying on track with the fundraiser, didn't have a drink on holiday, few days it would have been nice tbh but kept to my word. I'm really trying to build resilience to hopefully help to see me through when times are difficult so it was important to me to not give in to little things that don't really matter but give my head a potential excuse in the future. I've thrown everything I can at sorting myself out this time, it's not easy at all but the alternative is less attractive.

Fortunate to have reduced my card balances by £4,300 this month just through keeping to the budget, under for holiday spends and having both cars through the business. 

@Four_Seasons thank you.

@RelievedSheff thanks, been a long time coming me putting my family first. Means the world to me seeing them happy and holidays are no longer an endurance for me either now. 

I'm not surprised you're planning for next year. Sounds like it's going to be a great adventure taking the van abroad for the first time. 

@Sun_Addict thanks, they loved it. I am trying to be more kind and thoughtful so thank you. 

Great to hear you are going to be getting away on holiday next year, you deserve every holiday you can get. Reading your diary on here has been a small reason why I am actively trying to stay in recovery and 100% why I've told my Mrs I ever wind up that I can't look after myself she should put me in a home. I'm not saying your hubby did what I used to but that hasn't exactly been beneficial to my health.

RelievedSheff

Glad to hear that you all had a good time on holiday. And that it came in under budget

Agreed about us all needing a steady and stable year. The last few years have been mad. Some "normaility" back into every aspect of life would be nice.

Fingers crossed the change in PM can bring that stability that we need.

maggiem

Pleased to hear you had a good time away with your family. Precious moments. 

Great reduction in debt too, hope you can see a date emerging when this threat to your business and family will no longer be a consideration. 

alt80

@RelievedSheff thank you probably sounds ridiculous but being responsible about spending is helping me in recovery. 

Re the PM I think we can hope- he seems to have a majority backing of his party and the markets seem ok with him. I can’t say I’m looking forward to being taxed more though ha.

@maggiem thank you, definitely lots of memories to treasure. 

I have tried to stay away from target dates for fear of not being able to stay in recovery and seeing another thing lost ultimately. Need to get to a point I look beyond it and work on the assumption of staying on track. Let myself down so many times it’s difficult to do so.

Had to force myself to get up this morning hoping will mean I’m actually tired tonight who knows ha. Tbh poor sleep and having a lack of energy made me turn to it half the time the sleep was self induced through not being able to keep off it. The spending was always worse and making !!!!!! stupid reckless decisions. Most shameful thing was that being normal and me putting people’s stability at risk ultimately. No bigger incentive to not go back.