Prosperous soul, mortgage neutrality & creativity Year 2

LeighofMar

Savingholmes, if you have access to YouTube, I don't know how you feel about in-home workouts, but Grow With Jo is excellent for women who want to get a routine started and there's all fitness levels. Team Body Project is another good one that has plenty of beginner workouts to just get moving and taking that first step. 

savingholmes

Thanks Skint @greent and Leigh

I think I'm just struggling to make myself exercise at all.... I have worked a long day again today and made another 90 minutes up. I have a lot to do this week which makes it easier to make up time. Need to decide whether or not to try and do a class tomorrow night - to at least force me to break off - and that's if I get a cancellation. 

It's so peaceful here this week it's unreal. Kind of don't want go out and 'waste' the peace... 

Boiler engineer came today and made things a bit better with some of the radiators. He also updated my service book for me so I'm now back within warranty which would be good if I ever came to sell. Cost £148 - but that included a special kit for a 5 year service apparently... Felt slightly ripped off - but I prefer having people I know in the house... 

Cooked some taco type mince (but no tacos) and some spag bol.

I rang BG this am and got them to do a bill. It reinforced that pretty much the same usage on elec costs twice as much now. Grateful that they estimate it shouldn't get too much worse this year - but at the same time - there's significantly less help... However, I have to remind myself I have had pay rises that compensate a little...  

savingholmes

Poor DS started his new job but got sent home sick on day 2. At least he showed willing but I feel sorry for him. Today a parcel is being picked up to start a return for him which should give him some money back in his account. I had to use an old banana box as the shoe boxes were so huge! - just gone. Glad I got up early as I only printed the label and found a box this morning. I took a photo of the van registration as they didn't give me anything to show I'd given them a parcel.

Today my cleaner comes which will be lovely as long as she does.

I have a meeting at 10 - I should still prepare for... 

My £155 from the health cashback scheme came which feels amazing. Payday in 2 days. Trying not to spend £ before then. Hoping to save big amounts this month and next which should help offset money towards DD's car after she passes.

The official gas bill isn't there yet but the usage bill has updated and is about what I said earlier so that's reassuring.

I'm planning to reach out to a friend and try the art class she recommended. I may cancel the gym as I'm just not going despite best intentions.

edinburgher

I made the very difficult choice to stop going to my exercise class mid-December. It was expensive (c. £70/month) but this was for 3 classes a week and it was genuinely my best experience of exercise to date. I'd never felt so strong (bar the torn hamstring last year)! Like you are considering, I stopped because I just wasn't going. Parental sleep deprivation, attempts to get promoted at work, overtime and thoughts of career change got me to a point where I was just overwhelmed with demands on my time. So I stopped. I've really missed it but this choice (among others) has given me the space I needed to establish a slightly healthier routine (in terms of my time) and I'd like to go back in future.

I suppose the point of my rambling statement is that your subconscious mind is probably at a smiliar inflexion point. I have every confidence that your creativity will kick in if and when you decide to stop going and you will discover a useful alternative or changes to the rest of your routine that encourage you to start again  

EssexHebridean

I'm currently debating whether I'll renew my gym membership immediately when it finishes later this month or give it a few weeks between expiry/renewal - as at the moment with lots of other stuff going on I'm only going weekly. It's still working out cheaper than doing it on a PAYG basis via Hu55le mind you, and that was my overall aim when I took the membership out. I'll get back to going twice a week once the daylight gets longer as well - but I really dislike the cycle to and from the one near work at this time of year. 

jwil

I think that having a gym membership that you are not using just adds to the mental load, and guilt.  Better to cancel and resume when you are in the right mindset.  You can then concentrate on other actions that will improve your health.

savingholmes

Thanks Edinbugher, EH and Jwil

Still really enjoying this week's peace. Feel so much lighter but know that will change tomorrow afternoon.

Will probably cancel gym just haven't yet. Also need to renew my £0 car tax. Bureaucratic nonsense!

My cleaner fixed my patio door lock (yes really), put a new tubular latch on my kitchen door and replaced both lounge window latches where one didn't lock properly before. Very happy with that. I told her you all wanted her too and felt she was eligible for the fourth plinth at Trafalgar.  

Get paid tomorrow. My new £450 AVC has gone out which is great news. That should put me equivalent to 3 mortgage payments across my previous DC pension and my AVCs which is great.

I got a one off bonus this month so I am planning to save up to £875 this month into my EF.

Hope you are all keeping well.

LeighofMar

Good job on the pension and EF. 

beanielou

Great figures on the savings & the pension 

edinburgher

That is a hefty AVC 🧐