Find the SecondStar and soar, and then straight on till the morning…

SecondStar

Gosh, that was very ‘woe is me’! It’s scary how being exhausted really grinds you down.

I’ve slept better the last couple of nights, although my mattress still isn’t supporting my joints properly. I’m going to test some again after work today.

I’ve ordered a couple of pairs of Rocket Dog shoes, not in the sale any more unfortunately, but I’m also not convinced that they’ll suit. They have a thicker sole and less flexibility than my barefoot shoes, but I don’t think the toe box will be wide enough. Worth a try though, and it’s free to return them. If they do work, then I can get a pair off of Vinted to do for now.

I’ve got presents sorted for my 2 BFFs - lush stuff and chocolates for 1, and a pretty pair of earrings for the 2nd. Still need to sort my partner’s anniversary present - thinking about a nice silver viking bracelet, from one of our friend’s business.

I also applied for a new 0% credit card, since mine runs out of the 0% offer in September. It has a 3k limit, and will be used for the other Delhi bookings, any vet emergencies, and a new mattress.

Our Saturdays are busy all month - working tomorrow, which I’ll go ahead with as the money is useful; a 1-day event next week, which I may or may not attend as it’s quite far and I might be too tired; working again the 3rd Saturday; 2-day event the 4the weekend, which is also our anniversary event;  nothing the last August weekend; possibly an event 1st & 2nd Sep weekends; and an event the 3rd Sep weekend.

My friend and her partner are also possibly visiting either the 1st or 2nd weekend of Sep, they’ve not been over for a long time, and haven’t seen my new house yet, so it’ll be lovely to host them.

SecondStar

Be careful what you wish for..?

Got 2 missed calls this afternoon, returned it a few hours ago, and it was HR from my 2nd job - my fixed contract term is ending at the end of August, and I haven’t been chosen to stay on.

I knew it was fixed term when I took the position, but I had anticipated remaining, I suppose. Perhaps wishful thinking in hindsight, I will never be able to dedicate as much time to the job as other people, who are retired or part-time workers elsewhere. I’ve always been hampered by also working full time. Add in all the aggro I had with 1 particular manager about communication around shifts, and it makes sense that I wouldn’t make the cut.

I’m still a bit gutted though. The management was atrocious, the communication was awful, and the lack of clear structure was infuriating. I enjoyed the role and my co-workers, and the extra money was handy, but I can’t say I’ll miss it that much. Working there has spoilt the place for me, now that I’ve had dealings with the under workings of the organisation, which is such a shame. It’ll be a long time, if ever, before I’m able to go back as a non-worker.

On the plus side, I was able to withdraw my shifts this month and so I’ll have more opportunity for rest.

My main job has also released news of our pay award - 4.66%, to start in September, and backdate to June. This will be around the same amount as I was earning from my 2nd job, so I won’t really be out of pocket at all. I can pick up overtime as well, if I feel like it.

Now that I have tomorrow back for myself, I’m going to take a shower, do some spinning, and plan out my day - starting with no alarm, and a long lie in!

SecondStar

Today was what I’ve been needing for weeks now, thank goodness.

Just a nice, quiet, chilled out day to myself - woke up naturally at 7, but then napped until 9; out of the house for 10 for a potter about the charity shops and picked up another present for my friend; had a lovely time catching up with her when I dropped by; and have whittled down my mattress choices to 2.

I had initially wanted to go with an option from Dreams, but honestly the sales team in our store are very over bearing, and it doesn’t make for a nice shopping environment. Instead, I’m getting one from an independent stockist - they have a huge range in store, but their footfall is tiny as it’s an out the way location, and the staff are friendly but hands-off if you need.

My choices are both traditionally built, tufted, and all natural materials - cotton, wool & silk. Not sure if I’m going for medium for firm - the firm would be higher than my initial budget, but still affordable. I’m going to see if my partner is available  during opening hours to test them too, but I’m leaning more towards the firm option. It’s still a bit scary spending that much money, but if it lasts me 10 years then price per use is tiny. Plus, I can’t keep going with my old saggy, squeaky, uncomfortable mattress!

SecondStar

New pairs of shoes arrived today from Rocket Dog, and I’m very pleasantly surprised. 1 pair will go back as the style isn’t comfortable, and they were the most expensive. But the £22 pair seem comfortable enough - firmer sole, but with enough room in the toes. They need a heel grip for a perfect fit, but I think I’ll keep them.

Oh how I tied myself in knots over them being £22, though! The plan had been to check the style and fit, return both pairs, and then buy a secondhand pair from Vinted. But why shouldn’t I have a pair of brand new shoes, when they’re only costing me £22?

I have no issue whatsoever with shopping secondhand, but it’s also OK to have and to buy brand new ones occasion, and I think this is one of those times.



My new credit card hasn’t arrived yet, but when it does I’ll be ordering the mattress, along with new pillows and possibly a new duvet too - for a total which would pay off in 23 months at £36/month, usually. When we receive our back pay amount in September, that will go towards the outstanding balance. I’ll also have more money available once our India trip is behind us. I’m confident that this is an affordable purchase, and a necessary one.

SecondStar

Let’s do a little budget recap, it’s been a while.


INCOME: £1,812 / month

————————

FIXED EXPENSES:
Mortgage: £339
House insurance: £29
Rates: £48

Housing total: £416

Gas: £30
Electric: £40
Internet: £25

Utilities total: £95

ID mobile SIM: £8
Apple storage: £9
Google storage: £2
Spotify: £12
Life & critical illness insurance: £12
Car insurance: £31

Fixed bill total: £105

- Fixed expenses total: £616

————————

VARIABLE EXPENSES:
Pet food & supplies: £61
Monthly vet costs (meds, jab, blood work): £181

Pet costs total: £242

Food: £150
Petrol: £100
Bus: £72
Miscellaneous spending money: £100

- Variable expenses total: £664

EXPENSES TOTAL: £1,280

————————

SINKING FUNDS
Christmas 2025: £30
Partner’s birthday 2026: £14
Delhi trip Feb 2026: £220
Viking event May 2026: £20

Sinking funds total: £284


LONG-TERM SAVINGS
Emergency fund: £200
Car repair: £48

Long-term savings total: £248

- OVERALL SAVINGS TOTAL: £532

————————

My salary will be increasing by 4.66% from my September pay, there will also be a back pay amount of around £300 - this will be around an additional £60 / month after deductions.

The mattress I’m planning to buy is £685, which I will put on my credit card and pay off over the 24 months interest free - £30 / month. This amount will come from my pay increase, and the remainder will be saved.

The back pay amount may go towards the credit card balance, or may be used as a bonus amount towards the Delhi trip.

The Delhi trip is the largest savings goal at the moment. I am trying to save as much as possible towards this, by February. If there is any money leftover after the trip, then it can go towards other things. That £220 / month will also go to other savings goals, once the trip is over.

It may be a careful few months, whilst the concentration is on saving for our trip, but I’m confident that it’s achievable.

in_need_of_direction

Do you really spend £74 on Spotify?

SecondStar

in_need_of_direction said:

Do you really spend £74 on Spotify?

No I do not, that should’ve been £12! Good spotting, thank you.

Afdaff

I haven’t been able to comment for ages as I wasn’t managing to reset my forgotten password, but I’ve been reading along and am impressed with how well you are doing. Hope the new mattress makes a big difference to your general comfort and wellbeing.

tjp70

You deserve new shoes! £22 is cheap for a new pair and it’s okay to spend money on yourself. 

Great that you’ve chosen a better mattress. 

SecondStar

Hoping my credit card arrives today - I ordered it last Friday, and was told 5 working days for delivery. I’ve spent the last 2 nights sleeping on my sofa bed, which has a futon mattress on it. It’s not luxury - it’s still lumpy - but it’s lumpy in a different way than my bed mattress, which is making it almost comfortable! I’ve been in bed by 10pm, with a 7am alarm for the last 2 nights, and I’m feeling better.

I’ve got that dentist appointment this afternoon, the one I booked during my flurry of self-care last month. I’m a little apprehensive, if I’m honest. I’ll also be posting my friend’s birthday present - her birthday is next Thursday. Usually I would fly to visit her, but her birthday is now also the anniversary of my beloved dog being put to sleep, and I just don’t think I can face that this year.

There is a Viking event on tomorrow, I had put myself down as a ‘maybe’, but have changed my mind to a ‘no’. There are still a few more events this season, and it’s more important for my partner and I to have a day off together this weekend, as he’s working on Sunday. We also got annual National Trust passes last weekend! My partner is paying monthly for us both, so we’ll go out somewhere if the weather is nice.

I’ve picked up my drop spindle again recently, and have been testing out how fine I can spin. I’ve a rough and woolly goal (pun intended) of spinning enough fine yarn to nalbind a replica of the Jorvik sock - lots and lots and lots of yarn needed, and it’s not a quick process as a novice spinner!

Part of my not sleeping well is definitely an over-reliance on screens and social media. These past few weeks during training, there hasn’t been much to do, and so I’ve ended up in a scroll-hole during work hours, which doesn’t stop when I get home. I trialled deleting Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit from my phone yesterday, and it was actually much harder than I thought. The innate muscle memory and mental urge to lift my phone and scroll was scary, and it’s hard to turn my attention to things like spinning, since it’s easier and faster to get dopamine from my phone instead. Scary stuff, but will keep testing it.