The alternative hive - making plan B work

Queen_of_the_Hive

Pinch, Punch, First of the month! Happy 1st July.

Energy price cap is up but its still sunshining. We are on a fixed till Dec with the big fish so not too worried about it till then.

Mini update; June savings challenge was semi successful. Ended up with £39.02 in the end. This has all gone into Aus holiday savings. This month is also a start at moving £1 a month from my Nationwide Current acc to EF and garden pots. Hope this qualifies us for the bonus next year. Mortgage was paid this morning too. We are now sitting on 96k balance outstanding.

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Funky Friday,

Sadly we have been delt with some sad news, buyers for OH's flat has fallen through plus he's had some news that one of his close friends mum has passed. We seem to know a lot of people who have lost a parent this year and today is one of those days that its got to OH. We are going to head out to a local town on the train to see a free exhibition as a pick me up.

Finances wise - July's target for surveys cash is now £119.15. Its an odd figure of £25 reno & refurb and remained to top up the 1p savings challenge. Its been amazing really, we started the 1p savings challenge approx 3 years ago and we are a few pounds short of 4k towards our trip to Aus. We know this is a small drop in the ocean needed for the trip but its been amazing how a little bit of spare change here and there has got us this far. I've had some early sucess on the surveys and now sitting on £9.40 with £2 pending.

Queen_of_the_Hive

Morning, happy 4th July.

I'm going through a head funk and when I get like that life feels lonely, blue and hopelessness kicks in. What do others do when in this headspace? I wrote more and deleted it each time. Its not really the right forum to open up.

On more brighther news we do acutally have a nice weekend planned.We have a concert back in the city tonight. Our budget couldn't stretch to a hotel as we were looking at £300 for 1 night. So instead have cheap train tickets to the city. We get to the concert for 7.30pm ish watch the concert and then head back to the coach station to take the nightbus to York. We have a bit of time in York tomorrow am before getting the first train to home. We'll be exhausted but will be fun.

Yesterday's trip to the exhibition was fun. This was a little star wars exhibition celebrating the merchandice from the movie. We explored the rest of the building which housed a small art gallery and the library. It did remind us that I really need to get signed up to the local library. With the kids audiobooks pricking my attention the most! We did have a wonder around town, got our noses into the Oxfam bookshop (which I did think was pricey for charity shop bookshop!). We found a fat book on trains. I did see a Ken Follett book but wasn't sure if it was one I had at home. Stopped in to our local Mr T on the way home for some potatoes. Ended up with 2 bags of reduced new potatoes, a net of reduced garlic bulbs, reduced flower seeds for next year and some other bits. The potatoes were enjoyed with sausages and salad.

11% progress so far on this months survey challenge with £4.65 pending.

Queen_of_the_Hive

So i've done something good. My 'day to day' spending CC is quite high this month as its been used to cover quite a bit of travel costs. I was umming and arrring whether to overpay to bring it down or just let it ride as I had done good with the other two cards. But no my conscious got the better of me and i've overpaid by £500 to bring the card down to nearly last months figure. It is def a challenge to decide how to navigate summer holidays and small budgets but I hope this is a sensible move. Initially took the money from one cash savings acc but will have to replace it from S&S ISA cashout sadly. July and Aug though really are going to be our worse spending months of this year as I've already told the kids Christmas this year is going to be small on presents as we are chucking everything at the Aus trip.

I did another nice thing, sat outside in the yard with a cuppa and read a bit more of my book. Sent a couple of good friends a whatsapp message and tried to shift the mood a bit.

Surveys wise also signed up for 3 new sites for market research interviews. Haven't had a lot of luck with those but they do pay well when they do.

Hope everyone has a good rest of Saturday.

Queen_of_the_Hive

Its been a whirilwind 24 hours - been to a concert in the city with OH before gettting the night bus to York before walking around the walls at 7am. Found a good pub serving breakfast and them came home on the first train back. Really tired now.

Wishing I could change the name of this diary as its not as much a dilemma as it was. Its kinda documenting trying to push forward when circumstances are not what they should be. I'm in a funk, struggling to keep happy, wishing there was a way to get happy, be the mum I want to be and having friends that don't mind me repeating myself for the millionth time but its not there. Wishing I could control my eating etc. Its a rant, sorry. Changes feel scary, impossible even.

julicorn

I just saw your latest update and just wanted to say I wish you lots of strength and hope you find more happiness again soon ❤️ It sounds like you've had quite a few difficult things that have happened, no wonder change feels tricky right now.

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello diary,

I was going to update this earlier before work but ran out of time. I'm feeling a bit better than I have been feeling.

I'd got up and exercised before work, collected a bit of sea glass on the this mornings beach walk and made sure that the daily £1 savings was deposited in my S&S isa and bought some reduced fruits from Mr T. At lunchtime i've also made myself an much overdue appointment for a hair cut. Its scheduled whilst I'm on holiday from work for a week so that will work nicely as a little treat. Hair and beauty treatments are pretty alien territory so wish me luck.

Work is running at a slower pace today which is really appreciated. So onwards and upwards.

Queen_of_the_Hive

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82059476#Comment_82059476

Many thanks @julicorn for your kind words, it really was appreciated.

Humdinger1

You have an awful lot on @Queen_of_the_Hive and it's no wonder it gets too much at times. This is your diary; open up as much as you like. We don't mind you repeating yourself, not that you ever do. You're doing brilliantly though it's hard to see it from where you're sitting perhaps? Love Humdinger xx

Queen_of_the_Hive

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82060857#Comment_82060857

Kind words @Humdinger1, love @Queen_of_the_Hive