today is the best day

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

Hello all

I spent a day at interviews and preparing for them. It's difficult to judge how they went really.

I didn't achieve all my plans for a few reasons - i had 2 phone calls to make and still have 1 to do having been cut off one of them after 15 minutes and the other call was over 45 minutes so both took much longer than expected.

I also spent a lot more time sorting things out to sell. I need to be careful of this and aim for variety in my day - i can get caught up doing one thing and neglect to do other things which i also wanted to do. i just need to be disciplined! But i got excited by deciding on things to part with for selling and thinking of the potential income from sales i just kept going 

I had planned to list some items today but i have ended up helping a friend for much of today - i am home and tired now so relaxing by reading some diaries on here and thinking of what i want to achieve.

I have spent some money today   

£6.70 on food - i spotted some reduced items so bought a few different things. The thing is i hadn't budgeted for these and there were a couple of treats in there  ice-cream and chocolates - again i need to be more disciplined!

£1.75 - some new earrings - vastly reduced and i keep losing mine  i think they get caught in my scarf or coat 

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

i'm trying to work out a budget at the moment - has anyone any suggestions on spreadsheets and layouts? I'm thinking when i'm working i'll need savings pots for things like insurance, car costs etc as well as budgeting for the regular monthly spends - i'm not sure what the best way is to go about this 

I got a bit down this week as i am so desperate to get a job to get an income and be able to properly live again - but also because having an income will mean i can start viewing houses  I've worked out how much i can borrow based on the jobs i'm applying to - unfortunately, one of the houses i wanted to view i realise would just be too much, the other house i was keen on viewing has been sold. I have been looking at houses in this area for a long time and these were the 2 suitable ones which had come up for sale. I could still potentially view the more expensive one if it's still for sale when i am back working - but it would mean me achieving the absolute maximum for my home, as well as the maximum salary for the jobs i'm applying to (and they aren't well paid) and a reduction on the house price. I think it is quite overpriced but others have sold at that amount on that street which are to the same standard...

WuLiao

StripeyTightsSpottySocks said:

c25k - look into this - any recommendations?

Apple and Android:

• Fully featured - zenlabs c25k (note, it's got loads of ads and constantly badgers you to buy its premium plan)
• Friendly - NHS Couch to 5k (choose which radio DJ will talk you through it. Some of the voiceovers can be a little patronising)

I'm currently using the NHS app.

Android:

• If you want completely barebones, get dreamspark Interval Timer, then build your own intervals using the original Cool Running c25k plan (reproduced here: here )

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

WuLiao said:

StripeyTightsSpottySocks said:

c25k - look into this - any recommendations?

Apple and Android:

• Fully featured - zenlabs c25k (note, it's got loads of ads and constantly badgers you to buy its premium plan)
• Friendly - NHS Couch to 5k (choose which radio DJ will talk you through it. Some of the voiceovers can be a little patronising)

I'm currently using the NHS app.

Android:

• If you want completely barebones, get dreamspark Interval Timer, then build your own intervals using the original Cool Running c25k plan (reproduced here: here )

Thank you for the info WuLiao i think i'll try the NHS one as well  i'll update how i'm getting on 

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

starting to plan

income
Now that i'm getting a little organised with selling things i'm starting to plan what to do with any income - which will be extra income when i'm working. At the moment i need to keep up with all the bills from this but when working i'd like to use extra income towards the mortgage and treat things such as saving up for a holiday and buying new clothes - i buy second hand so these would all just be new to me  

the app i'm using has crashed but i was getting a bit tired from sorting things and the inevitable trying on to see if i'm keeping it and then listing. I've made a good start though and will sort more things so they are ready to list. This will help with income and having less things to pack when it is time to move 

my mortgage deal expires this year and due to not working for a year i have hardly paid any extra off the capital amount  I'm hoping to be in work soon and then i can pay all i can to the mortgage. Even though i'm looking to move i think this is the right thing to do as i will just owe less on this house when it's time to sell - i'll be putting the full amount from the sale to my new home. If anyone has any other suggestions though i'm happy to hear them 

food 
i have a lot of food in at the moment - it's not food i really like but it is food and i'm grateful for it. Most of it is from my neighbour clearing out their cupboards - i guess because it's stuff she didn't really like either  other bits are free items i got. I just need to start eating my way through what i have in - again it will be less to move. I budget £20 a week for all household shopping and am often below this. I don't move anything i don't spend because there isn't any money or spare money just now.

toiletries
as previously mentioned i have lots of toiletries. I'm using hair masks and exfoliators etc - again the more i use the less there will be to move. i tend to use treatments 2-3 times as week so it's a slow process. 

clothes and shoes
i buy second hand and have got into the habit of going in the charity shops once a week or so - it encourages me to get out a bit. i have been buying the odd treasure when i see it though. Today i had hold of a few items - skirts and tops - i really thought about the skirts and decided one wouldn't do for what i needed it for (specific event) the other which i re-hung correctly had 2 small faults - visible when i'd put it straight. A gorgeous top i decided i didn't need. And finally a sports top i really liked but have already told myself no new sportswear - the stuff i have is years old and when it falls apart then i can get something new. So i need to keep the discipline here to keep spare funds.

i need to think of other areas i can cut back on which will help with funds overall 

StripeyTightsSpottySocks

hello all

i have been reading and not posting. The lack of income is really hard at the moment so i spent all my time and energy listing things for sale. I still have more to do but have pretty much burnt myself out sorting and listing items - it's definitely not a quick process! I have more to do but am doing it at a much slower pace.

I've ordered a TGTG today - i'm not sure if that's being wasteful moneywise  i'm out today, which has been planned for a long time, so it seemed the cheapest option for something to eat. I mentioned i have lots of food in which i'm not particularly a fan of, but i will start to eat this - it is food which needs cooking at home / eating hot so not something i could take with me.

I'm starting to focus on things I want in my life now - i will be able to do the free things - like playing music (lessons would help but impossible now) and other fun things. I had started to think about these things but had an overwhelm of items to sell and a need for the money from that. I have also been extremely tired lately so the selling really did take it out of me. Hopefully this week i can try and have more balance in my life.

Other things i want are all the jobs on my home doing - the ones i can do or try to do myself. I'm going to start on one room this week, i'll empty it  use filler, clean the walls down and paint - because i already have filler and paint i won't need to buy anything. I need to protect the floor and anything immovable. I will then be able to see if there are any other jobs which need to be done in that room and either make a note of them if i don't have the necessary things to do the job, or do them if i have. I will then put everything that is going back into the room and start on the next one. I'm hoping it will be a ratio of 1-2 weeks per room. The benefit of being in a small house is that it won't take too long to complete the whole house 

I had better start getting ready to go out - i'm not sure what time i'm being picked up, but if i'm ready i can perhaps do one or two small jobs.

I hope everyone is well and had a good Easter x

Cornish_mum

Hi I just wanted to say hello and well done for all the listing and selling you are doing. I will have my fingers crossed that you find a new job soon Take care CM

Watty1

Hope the start went well

beanielou

Vinted is good for selling.
Good luck withy the interviews