Time for change…..

Taking_back_control

After many failed previous diary attempts, I’m back again. I find I’m at my most focussed when posting regularly, so I need to commit to keeping this one updated 😊.

I’m very conscious that I haven’t really moved the dial on any area of my life when reading through my previous diaries. I’m also very conscious that I’m not getting any younger and feel as though life is passing me by at a crazy rate. 

My whole life at the minute feels very chaotic - home, work, health, finances - I don’t feel in control of anything! It’s time to rein it in, slow down and focus my energy and be more deliberate and intentional in the choices I make, rather than just closing my eyes, burying my head in the sand and thinking that I’ll deal with it another day! 

So here’s a brief summary of where I am vs where I want to be…..

 

Health
I’ve always loved exercise and have led a fairly active life, however since lockdown this has fallen by the wayside and I’ve piled on 3.5-4 stone. I love running and swimming and desperately need to get these activities back into my life.
My diet isn’t good - I feel like I’m eating for convenience all the time rather than nutrition and this needs to change.
Mental health hasn’t been great over the last few years either. Mainly anxiety and stress related. While it’s manageable, it did come to a head a few weeks back and manifest itself physically and knocked me clear off my feet for a few days. It was a much needed wake up call that I need to slow down and make some changes.

Work
I work 22.5 hrs per week in a fairly well paid job, with good flexibility, a great team and a short (usually painless) 20 minute commute. The good points! The not so good points - the company itself is not great and the environment outside the team is very toxic at times. The work I do hasn’t changed in the 12 years I’ve been doing it and there’s little scope for progression mainly due to my part time status. I tend to get left clear up the !!!!!! that nobody else wants to do. I’m hoping once the debt is cleared, I can look for something that gives me more job satisfaction even if it pays less, but I can’t afford to take that cut at the moment.

Home
Absolute chaos! Feel like I’m constantly battling clutter and desperately trying to keep on top of things. The house is also in need of a lot of TLC (and money throwing at it). Home life also feels very manic with DS doing sports 6 days a week. I need to get organised to help things run a lot smoother and take away some of the day to day stress.

Finances
Debt to the tune of around £14k. Over 2 credit cards, overdraft and next / very. All currently 0% except Next. Will post a breakdown later. Most is a result of no emergency fund and poor budgeting. Hoping to clear this over the next 3 years maximum as feel in a lot ways life is on hold until it’s sorted. 

I’m going to sign off now as school run is calling and I’m still in my pjs. Will be back soon…..

Squirrelz92

Happy shiny new diary!

Taking_back_control

Morning,
I’ve finally got 5 minutes to myself to sort a proper breakdown of where I am with things.

OD - £750
£6cc1 - £5856.98
cc2 - £7771.47
very- £1008
next - £182.30

Total - £15568.75

More than anticipated which isn’t good😩

My aim is to pay a minimum of £500 per month off, which will take me 31 months and take me to May 2026. Ideally I want it gone sooner, but need to find that balance between budgeting realistically and enabling us to get out of this cycle long term and getting the debt cleared. 

As previously said, all but the next is 0% but some will be coming off offer over the next few months. I need to get my head around this is order to prioritise.

The food shop is one key area where we can cut back. We’re currently spending £600 plus a month for a family of 3 - this doesn’t include pet food 🤦‍♀️. I am using a scheme through work where you buy gift cards and earn a % back. I’ve been doing this about 18 months and have earned  £450 back which helps fund Christmas and birthdays. There is definitely room for improvement. 

Taking_back_control

Plan of action……

1. Get organised! 

I need to plan plan plan. Generally get an hour to myself on Friday evenings, so will use this time to plan for the coming week. Meal plans ready for the food shop, exercise plan to schedule in much needed physical activity, any expenses coming up and my weekly to do list to keep me on top of things.

2. Declutter
I’ve got. 2 huge boxes in my dining room full of clothes to sell on Vinted. Need to get these cleared and use the funds for repayments and / or Christmas. DSs wardrobe is over spilling and he has toys that haven’t been touched in years, need to be a bit ruthless.

3. Cut backs
Identify opportunities to cut bills / expenses as low as possible. Bills I’m fairly sure we are as low as we can go at the moment as we always shop around for insurance/ deals etc. Mobiles are both sim only and one is funded via Airtime rewards on pretty much a monthly basis. Petrol we could be more efficient with and likewise with gas and electricity. 

I think that’s all for now. Have a great Sunday 

Squirrelz92

HI! What is your plan regarding tackling your debt? Are you using the snowball method paying minimum required payments on all debts bar the smallest? Tackling Next first with it being the only interest paying debt? x

Taking_back_control

Next will definitely be the first to be tackled possibly then followed by very. Need to double check the dates my 0% offers end. 

Good progress over the weekend so far - £90 of Vinted sales and confirmation of a £200 refund back onto cc2. Particularly pleased about the refund as they were trying to claim we’d damaged the item, so massive relief that it has been settled in our favour. The £90 may be needed to cover shortfall until payday but hopefully should have some remaining to send to next even if it’s just £10-£20.

joedenise

Do you do Tilly Tidies?  That is rounding the few pence in your bank account - either daily or weekly.  I found it really useful and it's amazing how much it adds up to.  If you don't want to send daily/weekly perhaps move to a separate savings account and send it once a month after your monthly payment has gone out.  I also used it to clear my mortgage early.

[Deleted User]

I think you need to take this step at a time. Your life seems very busy and full.

In terms of finances try to complete a SOA and then others will be able to offer more support and suggestions.

Establish a routine for household things like cleaning, shopping, meal times to give day day things the structure you want to achieve.

Then a plan for decluttering. Maybe take it a room at a time, say a week for a room. Don't rush it.

Family discussion about the changes and plans you have in mind.
 
You definitely need to pencil in some more me time!

Just my ideas lol!

One obvious thing to be looked at is £600 a month on food for a family of 3 ! Cutting this by £200 should be possible unless there are special circumstances I have missed.

Taking_back_control

[Deleted User] said:

I think you need to take this step at a time. Your life seems very busy and full.

In terms of finances try to complete a SOA and then others will be able to offer more support and suggestions.

Establish a routine for household things like cleaning, shopping, meal times to give day day things the structure you want to achieve.

Then a plan for decluttering. Maybe take it a room at a time, say a week for a room. Don't rush it.

Family discussion about the changes and plans you have in mind.
 
You definitely need to pencil in some more me time!

Just my ideas lol!

One obvious thing to be looked at is £600 a month on food for a family of 3 ! Cutting this by £200 should be possible unless there are special circumstances I have missed.

Thank you! 

Some great suggestions. The lack of organisation is causing a lot of my issues. I used to bullet journal religiously which helped provide some structure to everingthing as it was like my household manual and covered everything from debt, meal plans, exercise, household task, birthdays etc to wish lists  for diy projects and books I wanted to read. I get that it’s not for everyone but looking back i thrived on the structure it helped to provide. Maybe I need to revisit it. Decluttering wise I think DS toys need to be priority as these will probably sell well in the run up to Christmas, getting him to agree to it though May be a bit of a battle 🤣

£600 is ridiculous for the 3 of us too. This definitely needs to be targeted. We buy a lot of fizzy drinks which I’m trying to cut back on. Again lack of planning means we’ve  built up a substantial freezer / cupboard supply - I need to do a quick inventory and meal plan from there.

joedenise said:

Do you do Tilly Tidies?  That is rounding the few pence in your bank account - either daily or weekly.  I found it really useful and it's amazing how much it adds up to.  If you don't want to send daily/weekly perhaps move to a separate savings account and send it once a month after your monthly payment has gone out.  I also used it to clear my mortgage early.

I have save the change automatically set up to divert into one of my Monzo pots, however the less I use the cards the less gets moved over. Will try rounding down weekly to the nearest £5 and see how that works out.

It’s the start of half term here. Sky are giving away 2 free Vue cinema tickets per customer per month, so have claimed these to go and see a film DS has wanted to see. Having to travel 10 minutes further than we usually would, but there’s free parking on site (we’d usually have to pay to park in the town at our usual cinema) so I’m taking that as a win. 

Will send OH off to training with DS tonight and give myself a couple of hours with a notebook and pen - will feel so much better once my scrambled head of thoughts and ideas are down on paper! 

Christmas shopping is underway. I’ve mutually agreed with most friends not exchange gifts or in some cases children only. I’m looking to fund most via cashback earned on the foodshop, loyalty points or via Amazon vouchers earned through a well being app we have at work and shopper panels. So far spend has been minimal but have crossed a few off my list 😊

Right, cuppas finished so I’m signing off for now - happy Monday! 

Taking_back_control

Morning, 
Lovely trip to the cinema yesterday followed by a happy meal for £1 via the app = fab, cheap first day of half term and a happy boy who felt like he’d had a treat. 

Another £26 made on Vinted taking me up to £116 in my pending balance. It’s so much easier than eb@y just a shame you have to wait so long for the money to be released.

Batch cooked a massive chilli in the slow cooker last night - padded the veggie mince out with lentils to make it go further. It’s made 5 portions, so will work them in to my meal plan over the coming weeks. Nice, quick and healthy meal sorted 😊.

Refund has cleared into cc2- big relief. Spent time last night going through my 0% deadlines to work out the order in which I’m tackling things. The immediate plan is to clear next (£182), I then have £818.17 that needs clearing off cc1 before beginning of February. Should be doable. More concerning is that the balance of cc2 comes off 0% in February too. No chance of cleaning that before then- but what to do? I’m being offered 0% on BT with an old card until Sept 2024, but in doing this now I’d be loosing out potentially on 4 months 0% by doing it early but if I wait will the deals still be around given the cost of living crisis we’re going through - I wish I had a crystal ball! 

joedenise

Personally, if you're sure you can't clear your card before the 0% comes to and end I'd be transferring it to the old card with a September 24 end date as long as you can clear whatever you transfer by then.  Better than waiting to see what you get offered in January/February when there might well be no offers being made.