Flying solo

twiggy86 · 23 August 2024 at 10:15AM

Happy Friday!

Met some friends last night for a couple of drinks - although friend bought me two (as I'd paid for her drink on Tuesday) so only purchased one myself. So £4 spent as another friend drove us. Oh and I did find time to sye my hair so feeling better for that! (Had the dye in the cupboard but will need to buy some for next time).

Have various "potential" plans for the weekend but me and bf are waiting to see what we fancy and what the weather is doing. We may clear out his flat so that then he can try and rent it out - as currently we are both paying the bills for our respective houses and he isn't able to financially help me as much as he wants/ should - he just doesn't earn enough to contribute to bills for two houses! Tonight he is going out with his work colleagues and I will meet up with them and bring him home to avoid taxi costs - I may also meet a friend beforehand.

I realised a slight issue I may have with my pay next week... My pay is sent manually by my boss and usually comes in mid morning, but next week on pay day I will be leaving to drive to the festival before it will likely be paid. Meaning I won't have access to my spreadsheet (although I could of course print), limited internet and will probably get distracted and forget to send to correct accounts! So my plan is on Thursday to utilise my emergency fund to cover the bills that will come out at the beginning of the month (as come out of a different account to where the pay will land, so does require me to transfer) and my spending money for the weekend. Then when I'm back I can put everything back in the correct accounts. Thankfully I have my EF and have also realised that this ahead of time so have a "work-around"!

Back to today...

Make lunch to take to work
Update spreadsheet
Message someone to see if they are interested in something bf is selling)
Work on crochet present at lunch
Charge phone at work
Dinner from stores - use chicken I cooked yesterday (bf is out)
Sort out some bits to drop to the charity shop tomorrow (stuff that didn't go on fb)

satchmo1 · 23 August 2024 at 8:29PM

This time last year you wouldn't have had your EF to enable your workaround, so big congratulations on your amazing progress!!

twiggy86 · 4 September 2024 at 11:28AM

Back to normality today after my time off and my weekend away! I have had an absolutely FANTASTIC time!

I have been taking myself out on little "dates" - so one day I went to the beach (took a packed lunch) and another I went to a sunflower picking place. Then the festival at the weekend was brilliant and I didn't spend all of the money I had saved as my spending money! I had transferred just that money into an account so I knew if it suddenly declined, I had spent too much - but actually had £65 left! It did feel indulgent going out for lunch on my own yesterday but it was a challenge I had set myself as it's outside of my comfort zone but figured I could do after going away for the whole weekend on my own!

First job when I sat at my computer this morning was to do all the money shuffling, spreadsheet updates etc. Now feeling back in control as everything is where it should be! I didn't end up paying a car payment in August, so have that money sitting there at the moment - will need to decide how best to utilise. I should "confess" that yesterday I walked into a tattoo studio and finally booked the tattoo I've wanted for years! So I will be having that on my birthday! Although it turns out, bf had bought me a voucher for where he had one done recently which he was going to give me as a birthday present!!! Ooopps! However, I think he is going to use it as his piece isn't finished yet.

One other little money update was that I sold my old office desk for £30. I very rarely use it (don;t work from home consistently) and have a dining table where I can sit now - so decided to sell it as obviously where bf has moved in, I now have additional furniture. I have a few other bots to get rid of (some free, some for small amounts) - one being a tumble dryer as now have bf's which is better than mine.

Right, on to today and ensuring I stay on track...

Make lunch to take to work - leftover pasta from last night's dinner
Take acro stuff to work - although I don't think anyone is meeting but I have it just in case (looking forward to when proper classes start back up even if it will mean I have start paying again!)
Update spreadsheet - including a slight tweak to account for tattoo!
Money shuffles!!!
Message friend about picking up the old tumble dryer (free but good to get it gone!)
Charge phone at work
Dinner from stores
Pop one other item on fb

twiggy86 · 5 September 2024 at 9:48AM

I'm determined that today will be a good day despite having an awful night with a UTI (which thankfully has eased overnight) and the cold, wet weather!!! Although I'm meant to be playing netball tonight and was really looking forward to it as have missed the last two weeks - however not sure it's a wise move! Plus there wasn't an acro session last night, so feeling like I'm being lazy this week - although I did do a LOT of dancing at the weekend!

The good news is that someone is meant to be coming to collect a chest of drawers (£15) and someone else for the tumble dryer (free). Be good to get those bits out, although the drawers will be replaced with a unit from bfs which is better storage. He had someone collect something of his last night as well. So slowly clearing out things! Need to have another look around to see if there's anything else that can go.

Oh and I made a CC payment yesterday as one statement had come in! If I just pay the minimums this month it will take my debt to just below £10.5k, having paid off £2.5k this year! Wish I could say it was more, but that's just the way it's gone this year so far! Haven't paid for a single thing on my CC this year though, so that is a big plus!!!

Anyway, on to today...

Make lunch to take to work - last of the leftover pasta
Update spreadsheet
Snap a receipt that's been lurking in my bag!
Charge phone at work
Items being collected
Dinner from stores
Park for free if I go to netball

Sarahwithlove · 5 September 2024 at 3:52PM

That's still a fairly good amount to pay off and like you said more importantly no credit card use!

twiggy86 · 9 September 2024 at 2:38PM

I HAVE A DOG!!!

Slight madness?! Maybe.

Makes me very happy?! Definitely!!!

We picked her up on Thursday evening and so far she is settling in very well! We re-homed a little 3 year old dog - she cost £300 which me and bf split. So that was the car payment money that wasn't taken last month gone! We have bought a few little bits for her (bed etc) and I think I might owe bf some more towards that. Plus we intend on taking her to the vets for an "mot" probably this week.

However, bf's flat is up for rent and has had a lot of interest so far. He needs to clear a few more bits out and get a key cut before he can have viewings but hoping it will be filled fairly soon. That will relieve a bit of financial pressure on us both.

So other than the new pooch, weekend wasn't too spendy! Although we did have a roast out yesterday! But otherwise it was just popping round a friend's on Saturday for a bbq (in the rain) - I had a couple of drinks and bf drove, although we left early to get back to pooch as it was the first time leaving her.

Right, on to today to ensure I stay on track...

Make lunch to take to work
Update spreadsheet with weekend's spends
Make CC payments
Charge phone at work
Start looking into renewal prices - both car and home insurance due within the next month
Dinner from stores