Flying solo

twiggy86

I'll try work out how to add a photo and pay the "do tax"!!! We're not sure what breed she is - woman said she was a miniature jack russell but everyone thinks there's sausage dog and maybe staffie in there! She's very cute and tiny whatever breed she is! I have her in the office with me today as bosses wanted to meet her - although she was fine left on her yesterday at home. 

Yesterday was a NSD, although I did play netball last night but that comes from a designated "pot". Bf threw together dinner from some stuff in the fridge/ freezer as we desperately need to do a food shop! However, it was so nice to get out the shower and bf was making dinner. Told him he'd made me feel like a failure (as he'd alos taken pooch out in the morning and done the washing up) and he responded by saying "only because you're not used to someone doing things for you too"! Very true! (However, I did make a point of doing the washing up and putting some clothes away this morning to make me feel better!!!) 

Today's bits and pieces.... 

• Make lunch to take to work 
• Take parcel to return to work and print label - will post later/ tomorrow 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Charge phone at work 
• Write small shopping list 
• Pop to shop after work and stick to list 
• Load of washing on 30 degree quick cycle 
• Dinner from stores 
• Hang washing on airer 

twiggy86

I walked to the shop with pooch on my lunch break to return the parcel. It made me chuckle/ sigh when I went online to sort out the return and was offered store credit but if I wanted a refund it made a statement about how much longer it would take to process! Cheeky whotsits! 

I don't think I've mentioned my other recent money "wins" - sold a desk for £30 and a set of drawers for £15. Not a lot but it all helps! Don't think I have anything else worth selling but will keep my eyes open. Oh and I also took some bits to the charity shop on my week off, so the house is slowly being de-cluttered.... although bf is slowly bringing his stuff in!! So not that there is less stuff, but more that the stuff is actually wanted! Bf has been quite brutal when clearing his place and has been selling/ dumping a lot! 

Hazelnutty

Hey Twiggy I've been following your thread since the start so apologies if I've missed this! Have you worked out all the financials with bf moving in? Always important but maybe even more so with how far you've coming dealing with the ex!  So exciting about the pooch and you seem to be doing brilliantly on all front

twiggy86

I appreciate the nudge @Hazelnutty - I have proven myself to not be the "strongest" in that respect! We have discussed and have it all agreed. However, whilst he is still paying all the bills on his place, I appreciate (and agreed) that he can't afford double bills. So as and when his bills drop off, he will pay me half the bills/ food etc. It means at the moment he isn't "paying his fair share" but the alternative was waiting until his place was rented out before he moved in. 

So I do have it "under control" but please feel free to check in that I'm holding him to all of this! To be honest, if he doesn't of his own accord then he isn't the person for me! For the record, if I thought he would take advantage I wouldn't have let him move in! He is VERY much an upgrade on ex in many many ways! 

Sarahwithlove

That's food that you have a plan for your finances with your bf moving in. How long does he think it will take to get the property rented out? 

Purplelady65

For the record, if I thought he would take advantage I wouldn't have let him move in! He is VERY much an upgrade on ex in many many ways! 

Through your posts you come over as such a kind and generous person I’m delighted to read this part of your post. 

twiggy86

Thank you so much @Purplelady65

Hopefully it shouldn't be too long until it's rented out as there is viewings lined up already @Sarahwithlove. He just has to get an electrician to fit an extractor beforehand but hopefully that will be straight forward as he's already been getting quotes. 

Last night was fairly quiet - just some housework, food shopping (bf paid) and then dinner and chilled out. I did send some design ideas to the tattoo artist - I have an inability to make decisions so even deciding what images to send was making me procrastinate!! Done now though so let's see what she comes back with. Oh I did have to get some petrol on my way home last night - now have a full tank and £50 left in the "pot" for the rest of the month, so should be fine! 

Not much planned for today - it's a bit chilly for me to do acro outside (I'm a wimp - although love being outside when it's cold but I'm completely wrapped up!), although there is possible talk about doing it indoors somewhere. However, I don't have my gym clothes with me now so may not work depending on what time they're meeting. Bf potentially has a friend coming over tonight - will be his first friend that visits (his family have) so I want to make sure the house is looking nice! So will be quickly flitting around when I get home - it's not too bad, just washing up and clothes to be put away etc. 

Today's bits and bobs....

• Make lunch to take to work 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Charge phone at work 
• Snap receipt 
• Quick tidy 
• Dinner from stores 
• Maybe start a new crochet project using stash yarn

twiggy86

Managed another NSD yesterday! All bills have now been taken, plus CC "minimums" paid (it's always over the minimum as round to the next £5/£10). I have £90 set aside as a potential CC over-payment depending on how the month pans out. Would love to be able to make some form of payment as my progress has definitely stalled over the last few months! My target for the year was to clear £5,000 and I've only just hit the £2.5k mark!!! 

Last night was a fairly quiet evening - walked the pooch, cooked dinner and sat in front of the TV with bf! His friend popped over for an hour for a chat earlier than I expected so didn't have time to do much tidying! I also cooked a chicken breast that needed using, so have some of that in a wrap for my lunch today. 

Today's list looks like...

• Start the day with a nice, fresh walk with pooch (bf has been doing the morning ones but I decided to today)
• Make lunch to take to work 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Text friend to see if she can collect tumble dryer finally! 
• Charge phone at work
• Clear dining table (not MSE but been meaning to do it and I'm annoying myself that I haven't!) 
• Dinner from stores - will be some kievs that need using! 
• Check with captain if she has got anything for our team mate who is off to uni - if not will buy some cookies to take 
• Park for free at netball 

twiggy86

Writing down some ramblings to get my thoughts out...

I haven't been using my "buffers"! I have £100 in each of my accounts which I effectively treat as £0 (i.e. it only gets used if I've overspent in a category). I use this as security if ever I needed extra money for a particular month (e.g. I overspend on food). Between my various accounts, this means I always have a "spare" £400 each month. However, what I've been doing recently, is paying the minimums on the CC and keeping any budgeted over-payment aside to cover over spending.

Whereas, what I should be doing is:

• sticking to the budget
• using the buffers for what they are intended if I fail at sticking to the budget! 

So on that basis, once I've finished waffling, I'm going to send the £90 (as per the budget) to my CC. 

The other thing I need to think about is this misc savings/ rainy day fund that I appear to be prioritising ahead of paying down the debts. This was initially created when I thought I may "have to" pay money to ex - therefore, it was warranted and had a clearly defined purpose. Whereas it has been used to buy a new phone, deposit on car, and buy the pooch (plus I did send a chunk to the CC at one point). It is nice to have a pot of "fun money" should anything suddenly come up that I "need" to buy before having time to save up.

But the question is...  can I justify it given my level of debt? I haven't quite come to a conclusion on that yet!

There is currently £135 sat in there, which I will leave for now whilst I continue pondering! I have been budgeting an amount to send here and then this is also the account where anything extra I earn and my main account "round ups" (i.e. where the bank automatically round payments up to the next £1) end up - so it is added to throughout the month to some extent. 

Worth mentioning I do have a separate £1,000 emergency fund and various sinking fund pots - this is a non-allocated pot of savings in question here. 

Moneywhizz

It sounds like you have everything in your budget covered, a decent emergency fund, enough in your pots and £400. buffer just in case. There really shouldn't be any reason why you can't up your payments to your debts to get rid of them sooner rather than later. Just keep in mind the goal of debt freedom when you will have be able to choose how to use all of your pay rather than some of it disappearing to pay off past spending.