Geriatricmum vs inner voice: A monologue

Geriatricmum

Inner voice: "you're avoiding doing your budget"
Me: "I know, I'm afraid that when I see how much I've got left after bills I'll get annoyed because my disposable income is so little."
Inner voice: "you don't need to buy anything extra though" 
Me: "yeah but not even enough for a Starbucks, it's just depressing" 
Inner voice: "you reap what you sow, your spending has caught up with you" 
Me: "stupid past me" 
Past me: "we had fun though! Spend, Spend, Spend!"
Me: "but look at us now!!!"
Me: "ARGH!“

Spendless

I think not spending on the CC is a bigger win than not always taking packed lunch is a fail. That's assuming when you have to buy out you're getting the likes of a Tesco clubcard meal deal rather than a 3 course restaurant lunch! What facilities do you have a work, can you leave anything there? 

Can't say I have regret buys but not dealing with all this a few years back when I returned to f-time work definitely.  

Listen to your inner voice and do the budget. At least then you'll be aware. Constantly depriving yourself won't work either though, you're more likely to long term fail. Set yourself a mini goal.  What's your fav drink at starbucks - if that's your go to place? Set yourself a mini goal of achieving x,y, z (for example it could be so many NSD, or taking packed lunch all month)  achieve it, buy yourself the Starbucks drink as a reward. Do this and I suspect either of the following will happen, you will really enjoy the drink, far more than you ever have and think it's far better to only do this sort of thing occasionally or you'll think that was a disappointment for the money it cost, not worth it and I'd rather spend the money on something else. 

Spendless

Just seen fb message from Martin Lewis saying 'got debt on credit card and want to come on the show tonight (virtually) so I can take you through how to cut your interest to 0%. If so email team at martinlewis@itv.com.

Message put up in last 20 mins. I thought of you straight away. Know some of your cards are at 0% but others aren't and the ones that are are ending within a few months.

Even if not interested in emailing. Sounds like it'd be an episode for you to watch. 

Geriatricmum

Spendless said:

I think not spending on the CC is a bigger win than not always taking packed lunch is a fail. That's assuming when you have to buy out you're getting the likes of a Tesco clubcard meal deal rather than a 3 course restaurant lunch! What facilities do you have a work, can you leave anything there? 

I'm buying cans of soup at the coop and taking those in, I'm not going out at lunch time as I know I'll over buy. I've taken previous advice and Ive bought a multipack of crisps and raisin bar things to take as snacks. My work has a fully functioning kitchen, they also provide free fruit so I'm munching my way through that too! 

Can't say I have regret buys but not dealing with all this a few years back when I returned to f-time work definitely.  

Listen to your inner voice and do the budget. At least then you'll be aware. Constantly depriving yourself won't work either though, you're more likely to long term fail. Set yourself a mini goal.  What's your fav drink at starbucks - if that's your go to place? Set yourself a mini goal of achieving x,y, z (for example it could be so many NSD, or taking packed lunch all month)  achieve it, buy yourself the Starbucks drink as a reward. Do this and I suspect either of the following will happen, you will really enjoy the drink, far more than you ever have and think it's far better to only do this sort of thing occasionally or you'll think that was a disappointment for the money it cost, not worth it and I'd rather spend the money on something else. 

I'll try and do the budget today! DD21 bought me a vanilla latte from Starbucks on Sunday so that's my fix for this week! Ha! 

Geriatricmum

Spendless said:

Just seen fb message from Martin Lewis saying 'got debt on credit card and want to come on the show tonight (virtually) so I can take you through how to cut your interest to 0%. If so email team at martinlewis@itv.com.

Message put up in last 20 mins. I thought of you straight away. Know some of your cards are at 0% but others aren't and the ones that are are ending within a few months.

Even if not interested in emailing. Sounds like it'd be an episode for you to watch. 

I missed that last night, I'll get it on catch up! Thank you for thinking of me 😁

Geriatricmum

Another reason I've been dawdling regarding the budget is that our first floor lights stopped working over the weekend got an electrician in on Monday it's cost us £140 to get it fixed, it's not even February and the food budget is down £140!

Head. Wall. Bang. 

Spendless

What was your plan for building up an emergency fund, so you had an additional pot for things like the electrics going?  Was it to start putting anything you sold on Vinted into it or were you waiting a couple of months before starting it?. I remember it being discussed.

I am firmly of the view that building up an EF needs to be done in conjunction with paying off debt. Life throws curveballs. 

On the plus side Feb is a short month even if it has an extra day this year and you've now got an additional reason to sort out your packed lunches.

Geriatricmum

Spendless said:

What was your plan for building up an emergency fund, so you had an additional pot for things like the electrics going?  Was it to start putting anything you sold on Vinted into it or were you waiting a couple of months before starting it?. I remember it being discussed.

My vinted pot is the emergency fund

I am firmly of the view that building up an EF needs to be done in conjunction with paying off debt. Life throws curveballs. 

Why are they all happening when I decide to get my debt sorted?!! 

On the plus side Feb is a short month even if it has an extra day this year and you've now got an additional reason to sort out your packed lunches.

Thank you Romans! 

Just uploaded a bunch of stuff onto vinted and Ebay, hopefully it sells! 

lucielle

Every little helps as they say!  Keep going. 

L

Geriatricmum

lucielle said:

Every little helps as they say!  Keep going. 

L

Thank you, still not looked at my budget 😐 inner voice is berating me as I type. Not gonna write down what they are saying...