2024: Paying the Present, Funding the Future

ShyAndRetiring

Hi

I've been around the DFW boards and the MFW boards for a long time - I started a diary previously but didn't keep up   At that time, the debt was minimal and manageable.

Now it's 2024, the debt has increased and we have lots of changes coming up this year, including a house project and a major income change (OH retiring). In my original diary, we needed to have been debt-free by this point. And we're not   so I need to focus on all things finances as our income (and prospects for increasing it) seem to be reducing. As such, I need to be careful about what we're spending currently so the debt gets cleared and we stay within budget from month to month without reaching for the credit card or interest-free payments which still add up to mid-term debt: Paying the Present.

We do have some savings earmarked for the project but this still needs adding to and will be a tight budget that will need managing. OH would also like to take some holidays in retirement, so we also need to focus on our short-mid term planning / spending / costs and capacity: Funding the Future!

I broadly work FTE but split between working flexibly in a freelance role (paid work) and as a family carer for elderly parents (P1 and P2). P2 is in a nursing home but very reliant on P1 and I to visit to support mental health. P1 is disabled and relies on me to support the visits - and for transport to get there.

There are so many inspiring individuals here, and I hope that being back amongst diary-land will help me take control in 2024 and stay accountable and active rather than passive about the present and the future. 

Thanks for having me, SaR x

ShyAndRetiring

  Edited to add debt details and goals for 2024 and January (well, what's left of it)   

DEBT DETAIL
CC debt = £947 (0% not sure when this ends)
Furniture payment total £1090 (0% over 10 x monthly payments of £109 - starting this month)
TOTAL = £2037 
GOAL = pay all off by end of 2024, regular payments via budget + any additional funds / income.

SPENDING

• Aim for as many NSDs as possible per month (I have a reworked budget and lots of ‘pots’ so for me NSDs are aimed at avoiding spending outside of budgets. Especially Am@zon )
• 9 days left to end Jan so current NSD goal is 5. Sadly today wasn’t one of them so 0 / 5 so far.
• Review weekly & monthly - & when OH retires and income changes again. And if my work situation improves. And once house project is out of the way and in budget (hopefully).

SAVING

• Save for Xmas 24 using 52 week £ challenge. Started in Nov 23 - £310 / 1378 so far (St@rling pot) - trying to fund this with surveys, underspends from budget & MSE successes rather than budgeting for this.
• Contingency saving for house project or to refill Emergency Fund if it gets depleted in meantime. Have set up YBS Xmas 24 saver (10 months Jan to Oct x £150 @ 6% - fixed term - seems sensible as debt is 0% and funds will be needed back end of year = £150 / £1500.

SORTING 

Lots to be done this year   initial goals to include:

• Must get Will in place - we’d be daft to ignore terrifying life lessons we’ve had lately  
• Possibly LPA also if £££ to spare but Will is priority.
• Declutter goal of min 1 item a day in 24. So far I’m on 32 / 365 
• Sorting garden to grow our own veggies, to improve garden, fresh air and fitness (possibly) and save £££ on food costs.
• Sort yarn stash & aim to use up (or pass on) 1 ball per week & NO BUYING YARN *shouting to self, not y’all* So far am on 4 / 52 (2 x cushion covers)
• Sort toiletry stash and shop from home, aim to use up (or pass on) 1 pot / tub / bottle / sachet / tube per week this year. Currently on 2 / 52, 

SELF

Low mood is a current issue, despite a positive front Basics of dropping a dress size and walking for fitness to start with. Will post more about this sometime.

No SOA currently as I’m shy about that, but budget has been reworked and will be reviewed regularly, so I think that’s it for tonight … all fits in with theme of present and future and all necessary for making 2024 more manageable, I think.

SaR x

Little_bit_taller

Good luck to you!

ShyAndRetiring

Little_bit_taller said:

Good luck to you!

Thank you, and to you 

ShyAndRetiring

So, first day of focus ...

Spending

• NSD 1/5 achieved. A couple of essentials in an online basket but leaving overnight to preserve NSD

Saving

• £13 cleared in Prolific, so cashed out and sent across to 52-week challenge = £323; another £5 waiting to clear, have an undeclared goal of earning £10 pw in surveys if possible.

Sorting

• Spent some time sorting garden planning / planting ideas, to save money and enjoy the convenience of food from the garden. Limited success in 23 so hoping to learn / improve on this for 24. We have a rough plan (literally) but will be waiting for the current weather to blow on by before getting started with doing rather than discussing and doodling. 

Self
Sedentary WFH today - doing a bit of a step trial with this and have identified that if I don't get out for a walk or actively do some exercise, then I only clock up about 2k steps a day, which is awful! 

On care days + WFH days it's not much better because it's a 1.30 or 2 hour round trip to P1, depending on traffic, then once there I'm driving to and from care home and sitting there for a visit. The only time I'm on my feet is walking in and out of places or if I'm helping out with cleaning / gardening, so all a bit dire.

Once there's more daylight I can get out for proper walks after work / care days - it's fab here in the spring / summer / autumn but impossible to walk in the dark here as rural and spooky. In the meantime though, after work today I attempted a 30 min, 5000 step fat burner workout on YT but nearly expired 2/3 of the way through . Still, it meansI have a target to beat tomorrow and have covered just over 4k steps today instead of 2k!

Have joined the forum thread for using up toiletries so can focus on saving money by using things up. Most of it was gifted so there are some nice treats to look forward to, just need to remember to get them out! Started on a Sanctuary Body Scrub mini today.

Hope everyone is safe and snug from the storm, take care S&R x