Prosperous & Creative Soul Year 4

savingholmes

Thanks Blackcats, Jessy, Jwil, TG and Alchemilla. Glad you understand.

The adult star charts are working well - in that I did some basic housekeeping tasks more often. I also got out for a few mid week walks. 

Yesterday DD's car broke down and I ended up going to meet her late last night and following her home after the breakdown guy had been. She's recently moved further away so it hasn't made for the the best start to the weekend. Before that though I'd made some art and learned a bit more about video editing. I'm hoping to do a bit more on that today - but having got to bed between 3 and 4am I only got up after 12 today so feel 'behind'.

Thanks Jessy for the recommendation. 

I've spent some time updating January's spending diary (manually). I have a better understanding of where my money has been going at least. E.g. I sent £1.1K to CCs but only improved them £50 due to respending!! I need to focus on that more or I won't meet my financial goals. However that included nearly £300 of business related spend...

However - after a few turbulent weeks on the markets... plus payments to the mortgage, savings, investments etc I've got an improved net worth for January of around £2.2K.  So far investing in my AVCs and moving some of my money to a S&S ISA is paying off... However in future months I could post a negative figure if the markets play up.

Hope all is well with you guys.

savingholmes

The people turned up to quote yesterday - they seemed competent - so hoping a date and a reasonable price appears soon.  It looks like it will be towards the end of the month before any of them can come... I will use savings to pay for the work - as my main focus currently is trying to balance my spending in month and to reduce/eliminate CC use. I have been trying to do the transfer £ over as soon as it is spent thing this month - but it has still been a challenge. I got £10 in cashback this month though from the CC use - which is appreciated...

This weekend I want to try and get downstairs tidier - big boxes of Xmas stuff are still cluttering up my kitchen because I need to move some stuff in my hallway - and then hopefully they should fit back under the stairs.

Grocery wise I benefitted in January from over-buying in December and my freezers being stuffed full. Doing the weekly deliveries has helped immensely - however I still spent £310 - so roughly £10 a day. Plus around £46 on eating out - mainly when I've gone into work, travelled for the hairdresser or if I hadn't eaten before my art group. So just food & eating out is costing around £11.48 a day. That included about £50 of stores - and things that have ended up in my freezer though - so it's hard to get to a 'real' number. I need to remember Blackcats/Foxgloves mantra though and not store the supermarkets food for them. I had chicken korma from the freezer today with jacket spud and it was really tasty. A good reminder to explore my freezer contents more often. I still have about £68 on a grocery giftcard which I can put towards food in Feb.

I spent around £214 on clothes too - partly using cashback giftcards, a work giftcard - put also some 'real' £. That's fine if I then don't spend for a few months - but given I notionally put in £30 a month - it shows reality vs my budget isn't matching!! I didn't spend as much on art as normal - but that's just as well given all my business related spends... Like I say doing a proper review of my actual spends has been eye opening. 

February is due to be challenging financially. I've reduced my counselling sessions back to fortnightly to help free up some money towards the new cleaner cost which is close to £50 a week - so around £200 a month. I'm hoping that my art group will help me with social structure too. I'm booked in for the next two weeks.

I also need to pay £140 towards my holiday - which I may put on the CC - but then hopefully immediately clear it so I get the extra protection but don't add to my debt. It depends what else I end up buying for my business - I am already planning an annual sub of £100. I will investigate insurance and will probably set up a limited co again. The business costs I may put on the 0% CC. I'm really enjoying educating myself on the process re videos etc - hopefully I'll actually 'launch' soon. I'm just trying to get my foundation in place for the new business first - before starting the 'reporting' and 'insurance' timelines. I've recorded quite a bit of video the last few weeks - so now need to learn how to piece together different formats. Planning to try DaV editing software.

Will let you know how I get on. Very grateful for two CTax free months.

jwil

Glad the business stuff is going well.  I found tracking my spending a real eye opener as well.

LadyWithAPlan

You sound very focused and productive so well done ! 

I am a self taught editor /podcaster and the hardest thing I find is to keep going once you learn the tech 

hopefully a decent cleaner (I really want one but don’t want to spend the cash ! will be found soon 

savingholmes

Thanks Jwil and LWAP. I wrote 4000 words on one of my novels yesterday - which was fabulous. I've finally put my xmas decorations away. I've managed to fit them within my ottoman bed so really happy with that. Still need to fold up a silver tree that I've been debating leaving out but the rest is done. Now its the proliferation of art supplies that needs to be corralled. Again I have places to put this stuff - I've just neglected to do so... I have done some more washing... Emptied the water from the dryer... Done the dishwasher. Emptied some bins... It all just feels endless. The cleaner comes tomorrow. They put me down for 2 hours rather than 3 so that will be cheaper. Will see how things go whether I need 3 or 2 but right now I'd settle for someone turning up reliably and doing a bit. I I also need to try and get the place looking more respectable for my new cleaner so she doesn't run away screaming. I'm being distracted by lighting and audio and other options for my business... All far more fun to explore than actual tidying... Hence why it's in such a state to begin with... Oops... I've booked a night away at the weekend. I'm going to meet DS and his partners part way between where he lives and mine. I'd originally intended to stay with other relatives but that's not going to work out... Sigh. I may go and meet those relatives at my sister's and drop some large things off that I brought back for them at Xmas that is taking up space in my house as previous expected meet ups didn't materialise. I also need to drop off a birthday gift. I may - but not promising - then also return some stuff to the Swedish shop - which might then help pay for my overnight stay... Swings and roundabouts... I then have Monday off to recover!! While I could change the weekend in theory - if DS is available - I just want to see him. It's being nearly 2 months...

savingholmes

The cleaner failed her working interview.  She didn't even hoover the whole of the downstairs or mop throughout despite me setting that as the priority. 


Looks like my budget is safe for a bit longer!

Jessy103

As someone who has a side hustle of cleaning I find that very strange! I always ask the customer first if there is anything in particular they want doing, otherwise I tell them I'll do a general polish, hoover, mop, bathroom and kitchen clean. 

TallGirl

How annoying sounds like you have to find someone who is not from an agency but actually have their own small business so care about how they do thing. Hard I know does any of the neighbours know of any? 

beanielou

savingholmes said:

The cleaner failed her working interview.  She didn't even hoover the whole of the downstairs or mop throughout despite me setting that as the priority. 


Looks like my budget is safe for a bit longer!

Blimey. That’s not the best. 

CCW007

That's really poor by the cleaner but an easy decision - might be harder if they started off well then work quality / quantity deteriorated.