Prosperous & Creative Soul Year 4

lucielle

Sounds you’ve got some great goals to focus on. 

L

savingholmes

I went to life drawing yesterday which I really enjoyed. Had some nice chats with people.

I picked up my inherited/gifted ring today - and it fits. If anything it is slightly loose - difference between summer and winter finger size possibly since temps have now dropped. I paid half cash and half debit card. Because they also cleaned the diamonds they are shining beautifully. I hope to wear this ring regularly - and perhaps add a series of other rings to it as well.

I've asked for a quote on getting a silver ring resized. Hopefully it will be okay. The quotes on extending my bracelet (18th birthday) or replacing the pin on the antique broach I was gifted were a bit cost prohibitive so likely to wait on them. Not got my bracelet back yet. I might try and buy a second hand bracelet that's similar / identical and extend it that way but that isn't my priority right now.

I put down a deposit on DS's leaving party - £50 - which I used a CC for - I could possibly pay it before I get paid mid month - but I wanted to make sure. Especially as I've been asked to go to a city for someone else's belated leaving do - the redundancies from a few months ago. That is immediately before pay day and it felt a bit close to the wind. Similarly I put my fuel on a CC. I'll revisit it just before payday to see if I can clear it then. If not I'm due backpay this month so it will get sorted then. At the moment I'm due to end the month with about £300 in credit - but I like to keep a buffer across all my accounts so I'm not in danger of slipping into overdraft if a payment I'd forgotten about goes out.

savingholmes

Gratitudes: I've had a few money wins recently:

* The partner's parents paid a lot of my trip expenses - far more than I could have dreamed.
* My sis contributed £35 towards airport transfers.
* I found some lamb in the freezer that I've paired with parsnips and croquettes, peas and tinned carrots and that has given me 2 meals today - and enough left for at least one more meal. (Thanks past self - March for the lamb).
* I had £57 left on a gift card from a month or so ago that I was able to use towards groceries - so only had to put £7.50 to the delivery I had the other day.
* I'm now part of a different discount network at work - and can get 4% discount off Mr A giftcards - as opposed to 2.6% cashback that I was getting before. I will do that after pay day.
* I get a load of backpay mid month - which will help a lot.
* I found 4 glass jars with a love heart shaped topper today in a CS - that I can use towards table decorations for DS's party. I plan to add some battery lights - and possibly artificial flowers. They were only £1 each. Also got a jacket for £3 and a love heart mirror for £2.

Other gratitudes:
* Seem to be getting on better with my wider family than usual.
* I love my new to me ring and it has made me think of my grandma for one of the first times in many years.
* I've had beautiful dawns and rainbows this week from my WFH office or out my bedroom window. Where I live is truly beautiful.
* My cat is being very affectionate.
* I'm due to see DD on Monday.
* I managed to hyper-focus part of yesterday and today - so I'm now in flexi credit having been very behind previously. Very grateful for my compressed hours. While hard at times - when I have to work longer days - having Mondays off is so worth it.

* The trip was good and I will have lots of memories to draw on.
* Going on the trip also eased some of my fears about flying long distance - as the plane on the way there was really wide and the seats were decent. The way back was more of a cautionary tale but I understand better where to book seat wise on a plane too.
* I'm very lucky to be offered a free return ticket to Oz next year - and while I'd prefer DS didn't emigrate - for me it could be the trip of a lifetime. It will also allow me to spend more concentrated time with him and his partner than I might if he was in more easy reach. They are expecting to rent somewhere with multiple bedrooms so I should have minimal accommodation costs - unless I decide to venture further away from theirs to give them a break if I'm over there for several weeks. I have a relative in NZ - so going to see her and her partner may also be an option. I could perhaps do that mid way through the Oz trip.

* The function room I found for DS's leaving do - doesn't charge extra - but you get private dining. There is also the option of other rooms on the same floor to use if they aren't booked out. It's a beautiful pub next to a lake. So great views. I hadn't realised there was a kid's menu so it may not cost me quite as much as I thought - however that difference is likely to go towards a tip which I hadn't allowed for. One sibling can't make it but I offered his place to DD to bring a friend. I like that particular friend and she is good for DD so win:win. 
* It also feels like reserving the room has taken a lot of pressure off hosting - as if I do offer a second meal back at mine it would be more of a help yourself buffet - cold meat and salad or equivalent. Some deserts. That way I may not need to replace my dining chairs that I took to the tip either - although I still might. I need to do a seat count. 

Long term plans
* I really want to accelerate leaving my current work - so I opted to increase my contributions which will sting - but if it helps get me closer to where I need to be it will be worth it. I'm not sure which pay day it will start from.
* Upping my contributions by £100 a month gross - saves me tax and ni - and over 5 years with growth could be worth another £6-9K which would take me closer to where I want to be. And if I do end up leaving earlier - I'll be doubly grateful for any boost I gave my savings beforehand.

Merlin's_Beard

There's a lot there to be grateful for with some amazing future plans (trip to Oz!)

beanielou

Merlin's_Beard said:

There's a lot there to be grateful for with some amazing future plans (trip to Oz!)

Agree with this. 

KajiKita

Agree - lovely plans 😊

Could some of the guests if you host again at yours bring some chairs of their own? We didn’t have enough chairs for a family barbecue so we asked people to bring something to sit on and it took the pressure off us. 

KK

jwil

I love the gratitude list, and I'm very much with you on the compressed hours, the extra day off outweighs the longer days.

doingitanyway

Love the gratitude list!