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Let's get this sorted then!
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I think its because our brains are wired to only briefly celebrate achievements and then we are onto the next goal!Rhyddid2026 said:I had a brief low moment last night when I worked out that my CC debt free date is still the same as it was at the start of the year. But then I reminded myself that I have cleared £900 of overdraft and overpaid my loan by about £300. I'll be focussing on the CC balance from the start of 2026.
Why are we so primed to notice the stuff we've not done well at? It's a real effort to keep the good stuff in mind.
Have a little faith, baby, have a little faith". Oddball - Kelly's Heroes2 -
I think because it's far 'easier' for us to look at the negatives rather than the positives, we're not good (well I'm not) at seeing what good we have done. For example in work, I could have 100's of positive interactions, which I think nothing of, yet if i were to have a negative one, I would stew over it for days. You're doing fab and just look at how much you have achieved this past year. ⭐3
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I am in a campervan, on a hill, in 45mph winds. It has just started raining heavily 😆
In other news, I've been given a start date of 2nd Feb, so I have 6 weeks to prep and plan and give myself the best chance of a healthy and happy year without too much being drained. I have started a list! A proper handwritten one on paper!
I want to try and make a few more health improvements, start some healthy habits, and book some rest breaks in advance before I feel too busy.
And obviously continue with the usual debt busting, house improving, and decluttering.
This evening I have decluttered a small bottle of black cherry liquer.Debts 04/01/25 02/01/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,500
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,605
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £39.26
CC total £20,411.34 £16,594.26
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7.880
Total £36,195.78 £28,474.26
EF £701.52
HF £3.045 -
Excellent decluttering 🥂
I love a proper handwritten list, that's proper meaning business that ishttps://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael3 -
Good luck with it
"Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee1 -
Let's start with the positives. I had a lovely solstice day yesterday, a friend bought around a bottle of prosecco to congratulate me on the promotion so I drank that and watched the fire for most of the evening.
Today I had the day off and drove 90mins to sort out some of that storage unit stuff at the auction house. I dropped off another half a box and only brought back 3 things so that seems like a win. I just have to finish packing up the stuff that's here, get shipping quotes, and get it shipped.
Bloods results came back improved. My ferritin levels are within range for the first time since having covid in 2021. They are literally on the maximum of normal range but they're going down not up so it's a win.
After a nap I went to the dentist which unfortunately cost me £130 more than I thought so all my pots are now empty and I have £27 left til payday. I am slightly panicking. I have £500 emergency fund still in the regular saver which I can use in a true emergency but I will cry if I have to do that. However I do not have enough fuel to get me to work and visit relatives and last the month and I may run out of dog food 2 or 3 days before payday. I'll just have to do what I can and try my best. This has been a ridiculously expensive month!
Debts 04/01/25 02/01/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,500
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,605
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £39.26
CC total £20,411.34 £16,594.26
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7.880
Total £36,195.78 £28,474.26
EF £701.52
HF £3.045 -
Sorry about the dentist bill. Hope you manage to sort it all out. But an unexpected bill is what the emergency fund is for so don't beat yourself up if you have to use it. Hopefully you can build it up again."Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee1
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Wot @jwil said.
Having to pay a dentist bill that was higher than expected isn't exactly fun frittering!
You've done brilliantly getting your emergency £500 fund together and no-one likes spending it, but you do in fact have enough to get to work, see relatives, and get dog food, so don't give yourself panic and there's no need to cry if you use some or even all of it.
Selling bits and canny spending and new job will put that back in place in no time.
Your positives list is absolutely lovely 😊https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael4 -
Thanks both. I've just realised I still have 2 DDs to come out so I think it's inevitable. I'll still have more emergency fund than I did a year ago though.
It's my first Christmas not getting into more debt. It's still progress.Debts 04/01/25 02/01/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,500
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,605
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £39.26
CC total £20,411.34 £16,594.26
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7.880
Total £36,195.78 £28,474.26
EF £701.52
HF £3.045 -
Excellent, well doneRhyddid2026 said:It's my first Christmas not getting into more debt. It's still progress.If you have built castles in the air, your work should not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them
Emergency fund 350/1000
Buffer fund 100/100
Debt Free (again) 25/07/20252
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