Let's get this sorted then!

Rhyddid2026

Thanks everyone, your kind comments really do help with maintaining motivation.
I had a slow start to the day as none of the pharmacies or post offices local to me were open.
I did manage to take 2 small bags of clothes etc to the charity bin. I emailed a few companies for shipping quotes. I did a bit of housework, and I started taking the tree down. I'll leave the coloured string lights in the window and on the stairs. I want easy access to the cupboard under the stairs and I want to put some small weights and maybe yoga mat and foam roller where the tree is. I want to make a little start on my strength and flexibility.
I have been really clumsy today, dropping some things multiple times, and I broke a glass I really liked. I'm also irritable so it might be hormones. I finished off a strawberry gateau, a bottle of wine, and I baked a Camembert. It was very useful to get all that out of the house 😂
I have a wedding to go to on 9th Jan so I'd better start reining in the food n drink so I can fit into a dress I already have.

Rhyddid2026

I discovered that my patch was no longer on my body, so that explains the irritation! New one is on, but now I'm a few days short and don't have enough to last and I'm going to have to reorder before payday 🙄
A friend is visiting today so she can have a look through the bag of presents and take anything she can make use of.
I just made epic hash browns, so I've started using up the cheap potatoes. I love hash browns but have never found a decent recipe. This one doesn't add flour or egg, so very easy, and seems like it'll be very easy to customise and add stuff to. I've also been eating quite a lot of homemade coleslaw this week from the cheap veg. My diet hasn't been entirely ferrero and cheese! 

Rhyddid2026

Christmas tree is down and put away. I've left the lights plugged in for now and draped them over a framed print on the wall. I wasn't ready for that corner to be dark again.
I've given downstairs a good hoover, and got rid of some ceiling cobwebs. Unfortunately Hetty was her over enthusiastic self and sucked some paint off the kitchen coving. 
Pjs, socks, and one tin of chocs regifted.
I've also realised that for the first time in almost 5 years I don't have to be mindful of how often I go up or downstairs. Even 6 months ago if I'd forgotten something upstairs I couldn't go straight back up to get it. Or if I did I'd need to lie down for at least 30 minutes and reduce what else I did that day. It's made such a difference to my day to day living, I am ecstatic! 
Some days it's really strange to see how easily I'm doing things that would have taken so much out of me a year ago. It also means less brain strain from having to weigh everything up and plan how I spend my energy. I'm still not back to my previous fitness/health, but I'm very happy to be where I am with it. I won't take it for granted again.

Cara_

Well done on hitting your target

That's good news about your increased energy levels

jwil

That's great news about your improved energy x

Rhyddid2026

Thanks @Cara_ and @jwil I think even just having that realisation has made me feel lighter/more motivated today. I think I have regained a bit more hope for my future health and fitness. 2 weeks before I got Covid I ran a 10k, I went from that to struggling to get upstairs really quickly so it was a shock. I'm not sure I'll ever get that level of fitness back, but like I said above, I am more than happy with the improvements I've made recently. 

In other news, I have paid my Christmas money into the bank and applied for Premium Bonds. Thanks Mum!

Rhyddid2026

I have not reined in the food, I have eaten mostly cheese, bacon, chocolate and baileys all day. 

I'm feeling a little unsettled about the new job. It's an internal promotion but as it was a new role I had to apply as an external applicant. I've been waiting for something in writing to confirm I got the job, and all the details. The external application dashboard still has it processed as far as 'invited to interview' and nothing further. It's been almost 4 weeks so I asked today and was told it would be classed as a change in circumstances and I wont get a new contract. I might not get confirmation of the change in circs til a week or 2 after I start. So again, I only have verbal confirmation that the conditions I wanted will be granted. I've discussed the conditions with at least 4 people, so it's been confirmed multiple times, but.... I still feel uneasy. 
Maybe I'm looking for problems where there are none, I can be quite suspicious of good fortune, but also being in this much debt and having no other support other than myself and my wages makes me worry a little more than others might. 

Rhyddid2026

Baileys decluttered and a carrier bag of papers from my grandmother's house decluttered.
And a bag of university prospectuses from 1996. Why? Why do I have these in my house in 2025?😂

jwil

Could you drop those responsible an email and put down in writing your understanding of what has been agreed?

Rhyddid2026

Yes @Jwil , I plan to send an email in the morning. I have spoken to our business admin who handles all the paperwork, she was the one that said I might not get it til mid Feb. I will email the boss who interviewed me and offered me the job (verbally), at least having it in an email would feel a little more reassuring.

I've also emailed HR and asked for a copy of my current contract. A link was emailed to me a couple of months after starting the job, but the link has expired now so I don't have access to a copy. I will make sure I download it and save it this time. 

I have planned out where my wages are going this month. I will be mostly trying to pay back what I've borrowed from my EF and pots. I really need to get that EF back up to 1k ASAP. Well, I really need to get it to 1750 (a month's expenses) ASAP but one step at a time. Having no spare cash this month might spur me on to get listing on Vntd again. I do have a temporary job for 3 afternoons at the end of January and start of February though, so will have a little extra cash from that.

My main focus for the first half of 2026 is to pay as much as possible off the CC that ends its 0% in July. My DD's for debts will remain as they are (slightly over the minimum payments) and any extra cash will go off that. I've just made myself a colouring in tracker for my fridge, with the goal of paying off £1500 by July. I'm not sure that's possible but we will see. I suppose it depends on the new job and what my pay will look like from the end of February (as long as I don't withdraw because they won't confirm my conditions will be met in writing). 

I feel in a bit of a strange mood in this weird inbetweeny time. I'm lacking motivation, worried about the financial hit of December, unsure about the new job, and just a bit meh. I didn't do enough clearing out of the old annoying things in 2025. I feel like I'm ready for the new year to start properly, and for all those other things to fall in to place so I know what I'll be doing and can get started on my plans.