Let's get this sorted then!

Rhyddid2026

Thanks @Sun_Addict the gig was really good, much better than I thought it would be. I only spent £25 in total so good value too (friend paid for ticket in return for me dog sitting and friend's husband drove).

I am however still in bed recovering, but much better to be recovering from a fun evening than recovering from work.

I'm starting to get the Sunday scaries and I can't remember the last time I had those. I'd planned one clear day this week to get my head around the new project and make some plans to get things sorted, but one of my bosses put things in that day to help out with another region 😡 and I'm the only one that can help because all 3 managers above me are on leave at the same time 😭

Anyway, I need to get up and clean the coops. I can have a posh ice cream once they're done. My big shop is being delivered at 6 so hopefully I ordered something nice for my tea.

I'm going to check my annual leave allowance tomorrow, I think I have loads, and try and book some days for myself.

Rhyddid2026

Let me have my moan first.

I already don't have enough money for the month. I had to pay an unexpected prescription fee, unexpected vet bill, and for my own meds. I now have £70 left for the MOT. Let's hope it passes.

My bath leaks onto my floor occasionally, it did yesterday when I had to bath two pets. It usually only leaks when I bath myself. It got my bathroom scales wet and now they don't work. I can't take the panel off to see what the problem is because the people who did it permanently fixed the panel on. I'd have to break it to repair it and fix it. Or I could just keep trying to remember take everything off the floor when I use it.

My fridge froze shut this morning too. I didn't realise there was a pool of water gradually growing and freezing under the drawer. I've fixed that for now.

Work has been hard going and I had to take 2h off to go to the vets, so now I have to work 2h tonight, but I was already having to work tonight to catch up on the work I've been trying to catch up on for the past few weeks.

Ok, I think I've got it out of my system.

Rhyddid2026

And now I will look at the good points.

Signature can be updated.

My car loan is now under 3k and my roof loan is now under 5k. I had aimed to get my roof loan down to 5k by October so I've smashed that goal.

I've considered whether to get a balance transfer credit card now to move the Lloyds balance across a bit early but then next year I would need to balance transfer one card in July and another in August and that might be tricky if I still owe 12k. I might not get one card that will let me transfer it all on, and I might struggle to get two that close together. I will try to be patient.

I really want this debt to be over ASAP, so winning the premium bonds would be very lovely thank you very much.

FootyFanDan

I know it might not be worth much but I admire your resilience so much!. Despite all the challenges you are still really smashing those targets. I really hope some good luck comes your way.

Rhyddid2026

The crappy week continues, with another 10h day at work. It exhausted me so I had to go up for a nap, and while I was upstairs my poorly pet chicken died in the living room. I know it's just a chicken, I know she was dying, I know she probably wanted to be alone to die, but I'm still resenting the impact this job is having at the moment.

Not to be too dramatic but I'm wondering if it's some sort of wake up call for life, missing the important bits because I'm just too tired.

Not at all mse chat (unless you count the free eggs) but I only had her 14 months and have been thinking that I might buy chicks of a different healthier breed to stave off the heartache. But then I found photos on my phone of the day I got them and as much as it hurts me to lose them they had a wonderful 14 months. They got to steal 2 summers worth of strawberries and raspberries, dust bathe in my allium patch, try to steal my sandwiches, and sunbathe when they felt like it and the weather allowed.

I know this is meant to be a place for money/finance chat but as it's the closest thing I have to a diary I wanted to write out my thoughts.

Please forgive the nickname that ended up sticking, but rest in clucking peace Myra Hendley.

Who's gonna sing to me now? The ducks don't seem so willing 😄

FootyFanDan

😔 really sorry to hear about the chicken, I do feel you on the trying to slow down and enjoy life or that feeling that something just is off. This week has just felt a blur, and I often feel like I am lucky to have a job but also this job ruins any good mental space I actually have so is it worth it in the long run.

It is your diary and you should use it how you wish - money is linked to how we feel so if writing it in here helps then you should write away. I am very much the same with my diary.

I will spare you the agony of my singing 🤣 try be kind to yourself too.

oceanspirit

So sorry about the chicken.

Re the job, will it calm down soon or is it at the pace it will always be? Is it actually giving you more money in your pocket, is the financial and physical cost of doing the job (ie paying dog sitters, extra fuel, more expensive food/drink less time for looking after you and your home) worth it?

I appreciate you are putting more into your pension but is that at the cost of your current wellbeing? Would it be better to put that money towards building up some savings ie in a share portfolio in an ISA as Tezza is doing after he paid off his debt (his diary is on here but I don’t know how to do links) that you can use for doing the work on the house or paying chunks off the mortgage and any spare that builds up can be used to supplement your pension income in the future.

You have done so well at paying off debt and continuing to work despite health challenges and I would hate to see that unravel for a job that was supposed to help you pay off debt faster.

Rhyddid2026

It should calm down soon @oceanspirit , I was still covering my old role for a few months so I'm clearing a backlog at the moment. It did give me a massive pay rise so it's worth doing it short term but I don't intend to do it long term. I'm just doing it for a while to make good progress on the debts. If I can last another 6 months I'll be in a better financial position and if the job hasn't become enjoyable I'll be stepping back down. I'm a practitioner at heart and never had any desire to be in management.

I had a goal of getting the roof loan down to 5k by October but I've done it already. I need a new colouring in tracker.

Sun_Addict

So sorry to hear about Myra, she was never 'just a chicken' 😞You gave her a happy life for the time she was with you so you can be very proud of that.

I'm glad to hear the job should calm down soon. I hope it becomes enjoyable in the end, it sounds like you're giving it a good go at least.

Well done on smashing the roof goal.

PennysIntoPounds

RIP Myra, as you said, she had a lovely life with you.

Maybe resist getting any more animal friends for now while you get debts and job straightened out. Easier said than done I know

Amazing that you need a new tracker to colour in, you are smashing it

Talk about whatever you like on your diary, money doesn't exist in a little bubble; our spending and saving and needs and wants are all part of the complexity of being alive here and now