Time for Change…..

Little_Ms_Determined

I’m heading rapidly towards my half century and still don’t feel like a proper grown up in charge of my own destiny. It’s time that I pulled on my big girl pants and start facing facts and taking responsibility for my life. After all, I am the only one that can do it! 

I’m going to use this diary to keep up momentum and give myself the kick up the backside I need.

Little_Ms_Determined

Where I am vs Where I want to be…….

Financial - now 
In debt. Too much month and the end of the money.
Too much spent on food shop
Happyish with DD / bill spend - need to target non routine spending.
Like a bargain 🫣

Financial - future
Debt free
Financially comfortable 

Health / wellbeing - now
3 stone overweight
suffer health anxiety 
love running but haven’t done so since April due to injury 

Health / wellbeing- future
Healthy weight
running 3 x per week
Prioritise my health 

Homelife - now
chaotic
messy
no time to relax - always something that needs doing

Homelife - future
calm / relaxing environment 
somewhere I’m proud of 
visitors always welcome 

I’m also using a physical journal to help plan / track my goals, so the above it just key focuses in a nutshell. I’ll use this diary to report progress and to keep myself accountable…..

Little_Ms_Determined

January focus……

Financial 
£800 in payments
Reduce food spend 

Health
Restart couch 2 5K

Home
Clear garage

bigbeff

Good luck on your journey, we seem in a similar place. I too am in debt, 2 stone overweight and enjoying running! Oh and my house feels chaotic at the moment! Let’s go on this journey together. 😊

itsthelittlethings

Following. Good luck!

MissMoneyMishap

Totally relate to this! Good luck on the journey - You're right, at some point you've got to take control of your own destiny.

I'm also approaching 50 (47 in a few weeks). Finances are a total mess (£13k on cards), though not crippling as it stands. Not really overweight, but needs reigning in a little, so now I've reluctantly ditched the unused gym membership, couch to 5k sounds like a solid option.

Little_Ms_Determined

Thank you all for your supportive comments. Hopefully we can all be here to cheer each other on 😊.

I’ve had a fairly productive day today.

Financial
1. £45 in Vinted sales
2. Ungifted Christmas presents returned to M&S - £20 refund
3. Harness that didn’t fit pup returned to Amazon - £17 refund
4. Christmas gift list for 2026 rationalised and drawn up.

Home
1. Airing cupboard sorted and 2 bin liners full of old towels to be taken to the dog rescue.
2. Utility room tidied - loads of clutter cleared and thrown out.

Health
1. Lovely walk with pup

In desperate need of doing a food shop but have been trying to eek it out as long as possible. May give in and go tomorrow but will make sure I draw up a meal plan first. Usually go to Tesco (I get cash back on giftcards from work - the cashback this year has paid for a lot of extended family and friends Xmas pressies) but may try Aldi this time to see if it’s any cheaper for us. We’ve been averaging £140 a week which seems a lot for 2 adults, 1 child and a dog (doesn’t include dog food though - only treats). 

Little_Ms_Determined

Morning - food shop was a big fat fail - £200 spent 🫣🤦‍♀️
In our defence though, we hadn’t done a shop since 21st December other than milk, bread etc so in all honesty I’m not suprised it was high as we’d run out of so much. So we’re starting the year well stocked and hopefully the remaining shops for the month will be a lot more reasonable.

Another £5 made in Vinted sales - need to get it posted today. 

I’m back at work today - as sad as I am that the break is over, I’m beginning to crave normality and routine again. I’ve loved being able to walk pup in daylight rather than the dark early mornings - just need to keep telling myself spring is around the corner……

Plan for today
1. walk pup and sort ponies
2. early start at work = early finish
3. post vinted
4. begin taking Christmas decorations down 

Little_Ms_Determined

Morning,
Another cold one here - heating kicked in overnight so it must be cold 🥶. 

Another £3 in Vinted sales, so just over £50 made for half an hours work - very pleased with that!

£600 in payments to cards etc made - would like to make another £200 before the month is out, but very conscious that January lasts forever, so we’ll see how it goes!

£100 has become payable in my cash back account. Had earmarked this to cover my hotel room for the great north run in September but may chuck it in the emergency fund for now. Had to defer my place last year due to on going injury and haven’t run in 9 months due to this so may be a wee bit optimistic to think I’ll make the start line in 9 months - but I’ll give it my best go! 

I’ve set up a Trello board to keep track of all the jobs that need doing around the house. This year I really want to get it sorted for my DS so he can have friends round. He’s an only child and I’m getting more and more conscious of his need for company his own age the older he gets. Decorating etc will be done on a budget,  but really want this to be a priority this year. 

Little_Ms_Determined

Productive day yesterday. DS and OH were late getting up so I’d managed to clear the kitchen cupboards before they woke. All out of date food / medication chucked, a bag full of Tupperware repurposed at the yard for pony feed and lots of cupboard space reclaimed. 

Trees and decorations are away for another year, just need to find a home for all a DS presents.

Made a start getting DS clothes sorted. He’s had another growth spurt so there’s lots to clear out and potentially a few bits to buy. I’ve got 2 piles on the go - one for charity shop and one to try on Vinted first. 

Vinted wise, I’ve got lots to list 😬. I think I’ll take the approach that if it’s not sold within a month it can go to the charity shop.  My poor house is bursting at the seams due to well meaning family members buying stuff for DS - need to claim it back! 

Refunds have come through for the harness and non gifted gifts. I’ve used the Amazon credit for the harness to buy dog food for the month so that’s a win. 

Plan for today….
1. post vinted
2. List Vinted (as many items as possible in 30 mins)
3. Finish sorting DS clothes and take charity pile to the clothes bank.
4. Prep packed lunches for work tomorrow 

Baldybear

Delurking to say good luck for the year ahead, sounds as if you have made a great start x

Also love that you have ponies, miss them so much as sold my last horse just after dd was born, so expensive now to get back into it but one day 😊