Looking To The Future With Hope

ArtyJ931

I found writing lists of all the things I enjoyed doing and could do for free /cheap and actually referring to it when I felt at a loose end very helpful.

RhiBi

It’s been a few days since I’ve posted on here. I’m going through a bit of a down period if I’m honest. I’m sure there’ll be many of them along the way so I’m just thinking that this too will pass and there’ll be some brighter things ahead too.

I’ve still not heard back from CAB, I’ve phoned and left and answerphone message, and sent emails, none of which have been replied to, so I feel completely in the dark. I feel I just want the details of what has been sent to each creditor and go from there myself, but without having contact from anyone, I don’t know where to go.

My friend has asked me to go to the Ideal Home show next week in London, she has free tickets. It’s lovely that friends care enough to ask me to do things as they’re aware of my loneliness at times, but I feel guilty doing things when I’m not paying debts, and obviously the things I do then eat into the emergency fund savings. I’m the sort of person who throws myself into things fully, so I’m struggling to find the balance between saving and making sure I do things I enjoy which would be good for my mental health and the loneliness too.

Phone calls and letters have all gone relatively quiet although again, though again, letters could be going to CAB as I signed for them to act on my behalf. I think the not knowing what is going on, what stage things are at or where to go from here isn’t helping my mood.

Im still going to the running group, which is helping, although in last nights heat I was questioning my choices! But, it’s getting me out and exercise is good for my mental health too.

Tonight I’m planning a quiet evening, with a cuppa and a MAFS catch up - don’t judge me to harshly!!!

daisy_1571

Try to remember its a marathon not a sprint. You can't possibly cloister yourself away for years no matter the difference it might make to paying off debts. A steady plan to pay off, with an allowed amount for life and for living is a much more balanced lifestyle :) so go to the show, but take your own food and enjoy looking but set a limit in advance- no spend, £10 spend or of course if you see an absolute life changing device for a bargain price you might decide to go for it 😀 up to you, but a decision made in advance is thought through and sensible 😉

Dxx

RhiBi

I’ve already said to my friend, that if I see something I want, she’s to stop me from buying it and if I still want it at the end of the day then I’ll go back. She’s agreed to help me stick to that!

daisy_1571

Good plan!

weenancyinAmerica

I loved the Ideal Home Shows. I was able to go three times back between 1990 and 2000. If I get to travel again, it would be on my list of places to go. If I ate there, it was usually having the jacket potato with toppings. Hope you have a good time there.

RhiBi

Morning!

Well I finally managed to speak to someone at CAB, it seems the person dealing with my case is off work at the moment, I presume sick leave. The person I spoke to looked on their system to see if someone else was dealing with my case and it seems there isn’t. I’ve now got to wait for the manager to contact me. So I’m still none the wiser on where things are at. I feel at this point, that when I do manage to speak to someone that I asked for copies of all documentation sent to debtors so that I can continue this myself. It’s all a bit frustrating really.

In MSE news, it’s payday tomorrow so today I need to see what money I need to allocate where. I’d worked out my monthly household bills, but had forgotten about the TV license payment will be due, so that plus the increase in council tax is giving me a bit of stress. I know I can afford them, but it means there’s less to allocate to other pots and emergency fund. I have tried several budgeting spreadsheets but struggle with them, I can just about manage my work flexi time spreadsheet and that’s only because all the calculations are preset, I wish my brain could work it out, as doing it manually, I am forgetting things that aren’t always monthly payments.

I’m still doing the running, I can’t say I’m enjoying it yet, but I going so I’ll take that as a win for now!

I need to get some things together for my trip to London too, so I’ve got things to occupy my evenings which I is when I struggle.

ArtyJ931

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81962246#Comment_81962246

does a simple in and outgoings spreadsheet work for budgeting?

RhiBi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81962432#Comment_81962432

I will give it a try!