LonelyRat's (not so lonely) Road to Riches

Hello Coatstalchick thank you for reading my ramblings! I'd be impressed if you make it through without nodding off. Had a wee nosey at your most recent diary - congratulations on the wonderful news!!!!! I'm starting to get so broody it's quite ridiculous.... Am surprise my OH hasn't gone running yet! I was firmly in the 'no kids' camp when I was younger but as times gone on I've done a 180. I wonder if that happens to a lot of people? I'll subscribe to your diary as well and come cheer you on from time to time

Hi Silver Queen - yeah I think it's for the best with work. I'm quite content where I am. I don't like the job per se, but I like my colleagues and my manager and the hours are very ideal so am quite happy staying where I am. Focusing on trying to get a bit more healthy then will re-visit in a few months. If OH gets a full time job I would feel a bit cheeky being part time but we'll see what happens!

I get what you mean about easing up a little bit. I do feel like it would help with the guilty feelings and also having more of a life. I went out for food/ drinks with my friend from University a few weeks ago and it was so lovely. I didn't spend very much, about £35, but I was wracked with guilt about it as it had been unplanned. I really don't want to feel that way... It was the first time we've seen each other in months and I should have just been able to enjoy it.

I do get it's all about balance and being mindful on what you're spending and I do still aim to do that, but I want to give myself a bit more breathing space. In turn should reduce the amount of times I mess up and ease my guilty feels!

Dusty thank you for your lovely post I do 100% agree with what you're saying. I feel since I started this journey I have the discipline to manage my (limited :rotfl:) money so easing up a bit seems like the best option. I will still be debt free in the near future BUT I have the option of not stressing too much.

Equally emphasize hobbies,and physical spiritual and mental health,mindfulness,working on relationships and gratitude for the good things we do have.

I really like this... I think I may write it on my calendar :cool:

Went for a lovely long walk on Saturday on my own. We have some fields near where we stay so I walked through the fields listening to music and just daydreaming. Was really very nice. Managed to get over 10,000 steps for the first time in a LONG time. I used to go on epic walks when I lived in the city because I just loved exploring... But everything here is just quite same-y and boring. I'm going to do some research and see if I can find some nice walking routes nearby and go on an exploration tomorrow. Plan is to do +10,000 steps on the 3 days I have off, then +6,000 on the days I am working. It's not great, but it's a start!

OH and I took the doggo a walk yesterday and went through the fields where we buried all the rats. There's a lone tree in the field that they're buried under and there's now green grass sprouting all around the tree but no where else which is nice. When we buried Sam I planted some daffodil bulbs with him... It snowed really heavily the next day so was sure they wouldn't make it but when we went yesterday they are in full bloom! Was very lovely Am considering maybe planting some more flowers around there at some point. I know nothing about gardening though so again, will need some research. Not even sure if you're allowed to plant flowers in a public field? Bit cheeky of me really :rotfl:

Off tomorrow and no real plans other than my walk. Potentially edit OH's dissertation as it's still not finished. Getting quite stressed again as it's due in 2 days and still not a finished piece of work.

Still haven't properly gone through diaries as I've been MIA for a while and there's a lot to catch up on so will do some more lurking tomorrow!

Plans for tomorrow:
1. Go on walk
2. Wash and sort laundry (still not done from the weekend, eek)
3. Read and edit OH's dissertation
4. Check in on diaries
5. Make list of things I want to purchase when I get paid to avoid overspends.

New trainers and work shoes as both have holes in them, tights (as again they've all run away) and a new cc cream as I'm almost out. Also may look at seeing if I can get a groupon for a haircut. My hair is down to my bum and I usually just trim it myself (I find going to the hairdresser really stressful for some reason so prefer to avoid) but I would like to lob it all off and go shoulder length. Last time I did that I got OH to put it in a pony and do it and it looked v. wonky.

122 days

Hello onedaysomeday! It's good to be back... Posting on here really does help me feel more in control so I aim to not vanish again. Will hop over to your diary in a minute :cool:

Today
[STRIKE]1. Go on walk
[/STRIKE]Was lovely... Am very, very achey now though and didn't quite make 10,000 so am a bit disappointed. Currently at 9,193 so not sure if I should maybe just pace up and down the hall a bit :rotfl:
2. Wash and sort laundry (still not done from the weekend, eek)
Again, not quite done. Tomorrow - tomorrow will be the day!
[STRIKE]3. Read and edit OH's dissertation
[/STRIKE]He finally got it finished! I've edited it a wee bit, formatted it correctly and sent him off on the computer to have another read through. He needs to hand it in tomorrow before 4 so plan is to go in and get it printed/ bound/ submitted then go for brunch as a treat
[STRIKE]4. Check in on diaries
[/STRIKE]Half done!
5. Make list of things I want to purchase when I get paid to avoid overspends.
Not done! Will do tomorrow.

Just checked the bank account and I've been paid - happy days! More than I expected at £917. I like to always be conservative in guessing what I'll get paid to avoid disappointment and this time seems I got an extra £60 from somewhere :cool:

Have updated the spreadsheet and now will just wait for the dd's to come and take it all away Made a payment to the Santander card so it's now under £1000! I haven't managed to pay off as much as I would have liked this month, but it's still going down which is good.

Updated Balances
Santander CC £950 / £2770.90
Virgin CC £700/ £700

Total Debt £1650 / 7203.13

Very is now paid off fully which is good as the BNPL ended next month. Feels really good not to have it there anymore. 2 credit cards seems totally doable. I aim to have the Santander card paid by my original debt free date of June so will need to pay between £400/ £500 to it next month. I think I can manage this though if I don't mess up this month and go back into the HSBC overdraft. I may try to manage another £100 to the Santander card with this months money but will need to see how tight it is. If I can just reign in my food shopping then I think it would be doable... I will have the £89 coming from Scotrail at some point (no idea when?!) and have just requested for a payout from Topcashback which is £30.15.

The insurance saga continues... Easyjet just sent me an email with the information I needed but turns out I actually need it to be sent to me in writing so have contacted them again and asked them to post something to me. Who knows when it's going to get sorted?!

Tomorrow will be a pretty chilled day I think. Off work again so spending the day in town with OH. Will be going and handing in the dissertation and need to go pick up his suit as he got measured a few weeks ago and was getting a suit made. He has a few things coming up including his graduation and a communion so will get a lot of wear and am hoping it looks good. I'm going to get him a new tie so will need to keep my eyes peeled for a nice, but cheap, one

That's enough rambling for the evening... Going to start pacing around the house to get my steps up then going to watch something on the laptop in bed.

Haha! Glad I'm not the only one :rotfl: It just seems such a waste when you're so close! I'm at 9,700 at the moment so going to get pacing again!

It was not sunny today unfortunately It was quite warm, but very grey. All I want is just a wee bit of blue sky! I do find it makes my mood so, so much better when it's sunny out.

It does feel good! I kept meaning to pay it off in a one-er in case I mucked up and couldn't pay it in time and got hit with all the interest BUT I kept putting it off. Anyway - it's done now and I'm down to just two debts! Hallelujah!