I haven't got any further with my list yet, it's on my To Do List lol. So I said I would explain more about me and what motivated the huge changes I've been making 6months ago..... I'm 31, married since September, and work full time in an admin role. I live in an urban area, and own my own home - out the back I have a 70foot by 14foot patch of land that needs to be fenced in (part of my 101 list)

I used to be very career driven, I was at the top of my high pressure fast moving corporate environment and commuted for 2 hours a day. I was earning about 3 times as much as I do now but I didn't ever have any time for myself and was constantly under pressure, whether from work or of my own making to overachieve. Then I was forced to be at home for a few weeks and realised that I needed to change. I was miserable, I had to get help from my GP to get through the day, I was comfort eating and gaining weight, and my relationship was at risk from all the stress.

Then I found Moneysavingexpert and became fascinated with the concept of saving money. When I read the "Live on £4000 a year" challenge I immediately dismissed the idea - how can anyone manage that? But I knew I had to find a new job and that would mean a lower income, so I thought I would give it a go. When I was younger my parents weren't well off and we used to dress in hand me downs from my cousins and my mum knitted and was always sewing and home cooking everything. My childhood was happy, I don't feel that I missed out on anything and if I'm lucky enough to have children I would want them to have a similar upbringing.

Because I've had more free time being off work on leave for a few months and now not having such long days I've had time to explore more creative pursuits - I've made a mosaic for Mothers' Day, made my own handbag, and learn a lot about cooking. I make my own lunches for work every day - this week there's been king prawn stirfry, lentil and bacon soup, and tuna and salad wraps. I'm aiming to keep up this interest and expand my creativity to learn more crafts.

In the last 6 months I have repaid my credit cards in full, reduced my mortgage balance and organised my finances so I'm in control and able to save regularly for the things I enjoy and want to achieve- travelling, creative pursuits, educating myself and finishing the improvements to my home. There'll be more about my finances tomorrow and how I got my budget in shape. This weekend I'm going to organise my new "creative" room and I'll have to get some pictures on here to liven things up!