£67,031.92 is a frightening number indeed....

Karonher · 25 June 2017 at 7:08PM

Hi Warby68 - I dont normally buy coffees or anything out I was just surprised at how cheap it was to go in there. I agree though it is not really a treat to go there.

armchairexpert · 26 June 2017 at 2:28AM

I can only echo everyone else, you're doing great given your very small budget margins. I'm also impressed because I know what it's like to be so time poor that you're desperate to feel like you get some rewards or treats - all of my budget blow outs this month have been 100% down to "I never get any time off I am always looking after small children and/or working" and that's a hard thing to overcome.

Treadingonplaymobil · 26 June 2017 at 7:37AM

warby68 wrote: »

In terms of progress , ToPM, I think you also need to add in the overspending/new debt that you HAVEN'T incurred since you started.

You didn't have a balanced budget so its that PLUS debt reduction that you are achieving which is no mean feat.

It might be less gloomy for you not to dwell too much on the total debt as I honestly think you won't be able to tackle that more aggressively without a step-change in your income. But what you clearly can do is make yourselves more resilient short term with a balanced budget, an emergency fund and leaving your pots to grow so in a year or so you can meet things as they fall due without constantly robbing Peter to pay his mate Paul. You say yourself you have a long way to go on getting the budgets under control and just not spending what you can't afford. You're trying to change the habits of a lifetime, and I don't really mean the overspending itself, I mean the belief that your income bracket affords you a certain lifestyle when really it doesn't (at the moment).

Take your £7 coffee stop, I suspect that was because you still wanted to visit a 'certain' type of cafe that fits with your style and wealth aspiration and simply can't make yourself drop down. A quick drink and snack for a mum and toddler can be obtained much cheaper in any number of ways. This is the stuff where you will have to take some pain to succeed and I suspect for you it will be by just not doing it at all as the Asda cafe will just never appeal to you (me neither lol). Perhaps not for ever but if you could do it for 12m say, you could get a balanced budget, something in all your pots as well as chipping away at the debt. Once you have that you can build in some choice again so that when your income exceeds its basic level you can choose whether it goes on debt, emergency fund, the house or some luxuries.

I think it will be much simpler for you if you could get to that stage and then a good income month becomes a true bonus with choice attached and not a worrying necessity because you've spent it in advance.

I am rabbiting a bit again, sorry but I don't want you to lose heart or focus or sabotage yourselves . Your progress is really good, its just a long journey so keep breaking it down into manageable chunks . Its the habits as much as the debt that you have to crash and I think they're actually harder.

You are so right on the habits and choices - I don't even think of them that way. And yes, you're right, if it's no going to be a 'treat' cafe type trip, I'd find it easier to not go at all.

Also true on the reducing outgoings - I think we were accruing debt at about £800 a month on average over the entire period it accrued, which is just insane when I look back at it now (a lot was on living expenses, not extravagant living, but actually the fact that we were so much short every month made me care even less about overspending in other areas too, as it all felt so out of my control).

emmie26 wrote: »

4% is fab when you consider how high your original debt was, but I love to think of the actual money, £2582 is a lot of money in 4 months, if someone offered you that amount of money it would be amazing and you've managed to save it in such a short time. Imagine what you will be able to save when you are debt free!!

I know! We will be SO RICH (relative to current situation, obv. I'm not planning a porsche purchase any time soon

)

Treadingonplaymobil · 26 June 2017 at 7:38AM

armchairexpert wrote: »

I can only echo everyone else, you're doing great given your very small budget margins. I'm also impressed because I know what it's like to be so time poor that you're desperate to feel like you get some rewards or treats - all of my budget blow outs this month have been 100% down to "I never get any time off I am always looking after small children and/or working" and that's a hard thing to overcome.

Yup. I think every single time we overspend it's down to lack of time/energy or feeling we deserve a 'treat' because we are so time poor.

Treadingonplaymobil · 26 June 2017 at 7:45AM

Week 20: Day 2

Another glorious day here. It's not meant to last beyond tomorrow - rainy and cooler for the rest of the week, so I'll be powering through the laundry for the next 36 hours!

DH put up about half of the fence yesterday, which is fab and looks great, but irritatingly I realised I miscalculated and need to paint another 12 pickets for the last panel, waaahhhh. I also got some of the plants in, and I'm really pleased with how it's all looking.

Only four more days of the month to go, and I can plan out next month's budget. I think the weekly pots has slightly improved our overspending in the food and entertainment categories even though we didn't start it until a week into the month, so fingers crossed we can continue to improve that by starting it right at the start of the month.

to do today:
1. laundry out on the line
2. ironing
3. manicure
4. make tomorrow's dinner, as I won't be here until dinner time and it's a hectic day
5. pack orders for smaller business
6. fold sunshade and put it away
7. paint those darn pickets!!!
8. plant the rest of the plants out the front

to do this week:
1. Get ahead on one of my regular bits of work, in advance of the summer holidays.
2. charity shop run with the tat that is cluttering up our hallway.
3. finish spring (ha, maybe it will be done by autumn) cleaning upstairs.
4. buy a washing up bowl!!!
5. plan July's budget, once the month begins.

Kantankrus_Mare · 26 June 2017 at 8:34AM

Are your sheep jumping over a white picket fence as you go to sleep? lol Will always think of you if I ever see a white picket fence now.

Hiddenidenity · 26 June 2017 at 9:25AM

Happy Monday
Have a lovely day

Cherryfudge · 26 June 2017 at 9:40AM

Treadingonplaymobil wrote: »

You are so right on the habits and choices - I don't even think of them that way. And yes, you're right, if it's no going to be a 'treat' cafe type trip, I'd find it easier to not go at all.QUOTE]

Oh, that is so 'me'! I always chose cappuccino not flat white coffee... in fact I think I have a 'poor me' attitude that feels I deserve a little treat. :o

That's quite a tricky one to spot and I've no idea how to start to deal with it.

Treadingonplaymobil · 27 June 2017 at 4:56AM

Rounding up yesterday's list before starting on today's...
to do today:
1. laundry out on the line. Done
2. ironing. Done
3. manicure. Done
4. make tomorrow's dinner, as I won't be here until dinner time and it's a hectic day. Done
5. pack orders for smaller business. Done
6. fold sunshade and put it away. Not done.
7. paint those darn pickets!!! Half done!
8. plant the rest of the plants out the front. Not done.

to do this week:
1. Get ahead on one of my regular bits of work, in advance of the summer holidays.
2. charity shop run with the tat that is cluttering up our hallway.
3. finish spring (ha, maybe it will be done by autumn) cleaning upstairs.
4. buy a washing up bowl!!!
5. plan July's budget, once the month begins.

Treadingonplaymobil · 27 June 2017 at 5:08AM

Week 20: Day 3

so nearly there, people! The end of the month is just a few days away.

Have some work on today and tomorrow for my main business which I'll be able to invoice for at the end of the month (ie in three days time) which is nice. In less good news, I painted my nails with a polish I've had for a while but haven't used before and the colour is a bit terrifying! I basically have fluoro yellow nails :eek:

. Incidentally, have I mentioned how successful my gel nail stuff has been? I bought it all on eBay a while back (maybe a couple of months ago? Has it been that long since we discussed it here?) and have used it 4 times since and it's been fab. The manicures last just as long as the salon one did, and I found a cheap polish brand on eBay that seems to be just as good as the expensive one I had during my salon manicure. Really pleased with it all. Plus it's instantly dry after the manicure (rather than those couple of hours after painting normal polish on when it can still smudge and smear if you bash it), which is very useful for someone as clumsy as me. The downside is that having decided this colour is very alarming, I can't take it off easily.

Made the traumatic discovery that DC1 had nits yesterday, argh! Have combed through with conditioner and nitty gritty comb, and will repeat for a few days and then again in a week or two. The only time we have ever had them in the house before this has resolved them, so fingers crossed I can avoid buying expensive nit treatment stuff. I'd DC3 or I get them (we both have long hair) I will be buying all the chemicals though. I itch all over at the mere thought!

to do today:
1. Pack snacks for day away working.
2. Pack the DCs' swim gear etc for this evening as it will all be a mad rush.
3. Make sourdough (will start it this morning and leave it to rise in the fridge all day I think).
4. Social media for both businesses.

to do this week:
1. Get ahead on one of my regular bits of work, in advance of the summer holidays.
2. charity shop run with the tat that is cluttering up our hallway.
3. finish spring (ha, maybe it will be done by autumn) cleaning upstairs.
4. buy a washing up bowl!!!
5. plan July's budget, once the month begins.

£67,031.92 is a frightening number indeed....

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