Reducing Debt - being accountable and taking responsibility

I forgot to mention over the weekend that I had a bit of a ynab disaster at the start of the month. Basically, I had a small amount of left over money in a few ynab categories from August - food and misc. expenses - and I somehow managed to double count the money in my September budget. I only realised when I did a rough tot up of available money and my actual bank balance that I discovered I was short by that exact same amount, approx. £22. I'm really glad I noticed it sooner rather than later, otherwise it may have caused me to become overdrawn. Will have to figure out how I went wrong and sort it for next month. I think I swept up the accounts on 1st September, rather that 31st August, by which time my September budget had been calculated to include the leftover category spending. Or something like that! Doh.

Anyway, the good news is that I think I can get a new laptop through work!! Yay!. This is going to be so helpful for me in terms of saving me some dosh and ensuring I can continue to work at home (thus saving fuel and car parking costs). But, the even better thing is it will satiate any spending fever I may have over the next month or so. Bonus.

Having another NSD today - homemade soup and bread for lunch and leftover chicken curry for dinner. Need to post an eb4y item that sold last night but I don't count that as spending as it nets down to income overall. The £9 will pay for my unanticipated July overdraft fees, so I've replenished my misc. expenses category in ynab. Phew.

Only one more direct debit to leave my account (broadband) and then the new dual fuel direct debit. Hopefully we'll get a rebate from our existing providers.

DSL :j

Just had to book a travel ticket for a forthcoming work visit - £90 on CC1. Hopefully I'll get the reimbursement next month. The £90 will be paid off by the over payment I will be making on 1st Oct so no interest payable. Still, my ynab category for work expenses is now orange and will stay that way for at least 6 weeks I reckon. Big sigh. And the CC balance is now back over £1K. Double sigh.

Anyone else have any better suggestions for budgeting reimbursements and work expenses that can't be paid for in advance by work?

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

i used to have a separate account for work expenses. I opened it with £100 and had to spend out of it first, when work reimbursed me I gave them the details of that account so it was paid straight into the expenses account, or paid cheques straight in there.
I had a debit card so could book train tickets, pay for fuel etc.

Because I did a lot of miles (so it would work for you) I was able to build up a positive balance in the account and could eventually withdraw the original start up money.
I appreciate this won't work if you are only getting back what you pay out - with miles you do get a bit towards wear and tear of the vehicle, so that really helps.

Oooh, that sounds a really good idea - furnishing a separate account with, say £100, and then using it for work expenses and replinisng it as and when they are reimbursed. I guess it needs an initial outlay but it does help isolate work expense within my ynab categories. Good idea! For me in general, its only likely to be the odd coffee, odd lunch, odd tube journey etc etc. The bigger expenses (hotels and train journeys) I can normally get work to pay for in advance.

Will try to start this off in October. Thanks!

Not much to report on from the past few days. Had a quiet weekend doing odd jobs about the house and catching up on a few things. Had a NSD yesterday (Sunday). Saturday was a food shop.

Had a roast last night for dinner so the leftovers should do for dinner over the next couple of days, which Is pleasing. Need to make a soup at some point this week.

In the office this week but fuel already in the car, so hopefully I can stick to my fuel budget for this month. It might be tight. Will take in lunches.

Hoping for a few NSDs this week - today being one of them.

Its approaching the middle of the month and in terms of spending, I'm feeling okay and in control. My budget is tight and I do have urges to spend now and again, but I think that's more habit that anything else. However, I do have a bit of an odd feeling at the moment - almost like there is a void that has been left by not frittering. Maybe its just part of the adjustment process.

No luck on my 4 eb4y items - this is the third round of selling them I've gone through but I'm not willing to drop the prices so will just keep them going - I'm in no rush for the cash, unlike last month!

The only overspend I've had this month is the work train fare, which is annoying, but it's been good in alerting me to the fact I need a category in ynab for work expenses - I've decided on a starting float next month of £100. This will also act as a nice account buffer for those months when I don't use it.

I also think it would be wise to have a misc. household category in my budget. I haven't accounted for any small but unexpected spends, for example washers for taps, filters for the hob extractor etc etc. Might start that off next month too.

My personal misc. category is looking a bit sorry for itself as I had to spend £8 on overdraft fees and £3 on moisturiser (it wasn't available to buy on points in Bo0ts but was half price in Sup3rdrug).

Hoping that my work fee will get paid this month as I need to top up a few birthday budgets for the coming months.

Hope everyone has a good MSE week!

DSL :j