Enjoying the Sunshine whilst Saving for the Rainy Day

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 7:31PM

"Some people are making such thorough preparation for rainy days that they aren't enjoying today's sunshine." William Feather

I'm finally debt-free after many years of being in debt and 2 and a half years being on a dmp with SC :beer:. Like most new debt-free people that have done it the hard way I'm keen to get started on saving for the future . However as my diary title suggests I'd still like to be enjoying life, as a great lady once said, "Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." (Mother Theresa)

I already have savings pots in place, one for emergency funds which I'm aiming to get up to £6,000. I have a rental property which has cost me dear before now with awful tenant, after awful tenant *sigh*. I intend to put some savings away for this in case of the worst case scenario (can I really be that unlucky again though?). I have an ISA fund too, this is my future savings fund. The one for the big house in the country -it'll probably end up being a barn (without conversion) on a field more like but I have always been a dreamer . I would like £25,000 in this one (please universe, are you listening )

I have started getting the house in order & intend to continue doing this as the house we are in has zilcho storage, no room to put bought storage and there are probably too many of us in here hence why I always feel cramped ! Have started fly lady and hope to continue with it. It's really helped so far, I might even pluck up courage to post on the actual thread too .:rotfl::o

As far as budgets go mine has been cut as far back as it will go in terms of bills, insurances and everything else that can be shopped around for. I've allocated myself and DH a pocket money fund each month. Mine has been absent for a long while now, DH, well you'd have never thought we were in debt if you were to ask him (i.e his pocket money never stopped!!!) I have a part time job which I started on the day my youngest started school and whilst I have it I intend on saving every penny I possibly can as you never know what is round the corner and you never know how long the job might last .

Whilst the weather has held out so well this year i've been making the most of fun free days out and I hope it continues for a little longer!

As for living for the present (my old diary title) I intend to try and carry on doing so. I smile a lot more these days and it's not down to the prozac anymore (yay) life has become much simpler, and also happier.

That's enough from me for now I do like to ramble. I'll be back with some more posts!
:A

Link to diary number 1: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3011024
Link to diary number 2: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3928785

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 7:31PM

So my savings plan for the next 5 years:

Emergency Funds i'm aiming for £6,000-
currently £1020.29
18/11- £727.20 :eek:,
15/01/14-£950.91

Saving for the Future Fund I'm aiming for £25,000. My first target is £5,000, currently at £962. 18/11- £2653.64 :T
15/01/14- £3325.59

Rental Property- £3,000 target.
18/11- £455 (and about to be wiped out!)
15/01/14- £585

I put £150 into the emergency funds each month. £60 into the rental property fund, and whatever I can save during the month into the future fund! Whilst I'm working it's £650+ each month.

My money matters:

I round down my bank accounts each time I log on and transfer the pennies into my emergency fund. I've been doing this a while now and it really makes a difference. I have all my accounts in one place so I can see them all when I log online.

At the beginning of the month I transfer out direct debit money into a savings account. I then transfer the money in the day before it's due out. If i'm going away I will transfer the money across before I go so I avoid bank charges. I take cash out for grocery, petrol, pocket money & kids clubs. I try not to use the bank card at all. I've bought a cash box and some strong ziplock bags, i've separated money into each budget and it stays in the box until I need it. I keep £20 in my purse tops if i'm not expecting any spends. That way it's £20 tops damage

Signature:
Savings #1= Emergency fund
Savings #2= House buying fund
Savings #3= Rental house fund

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 7:32PM

Meal Plan:
September: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bwfpu7_-llq9aWtueDZOSjhkdUk/edit?pli=1
October: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnF-5Z4ytSA8dFFNaUcxeUlFbkpoeEFhQ3BCMVBJY3c&usp=sharing

Long Term Goals: So this is it, my 5 goals in 5 years:

1) Save £34,000
- £25k for a mortgage
- £6k towards a contingency fund
- £3k for the rental contingency fund

(works out to £567 per month I need to save for 5 years)

2) Buy a newer more economical car (happy with 2nd hand again but preferably a car to suit us a little more!)

3) Take the kids to Euro Disney before DS1 leaves home! (he's 15 in October, time is ticking it feels like )

4) Find a long term job to suit me/children (in an area that I enjoy I hope)

5) Re-locate nearer family/friends/country (happy to rent to begin with so long as it doesn't hinder savings plan too much)

Personal goals: (as I realise all the former relate to money saving of some kind!)

1) To start Yoga again regularly and also meditation (good for mind body and soul!)
2) Keep exercising (staves off depression)
3) Smile more

something i've not done enough of these last few years

:)
4) Spend more quality time with the kids separately (not sure how I will manage this but I feel it's important)
5) Spend more time with OH (no wonder our relationship suffers we haven't been out alone in months)

I'll use this post to update with meal plans as I keep losing them! And Also for progress on my goals that have been copy and pasted from my last diary

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 7:58PM

So today's update! I had a quick look at the flylady earlier on kerri's thread but I don't think i've done an awful lot of it

I will go find it again in a mo and see what I have done!

I had a friend round for this morning and so spent the morning nattering, as you do :rotfl:. She's buying a house and showed me the plans and prices :eek: ouch. Expensive! Especially considering she doesn't have any savings :question: I'm utterly confused as to how she's paying for it :think: especially as she has £20k worth of debt and her hubby is on the same wage as mine! Ho hum, when I find out I shall see if I can do the same :rotfl:.

Today i've cooked spaghetti bolognese in the slow cooker and made 3 lots so have used up one lot today and split the other 2 portions into tupperware to freeze. That's 2 meals sorted for lazier days

. I also made 2 banana & raisen loafs, 21 cupcakes (in my new cupcake maker). The dishwasher has been on 3 times today :eek: and I don't feel like i've stopped all day really! I'm exhausted and say roll on the weekend!!!!!! 6 kids to look after is tiring :eek:

My front room is a tip and i'm hoping tomorrow's fly lady is going to sort it out :rotfl:. I wonder if one of the jobs will be to pick up 10 million pencils and scraps of paper after the kids got hold of the scissors (don't panic they are plastic kid proof ones :eek::D)

Today I had some spends, I bought a mini cupcake maker on sale in ald1 for £6.99

A WANT, not a NEED. oops. Also bought a new bin & shower curtain for bathroom, a NEED not a WANT :rotfl: total costs were £17. Right off to find flylady or kerri's thread to copy and paste the things i should have done today

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 8:04PM

Whimsical Wednesday ~ Barnacled Bathroom

15 minutes...

[STRIKE]Empty bins[/STRIKE]does buying a new one and throwing the old one out count?:rotfl:

[STRIKE]Clear all empty bottles/toothpaste tubes etc.. Do we really need to keep that empty box of q-tips.[/STRIKE] I do this daily as I hate empty bottles lying around

[STRIKE]Change flannels/sponges[/STRIKE]I throw them in the wash straight after using the once

30 minutes to spare..
Clean sink and bath
Shine the taps, don't forget to get underneath the taps with a toothbrush.

[STRIKE]Clear floor of any stuff that shouldn't be there - towels if they are dirty should be in the laundry bin.[/STRIKE]

Got an hour...
Hoover/mop floor
Clear out the medicine cabinet - if you have any out of date medicine make sure it's bagged up properly and either bin it securely or take to the nearest chemist for disposal.
[STRIKE]Replace those manky towels for lovely fresh towels.
Clean windowsill[/STRIKE]

Extra challenge:

Clean windows
Wash curtains
HHI

I[STRIKE] must[/STRIKE] will do better tomorrow

kissjenn · 4 September 2013 at 8:07PM

Excellent - a happy, new diary. :j:j:j

You've got some great goals there and I'm sure you'll hit them.

Definitely agree to make hay while the sun shine with jobs, life has ways of throwing up "little challenges". :eek:

As for having 6 kids to watch, I take my hat and anything else not too revealing off to you. I've the patience of a ritalin defective gnat and would strangle the little angels by 4:30 daily

please-let-me-be-lucky · 4 September 2013 at 8:07PM

Subscribed to the new diary. No show without Punch!! Xx

pennywisepoundstupid · 4 September 2013 at 8:09PM

:j:j whoop, whoop shiny new diary :j:j

Good luck with achieving your new goals, I'm sure you will do it:D

Off to subscribe.

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 8:10PM

kissjenn wrote: »

As for having 6 kids to watch, I take my hat and anything else not too revealing off to you. I've the patience of a ritalin defective gnat and would strangle the little angels by 4:30 daily

Haha that made me giggle imagining that (perhaps this is why I get on with children so well

) Welcome!! :beer:

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 8:10PM

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Subscribed to the new diary. No show without Punch!! Xx

:beer: Indeedy do! welcome lucky

debtfreewannabe321 · 4 September 2013 at 8:11PM

pennywisepoundstupid wrote: »

:j:j whoop, whoop shiny new diary :j:j

Good luck with achieving your new goals, I'm sure you will do it:D

Off to subscribe.

Thank you I hope I manage them too! :A

Enjoying the Sunshine whilst Saving for the Rainy Day

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