Starting to Save! - Newbie.

Cinny91

**EDIT - 23rd December 2008**

I thought I'd update the starting point of my journal!

I'm still not in debt in any form, but thanks to this site I've learnt value of money and a bucket full of money saving and making tips. Since I joined I've managed to get afew hundred behind me in 'savings' while still being able to treat myself and buy the things I want. Me and my boyfriend (Frank) managed to save and fully pay for a holiday this december, which would of sempt impossible when I joined this site on the 10th of July.

I have a list of goals for 2009. I'll update this part again on the one year of joining mark.




Hey! I've been lurking for awhile now, taking on board tips and tricks along the way and finally signed up yesterday!

I'd just like to say, I'm 17 and not in debt (Bar some money I owe my parents for Vespa insurance) I'm here because I'm suffering a serious lack of money and need to change my spending habits.

I work for my Dads company part time, I've been here for 5 months and the novelty of a weeky wage had worn off and I know I need to be more careful with my money. I used to work for my local council as a cleaner, I was paid monthly so got into the saving swing of things but lost grip when I started getting paid every friday.


I've only been doing this for a week, and so far I'm not quite sure how much I've saved! I only know I haven't spent as much as normal I've started two saving 'jars', one's sealed and for pennys under 50p and the other is for coins over 50p and notes.

thanks for everyones great tips! Wish me luck!

**_Mrs_J_**

Hi

I'm new here to, only just signed up but have been lurking for a while now.
I recently paid off my mortgage and thought I'd save the extra money I had each month ... still haven't started and even managed to get myself an overdraft ... :rolleyes:
The novelty of having the extra money is wearing off for me too and I need my butt kicked into action.
I wish you luck, you sound like you have things under control ... My turn to do the same now, I'll have to pop over to the O/S forums and see what tips I can take on board.

Mrs J x

Sooler

Try something like this …

Use your first wage of each month for spending and save each wage the following weeks. Or also allocate half your third wage of the month for spending - if you need to.

Rather than continuously buying stuff you plan what you want to buy and buy it when you’re paid at the beginning of each month, if you still want it.

If you decide you need to buy something in the middle of the month and you’ve spent most of the first weeks wage you can easily wait a couple of weeks for it. Gives you time to find the best place to buy stuff, or if it’s worth buying, Makes you more prudent rather than buying stuff on a whim that turns out to be useless tat. You’ll probably find you don’t really want it anyway.

You’ll soon has loads of money saved, you’ll be in a position where you could do lots of things if you wanted to, but you’ll be reluctant to spend your savings as then you won’t be in that position.

Cinny91

Thank you Sooler for the great tips! I have £80 a week after paying my parents board and filling up my vespa so it's easily do-able. I never thought of doing it like that at all, but it makes sense!

Also, I've recently started leaving my debit card at home, I'm less likely to 'impulse buy' with cash, where it's so easy to just whip the card out and loose track of how much i've spent.

Sooler

**_Mrs_J_** wrote: »

The novelty of having the extra money is wearing off for me too and I need my butt kicked into action.

:eek:
With the utmost respect, the phrase ‘more money than sense’ comes to mind.

Do you work for your money? Why give it away to parasitic grease balls in shiny suits who can just sit back in their armchairs with their feet up feeding off your carelessness.

How was that? Is your butt hurting?

Cinny91

**_Mrs_J_** wrote: »

The novelty of having the extra money is wearing off for me too and I need my butt kicked into action.
I wish you luck, you sound like you have things under control ... My turn to do the same now, I'll have to pop over to the O/S forums and see what tips I can take on board.

Good luck! Now I'm getting my head around it all it's starting to get quite fun this saving lark

Sooler

I reckon you should be able to have over £1000 saved by the year end, earning a bit of interest for you – check this site for the best place to save it.

Deffo don’t spend using debit card, you can’t see your money disappearing.

Do you use cashback sites, Quidco & others, you can save quite a bit on things like insurance.

Persuade your parents to pay you commission (20%, 50%???) on any savings you find for them.

See Martin’s tip on Orange Wednesdays for going to the cinema, see if it would work for you.

**_Mrs_J_**

Sooler wrote: »

:eek:
‘more money than sense’ comes to mind.



Hi Sooler

:eek: The exact same words my mother used, only she added a few others as well ...

I do work and I have no excuses for being so stupid, especially after saving so hard to pay off the mortgage.

My mad few months are over (I promise) ... Back to saving hard and working out a new budget.

My butt is kicked ... ouch :rolleyes:

Mrs J x

jo_b_2

Cinny91 wrote: »

Hey! I've been lurking for awhile now, taking on board tips and tricks along the way and finally signed up yesterday!

thanks for everyones great tips! Wish me luck!

Hi Cinny91 and all the newbies (and lurkers) out there! :wave:

Good luck with your new-found passion for saving and don't forget to keep us all updated with your progress.

For anybody else that might be interested, the Feeding 6 for Under £1.62 thread is HERE

Baybee1984

Hows the budgeting going Cinny?

Cinny91

So far so good BayBee!

I'm picking up a boots advantage card tomorrow, i've been shopping there weekly for ages but never bothered to get one, so i'm hoping that will help me save more and come christmas i'll get afew free bits!

I saved afew £s today by waiting till i got home for lunch and not giving in to bacon sandwich offers too. Just need to keep my fingers crossed for good weather come sunday for the carboot.