Ashbart's MS Diary - £6k by June 2009

ashbart

Ok, here we go... I need to save £6,000 by next June and I hope that keeping a diary will keep me on track. My aim is to make the money by incorporating the MS techniques I've learnt on this site, including many OS!

I have opened an ISA (will open one in OH's name when mine is full) and will keep the money there until we need it. The ISA will be purely for money MADE at the moment. Money saved will not be transferred from our account to the ISA until there is a chunk big enough to transfer.

This is what I have done & plan on doing to make/save the money:

1. Meal Planning & Shopping List - I've learnt these are such important tools! They have reduced my shopping bills dramatically!
2. Bulk cooking, freezing, and bulking out mince - my freezer is FULL!
3. Downgrading brands - I have changed quite a few of my branded products to Mr T's own.
4. Aldi - I buy a few items here, when cheaper than Mr T.
5. Freebies - I joined 3 panels for testing products. Won't need to buy washing up liquid until Christmas!
6. Sell, sell, sell - Ebay, car boot sales, envirofone
7. Quidco
8. Working overtime
9. Less impulse buying & take-aways
10. Watch gas & electric use
11. Take stock of store cupboard - I'm sure I could make plenty of meals using what is in there!
12. Credit cards change to 0% last year, need changing again this year!
13. Shop around - I use the shop but don't drop boards & Discount Codes & Vouchers when needed
14. Money off coupons - thanks to teedy23! added 2 Oct 08
15. Grow fruit & veg (or at least try to!:rolleyes:) - thanks mum of 4! added 6 Oct 08

Hopefully, I haven't missed anything. These are for saving money and making money. I know we can do this, we just need to get ourselves together and STICK TO IT!

My aim is to use this diary to:
- Keep a record of how much money made and where it came from
- Remind me of MS techniques (and learn others along the way)
- Kick me when I'm off track or spend unnecessarily
- Have general support from all you fab MS'ers!

Thanks in advance for your advice & support! Ash xx

ashbart

MS Diary to date:

22/08/08 ISA opened - £1.00
24/09/08 Overtime - £20.00
24/09/08 Scratchcard winnings - £30.00
25/09/08 Envirofone cheque - £34.08
30/09/08 Interest - £0.05
01/10/08 Weekly Standing Order - £20.00
01/10/08 Overtime - £65.00 (paying in today)

Total - £170.13
£5,829.87 to go

Pink.

Hi ashbart,

Congratulations on starting your diary. I'm afraid that we don't have individual diaries on the Old Style board because if everyone was to post one the board would very quickly become clogged up and people would find it impossible to find the Old Style information that they need.

MSE Andrea has suggested that the ideal place for blog or diary threads is the How much have you saved? board so I'll move your thread across.

Good luck!

ashbart

Great, thanks Pink-winged! I wasn't sure where to post!

Baybee1984

Good luck ashbart, will be popping back to see how you're doing

ashbart

Went to Mr T's yesterday and spent £29.45 which is fab considering even on a budget I normally spend £50-£60. I now have so much food in my freezer I can't fit anything else in there. As a result, I'm going to make an effort to eat at least 2 freezer meals a week. I even added another 2 shepherds pie's last night!

I suppose I should mention all this saving money is for my wedding & honeymoon next year. The idea is, I learn enough lessons by saving for this, that I continue to do so afterward for our future.

Thanks Baybee1984 - nice to have a bit of support! Ash xx

ZoeGirl_3

Sounds like you are doing well, that is a big list you had!! :T

ashbart

ZoeGirl wrote: »

Sounds like you are doing well, that is a big list you had!! :T

Thanks ZoeGirl - I've been so inspired by this website and all MS'ers, I'd like to think that my journey will help others. I'm no where near perfect or debt free by any means but I'm definitely much better than I was a few years ago!

ashbart

I've added Money off coupons to the list today, thanks to teedy23's post. I've never thought about actually tracking money saved from coupons. Will transfer money from the bank every few weeks, using my receipts.

Yeah! :j

Lokolo

Whats Mr T's?? (Tesco?)

Also I noticed you had scratchcard winnings, now I don't know about you but thats not very MSE of you! Chances are you will lose more than you gain, otherwise they wouldn't do it haha.

Nice one on the overtime, though don't over do it.

Keep it up

ashbart

Lokolo wrote: »

Whats Mr T's?? (Tesco?)

Also I noticed you had scratchcard winnings, now I don't know about you but thats not very MSE of you! Chances are you will lose more than you gain, otherwise they wouldn't do it haha.

Nice one on the overtime, though don't over do it.

Keep it up

Hi Lokolo! Mr T's is Tesco. Got that from the Old Style thread, I think.

Ahh - scratchcards... Hence the really small writing! Lol!! OH bought them, spent £4 and won £30 - said he 'had a feeling.' :rotfl: We don't buy them very often so, I didn't make a big deal of it. Gotta have treats every now and then...!

The overtime is between me and OH so, not too bad thankfully!

Thanks for your post!