Arghhhhhhh - My spreadsheet is giving me headaches...

K9cuddles

I'm serious! I can't help but look at the darn thing 20 times aday!! Even when I know nothing much will change on it till my next pay day!!

I'm I the only one driving themselves mad with there budget??!! My rents reckon it's a healthy obsession to have.. but it's really doing my head it! Iv'e run out of graphs to produce, forumulas to write and instead I just keep looking at it. hoping it will change and of course my debt pile go down!!

I only started this in Nov.. but it just seems to be going down soooooooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww... :rolleyes: I hope to be credit card debit free by Nov this year.. and O/D free by Nov 07. I just can't wait for the day the extra money I'm putting towards bills can be saved!!!!

I don't think I can hope another 2 year with my srpeadsheet headache!

System

I think a lot of us are the same but, depending on where your coming from, actually having money to put against loans and not getting charges for going overdrawn is an achievement!

Im the same at the moment but you will find as time goes by and you put more and more against the debt, things quicken up a lot. Im finding that now ive got rid of a lot of high interest loans and such, im not flush, but im more in control and think about things before I buy them as well as having several hundred pound more a month to throw at my existing debt.

Kevicho

im the same, i have a copy at home and at work lol!

so far im sticking to it, which is what that matters (to me anyways)

davels

Are you using your own spreadsheets or one's you've downloaded? I done by own but I'm bored with it... any to share???

tattooed_lady

I have it all written down in a book (cos if OH is at home I can't get anywhere near pc LOL!) and I'm always checking it, adding it up etc etc. Sad I know, but it makes me feel like I'm in control- which I didn't feel for a long time when we were in big debt.

K9cuddles

I've not used Martin's as I had already set up my own!!! it works out how much i will take home if I do over time up to 50 hours working out Tax, NI and a few other bits and bobs, I have my monthly buget sheets on it (and I've just started using a 2nd diary to note my spending my accurately!) tells me when I can expect to be debt clear (and I keep playing with thoughs figures!!!) as well as how much I've got in my SAYE, ISA and Savings account, as well as my estimated payments for Studen Loan, and also next Dividend payment and current value of my shares and pension.

INFACT IT TELLS ME TOO MUCH... I'm incontrol.. but I'm getting obessed! I've been switching accounts this month, setting others up and a BT is on the cards. I've even passed info on to my mum and the bf to help them out!

And set up a an account for my dogs. .yes I breed them and there's a very grey area of being taxed on breeding (we're not registered as we don't have enough litters a year.. but I've now got evidence should we ever need it!!!)

The only thing I've not done is my meal planner... I just don't know where to start on that one!!!

very_skint

Long shot but I dont suppose you would like to share that spreadsheet as I would like to do most of those calculations but dont know how.

frosty

I am glad I am not the only one who keeps writing figures down,I have nearly worn out my calculater,and I keep double checking everything,thought I was starting to get abit obsessed with it all, I feel alot better knowing Im not the only one doing it.I must admit I feel in control of my debt but sometimes I wish it wasnt on my mind all the time. :eek:

K9cuddles

very_skint wrote:

Long shot but I dont suppose you would like to share that spreadsheet as I would like to do most of those calculations but dont know how.

I got my spreadsheet from http://www.free-financial-advice.net/ mine has been tailored to me.. not sure it would work fully if you meddled with it??!!

Alleycat

I felt a bit lost after the initial surge of excitement, filling in spreadsheets, working out budgets, snowballing calculator etc and moving money from high interest to 0% where possible etc. I felt a bit flat as I had done all I needed at that point and was just watching the day to day running of bills, wages etc and all I needed to do was the occasional update on my spreadsheet. I think its easy to become over-focussed and whilst that is not a bad things, its still frustrating when you have nothing constructive to do to tackle the debt, its kind of doing it itself (iykwim).

I find myself checking my account several times a day knowing full well that there won't be any outgoings until the next day at the earliest, 'just in case'! Oh well, at least we are all similar!!

Xbigman

I've had a spreadsheet for years running my financial affairs. In the last year I have added pages and read my gas, elec and water meter's every month and keep a record. I've also been reading the gas meter every day and recording the readings and what radiators are on/off. I know more about my gas consumption now than just about anyone else anywhere, and my gas usage is down by 30%.
Regards


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