2009 diary - time to make changes!

Shoe_Gal

Thanks Lula :A - not harsh at all, just sensible I know I am hopeless, and it's time to get myself sorted :mad:

I start a spending diary every month, then it fizzles out mid month - when I am too embarrassesd to update it so will defo do it in October

And definately no more clothes/shoe spending (apart from vouchers, they are an incentive from work so really are 'free' money )

Am going to try to post daily and bore you all to tears with my rambling but hopefully it might help me to stay on track a bit better

claire0788

You could just keep your spending diary to yourself, no need for everybody to know if you dont want them to. That way youll not be embarrassed.

Ps. the clothes thing is my hardest thing not to do either. I miss shopping so much I avoid shops at all costs except for the food shopping. I dont trust myself at all. This month however, im treating myself to an outfit.

Lula-Hula

So glad we're still talking

A spending diary only works if you like the format in my opnion. I did try with the online one but it was pain to have to log in everyday & I could never work out what to put in what category & the most annoying bit was that all the spenidng I'd carefully recorde was only help for one month, so no chance of seeing6 months worth of wine spending - thank goodness :rotfl:.

I now have a lovely big pink covered book that I write in every day. I have a page for each week & detail my cash spending, my bank balances, when I make a CC payment & also any direct debits that are due. It has really helped me to keep up to date & I always write the direct debits & any bills due for the next week so I know what I can spend ( usually nothing :rolleyes:).

The heading at the top of each page is where I write the week start date & how much the debt is. It's easy to refer back to & writing in things such as a NSD or £2 coin received is great. I have different coloured pens for different categories & can see at a glance just how much I'm spending & how much I have left of my grocery / treats allowance as I am sad enough to update it.

This will probably only work if you love stationery & record keeping as much as I do

I also always get a receipt whatever I buy & clip them all together for each month. September's pile is looking a bit high :rolleyes: .

The receipt pile & the book live together on top of my pc & yes, I am a sad, sad crazy cat lady :rotfl:

PS - you are never boring, just damn F fabulous

Shoe_Gal

I have spending diary and debt tracker etc all set up on a spreadsheet I am paid monthly and pay all my DD's and SO's the day after payday so what's left is pretty much my spends. The idea is to use anything left over as an over payment - but there is never anything left over

Trouble is, I am scared to over pay at the begginning of the month in case I run out of money before I run out of month but then I never seem to have anything left to overpay :rolleyes: I don't actually have any credit or store cards anymore except my Barclaycard - which was supposed to be for petrol/car emergencies so I can get to work - but I have spent on it and now can't put my car insurance on it as it only has a really small limit - which they won't let me increase :mad:

Although it is a bit more expensive I think I will actually be better off with monthly insurance payments - despite my best intentions I never seem to save the money - but will always pay the direct debit

Going to have a rethink about my birthday maybe cocktails at home and go to the Italian locally - saving on cab fare and fancy bar prices

missymoo81

Hi shoe gal I have just read your diary from start to finish, crikey it took some reading. But hun you are doing so well, if you hadn't have had your light bulb moment just think how far back down the line you'd be.

I too keep a spending diary like lula, and I to llooooove stationery, so very sad. I've just started my diary and am fighting with myself not to buy a new notepad as a spending diary, I have hundreds of pretty notepads and do not need another one!!!!

I really hear you with the being fabulous bit, when you're money saving you seem to stop taking such care of yourself due to the cost. But I've had to have a stern word with myself and making an effort costs nothing, I too need to keep up on my tanning, am so white am almost blue, not a good look.

Anyways am rambling, feel free to pop over to my diary for some *wine* and support, or if not i will try and keep popping back and givin you some encouragement.

Missy

p.s. I also looooove kurt keiger shoes..... along with dune and really want some christian laboutin's!!!

x

Shoe_Gal

Hi Missy

Laboutin's are my target if I am ever debt free plus Jimmy Choo's of course :rolleyes:

Thanks for your kind words - just having a bit of an :eek: day today :rolleyes:

missymoo81

oh dear honey bunch, every week day is a :eek: day for me. Far too much work and noooo time to do it in, I'm very much in the same situation with you there. It gets to the point where you dread sundays too, but I've got to get out of that habit and chill out... oooh and watch come dine with me if its on, jsut going to check............

Fire_Fox

:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:jI think you need Claire's cheering squad, ShoeGal: I'll fight you for the Laboutins!

You can save money on petrol - depends where you fill up and how you drive: there's a (probably really dull) article on the main part of the MSE site. Petrol is not the most exciting thing you can buy so if you can make a saving it'll leave you more for that birthday cocktail party which sounds very SATC.

I guess food is going to be a toughie since you are so snowed under at work? Do you have a slow cooker? Asda £8 if not. You can literally throw a soup/ stew/ whole chicken/ mince dish together in five minutes, switch on and go to work. :T If you cook in bulk you can get away with doing this twice a week.

Loving Lula-Hula's slightly OCD approach to a spending diary! I keep having to add categories to my spreadsheet.

missymoo81

I love laboutins....

makeup

There are some really good ideas on here.

I'm totally with Lula on not facing temptation. I'm so used to going into a shop and just seeing if I like something - not being actually planned about shoping.

Especially if bargain stuff like Tesco / Asda / Matalan / Primarni clothes...But all those £5 / £10 tops add up!

So I try not to go into shops unless I genuinely need something - even if they have the sales on!

It is really hard but it is so hard to slip - I went into Matalan when on holiday recently, just because there isn't one that near me and so it was a novelty to see what they had. I ended up spending £10.50 on a new top and socks - not a huge amount but really that's £10.50 I didn't need to spend...:rolleyes: