Staying debt free for 1200 months!

bountiful

Hi Beanie - the house I am moving to is a 'long let' - so, hopefully, a long time - it feels great - like I am really going to put roots down there. I have a view of the sea, a smaller, vibrant community to be part of, and a best friend 3 doors down the row - I am really, really happy about the move. :j

beanielou

Oh that sounds just fab & great to have your BF so near~Great result for you

bountiful

I am on holiday this week (holiday = as in - not having to go to work this week) and I have enjoyed being snowed in (almost) for a couple of days - I live in a town, so the main streets and shops were open - just. I have found it hard to stick to the budget this week - and have agreed with myself that some of the treats I am giving myself are coming out of the savings and not this week's budget. I have booked myself in for a haircut (first in 12 months) and a massage (first in about 4 years) - I took myself and my son out for lunch on the way back from shopping yesterday - which totalled about £20 for expensive cheese-on-toast (toasted cheese and spinach ciabatta), glass of wine - treat. Then I bought myself a pair of earrings (£20), and I am going to the theatre tonight (another £20). So - bit of a spend-up - but how much would I spend if I went away on a holiday? Justify. Justify. I suppose the point is that I do have some money in savings now - and I can spend it if I want to.

I am still being very organised about my bills and budgeting on a daily basis - have got all my bills onto Direct Debits/Standing Orders now - so that they are taken care of my my Regular Payments Account each month. I know that as long as I do not dip into that account, or my Cash Account, I will be on track. Extra spends have to come out of savings - after asking myself the savings questions: Do I need it? Can I afford it? Have I got the money available? etc etc.

bountiful

Week three of my cash budget system
Balancing the spends with the savings
Bought a coffee for a friend.
Beans on toast for tea.
Got to the station early enough to use my rail card for a discounted ticket.
Watched a DVD and drank tea at home.

[Deleted User]

Hi Bountiful
Thanks for popping over to my staying debt free diary.
Good luck with your new journey, I hope your house move goes smoothly when it happens.
I look forward to reading how youare getting on.

Seaxwyn

Hi bountiful, It sounds as if the cash budget system is really working for you - that's great. I hope a lot of the stress of the last year is gone. Are you in the new house yet?

bountiful

Hi Seaxwyn - yup - I am in the new house and I feel really 'at home' :j

I have allowed myself to spend money from my savings for the move week (or two) because things would have been very much more stressful without that back-up - I am very lucky! Back on track now though and, yes, it does seem to work well for me to have a chuck of cash each week that I have to limit myself too. One problem that is going to emerge is that travel to and from work is now eating up a lot of that cash - and that is probably unsustainable! So I will be working on getting work more locally - as is my son too.

justruth

Hi I was just wondering if there was any way of buying tickets in advance with the rail card, so that you weren't having to arrive so much earlier? I used to do this when I knew that I would be working away every friday, I would buy the ticket on the Thursday afternoon when the station was quiet then run for the train and not have a problem. Just a thought.

Also is there any alternative to using the train? Are you sure you are getting your full entitlement eg working tax credits? I am sure that these are all things that you have already looked into but on the off chance I thought I should suggest them. (better to be told 2x than not at all)

Final suggestion on the book front, if you are not a library user then could you sell the books on amazon? This way you then reduce the amount you just spent down a couple of £.

Good luck with everything.

bountiful

I am finally getting around to getting an ISA sorted out with the Co-Op and a Smart Saver Account, also with Co-Op. The rate of interest is not brilliant - I may consider putting some money into a fixed term savings account for a year.

The weekly cash budget has been working well. But I am making life more pleasant for myself with my savings - which isn't a good long-term plan. However, I am investing in getting the garden sorted out - so I can enjoy it - and considering it a gift from my Dad.

I am still with CAP and paying rent, council tax, water, electricity through the CAP account. I have streamlined all my payments now to come out of one account by standing order or direct debit. I only draw cash for the week from the cash account. That makes it very clear where the money is coming from. The savings account has been harder to get to grips with - but, as I said at the beginning, that is going to be sorted out very soon.

Jobwise I am really sending out the vibes for a new job - I don't feel qualified to do anything except support/care work (which I am currently doing) but I am building up a vision of the features of my perfect job - and trusting the universe to put it in my path. Watch this space!

Seaxwyn

Good to hear from you bountiful, and glad that the CAP money management system is working for you. Also that you are getting some benefit from your savings. Whilst you obviously don't want to fritter them away, creating a nice garden is a good long-term investment.

How is your son doing? Is he working more hours yet?