My battle with budgeting - a thread to keep me motivated

Lightattheend

I find Freecycle a good way of getting large stuff taken away. I gave away an old kingsize bed and the people had to collect it. Gave away a set of bunkbeds (small size and my son was too large for them). Someone came and dismantled them as well as taking them away!!

I got an Ikea toddler bed through Freecycle and a single bed for my son. I'd love to go for the occasional sideboard or big bookcase that comes up but they won't fit in my Fiesta!! :rotfl:

dreamcatcher73

Ok, I contacted the Co-Op today and they have said I can have another basic account in addition to the one I already have, so i can use one for day to day living and one for savings.

This is good, because I was worried about keeping any surplus money I might have separate, so I don't spend it.

Was a bit naughty today and took the kids to McDonalds, spent £15, but as I never take them anywhere, I suppose I can forgive myself! Will need to do a little bit of juggling now to get the money back on track, but I'm sure that won't be too difficult - had enough practice at it!

Aim tomorrow morning is to pay all the bills I need to, before I spend all my money on something else!

Feeling quite positive today, which is good, can see that light at the end of the proverbial tunnel

Merry_Gentry

Ok, I'm going to sound quite bossy here, and if I overstep the mark please forgive me. Taking the kids to McDonalds and spending £15 is just as bad, if not worse, than doing that at the corner shop on things you don't need. If you want to budget properly, you need to get into the habit of treating the kids with free/cheaper things - walks to the library, picnic in the park making the food up at home, that sort of thing.

Sorry if I sound a bit Hitlerish

dreamcatcher73

OMG Merry, are you my mother is disguise? :rotfl:

You are right, I know. It was £15 I could have put on the electric meter instead. I'm bad, very, very bad...

But in my defence, I Didn't buy them Easter Eggs this year, so can I be forgiven, just this once?

I promise never to waste money, EVER again

Lightattheend

dreamcatcher73 wrote: »

Ok, I contacted the Co-Op today and they have said I can have another basic account in addition to the one I already have, so i can use one for day to day living and one for savings.

This is good, because I was worried about keeping any surplus money I might have separate, so I don't spend it.

DC, if you set up online banking and set up each account in the other for transfer of money (if that makes sense) it makes it really easy to sort out. Transfer is immediate so if, for example, you realise you used the wrong account to pay for something you can transfer it between accounts easily.

I also think I might buy myself a small lockable money 'box' and keep my money for my gas & electric meter in there (I'm on card/key meters). That way I know thats been put by safely as well and is easily accessible - so I can send my son down to the shop at the bottom of the road to charge the key (instead of having to get my daughter already to walk down with me).

Merry_Gentry

Sorry I wrote that then worried I would upset you. I bought my girls Easter eggs - £1 each HSM ones from Asda - and they got about three others from family members. The thing is, McDonalds is eaten and forgotten and they want more so it's a transitory treat. I do understand the desire to treat them - believe me, I understand - but more often than not they're happy to have you spending time with them :grouphug:

dreamcatcher73

Hi LATE, I am already set up with online banking for the account I have now, will the new one show on there automatically?

Instead of buying a box to put the money in, why not just put it straight onto the meters? That way there's no temptation to spend it on something else, like I did today

dreamcatcher73

No Worries Merry, I'm very thick skinned! lol

The thing is my "kids" are 18, 16 and 5, so very difficult to find something that they all would want to do. Sure the youngest would love to go to the park, but the other two are a bit big for the swings now :rotfl:

And sometimes its just nice to do something all together, it doesn't happen very often..

Listen to me trying to justify myself!

Lightattheend

dreamcatcher73 wrote: »

Hi LATE, I am already set up with online banking for the account I have now, will the new one show on there automatically?

I didn't know whether it would or not so was pleasantly surprised to see it on my list when I logged on! I think you can use either account details to log on but as I have my first (and bill account) memorised I'll stick to that one.

Instead of buying a box to put the money in, why not just put it straight onto the meters? That way there's no temptation to spend it on something else, like I did today

I would put it all on in one go but would like to see if I can't use anything I manage to save from there for an emergency fund as its not allowed on an SOA. If I stick all the money on in one go then its gone. My thoughts are if its in a box at home I won't be tempted to spend it when I'm out as it is no longer in the bank to be spent! And I've also done the MacDonalds thing - I agree its a short term thing but occasionally I get to feeling guilty about the fact my 13 year old offers not to have pocket money and even, in the past, sold his lunch at school to give me some money!!! As I work full time (40 hours a week) I don't get much time in the week for doing things however I recently found a great site for Leeds which lists all the free things available in the area. We're off to the Royal Armouries on Wednesday when his sister (3) is at the childminders on my rare day off.

dreamcatcher73

Lightattheend wrote: »

I would put it all on in one go but would like to see if I can't use anything I manage to save from there for an emergency fund as its not allowed on an SOA. If I stick all the money on in one go then its gone. My thoughts are if its in a box at home I won't be tempted to spend it when I'm out as it is no longer in the bank to be spent! And I've also done the MacDonalds thing - I agree its a short term thing but occasionally I get to feeling guilty about the fact my 13 year old offers not to have pocket money and even, in the past, sold his lunch at school to give me some money!!! As I work full time (40 hours a week) I don't get much time in the week for doing things however I recently found a great site for Leeds which lists all the free things available in the area. We're off to the Royal Armouries on Wednesday when his sister (3) is at the childminders on my rare day off.

See what you mean, yes you need to have an emergency fund, I'm dreading something like the washing machine breaking down

My children don't get pocket money from me, the eldest works anyway, the middle one gets money from her dad and the youngest doesn't care :rotfl:
My son turned 18 recently and I couldn't even afford to buy him a present, he's very understanding though and keeps saying he doesn't care, but it does make me feel really guilty. I am going to pay for his theory test next week, so that will be something

My big aim for the future is to have £500 in the bank for emergencies, a long way into the future I guess, but something to work towards