New Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2010- Santas Challenges

thriftyscotslass

I'd love to join in please - 2009 has not been a good year, so roll on 2010.

I'm in for anything that is moneysaving, crafty and Christmassy.:j:j:j

Take care all,
Thriftyxxx

mum2one

ashia wrote: »

I sooooo want in. Read the '09 thread a little but discovered it waaaaaay too late. I want to be organised so badly, please help!:wave:

Hopefully, ur fairy godmother to the rescue...... 1st Santa's challenge tomorrow ready for 2010.....

(will try and be gentle) xx

mum2one

Haven't gone mad....... but then its nearly Xmas.... the Santas Challenge is released on 24th, and as we're on a new thread the new challenge "money matters" is for the 1st of each month.

Just got it up and running, as I'm away New Years Eve for a couple of days, dd and I visiting friends, be gd just the 2 of us.

Hence its coming early.
xx

savingholmes

I'll join :money::money::money:

mum2one

Firstly apologies, it may look compliated but I do promise its not, and once you've got Jan's done, the rest yr fly by.

We all get paid differently, some 4 weekly, some monthly,others bit here, bit there, and we all spend differently- If you have a spare A4 file that will be brillant now needed.

The idea behind the money management,

(May want to print off the instructions,)

Part 1 -is to plan for the start of the month, for what you have going in/ estimate going out, (borrowed elements from Martins Budget planner, make sense of cards, with a few twists and turns).

To copy the info, from the board to your files, open Word Document, use the highlight facility to highlight the list, if you don't have children / pets / etc just put 0 in.

Use Copy (from drop down menu or CTRL button and C button, then go to document - drop down menu hit paste or CTRL and V button.
Your computer may well ask for permission to transfer across, esp if you have AVG - anti virus.

PRINT 2 COPIES OF THE list OFF -
1st copy- Start of month, your estimated figures / actual figures, thats where the sub totals need to be, transfer these to the bottom, this then give you a grand total, (your need a calculator or use the calculator on computer), At the bottom of the page, you put the total income in then take away the outgoings, Fingers crossed your outgoings will be less than incomings, if not you rejig.

2nd copy - Use at the end of the month, this is where you put in your actual figures, if you have any big variances then you can nip them in the bud.

2nd set of papers - again use copy and paste as before, (just need 1 copy for now)

This is what I call the carried forward figures - eg you may be paying the TV license once a yr, but save for 12 months, the elec and gas, you may pay 3monthly, but put some up, this gives you a running total.

Use a fresh sheet for every month, but remember to carry previous months figures across and account for payments made.
For instance council tax, we only pay 10 months, but may just account for it in the 11th and 12th, and the money may just go, whereas now you could make a decision to put the money up ready for something else.

---

If for any reason you find a big variance, then buy a notebook, and its now a spending diary, and write everything down, it may be that bar of choc and coffee on the way to work......


Also may be useful for anyone with credit card etc, this website (got from this site) if you input the sum of money owed, your apr, and the minimum payment the company need is usually 3%, and the total amount of money you can pay, the snowball does all the workings out for you.

It gives you 2 choices, either pay the highest apr off 1st or the card you owe more money on, the latter thats longer, really good motivator, as you see a debt free date and all your payments are calculated for you.

http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx?country=uk

PS - I have just covered money at the start of the month, not from a principal of adding debt free incentives etc to the thread, but to help balance the budgets towards Christmas, Birthdays, Christenings, and the unexpected surprise parties etc.........

Hopefully your find it a useful addition to the Christmas Planning, but again, as we worked on the 2009 thread, the challenges etc were there if you wanted them. xx

mum2one

Balance Sheet Money

INCOMINGS
Monthly Income After Tax
Partners Monthly Income
Child tax credit
Working Tax Credit
Child benefit
Other income
Other income (maintance)

Incomings Total =

OUTGOINGS

House
Mortgage
Secured loans
Rent
Council Tax
Electricity
Gas
Oil
Water Rates
Buildings Insurance
Contents Insurance
TV License
Total No 2 - House =

Phones etc
Broadband
Mobile Phone
Landline
Total No 3 - phones =

Cars
Car Insurance
Car Tax
Car Parking
Car maintance (inc Mot)
Petrol / Diseal
Breakdown Cover
Other traffic
Total No 4 Car


Children
Nursery / Childcare
Clothing
School Trips / Funds
Birthday / Xmas friends
Any other expenses
Total No 5 Children

Pets
Food
Yearly Jabs
Pet Insurance
Total No 6 Pets

Adults
Dentist
Opticians
Prescriptions
Holidays
Clothing
Food
Birthday / Xmas Presents
Haircuts
Going Out
Holidays
Extras
Emergency Fund
Total No 7 Adults =


Debts
Debt 1
Debt 2
Debt 3
Debt 4
Debt 5
Debt 6
Total No 8 Debts

---

The Workings Out

Total No 2 - House =
Total No 3 - Phones =
Total No 4 - Cars =
Total No 5- Children =
Total No 6 -Pets =
Total No7 - Adults =
Total No8 - Debts =

TOTAL ABOVE (sums of all outgoings) =

INCOMINGS =

Need to take outgoings from incomeings and hope its positive,.
(this is the one you need 2 copies per month)

mum2one

Payments carried forward
Mortgage
Secured loans
Rent
Council Tax
Electricity
Gas
Oil
Water Rates
Buildings Insurance
Contents Insurance
Broadband
Mobile Phone
Landline
Car Insurance
Car Tax
Car Parking
Car maintance (inc Mot)
Petrol / Diseal
Breakdown Cover
Other traffic
Nursery / Childcare
Clothing
School Trips / Funds
Birthday / Xmas friends
Any other expenses
Food
Yearly Jabs
Pet Insurance
Food
Dentist
Opticians
Prescriptions
Holidays
Clothing
Food
Birthday PresentsChristmas Presents
Going Out
Holidays
Extras
Emergency Fund
Debt 1
Debt 2
Debt 3
Debt 4
Debt 5
Debt 6

elysia2003

Thanks for this Mum2one. My first job (I'm so excited!!!) - I'm definately getting a notebook to jot my spending down in. I have a terrible problem that when I break into a note when shopping the next thing I know I've spent the coins in the change too! It will hopefully help me to stop the unnecessary purchases I often make. They don't half mount up if you don't keep an eye on it!!!

sparrer

Another one for membership please...I did reasonably well in 09 but next year I have a wedding (not mine, been there done that etc), new d-in-l plus 3 new granchildren to buy for and want to help as much as I can, as well as all the usual birthdays etc., so really need to save, save, save!

elysia2003

Thanks for posting the snowball thingy. I was advised to have a credit card in the summer just for using online as I had had fraudualent purchases made on my debit card. I'd always refused before as I knew what would happen!!

Anyway I got the card and have been paying off full balance until last month!!! Although I start in buying xmas pressies in January I wasn't as organised as I thought and went a bit mad on my card. No hope of paying it all off for the next few months. I have been absolutely dreading the bill but using the calculator, I know it's not ideal, but It's not as bad as I thought. It WILL be paid off asap.

So if anyone does have credit cards, loans etc - don't be put off by it, give it a go, you'll have something to aim for and will see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.