Jamiedodger's 2010 Journey

JAMIEDODGER

Morning! NSD 12 achieved yesterday so I have reached my target for the month:)

It wont be a NSD today as I need to go to tesco for milk etc. Hoping to spend about £10 and no more. Planning on NSD's for thurs/fri/sat/sun.

I have managed to misplace next months budget so I am currently stressing and trying to remember what was on it!!! I am sure it will turn up eventually!

Off to have a search.....

dottyanne

JAMIEDODGER wrote: »

Dotty - have PM'd you x

Hi JD thanks for the PM am going to try everything on there x

dottyanne

Your doing so well and I'm going to start a spending diary today - a major problem is one of my jobs pays me cash - though this fluctuates weekly I try to budget for the minimum I can earn problem is if I earn more I spend more and it's so wasteful especially as I owe so much in debts - I have made huge inroads in the last few months but need to keep the momentum up - my goal is to be debt free in 3 years - the snowball calculator gives me slightly longer but I reckon a fee might take full and final settlements albeit I have to save the money first to make these offers.

JAMIEDODGER

Dotty - A spending diary is the way to go. Question every purchase, even if it just for a very small item, like a TV magazine or something. I used to spend £1.30 every tuesday buying a TV mag, worked out that it cost me £67.60 per year to buy it!!! This was a weeks food shopping. Try and translate it into real terms like this. Ditched the weekly magazine and checked out TV guide online instead, cost free. Every penny you earn can be maximised to its fullest potential.

Try and see it like this. If you added up every payment you pay to debt over one year, then add on the interest they have charged you too, that will add up to one hell of an amount. Money which could have been in your pocket.

Top tips:

1) Question EVERY purchase
2) Write EVERY penny you spend and earn in a spending diary
3) Dont let any money out of your purse/bank etc unless you have fully done tip one
4) Get cashback on EVERYTHING you can
5) Start an emergency fund, even if it is only a couple of £ per week. It will start to add up eventually. You do not want an emergency ruining your plan to get debt free.
6) Budgets are helpful. Underestimate your income and overestimate your expenses.
7) Extra income divide between debt and emergency fund


Hope this helps x

JAMIEDODGER

Morning:)

No NSD yesterday as I went to Tesco to buy some food! Spent £9.54.

So, I am declaring now for October's Grocery Challenge total £273.17. This is underbudget by £6.83:D:beer:

Always very pleased when I get under the amount budgeted!

I will be aiming for £270 in November. This I think will be the lowest I can possibly go. I still have plenty of food in the cupboards & freezer, so I feel that I could have still spent less than I did. I didn't help that Tesco increased the price of Creamfields milk to £1.18 from 75p, however it is still the cheapest I can get it for 6 pints. I am going to got through everything I bought and see if I can drop a brand on any items. I do buy a lot of Tesco's items and not much branded stuff but we shall see, I am determined to get it below £270 for November. I may just need to plan a little more carefully. Also it has been half term, which means I have spent more as the kids have been here for lunch. I may have a use it up month. I am sure there are things lurking at the back of the cupboards that need to be used up!

It will be a NSD for me today until monday which should mean I will have had 16/31 NSD's this month. I still feel I could increase this!

Lunches at home have been very sucessful this month. 30/31:T Only exception was when I went out for lunch with the mums from school last week.

I am aiming for 29/30 for November. This makes a huge difference to my spending!

All in all, a fab month!

hypno06

Great tips above, JD!

And well done on being under budget this month. Here's to many more succesfully balanced months ahead :j

brummiebabe

Well done JD - looks like October was a successful month money wise!!! Excellent tips too!!

JAMIEDODGER

Morning:)

Another NSD yesterday taking me to 13/12. Have started to list some items on ebay again, as I would like to earn some more money for next month. DD needs a beavers jumper and any extra made will go to debt repayment. I would like to make about an extra £80 this month, so I need to get listing more items!

Will be having another NSD today, friend round with her kids for tea tonight, which will be lovely. Havent seen her for a few weeks so nice to catch up!

Have started tracking energy useage again as now I have changed to a new supplier I want to make sure I am paying as little as possible. I have been going around switching loads of things off again, I think I am driving the kids mad

JAMIEDODGER

14 NSD's in total so far this month, wont be spending again today or tomorrow so will be 16. Target smashed:D

My main focus is now my November budget. Have withdrawn cash from bank which will cover all things which need to be paid in cash over the month and have enveloped them, an idea i nicked from Hypno:D

Back to ebaying again, now have bids on all items I have listed so looking good to make that extra £80 in November, total bids so far £35:)

Have made some extra savings on normal monthly outgoings, my energy supplier has lowered my monthly amount by £18, so a large saving over the year, I am actually £70 in credit with old supplier as it stands and am waiting for final bills to come in to see the exact figure.

I also got a breakdown of my sky package and knocked off the HD saving me £10 per month, I am seriously considering removing movies after the new year, this could save me £16 per month.

These two changes have really eased the budget and will mean that little bit extra to debt repayment.

Have a good day everyone!

JAMIEDODGER

Morning:) Happy Halloween!

Ebay bids now up to £57:D Very pleased with this but still have plenty of time for it to go higher!

NSD yesterday so 15/12 now. Just today to go!

Kids all with their dads today so should be fairly quiet here. Can't believe that half term is nearly gone!

DS3 is on inset tomorrow but all the others are back to school.

Sorted out Halloween costume for DS3 as he is having a party at cubs tomorrow night. Will need to take a plate of party food so will need to go to the shops tomorrow.

Need to get all uniforms etc sorted today and ready for tomorrow so will be quite busy.

Off to make another cuppa and have a bit of a browse before kiddies wake up....