Hypno's "just for today" diary of rediscovery.

Pippajo

Blimey, I'm away from MSE for a short while and I come back to new windows and new plans.

Hope it works for you (even if only for a bit and then you find a new plan!)

taxi73

Good luck with the envelopes.
You are so good at budgetting ...I don't even have a budget yet..lol..let alone a plan...

Have a good day everyone x

hypno06

Blimey, this envelope thing had better work!

I have sat down with my diary, and my pile of envelopes for June/July and written on each one what it is for, how much, and the date.

So, for example "race training £5 23/6/10"

And I have tried to consider everything, including things like the work lottery syndicate so that I don't get caught out for money when I have forgotten, and have generally run out.

Problem is, that when you start taking everything into consideration, you realise where I have been falling down in the past, because generally half the stuff gets forgotten about, or I have been telling myself that it will come out of the grocery budget etc.

I have given myself £10 a week "spends".....this is something I would like to have but may be that it has to reduce, probably to £5 a week. I would like to have *something* there to cover the occasional coffee on my way to work, but it will also cover coffee with DD if we come into town, parking if we don't get the bus, and the inevitable contributions at work when someone has a baby/gets married etc. So I don't think £10 a week is excessive, and it would be lovely to have more, but at the mo the envelopes don't allow any more, and may demand a bit less!

I'm sure that more envelopes will be needed as more expected expenses come to mind, but I have made a start, and that will have to do for now!

Karmacat

Wow, Hypno - well done for sorting it. When will you be putting the money into them? It sounds really focussed.

Can I check something about WW? You said that your monthly pass runs out next Wednesday, and you're not going to renew - but you're still going to go to weigh in? Don't you have to pay for that, or have I misunderstood completely? Which I wouldn't put past me....:o

hypno06

KC, the envelopes have started today - I withdrew what was left in the bank from the cash machine on my way to work, and have done envelopes to cover things before payday which now have (a little) money in......and have empty envelopes with dates and required amounts on ready for payday on Wednesday.

Re WW - if you are at goal, or no more than 5lbs above it, you can weigh in for free.

Once you go above 5lbs over goal, you have to pay again, so it acts as a motivator to stay good!

Karmacat

Both of those sound really good, thank you! You've done so well on losing the weight, Hypno, I'm really impressed. When my life has a little more stability (i.e. when I've moved!) I need to do something about that. What I started yesterday, tho, was my walking round the block again, to get the blood pumping - and when I came back, I did some arm and back exercises I'll get there, wherever there is

se999

Hi Hypno,

Good news that WW will be free from now on. On the money front, might it be worth doing a spending diary to try and trace where odds and ends of money is vanishing too?

I've got to start a food diary again, as weight has plateaued, but at least now I think as myself as thin with a few pounds to lose, rather than fat with tons to lose, and know that at least some of the blubber that appeared to be superglued on can be shifted

Still househunting, so off to search rightmove yet again.

Hope everyone has a good day

taxi73

WOW..I'm impressed with all the envelopes already done and awaiting money..that's a good idea and pleased to see that you'll have enough to give yourself a treat.

saorsie

Just popping out of Lurkdom Hypno to post as once again something you have written has triggered a little thought process for me. Liking the sound of your '£10 per week spends' idea and thinking that I may adopt it myself. All my income is bank based and anything I spend is transferred out of it's appropriate budget online (bit like lots of little virtual envelopes if you will!) and I am very disciplined with managing this however it would be nice to have a little cash float, topped up each week that could just be spent without having to account for it The amount could vary depending on how much available surplus there is but never more than £10 as that then moves into planned spending territory which must be budgeted for. Anything left at the end of the pay month (say day before pay day) has to be transferred to savings and can't be carried over into the new month.

Am liking this more and more - thank you - rushes off back to Lurkdom, stopping off en-route to 'pay' self this weeks £10!

-s-

ETA: obviously spends will need to be kept in separate small purse so they don't get mixed up with accounted for money :eek:

mrs_robinson_3

Hi Hypno - fantastic you have your windows done - I wish I could come and clean them for you! You know how I love it.

On the envelopes, and am sure you know/do this already - but we seem to need so many for transporting random bits of paper and money to and from school - so since embracing the MSE way, I save all the return ones that come in the mail that I don't need - and just scribble on them. It's a small thing but makes me feel resourceful. But am easily pleased, admittedly.

Am sure you're still doing brilliantly financially - that total owed is just plummeting month on month - so here's hoping the envelope system will give you the peace of mind you need that you are managing, and have a system, just to get you over this final hump.....

Have a good rest of the day

Mrs R