The quest for home!

iwantahome

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Determined_2b_Debt_Free

Hi IWAH! Welcome to diaryland

I don't know if this will work but this thread helps out people getting started and includes a link to an SOA tool etc https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/107280

I also found this incredibly helpful (I'm a bit addicted to it!) http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx

Not sure I'm the best person to advise what to pay off and what to save but there are some really clever bods on here that can I'm sure.

Here's to getting your own home in the very near future!! :beer:

iwantahome

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Determined_2b_Debt_Free

Great start! I'm no expert in cutting things down but I can definitely recommend going through cashback websites like Quidco when you need to make purchases such as insurance renewals, new mobile contract etc. It's amazing how much it can add up.

I have just set up several accounts for the following:

* Christmas account (xmas food, presents, xmas do's etc)
* Gift account (other gifts eg birthdays, new baby etc)
* Clothes account (includes work and leisure clothes and shoes)
* Health & Beauty (includes dentist, opticians, haircut etc)
* Car (maintenance, tax etc)
* House and garden (repairs to house or appliances, replacement of appliances etc)
* Holidays or breaks
* Savings
* and I will have a baby one when our little one arrives

It's my first month but very excited to be so organised and finally budgeting so the big expenses are spread out. I've got separate accounts and will transfer a particular amount to each one every month. If things get tight one month I can skip the holiday/breaks account or clothes etc as these aren't essential.

Enjoy getting organised! :j

beanielou

Good journey vibes for you,

iwantahome

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Determined_2b_Debt_Free

Hey IWAH :wave:

I have soooo many accounts now. Already had quite a few anyway but went to open my budgeting accounts on Saturday, she did say that she'd never opened quite that many before but didn't have a problem with it. I don't want cheque books or statements with any of them or anything, just little savings accounts that I can transfer money into and out of regularly.

We have:

1 x joint current account (DH has another separate a/c and so do I)
1 x Christmas account
1 x Health (and beauty) - dentist, opticians, haircut etc
1 x House - maintenance, appliance repairs/replacement, garden maintenance etc
1 x Gifts - birthdays, new babies, anniversaries etc
1 x Clothes - for us all (including work clothes) and shoes
1 x Car - car tax, MOT, car maintenance
1 x Holidays/Short Breaks
1 x Baby account (will also set up a baby savings account when he/she arrives)
2 x Misc savings accounts - one each to stick things like birthday money in so it doesn't get 'absorbed' into daily stuff.
2 x ISAs (I for DH and 1 for me) - this is our emergency fund that I need as my safety net

I hope that helps. Someone posted in my diary that they had 20 accounts and several people have mentioned they do this too so it must be pretty normal.... I honestly wished I'd done this AGES ago! It's making me feel quite organised to know money is being set aside for these things.

Great idea to ask around friends for things like make-up bags, I seem to accumulate these type of things all of the time, often they are freebies but are good bags that are too good to throw away. I used to be awful at Boots - I worked there at weekends and used to spend more than I earnt! :eek:

Hope you have fun with your friends (I'm down south too )

Determined_2b_Debt_Free

Forgot to say that someone I know has recently done the budgetting accounts thing with Natwest, they've given him debit cards for each one and have even printed what it's for (e.g. food account) on each card!! How cool is that!? I didn't think I needed cards as I'd need a mega purse for all those accounts but I thought that was pretty organised.

Moneytroubles_2

Hiya, just wanted to say welcome to the board, sorry to hear about your relationshi but good luck with your future. keep posting hun xxxx

ps, determined 2b debt free what is the natwest thing you are talking of? sounds really handy xxx

JoolzS

One thing you don't need is £3k for furniture, etc. Furniture is available very cheaply second hand or free via services such as freecycle. It might not be exactly what you want, but it'll work for a while.

The fact you think you need £3K of furniture for your new place means you need to do a little more thinking about how realistic you are about money.

Julie

iwantahome

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