Trying to sort a budget out and work how much money I have

top_drawer_2

hi,

I am starting to get my life into order and think its about time I sorted out my OD currently running at around £1500 (I avoid checking my account as it depresses me).

I have been on the frugal thread ince the beginning of the year and am confident I am living at the baseline (with the odd jump here and there!). But I have never been able to cope with actually looking at the numbers and working out a budget so this afternoon I have actually sat down and done somthing towards it.

This is it -

Rent/Bills (all included) £280 per month

Food £60 a month/£15 per week (would like to cut this down)

Guinea pigs £20 a month/£5 a week

Birthday's £145 at a minimum (allowing £15 for parents x3, sisters x2, BIL x1, nephew x1, single friend I buy for and £10 for additional cards throughout the year).

Christmas £145 (same again)

Travel allowance £7 (£5 to weekly class and 2 journeys, can walk so allow this so that I can choose when I actually use them or save the money).

Homey type things - squat all yet!

Cosemetics - £25 a month minimum (have cut down but cheaper to buy the products than make own and buy ingrediants).

Milkman - averaging around £15/2= £7.50

Window cleaner - could be got rid of as not sure he actually does the windows but always seems to remember to collect ;( £5/3 a month

Hobbies - Sewing classes £17 per session x 7/8 week blocks (not sure on how many per year)
Pilates (not 100% on this being classed as a hobby as its actually to help my back and is recommended by Dr) £49 per 7 sessions.
Gardening £5 a week (should reap rewards in feeding the GP's and myself too)

Clothes - nothing as yet

Socialising - nothing yet

I earn £153 a week.

Thanks for any advice

Geebee

Hi Top_drawer... I'm hopeless at this kind of thing but... is the milkman necessary?. Milk from a supermarket is loads cheaper, maybe thats not an option though?.

Maybe cutting down on gift buying a little bit, give homemade gifts if possible?.

Cosmetics at £25 is a bit high too, can this not be reduced a little?.

Sewing is a payment that could actually make/save money in the long run, but is that your intention or is it purely a hobby?.

I'm sure other people can advise more on this, and also ask you to do a SOA using this link....
http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

Good luck!.

GB

top_drawer_2

Geebee wrote: »

Hi Top_drawer... I'm hopeless at this kind of thing but... is the milkman necessary?. Milk from a supermarket is loads cheaper, maybe thats not an option though?.

It is, but its the same price at the corner shop but I worked out that it wasn't that much less expensive .... we get 1 pint x4 a week and share it between two, the bills have been around the £15 a month mark. Do you think this is expensive? Milk seemed to be around £1.30 for 4pints/litre last time I bought it from a shop.

Maybe cutting down on gift buying a little bit, give homemade gifts if possible?

Again it is, but I struggle to find anything (patterns etc) which I feel happy giving (and will be appreciated). So much of it just looks "homemade" or unsuitable.

Cosmetics at £25 is a bit high too, can this not be reduced a little?

This is a month and I buy a Lu$h facewash £7ish, moisturiser £10ish and a eyebrow pencil (I never grew my eyebrows back after suffering anxiety).

Sewing is a payment that could actually make/save money in the long run, but is that your intention or is it purely a hobby?

I love sewing and I make clothes (all my "best" clothes are homemade) and furnishings (currently doing out my bedroom) so I do kind of save here and I would love to make a job out of it.

I'm sure other people can advise more on this, and also ask you to do a SOA using this link....
http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html


Good luck!.

GB

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top_drawer_2

my budget spreadsheet.......




Is there a way of "joining" the cells so that I can multiply whatever is in cells B by whatever is in cell C?

elfen

yup, it should be =cellB*cellC ... e.g. =B12*C12

theoretica

4 pints of milk a week x 52 = 208 pints
£15 a month x 12 = £180
so you are paying 87p a pint. I would rather pay 130p for 4 pints.

MrsTinks

£25 a month on costmetics... yes that is high... sorry. Eyebrow pencil - try a cheaper one. Face treat thingy - make your own and stop buying lush - nice and when you up your income you can start buying them again - £10 moisturiser a month... really? wow... either do without or buy a cheaper one.

Is there any way of upping your income? can you get more bar work?

top_drawer_2

theoretica wrote: »

4 pints of milk a week x 52 = 208 pints
£15 a month x 12 = £180
so you are paying 87p a pint. I would rather pay 130p for 4 pints.

The bill is split between two of us (houseshare), so far its only come to £15 once but otherwise its been nearer to £11. I will check with the milkman how much we are actually paying per pint and work it out properly. Part of the reason we have a milkman is because we share it and it makes it a lot easier if neigher of us has to remember to buy it.

I think I have way over estimated how often I buy these.... I can only find one mention of buying facewash in the past 8 weeks and none of face moisturiser and the eyebrow pencil I buy maybe once every 4 month-ish (at the absolute most). I will reduce it down to £15 and put shampoo/shower gel in that category too.

I can only depend on two nights of bar work but I am getting more than that atm what with people being on holiday and so on.

Jen

top_drawer_2

I just dont "get" how this works though .... I have estimated things but now how do I make it work through the week .... I keep a spend diary and am very fadious about updating it but how does it work in with the spreadsheet.

HappyMJ

Don't worry about the milk.. Around my way it's £2.10 for 4 pints delivered by Milk and More. Tesco sells 4 pints for £1.53 but it would cost me more than £0.57 to go and collect it on a weekly basis. The supermarket is way too tempting for a choccie bar or a discounted sweet something I would not be tempted to buy if it's delivered.

PasturesNew

£25 is probably my lifet-time's spending on cosmetics ... and I'm old enough to be your mum.
You must have enough by now!