My savings journey

fairtrade

MaryMurphy wrote: »

Good work fairtrade! :T Hope you get something tasty

Special fried rice and crispy chilli beef should have been £4-84 paid £1-47 very tasty as well. Resisted the bottle of wine and bought grape juice so another saving there.

Another new name, welcome aboard - the more the merrier.:)

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello everyone and welcome shopgirl.

Well, today not been a great day. My poor husband got his exam results today and he has failed for the 2nd time. So he isnt a happy bunny. Saying that he has worked soo hard and the exams are not easy. He is on his finals of CIMA so giving him lots of hugs. Also means lots of study for next few weeks!! Boo hisss!!

We also saw on Rightmove that an identical flat to ours is on the market for less than what we paid for ours. Very painful!! We must save even harder.

Ok, well I am now in new credit card month (13th to 13th). I put all my usual spending on credit card instead of using cash, not only does it help me to see where have spent but also benefit from cashback. The actual cashback percentage is changing for the worse end of month! Poop!!

Last night enjoyed a "cheap as chips" meal at Pizza Express on Orange weds deal. Very nice and fairly cheap £10.10 pp (we had ice cream as an added treat!) Also walked into work saving £1.30 on underground charges. I normally cycle so not a big saving.

Also put my laptop on ebay. I now use hubby's and didnt need mine so hoping this will raise some desperately needed funds for the savings pot.

Hubby is wanting my attention, better go.

PS. Going to give the surveys sites you recommended a look too so thank you for that!!

Glad its friday tomorrow :j

shopgirl6035

Oh goodness a new credit card month, thats scary. Goodluck.

I have decided to work out a few goals. As Iam in Australia, you will have to bare with me in regards to amounts and what not. My aim is to save $6500 by Dec 2010, so only 5 months away, seems so close!

Iam also taking a holiday in Oct, so taking into account that, and also Christmas.

Over here we get a certain amount taken out of our pay into superannuation per month, so I dont really need to worry about that, I just need to focus on day to day living and cutting back on things I dont really NEED, its just more what I want.

My partner has just had a major knee operation, and over the next few weeks we have Dinners and Weddings where tickets have been paid for and just need to shop my wardrobe for outfits.

I also paid off my credit card this month! Yay. And cut it up, cancelled, its now gone from my life

Savings Total $2035/$6500. $4465 to save in 5 months. $893 minimum per month.

Keep the support flowing and I cant wait to hear more about your journey and adventures, as well as small hiccups about your journey. Makes its supportive for someone like me, just starting out.

Best wishes
EGC
x

fairtrade

Hello everyone.

Had my interview yesterday afternoon - thought it went well.
Will find out the news for good or ill on Tuesday 20/6.

MaryMurphy

Hi guys,

Good to see the "family" is growing!

@shopgirl6035 welcome aboard

I totally know what you mean, it's hard changing the habit of a lifetime! (RE spending money on unecessary stuff) so keep us posted with your progress, it's definitely helped me to have a venue where I can keep a log of my finances. Hope partner gets well soon.

Bad news about the failed exam clarissa62, hope it all works out when he re-sits. I am currently studying a OU as well and it's really hard work sometimes, I've kinda let things slip this month and my deadline is in the next two weeks so really need to get a move-on

& hope interview was succesful fairtrade Roll on next Thursday!

I know I've overspent this week (especially these last two days, and I still haven't bought party stuff for brother) so I am somewhat demoralised by that, as I was hoping I'd be able to put more money away at the end of the month - looking unlikely now.

Never mind, I've done pretty well so far, so I'm happy enough. Will see how much is left over once I get this weekend over and done with, as from then on I don't have anything else coming up really.

I am not entirely sure what's in my bank balance at the moment as I am in work and can't remember my online banking details, but I'll take a look when I get home. I'll be getting stuff for my brother this evening so at least then I'll know exactly what I have left.

OhhhhhHHhooOOOOOooooohhh I keep forgetting I am due to get £100 for the freelance work sometime today.

OK things are definitely not as bad as I thought

MMxx

MaryMurphy

I bought all of the food and party accessories and used up some vouchers I had so I am actually not out any money (the vouchers are all gone now though).

All I need to get now is a chocolate cake and drink, so I'll do that either during my lunch break or after work. And then, ready to party

Oh, and need to wrap the presents, but that shouldn't take long. Hope it all goes well, will report back.

MMx

edit: I have £150.00 in my bank account, plus the £100 cheque, which I'll lodge on Monday. I will try and spend no more than £30 (as a matter of fact, I'll try and spend a lot less than that!) but even if I have £100 left (excluding the cheque) it's still plenty.

I'll try and make some punch as well , I read somewhere here it's a great & cheap way to get alcoholic drinks on the go.

lk123_2

Hi there,

it is so inspiring to read your posts. I am really motivated to stick with my savings goal this time!

My aim is to save EUR 13000 by next July. I currently have EUR 3815.63 saved, so still a good bit to go!!!

In addition, I currently still have a loan in the value of EUR 2012.85. Paying off EUR 400 a month so should be cleared by end of January 2011.

I have been reading all the different threads and I have now set up 3 savings accounts (holiday, emergency, christmas) as well as Credit union savings account and investment account.

Although I luckily have a very good wage, all my money seems to disappear magically! I always put away a lot every month, but then need to raid my savings account to pay for holidays, special events etc. So splitting the savings into different pots should hopefully help.

I have set myself a food shopping budget of EUR 250 a month (this includes nappies and formula for the baby) and pocket money of EUR 100 for myself per month. Did up a menuplanner for the week to avoid running into the shops and buying more than necessary.

Pledged not to buy cosmetics or clothes. Have plenty of both to use up and hopefully motivate me to loose post baby weight to fit into them again.

Also planning on consuming less wine, should be a real calorie and money saver!

Any other tips out there on how I can curtail my spending???

Many thanks.

MaryMurphy

Hi lk123,

Welcome to MSE

I find having separate account for various things is a great help, so good work for getting that sorted.

I'd advise to start a spending diary and see where most of your money is going towards. It's usually the small things, e.g. coffee/tea, sweets etc so if you can see where your money is going it'll be an incentive to cut down.

If like me your willpower falters at times try not to cut too much down all in one go, rather start small (in my case, quit spending so much money on lunch food) and aim to improve each week or month, whenever you're ready.

As a bi-product of this process I've cut down massively on chocolate and didn't even realise!

Menu planner is also a good start (though I find keeping the varierty going and still sticking to a budget quite tricky, still need to get a good balance right - but like anything at least I am trying!)

Best of luck lk123, keep us posted
MMx

MaryMurphy

I have decided I'll not worry too much over getting a lot of booze, no point as you'll never please everyone plus a lot of them will bring their own stuff anyway.

So I'll get a 12 pack box of beer (with the brand my brother likes) and vodka for a vodka-cranberry punch (never made it before, will be an interesting attempt), and I'll raid our drinks cabinet at home to see if I can take anything (probably whiskey or something). I don't drink as much now so there's quite a bit there which will never be used.

Plus some soft drinks for non-alcohol drinking guests, the leftover lemonade from the punch and some coke zero, two bottles of each will do the job.

OK, feeling a bit stressed but it's all coming together. I have to work until 4.30 but as soon as I am out I'll get this last bit sorted, and then....... relax(-ish , I am also the cook for the evening :eek: but will worry about that when the time comes!)

Nothing else to report, bank balance is still £150 for now

MMx

fairtrade

MaryMurphy wrote: »

I am also the cook for the evening :eek: but will worry about that when the time comes

Rope someone else in to help you in the kitchen. Even if they are only there for moral support/chat - things will seem to go smoother and you will be under less stress.