Savings Log of a 26yr old on low pay

MoneyWaster2007

Ok, here is my notepad front page...



And the second page...



Whoah those pictures are huge!

Anyway, you get the jist of how I do my money - nice and simple.

ampersand - thankyou, some great suggestions there. not going to bother with sky tv, it's something I dont need and therefore a drain on my resources

Cash-Strapped.T32

MoneyWaster2007 wrote: »

ampersand - thankyou, some great suggestions there. not going to bother with sky tv, it's something I dont need and therefore a drain on my resources

You obviously have an internet connection, right?
If it's fast but expensive, it might be better to pick a cheaper, unlimited package, because even if you stick 100% legit, you can pretty much replace all of a "normal" person's TV viewing by using your already paid-for internet connection; I can't think of anything on sky that can't be replaced with a bit of ingenuity.
It's all money saving! :money:

Best of luck fella.

maxshanly

I noticed at the start of the thread that you use to pay towards petrol for your lift. Have you maybe thought about offering other people a lift to work? In theory, you could end up not having to pay for petrol at all.

mart.vader

On the download page of GNU Cash it warns you that its unstable - I'm currently using MoneyManagerEX as a simple personal accounts program - seems more straightforward

jimjames

mart.vader wrote: »

On the download page of GNU Cash it warns you that its unstable - I'm currently using MoneyManagerEX as a simple personal accounts program - seems more straightforward

there are several versions - you can test the trial "beta" versions that are unstable but at the top of the page is the latest stable version.

http://www.gnucash.org/download.phtml

I'll have a look at MoneyManager as I'm still looking for a suitable replacement for my 10 year old copy of MS Money!

rockitup

Savings_Dave wrote: »

Same here still using MS Money 2005 and that product was retired a few years ago...

I also use Excel (OpenOffice just as good) to calculate income / expenses and rough interest/incentives...also have graphs and percentages to see how well I'm doing each year saved ~£10,900 this year so far

Just in case any Microsoft Money users are interested a free version of "Microsoft Money Plus Sunset" is currently available to download from microsoft.com.

From what I have read, it doesn't interfere with UK versions/files of Money if you set up with a new file at the start. It is primarily based in US Dollars but all accounts can still be set with GBP as a currency.

Only help files available are with the programme (no support). I have downloaded this version but have not tried it out yet to see if there are many improvements. The download is only available for a limited time.

sveika

MoneyWaster2007, if you bank with Halifax and pay in £1000 a month you can get a free fiver every month. If you use a Halifax clarity credit card and spend £300 a month, you get another fiver.

Santander current account gives 5% gross (4% net) interest in the first year, you may want to take advantage of that as well, works out better than your easy access ISA account. Possibly you can even get £35 cashback and £100 switching incentive on top of that.

Nice young ladies do not exist in pubs alone. I consider myself as a young attractive lady (married though) and I never go clubbing. If you wish the other half to be a moneysaver rather than a moneywaster, better not to look for them in the pub in the first place.

Tobacco is really unnecessary and does you no good.

Not sure about your internet usage - I am perfectly happy with our plusnet internet (£5.99 per month and you can even possibly get cash back through certain sites) though you only have a free download allowance of 10GB per month for peak time (unlimited offpeak).

Mobile phones - try to use some cashback sites plus internet dealer, it's possible to get a mobile contract completely for free after redemption and cashback (may be able to make a small profit).

Grocery shopping - you can check the price from mysupermarket.com before you go shopping and you'll know exactly how much you'll be spending. Local markets may be cheaper than supermarkets. Our local shop sells 2ltr milk for only 69p. Farmfoods is also good for milk and bread. Making sandwiches is really easy and there is no excuse that you cannot be bothered to make yourself a sandwich.

I was very encouraged when I first started reading your posts but became a bit disappointed with more recent updates. I feel you could save a lot more if you didn't get the pay rise. Indeed you are enjoying life much more than before but it will really be very hard to save up anything if you continue allowing yourself to spend without strict discipline.

Will be very happy to see you coming back to the saving track soon!!:j

ampersand

maxshanly wrote: »

I noticed at the start of the thread that you use to pay towards petrol for your lift. Have you maybe thought about offering other people a lift to work? In theory, you could end up not having to pay for petrol at all.

###############
.......as already posted:
'Also, could you put up a lift/petrol share notice nearby - local shop/newsagent/free paper?'

I'm so glad you're not taking Sky - very good decision, but now I ride in, demon woman, with sveika, re: the dreaded baccy.
Please don't risk everything in this way. Let us go ahead some years, to that happy state you have found with The One[for She is surely there, believe me!]...and your health becomes an issue.
I speak with one person in mind right now, who is going through this, as is his family.
Please, Mw, stop now.

MoneyWaster2007

Thanks ampersand and sveika. I do wish I had never started smoking in the first place. And I am very sorry to hear about your friend's illness related to smoking.

I have made several countless attempts to stop smoking, all of which have failed. I've read the book The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr (and re-read it about 5 times), tried all sorts of things, but in the end I always go back to it. I am fully aware of the health risk and the amount of money I am needlessly wasting, but it is just something that seems to have a grip on me. The longest I stopped for was 12 weeks until I was out in the pub one night during the summer. Everyone was outside as the weather was nice and they were all puffing away like chimneys. So it was a weak moment and I had one cigarrette and then bought a 20 deck. 'Stop going to the pub then' I hear you thinking, but that is all I have as my social life, work sucks and when it gets to the weekend I just want to let my hair down with a few beers, which of course goes hand in hand with smoking. It's just got to the point where I have not even considered attempting to stop again because I see no point in beginning something which will fail, it is mentally draining when I fail an attempt. It feels like an impossibilty. I don't know why but I just cannot stop permanently.

Aside from the smoking issue, I am now being very strict with my spending. I am making packed lunches for work religiously, cooking my tea's, buying things on offer etc. Just the other day I bought some Asda homebrand coleslaw for 20p - what a bargain. And yesterday I got some juice for 60p, also Asdas home brand.

I need to find a girl and as ampersand mentioned, they are not all in the pubs, but that is the only time I get to interact with women; where I work it is male dominated. When I get home I just do my chores and relax on my own by watching tv, playing on xbox360, going on internet etc. The only time I see my mates is if I go out drinking.

I stayed in all last weekend and will be doing the same this weekend to try to bump up my surplus as I have some work that needs doing on the car at the end of this month. Just want the car sorted so that I can get back to saving. Not been this low on my savings since this time last year.

Was able to save so much more when I lived with my mum and dad and had no car. But having my own independance is worth the price, as is having a car. Just want to get back in gear and get saving.

Need to ask people I give a lift to work for some petrol money, will do that tomorrow, should knock at least £5 off my weekly petrol expenditure.

Binge drinking is another thing I need to cut out. It does me no good. I wake up feeling terrible and that feeling lasts 2 days now, must be getting old! Not to mention the money wasted down the toilet.

ampersand

Hello mw -

Just re-read Thread from start and thanked peeps[didn't realise I hadn't]

I feel as though your post 142 is a privilege to read. You have written strongly and unflinchingly of yourself in a way that many never reach - and you had no need to do so here.
Thankyou - it reflects deeper credit on you than even that merited so far.

I don't know if a Wine Bar, as opposed to a pub, is on offer near you. [Maybe even they have changed, too.]

The response that your smoking/vicious circle/entrapment conveys is key and you have written so powerfully and well about this and binge drinking.

Is it too obvious to take the scenario a step further and suggest that any girl you met when in this state/situation is probably not going to be The One? THAT will be more likely, let's say, when your shopping trolleys clash or you make eye contact on footpath...one of the ordinaries of the day.

Is it too easy for someone much older than you to suggest that the smoking/drinking cycle is a failing substitute for She?

You DO need to ask your GP for help, or pointers to same, with patches. I believe this absolutely. As you feel yourself chalking up another day nico-free, you will feel better about the other things. Also, be assured, KISSING A SMOKER IS LIKE LICKING AN ASHTRAY - had a badge saying this years ago.

Have you looked at Approved Foods?
http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/

Could gather in a few other peeps to share - Mum, sister, their friends?

Do you walk out on a week-end morning to market for fruit and vegs? It would be a good thing to do, more normal meeting opportunities too - don't know if work is a problem here.

How long is it since you took yourself out of your area to somewhere/-thing/coast/watery place/forest? Have you done any camping?

Check your local Freecycle for all sorts of things, too.

Do something even once a month which is way out of anything you'd normally consider - free art shows, conservation helping days. You might be surprised by your Library, Museums too - they have vastly changed in the last ten years. Stay open to everything.

Consider a cheapo Channel hop - as foot passenger for the day - offers come in the tabloids often.

National Express/Stagecoach fares beat my petrol to London and back often - if I look a couple of weeks ahead, that's more than enough notice for a £5 rtn or much less. Subscribe here:
http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx

Each morning check the NEWSPAPER SUMMARY Thread for the day.

A closing out-of-box idea - have you any National Trust properties near you?
They are on a push for volunteers and right now I say SCREW UP INTO A BALL AND CHUCK AWAY any previous ideas you may have had about NT.. . .they will love you and you will be right up their street. I feel it in my bones - you could be outside/indoors/interacting with public or not...choice would be yours and NT membership would be free after 50hrs' volunteering too. I am fully aware of what I'm suggesting with these 'not my territory' ideas, but I think you're worth it. I think you need to go into areas where you'll find yourself surprised.

Now, I am not ignoring the funding aspect of some of these; they are easily afforded substitutes for the nights/binges that you even know in advance will end in self-loathing.

Right, will now go and throw my caf! back in the whizzbang box, my croissants aussi - wishing you a good day and a light heart. Thankyou again for your previous post - it is first-rate. Keep reminding yourself of this.

#####
After the big re-read, I'm wondering....would you consider Oz/mining? - big new beginnings and good pay and new life?
[Kiwi, moi - but I do know about this to a fair degree] Spend a bit of a night on these[there's loads more]:

http://www.jobs4mining.com/?gclid=CPGd2NfllaUCFdD-2AodDnBdOg

http://www.australia-mining.com/?G1

http://www.miningcareers.com/

http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/mining-jobs-in-australia.html

I think your soldering skills put you in with a good foot forward. Why do I have a gut feeling that this is the way....