No more spending!

persian_star

SNM - looks like you're still doing well, and you made the weekly email! Just counting your spend and seeing where it goes is obviously impacting your spending tremendously, congratulations.

Totally agree about bottled water, I only buy it if I'm gasping and have no choice

At least you had decided in advance about the taxi and mentally budgeted for it, but I agree your compromise was a good one.

Re: Train fares - I don't know where you live but if it's in the six zones of London, get an Oyster card Pay As You Go. You only spend what you use, and the journeys cost less (mine would be £1.70 without, only £1.40 with. Every little helps!)

ShopaholicNoMore

Wish I'd walked there and back! Was a waste of money! Wasn't sure where I wsas going exactly but I was quicker walking! Still you live and learn!


Going shopping in Asda this evening. Aiming not to spend too much...wish me luck!

ThinkingOfLinking

northern_at_heart wrote: »

It's a great idea to do a spending diary, I'm sure it will be enlightening and really help you think about whether you *really* want to spend those odd £s here and there...

But be warned, it can be addictive! I decided to log everything I spent since 1 Jan 2010 (not kidding) - I'm just about managing to do it and some of the totals are pretty scary, particularly the clothes and shoes and the eating out categories (bit embarrassed about those...)

I would totally recommend it though, it's the only way to pin down those missing pounds! Good luck!

Same here. I keep it all noted down in my 1p M&S notebook.

ShopaholicNoMore

£16 in Asda...some of it on stuff for the house, including a multi pack of juice However I did spend the rest on ingredients for cakes for a coffee morning I'm organising on Friday. its for charity and it's a charity very close to my heart so it doesn't bother me at all...and I bought smart price flour, butter etc.

£36.10 so far this week.

thebuff1

Hi, I just discovered your thread and have enjoyed reading it especially the way that you have acted so promptly to some advice, good for you!
I am too much of a coward to write down my spending but admire your determination and will def do it myself..soon.
Anyhow, I want to say I loved having my wheelie bins cleaned, it took a company about 10 mins to do it and it took me at least 20 mins and was a real faff. I now have 3 bins and have not bothered it is on the list to do and I do not look forward to having to tackle it but I plan to borrow a pressure washer and drag them to the street to empty in the kerb drain.

My guilty pleasure is having our windows cleaned £6 every 6 weeks, ok we live in a bungalow but I do the insides myself and I figure why not provide local employment as for me it was one less job to do.

Since losing 2.5 stones 2 years ago, I dont drink often, dont smoke and figure that some vices should be kept! I adore excercise but have to force myself to do at least 1 dvd a week or it is £5-6 per class and no I don't enjoy any of the local gyms enough to commit to one and this way get to choose which classes and where to go.

Finally, one of the things that I learned when slimming is to meal plan. A couple of years ago we figured out that we spent and wasted less if we menu planned for the week and if we are really strict we can exist on our stocks. I try to do a biggish cook on a sun, maybe preparing a couple of dishes for freezing for later in week. I have snuck in meat replacements like quorn mince and the family are really enjoying them and I always try to have at least 1 fish meal and a couple of meat free meals. That way we have a mix of quick and longer dishes to suit activities and time in the week. Of course nothing is set in stone and some weeks it goes to pot and we say, lets go to the pub and eat!

Keep up the weight maintaining. I personally find maintaining harder than the weight loss but unless you have been there it seems hard to understand that. For me I say that I did not diet but that I watch my diet I need the discipline of a weekly weigh in and I go to the only national club that is a diet and excercise one thereby getting in a weekly 45 min aerobic session too which I feel represents good value for money.

Keep up the good work.

lizzie25

Hi

I love this thread - hope it will prompt me to do the same record keeping and find out where the money is disappearing to!! But please be careful with refilling the water bottles. I had one I had refilled 3 times - the one with a top you drink through - then I decided to put a bit of it in my drink of hot water and lemon juice to cool it down ..... a whole load of black mouldy gunge came out with it and if I had been just drinking I would have had no idea about that ...eeeuwww

ShopaholicNoMore

I'm just learning about these forums and have just discovered the "thanks" button...apologies for not thanking people earlier in the thread!!

I'm glad that my diary is helping people - I'm kind of using these first couple of weeks just to see where my money does go, sticking to the £100 thing- ideally I'd like to be spending less! Then hopefully I can plan an appropriate budget for different things and stick to it.

MissMills81

I have to say that I have really enjoyed reading your spending diary and it has inspired me to get my finger out and sort out my own bad spending habits!

I am terrible for paying with my debit card and
not keeping track, spending a fortune on non-essentials and
I may be guilty of having a few
credit card bills unopened stuffed in a drawer were I don't have
to look at them!!

Well done on taking charge and I look forward to following ur diary and
will hopefully make a start at tackiling my own spending
and mountain of debt

ShopaholicNoMore

Thursday - £13 - better than last week

Today I'm going to a friend's house for lunch...was hoping for a NSD but just discovered I've to take lunch Still it won't be much. Need to buy invites for a birthday party too. Still hopefully under £15. Will report back later!

penny_watcher.

Hi Shopaholicnomore, Im also new to the money saving thing, ive just got fed up of to much month left at the end of the money... its payday today so I have started by writing down everything we spend, im trying to get hubby on board, I really like the idea of being debt free and getting rid of the mortgage and the more we save on other things like groceries, the more we can pay off the mortgage, so im giving it a go too. I have tried the downshift challenge, where you go down a brand in the suppermarket and I must admit it has really made a difference to the shopping bills.

Im enjoying following your progress.