The journey starts here - don't stop believing

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Hi Kat well done on the pegs and the extra hours:j
We get paid at the end of the month, so my plan is to do the envelopes for April, i've done a school one this month and it's been great knowing i don't need to write cheques and pray!

The other thing i've wondered about is giving Dh and i pocket money too, on the same age = £per month as for the children?

I need to get a new washing line today so i can join you in tumble free life - problem will be avoiding the chocolate on the way as Tesco is our nearest place and that's 5 miles away:mad:

**Kat**_2

HA! I can never avoid chocolate! I really want to do the envelope thing, not sure DH is as keen. Really hope he is as I think it will help so much with sticking to a budget.

brizzledfw

Haven't used the 'physical' envelopes for a few years but we certainly work to individual budgets for agreed categories eg. Going out, groceries, travel etc etc. Really helps to see where you overspend, what you spend it on..oh I almost feel a pie chart coming on ;-)

Hope it helps. Getting my OH on board was a huge boost. We wouldn't be where we are today if we hadn't started to talk about our completely different approaches to money.. Best of luck!

**Kat**_2

Oh dear, we went further into the reserve it was by £23 and I could kick myself.

The envelopes are a must now. We are leaving enough in the account to pay all DDs etc, putting out food budget in one envelope, petrol in another and the rest is for everything else. We need to find the money in that to clear the reserve but we can't just leave it in the account in case we need it for work etc. We have agreed we will be very careful, tbh we should always work in cash as we spend cash less easily than card. I think it's physically seeing the money that does it.

**Kat**_2

PS will update sig when I can face it

skyvicky123

Hi Kat, just wanted to let you know that I have subscribed and will try and get through your diary from the start this avo and evening - hoping that as your situation is so similar to mine that I can pick up some tips, then hopefully we can both learn to start saying NO, now NO NO NO. Well that's todays practice in!

Woowoo

Hi Kat

You ok? x

skyvicky123

Right then ....that's me up to date with your diary.

Where to start?? Well first of all you are right we are so alike. Me and OH have cut down to one fag a day before and wre are much more comfortable with this than giving up altogether tbh. We have it as a treat at the end of a very long day with a nice cup of tea for me and Ovaltine for him...hmmm about 1 hour to wait!

God that Reserve is a noose around your neck isn't it. What absolute bastewards those Barclays lot are - with £72 per month of charges they have made it nigh on impossible to get out of! But you are doing really well so far!

We are doing the envelopes and it works quite well. I say we but I think you know like me that it takes one person to run things and it sounds like that is probably you (and me from here) You can shift stuff about but I try not to touch the bank account again - when it's gone it's gone. I have found that my mindset has changed so that it doens't even cross my mind to get more cash out (apart from at a certain time of the month when I seem to lose all control of my spending).

Been trying to skip the tumble dryer when I can - have an airer on my landing and open the window wide for a breeze! Used to only tumble everything (even in summer:embarasse

OMG - just seen this on the smiley list and just have to use it sorry! :EasterBun


Hopefully it will make you smile!

**Kat**_2

LOL!

Hey Woo I'm fine thanks - still haven't had the courage to update my sig to show the reserve going up was gutted, it was by £20 but it's the fact it's £2... rather than £1....

Envelope system is working well. Spent a fortune on Sunday for FIL birthday lunch but I had worked an extra shift in job 2 which paid the extra from my original budget so not too bad. He's had carp birthday presents since forever from us so it was nice for him to have the money spent (my mum and MIL birthday in the same month....)

Thanks for subscribing SkyVicky - hope I don't bore you too much we will beat this debt together lol x

Lemon_Tree

glad the envelope system is working for you Kat, I've put OH on the envelope money diet to try and stop him using his overdraft so much. Think i need to confiscate the cash card though for the savings account otherwise there will be nothing in there.