do bugets really work

Debt_Free_Chick

lynzpower wrote:

hi hun

really the issue I think again is back to the food shopping. I know you have tried, but 320 is still an awful lot. I reckon there is at least a 70 saving there, and thats being generous with your shopping too

[whisper]Plus an extra £120 a month on "emergency" food shopping[/whisper]

:eek:

earwig

ok thanks everyone i shall do a list of what i have at home and put it on old style sometime today

earwig

ok food list done and posted on os

lynzpower

ok Ill head over

HazelEyes_3

earwig wrote:

thanks everyone i dont mind anyone hi jacking the thing is when i do a buget i always feel poor as every penny is taken but when i dont do one i seem to have mone why do i feel like this with money

Don't know if this will help but it works for me - and I think budgeting is a very personal thing so what works for some won't work for others.

I worked out a weekly cash budget which includes supermarket spending (food, toiletries, cleaning items etc), the lottery syndicate at work (only £1 a week and I couldn't bear it if I was the only one not in it and they won!) and a small allowance for "entertainment". I try very hard to have as many NO SPEND DAYS as I can and at the end of the week I empty my purse and put this money into my little "slush fund". Last week it was £1.60 though the week before it was almost £10 so it starts to mount up. Then I have a little fund for using when needed - and I feel like I have some money. Though as soon as it gets to a reasonable amount I pay it off a cc and start again.

macca64

Yes budgets do work, but take time to get right. I am not in debt, but use mine to budget how much I can afford to save each month.

With regards to you SOA, a few comments below;

aol 15 - Is this needed, can you get it cheaper from another provider? Maybe Sky, as they are doing free broadband.

sky 28 - Again is this needed - Have you called to cancel, if not you should be able to get a 25% discount for 12 months if you sign up for a 12 month contact, or get it half price for 3 months.

bt 15 - I assume this is phone calls? Look at the telephone board, you should be able to make drastic savings on phone calls by using overide providers such as 18185 etc.

HTH

Dolly_Smith

they do work but it's taken me a year to get it right. I now put away £21 for the MOT and car tax so I don't get hit with it all in one month (car service in the same month!)

Everything I pay for now I put away for it monthly - do standing orders for as much as possible and keep a rigid spreadsheet which is correct to the penny! It's the only way I get peace of mind - I used to open a letter from the bank and cry but now I know exactly what I've got (or not!) and my emotions are far more stable for it!!!

david_hellier

Hi. you may find it easier to budget weekly, it's pretty foolproof.

According to my calcs you have £192.70 per week to spend on anything including food. Not sure what type of pet you have but if this was excluded the figure rises to £215.78 per week.

I suggest you write £192 in a little note book on a Monday and keep track of what you spend by subtraction. Carry forward any you have over to the next week. Ignore your bank balance and stop using credit cards.

The figures are as follows;

income weekly monthly
self 1800.00
partner
ctc 193.00
cb 116.00





total 0.00 2109.00 divide by 4.33
£486.70

£486.70 total weekly income

spend weekly monthly
rent/mortgage 600.00
council tax 140.00
elec 35.00
gas 80.00
water 40.00
secured loans
TV licence 10.99
fines
dmp 80.00
house ins 7.00
car ins 23.00
aol 15.00
sky 28.00
cata 30.00
bt 15.00
phone 11.00
pay plan 59.00
pet 100.00












total 0.00 1273.99 divide by 4.33
£294.00

£294.00 total weekly spend

Start= income - spend = £192.70 per week