Makeup decides to stop making it up as she goes along and actually have a budget

makeup

Hello All!

Yet another shiny new 2011 diary.

I've not really done a diary before but feel like I should dip my toe in the sea of diaries.

I've been on MSE for a while and am a regular on various other folks diaries (big shout out to my SAID ladies (and gents))

About me, I'm 35, single and live in London. I work for local government so it won't be surprising when you hear that my job is likely to change a lot in the next few months. I'm in the frontline and hopeful of keeping a job (any job....) but you never know...I just keep my fingers crossed that there will be an agency job out there for me if the worst happens.

2010 was a big year for me, I bought a flat in July and it was such a huge relief to stop living in a rented shared flat.

I also went on a 4 week trip to Nepal in October which was truly amazing.

I also went for a job interview for a promotion just before Christmas and I'm waiting to hear the outcome. I'm quite torn as it would mean leaving my current office which I love and would also be the jump from a normal worker to becoming a manager which I think could be quite stressful!! However I'm ready for a challenge and would definitely love the extra money!!!

When I started my current job I got a big payrise of nearly £10k and this cleared my then debts.

I now have about £750 on my credit card (due to my holiday) and £2k to my parents (following my flat purchase). I also have something left of my student loan and this is due to finish in Feb 2012.

The things I spend my money on are socialising ( I love theatre, film, galleries, meals out, pubs and dancing!), holidays (I always have my next trip ready and waiting and I love planning my trips) and my flat (I have a new found obsession with interiors magazines and am trying to keep my interiors shopping under control).

I have realised that I really really need to do a budget which I really really dread. I can never keep to them and hate the restrictions of them. However, of course, I actually need to restrict my spending so that I can achieve my goals!

Anyway, enough waffling here, I'll post some financial stuff soon and look forward to seeing some of my old friends and meeting new ones on this journey! :beer:

Shoe_Gal

Hi makeup and happy diary! :j

My only tip about your budget is make it realistic and allow yourself to havre a life - said as the owner of several failed, too strict budgets

[Deleted User]

Happy New Diary Makeup
Good Luck with the job promotion.
I am like you - I make up a budget and am never able to stick to it!:eek:
2011 is my year to knuckle down and do just that, I have subscribed to this diary, I will hopefully be able to offer some moral support from one bugeteering wannabe to another
P
X

Lula-Hula

WoooHoooo makeup has diary,

Its a very stylish one too

You've been such a support to me that I hope I'll be able to offer something in return at some point.

Good luck with your plans & when it comes to budgets I agree with Shoe Gal about making them realistic.

Souk08

Lady I do love a good budget and mine have to include lots of fun stuff too so I'm with you. Happy New Diary!

urg123

Happy New Diary!

'subscribes'

Urg x x

makeup

Thanks everyone.

I've just spend the past hour reading through a thread that a virtual friend posted on here about some troubles at work and it has really made me count my blessings. I may complain about my job sometimes but I'm so lucky to have a great bunch of colleagues and for work to be a safe place for me.

I'll spend a bit of time working on my budget over the next few days and I'm sure you'll be able to chip in with some thoughts.

Agree about keeping the treats in, I can be a homebody but I do need to get out and about to keep myself sane!!

makeup

Well I've done a SOA

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned....................
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1800
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 350
Total monthly income.................... 2150
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 626
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 380
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 93
Electricity............................. 0
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 21
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 21
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 11.25
Groceries etc. ......................... 0
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 35
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1199.25

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 205000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 205000

Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 93000....(626)......7.8
Total secured & HP debts...... 93000.....-.........-
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Bank of Mum & Dad .............2000......0.........0
Mint card .....................748.......16........12
Total unsecured debts..........2748......16........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,150
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,199.25
Available for debt repayments........... 950.75
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 16
Amount left after debt repayments....... 934.75
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 205,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -93,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -2,748
Net Assets.............................. 109,252
Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.

I've left quite a bit blank, I've not allocated any money for food, presents, clothes, entertaining on purpose. I want to make a budget for them rather than using my old figure. I know I can be more efficient with meal-planning and also not buying lots of junk food so I can be healthy as well!

I also have no idea what my leccy bill is i moved in 6 mths ago and have realised while doing this that EDF have never contacted me ........

My heating and hot water comes from a communal boiler so won't get a bill for that for a month or so. Should think about allocating some cash for that too!

I've also realised that I'm not entirely sure what Plusnet charge me. It keeps changing and I keep getting confused. However at the time they were the cheapest option and I definitely quidco'd them.

I've nothing down for insurance as buildings is included in my rent / service charge and I paid up front for my contents insurance. However I should be saving something towards this so I can do the same when it is due for renewal.

I also have nothing for transport, I don't have a car and bike to work. I occasionnally need to buy bits and pieces like inner tubes or repairs.

I do use the public transport system as well as my bike for other travel and this varies greatly, sometimes I'll top my oyster with £20 and it'll last for several weeks, other times it goes in days. All depends if I stick to buses or hit the tubes.

So I think I need to work backwards. I have an extra £350 per month from my lodger but this will end in June so I would like to be DF by then as I won't have this extra cash. So I need to pay £333 each month to my parents and £125 towards my credit card.....

I'm now off to see if this is at all feasible!!!

Shoe_Gal

Here's to a fabulous 2011! :j

Happy New Year!

makeup

Well I had a fab New Years, I went out on NYE with a very good friend of mine and we had an excellent time. Spent too much (nearly £50 :eek::eek:) but we did save on some things, went to a cheap bar and I cooked dinner before we went out so we didn't end up getting a rubbish kebab or something. Plus my firend was nagging me to get a taxi home but there was no way I was having that with the tubes being free!!!! (plus the roads were closed so there were no taxis anyway.....)

I've got the flat cleaned (except my room which is the dumping ground....) and been thinking about my resolutions.

My first is to make all my presents this year.

First up in January are my Dad's birthday and one of my best friends. Then one of my friends is having a housewarming at the end of Jan.

In early Feb is my God-daughters first birthday and then another best mates b'day.

I think for my Dad some marmalade might be in order. In a book I've got they show you how to make a fancy kind of picture where you copy a photograph by sewing it onto thick paper. Sounds a bit odd but it looks good. I'm going to try that for my friend.

My mum does lots of knitting and I'm sure she'll have a good pattern for either a nice jumper or cardigan for my gd or perhaps a toy......

I really want to get into doing more craft stuff this year. I've borrowed a great needlework book off my Mum - it has all the embroidery stitches in it plus lots of other things. The book was published in 1948 but it is amazing....I think my mum got it when she was about 9!

In terms of moneymaking, I'm waiting to hear about the census job stuff and I'm really going to get onto the ebay bandwagon this year. I've ebayed a few bits in the past but need to do it properly now!

I do tasteradar for my fruit and veg and that has worked out ok although I'd like to go back to getting Abel & Cole deliver my boxes again.

I also do some surveys and need to be more diligent about doing them once they come in. I'm really good about doing the super-secret ones as they pay immediately. However I need to get back onto the Ipsos ones as they do pay out quite well. I gave up with Toluna - too frustrating and soooo slow at paying out (even an e-voucher took 8 weeks!)

I also do GFK and get regular vouchers from them. Harris are good as well and I got a £25 voucher from them not that long ago. They always pay even if you get screend out.

Tomorrow should be reasonably cheap, we're going to the V&A and I got discounted membership of them last year. However their cakes are expensive but yummy! I should also take care in the sale there....their stuff is sooo nice!

Lula-Hula

Thanks for mentioning your surveys - some I dont know of & am now off to google taste radar too

xx