How much can you save?

Masomnia

Sorry to hear you're not feeling good about your saving this month, Lucy.

I know exactly where you're coming from, unfortunately. I treated myself in ages, and spent so much on uni stuff that I was way over budget for a while. Got my books balanced finally this week, and now gone and splurged on House on DVD... £25 for the new series, so not bad but not great. Bought other DVDs too, not expensive but it all adds up, bought fish and chips for dinner tonight. Plus bus fairs, lunches out, expensive food shops. Terrible!

If I keep up like this and save no extra on top of what my budget allows for, I'll have to cut my budget by at least £20 per week next year if I'm to make my target of £10,000 saved

Are you still keeping a spending diary Lucy? That's really helped me realize just how much I've spent.

Driving_Soon

Lucy and Mas, I feel your pain, At the moment I am trying so hard not to spend, but its so hard! I was with friends yesterday and we went to a cafe, and had a breakfast .. £8.50!!!! And it was not even that nice! My mum could of made better! and it would have been free! :P

Masomnia

Haha about your breakfast!

On the brightside, we're doing our bit to ease the impending recession

LucyTheDwarf

I'm still keeping my spending diary. I couldn't stop if I wanted to. Every time I make a purchase I jot it down, date, amount, method (cash/debit/credit card etc), category, details. I annoy the hell out of friends and family by constantly getting out my notebook when out. And then when I get home, I type it up, and update the figures on my P&L and balance sheet so I know how much profit I'm making in the month so far, and what I'm worth at any given time. I'm obsessed by it.

Food is horrible. You had fish n chips... I had McDonalds on Thursday night, kebab on Friday night, Saturday night (bf paid), and last night, and McDonalds this afternoon. It seems so cheap, £5 for a meal.... but when it's turning into a daily occurrence it really isn't cheap!!!

Masomnia, I challenge you: If you will try to cut your spending by £20 a week, I will try to spend £200 less than I have this month, in November. Deal? November is a new month, so I will stick to my budget. I will not treat myself uneccessarily. I will not buy any more CDs or clothes or make up or fast food. I will only buy what I have to. I must. And, I will go to the opticians, before I run someone over because I can't see them.

LucyTheDwarf

Don't mention breakfast! If I think about it too much I know I'll end up in a greasy spoon tomorrow morning, devouring the full works for £7-8.

Lokolo

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

Don't mention breakfast! If I think about it too much I know I'll end up in a greasy spoon tomorrow morning, devouring the full works for £7-8.

Every morning I make myself a bacon and egg sandwich - can't be healthy but its soooo nice.

LucyTheDwarf

And cheap. But I'm greedy. I do eat (cheap) breakfast - toast, porridge, cereals etc. But just thinking about bacon and eggs makes me want to buy some before work... I don't have time to cook them in the morning. Speaking of which, eight and a half hours until work, I'd better go sleep.

Night all!

Lokolo

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

And cheap. But I'm greedy. I do eat (cheap) breakfast - toast, porridge, cereals etc. But just thinking about bacon and eggs makes me want to buy some before work... I don't have time to cook them in the morning. Speaking of which, eight and a half hours until work, I'd better go sleep.

Night all!

Night!!!!

I am going to bed in a bit, up at 9. work til 1pm. drive down to soton (nice 3 hour drive!) to my mates house ready for interview at 8am on Wednesday morning urgh!

Masomnia

Night everyone! Of course I still have work to do... really need to sort out my procrastination issues.

Lucy, you're on! £20 less per week. I should be able to do it. The rent is so little here that my budget is really generous anyway. I should be able to cut down quite a bit, and hopefully more in later months Then at the end treat myself a little haha.

Wantosave

Hi All

I have enjoyed reading some of the previous posts. Agggghhhh! The trials and tribulations of saving, eh? Good for you Lucy with writing everything down although I agree with you, it can become a bit obsessive. I did have a little giggle about you needing to see an optician. I actually knew it was time to get my eyes tested when I could not see the boundary of the side of the road (:rotfl: True!!!!!!!!!!!) - then I knew it was time to go and get some glasses!

Well, I am holiday this week and I making the most of it (not trying to thinking about saving too much as I am on holiday). I am going to Cabots Circus shopping centre in Bristol this Friday to see what all the fuss is about but I shall only be window shopping (promise). However, thinking laterally here, if any of you should happen to be in the vincinity that day and would like to buy me a gift, I think I can handle that. I'll be wearing the pink carnation saver's badge!! lol

I want to go and see the new James Bond film too. Think 'Quantum of Solace' is a great title - I just wish Pierce Brosnan was the main man (sorry if I have offended any Daniel Craig followers there). Anyway I'm looking forward to all those special effects.

Oh, just remembered, if anyone shops in Poundland - they have some thermal relief pads which are self heating once taken out of the sealed packet and last up to 8 hours. You stick them on the inside of your clothes and I use them for my lower back as I get occasional lower back 'pain'. They are great and cost a pound for two pads.

Also bought all my toiletries there yesterday so I had some lovely smellies for me to prolong my time in the shower at my local health club (yes, I can still afford to go to the health club amidst all this aggressive saving of mine).

Scribe again....

See ya

Money Angel
:A