How to keep on track

rising_from_the_ashes

Animals - 2 cats & 1 dog so includes things like
Cats: litter @ £10/month (use a lot more in winter as the wee so & so's won't go out!), food @ £25/month
Dog: medication @ £10/month, food @ £15 month

Will have a look at the groceries section to see if I can cut this down a wee bit.

Other insurance is mortgage protection (took this out a while ago as work in the public sector and am a bit worried.....). Don't want to try to change as would mean another "lie in" period.

CT - yup correct & get discount. Gas/Elec - £62 for both (not sure how this breaks down so split in 1/2 - suspect gas will be the higher of the two). Year was up in Dec and this was the best one I could find.

You've hit it on the head - on paper I should have enough money left (and be able to get rid of my overdraft). Have started a new spending diary and will try to make sure I put EVERYTHING down this time.

Brummiebabe - thanks, will check out ING Direct as that sounds perfect!

missexcel

Hey Lililass, a good idea for you might be to take part in the NSD Challange (No Spend Day)
I'm the same as you, on paper I have enough to last but I always run out!
So by doing the NSD It makes me really concious of not spending - so far it's working!!

xx good luck

iwantahome

I think the bank account that advertised the money pots idea on tv a few years ago was Halifax. I'm not entirely sure if they still do this, but i'll be keeping a close eye on this thread as I want to do this for my savings too, it is a great idea.

iwantahome

oh forgot to add,

good luck on becoming debt free again.

rising_from_the_ashes

Ohhhh dear, I'm a total idiot... (hanging my head in shame)

I just rang my bank and, guess what, I can set up a savings account with pots with them .... can't believe it! (Didn't think they did this and doesn't appear in their "bumpf").

As I'm sure many of you will (hopefully) sympathise with, I hate phoning my bank and try to avoid doing so at all costs.

I was also offered a loan to clear my OD - which I've declined as based on the above figures, I really should be able to sort this out myself, probably quicker and hopefully cheaper.

So, if anyone else needs a savings account with multiple pots - Barclays do them (don't know if you need to be an existing customer or not).

Any other tips on how to stop spending so much gratefully appreciated!

rising_from_the_ashes

iwantahome wrote: »

oh forgot to add,

good luck on becoming debt free again.

Thank you!

I think it was such a relief being back in the black last year after many, many years of struggling to pay everything back (I even ended up selling my house to clear my debts at one point) that I think I've become a bit "lax" about things.

monday_blues

hi everyone, i have a bank account with Intelligent Finance, part of Halifax Group, online banking and they let you have "pots". I have 2 current accounts, within the one "plan" and am allowed up to 10 savings jars, all within the same plan too. You can call them what you want, re-name, move money around easily. You have cashcards for the current accounts, but not the savings jars, so if you want to lifft money from the savings, you just ttransfer the money into the current account. Very easy to work with. Hope this helps. Like you, I am trying to divide our money into separate amounts for xmas, holidays, pets, etc, but actual jars in the house make dipping into it all too easy !!!

Tixy

I never knew so many banks did these. I think maybe I need to change to one as well!

happycrafter_2

Hi

I am with Halifax and have an account for bills and one for other money that I can spend on food etc except this month I am taking out £250 food money and keeping in a different purse. I also have a car account cost £1 to open with no card (£10 to open with a card) but I can move money around easy enough if I need to do car tax etc. I then have a standing order (i think) that moves a set amount of money in to the car account for tax, MOT, repairs. I also have another account for my pharmacy fees and will be opening another for Christmas as soon as payday arrives.

In total I have/will have 5 accounts I will also have a asda card for putting money on for food at Christmas.

MFWannabe

Lloyds TSB let you do this aswell; i have about 6 different accounts.

Op; do you not have internet banking? Much easier than ringing the bank and you can check your accounts all the time