I spend on crap and it has to stop

bottleofred

A spending diary is the best way for you to go in this case. You can get a small notebook for less than £1 from the co-op. Record absolutely everything you buy in it and if you can't do this at the time, get a receipt and fill the details in the book later.

theoretica

Slightly similar to a spending diary- but can you look back at your statements for both card and account and see where your money has gone for the last few months? How much of that was really worth it?

chanie

Sounds a bit like me.

There has been some great advice on here. My new years resolution, was to keep a closer eye on my finances and reduce my overdraft. Here's what I'm doing.....

1) bought myself a diary and every time I spend, I write down what I bought and how much.

2) I give myself £100 a month 'pocket money' and once this has gone, its gone. When I get paid, I take out £100 - £40 for clothes (other treats) and £10 a week a 'purse money' for little bits and pieces. It was normally £15 a week, but I aim for £10, so that I have the extra for 'treats'.

3) Get a hobby. I used to go into town at the weekend and spend, whereas I have hobbies (knitting, crochet, growing my own veg) and this gives me something to do which I enjoy.

ab7167

Yes, I use cards for everything. Off the to of my head, I can easily spend £5-6 on food on the days I work (3 days a week), although I could take a pack up... Coffee and cakes and snacks out with the children on the 2 days don't work. Books.

I don't spoil the children with toys, nor do I spend money on clothes, shoes etc.

Not hard to see where £25 a weeks goes...

So plan of action now has to be

1./ I have £15 cash in my wallet. I'm owed £15 from a favour I did last week. I'm £420 o/d (authorised) and I owe £110 on my credit card. I've got a job to do for £30 but I'll need to spend £12 ish on supplies to complete

2./ I get paid on 28th. From then on, only cash, and a spending diary. And do a proper budget as well.

3./ off to find the SOA calculator.

It shouldn't take me too long if I'm disciplined, but realistically I need to cut my spending by £200 per month which sounds a lot...

Shoe_Gal

I've kept a spending diary on my MSE thread this month - and it has been eye-opening!

Good luck

ceejaydee23

Just on thursday me and my son had our treat for a lunch out, cost over £5 for the 2 of us and we only had a sarnie and "kids box" from morrisons, and to think id been doing that sometimes 2 or 3 times in a week! and for 1st time in ages we got a taxi back that was nearly £5 too, (the bus return would have been about £3ish) normally i wait til daughter finish school we get bus into town and then other half picks us up! but even then the bus fair would still have been about 1.80 single for me and about 75-80p for my daughter.

We had also started to use alot of money on takeaways! at about 12-20 a time! they bleeding mount up!

With the bank account i was using id even think well it wont leave my balance until 2 days later, so id even be spending money before it REACHED my account! Both debit and credit cards are spawns! But now i'm using an account that removes any debit card transaction from the balance straight away, so its not possible to spend what i don't have yet!

Good Luck, its takes some hard work, But it doesnt mean you have to give up EVERYTHING! just to watch where its going,

ab7167 wrote: »

Yes, I use cards for everything. Off the to of my head, I can easily spend £5-6 on food on the days I work (3 days a week), although I could take a pack up... Coffee and cakes and snacks out with the children on the 2 days don't work. Books.

I don't spoil the children with toys, nor do I spend money on clothes, shoes etc.

Not hard to see where £25 a weeks goes...

So plan of action now has to be

1./ I have £15 cash in my wallet. I'm owed £15 from a favour I did last week. I'm £420 o/d (authorised) and I owe £110 on my credit card. I've got a job to do for £30 but I'll need to spend £12 ish on supplies to complete

2./ I get paid on 28th. From then on, only cash, and a spending diary. And do a proper budget as well.

3./ off to find the SOA calculator.

It shouldn't take me too long if I'm disciplined, but realistically I need to cut my spending by £200 per month which sounds a lot...

bugslet

ab, you could be me!

i don't ahve a joint account, but I do have a business and that ticks fine, my spending - well yes, slightly schizophrenic.

I've recently managed to to reduce fritterings from £50.00 a week - magazines, choc, crisps, spare sandwich to £10 this week with the use of a diary and intend to cut that down further.

Good luck

CH27

ab7167 wrote: »

Yes, I use cards for everything. Off the to of my head, I can easily spend £5-6 on food on the days I work (3 days a week), although I could take a pack up... Coffee and cakes and snacks out with the children on the 2 days don't work. Books.

I don't spoil the children with toys, nor do I spend money on clothes, shoes etc.

Not hard to see where £25 a weeks goes...

So plan of action now has to be

1./ I have £15 cash in my wallet. I'm owed £15 from a favour I did last week. I'm £420 o/d (authorised) and I owe £110 on my credit card. I've got a job to do for £30 but I'll need to spend £12 ish on supplies to complete

2./ I get paid on 28th. From then on, only cash, and a spending diary. And do a proper budget as well.

3./ off to find the SOA calculator.

It shouldn't take me too long if I'm disciplined, but realistically I need to cut my spending by £200 per month which sounds a lot...

6 x 3 x 4 = £72 straight away

Byatt

I just wanted to say, well done for acknowledging you have a problem so early on. I am sure many of us started off "small" (I know I did)...and then it was like a runaway train. Can you tell your OH so he can support you? Also, can you write down how you are are feeling when you spend the money, even though you know it will make you overdrawn as you may see a connection?

ab7167

Hmm, looks like Mr T and the sandwich man are going to be losing out from me over the next weeks and months. We buy enough food that I could certainly make myself a packup, so will add that to my list of MUST DO's...

£72! And I'm allegedly good at maths!

Nothing like a reality check...

Have found an old diary as well, last years but I can still use.

I do eat out with the children more than I should, packups for all of us Fri-Mon I think. Stupid thing is DD loves picnics and would much prefer them to manky sandwiches... Now the weather is getting better as well it will be easier!