Living life, loving life.......hypno's having a ball!

taxi73

hopefully I'll get brave one day I also think zumba looks fun but am un coordinated and too much of a wuss to do that as well

hypno06

I do zumba with DD sometimes - def more wobble than wiggle as far as I am concerned....but again, loads of people of all ages, sizes and levels of co-ordination!

Give it a go - if you don't like it, just don't go back!

taxi73

yes maybe..

hypno06

So....payday is here, another "financial" month survived, and time to start being brutal in order to survive the next 12 months.

I have put the bonus money to one side - this will cover mine and DS's season tickets when they come on sale next month, and there may be a very few £££ change, but nothing to get excited about. I am more than grateful for the bonus and the chance it gives me to have something that I can share with DS. We both love our matchdays and it is a real quality time thing that we can do. Also, as you are aware, it forms quite a big part of my social life too, with some very very good friends being part of that strand of life, that I would not want to give up.

I have put my essential mortgage/bills money aside, so they are covered. The account that those come out of will now not be touched for the month - the debit card that goes with it will be put out of reach, and other than checking online banking every day just to be safe, that account can look after itself.

I have worked out the things that I am committed to and don't want to give up. These are things like my cleaner, my counselling sessions, my haircuts/legwax, along with some of the other "cash" payments that I know I will need like weekly bus tickets, car parking, DS' football subs etc etc.

I have put £400 into a housekeeping account to cover food and petrol for the month. This is essentially £100 a week for the 3 of us, which should be fine, but of course requires focus so that we don't get carried away. I will do an inventory of the cupboards and freezer over the weekend and look to come in well under budget if I possibly can, to give myself some carry-over for the Christmas food that will have to come out of December's pay.

That leaves.....£184 as surplus.

This sounds a lot, but in reality is only £6.13 a day, and has to cover all social activities, football drinks, taxis, any girls' nights out, any cinema trips with the kids etc etc etc, plus any coffees and lunches that I may buy on a daily basis. It also has to cover my Christmas shopping :rotfl:So, as you can see, it is not very much to work with.

But it is *something* to work with - I would have loved to have been in this position a couple of years ago, so I am not knocking it at all. It does, however, show that I am still not exactly rolling in it.

All that it needs now, then, is for me to knuckle down and get on with it!

gallygirl

hypno06 wrote: »

I have worked out the things that I am committed to and don't want to give up. These are things like my cleaner, my counselling sessions, my haircuts/legwax

hypno06 wrote: »

I have put £400 into a housekeeping account to cover food and petrol for the month. This is essentially £100 a week for the 3 of us

You've come a long way missus :T:T:T:T:T:T

hypno06

gallygirl wrote: »

You've come a long way missus :T:T:T:T:T:T

Too right I have. And I am determined not to be heading back.

MrsMoo2U

Thanks for the burlesque class review. if there was anything like that around here I might just be phoning up to sign up but I have looked and Nada....... oh well, my sexiness will have to wait.

You really have come far and whilst £183 doesn't sound like a lot if you combine that with your legendary tescos voucher usage and other inventive ideas you will have great social life. Great that you can look forward to a whole season of football matches too. Knowing that, even if you dont have any money, you can still do the one thing that you and DS enjoy together has to be something worth looking forward to.

lionheartedgirl

I budget £150 as my leftover spends pile for me - always feels like a lot but it disappears so quickly once everything comes out. But it's guilt free and so I will settle for that!

Burlesque does sound good fun - glad you are enjoying it so much

I am a zumba fan too - went for the first time in ages last night and it was fab. It's amazing the variety of people that go, and as you say, the spectrum of fitness/co-ordination levels, even of people who go every week. There are 2 guys that go to mine regularly that really stand out for me, one of them has got to be 6 foot 4 and is not slim by any means, but my god he can shake it :j - any excuse to add his own salsa moves in and he takes it, I love his energy and passion The other one is distinctly 'older', his exercise kit has come out of the 80s and looks like he has a very dull desk job (*blushes and looks at the floor*), and he is so uncoordinated but he laughs, and he is there every week and loves it.

Hurrah for shaking it in whatever environment suits :cool:

mooomin

This month I got paid without overtime for the first time this year :eek: and after everything (all bills, loan, food, entertainment, car, Christmas) is accounted for it turns out I have £120 left for me, which is more than I initially thought! That is also my PAD money as well though so I probably spend only about half of that on things for me, but that's why I have a separate entertainment budget I suppose.

hypno06

My £183 does have to do all 3 of us though....it is not going to be easy when I am faced with a couple of quid here and there for the children on a regular basis!

So, one plan of attack is the use of the NSD. I have, essentially £6 a day available to me. If I don't spend it, then it can obviously carry over to another day where it will be a big help.

So, today, was my first NSD. Milk came out of the grocery budget, and DS football subs were already accounted for. But nothing else was spent.

That is the way forward.

And I can do this!