New and scared but so determined

MuffinTops

freebyfifty wrote: »

Ahhhhhh thank you all for being lovely

I am feeling better today, much more like my usual self (which is a bit scary for you lot :rotfl:) I've still got a house like a midden but I have decided it can wait until the weekend when I have many plans which will probably not happen but at least the thoughts there!

PADed over another little bit to the horrible carp 1 card this morning and obsessed a bit over my spreadsheets - that always makes me feel better. I got a letter yesterday from one of my other credit card people yesterday which told me they were bringing my credit limit down a bit. Once upon a time it would have thrown me into a blind panic but now I really don't care. Less temptation and it saves me from having to make a phone call as I plan to ask them all to lower my limits at some point. I know what I'm like - there will come a day when I am skint and fed up and go on a splurge and if I ain't got the credit then I can't use the cards and will have to use my bank account. That'll stop me, being as how there is never a lot in the account

Managed another NSD yesterday. My new plan of trying to spend at weekends only seems to be working but I've only been doing it for two weeks so who knows if it'll continue So as its Saturday tomorrow that means a spendy day

So if it's Saturday tomorrow that means it must be Friday today (how clever am I????) I have that Friday feeling *wanders off in search of a crunchie* and no, it's never too early for chocolate

It's nice to hear how cheerful you sound today. Well done on maintaining your PADing again.

How do you manage to only spend at weekends? Do you have a daily budget you save for the weekend or do you just not spend anything and then do your weekly shop and other necessities at weekends and spend whatever is needed?

How was the crunchie? I'm craving a toffee crisp this morning! I wholly believe this is purely because it has rice krispies in it and it's breafast time!!!! Obviously there's milk in the chocolate too, so the perfect breakfast bar!!!! Oh I miss chocolate at the moment.

I tried to convince myself that I was allowed to eat anything I'd bathe in - which would definitely include chocolate! That justification minxie on my shoulder has a lot to answer for!

freebyfifty

It's Saturday - woo hoo :j and I have many plans most of which is housework and gardening

I am going to the local shops to pick up some bits and pieces to get me through the week without spending.

This is my new plan.

Apart from the big shop and diesel I am trying to be organised enough to get all the little bits I might need on a Saturday out of the £20 spending money I allocate each week to incidentals.
Then what's left out of that I allocate myself a little bit (last week it was £5) for my purse for anything not predicted that I might have to get during the week. I do the weekly spend challenge and it keeps me focused on whether I really need something or just want it.
Then if there is anything left out of my £20 I put into my new 'left overs purse'
Then at the end of the week if there is anything left out of my weekly spend challenge money, I put that in my 'left overs purse' (last week I spent nothing so my whole £5 has been put in there)
In my head (which is a strange scary place) that all makes sense.

For me, it's all about being more organised and knowing where my money is going and when it's not going anywhere making it go somewhere where it will make a difference to my future.

Phew *wipes brow* what a spiel that was and it doesn't make an ounce of sense

Well it took that long trying to write that in a coherent manner that I am now behind schedule. Will be back later x x x

coherent???? *scurries out coughing up the dictionary I appear to have swallowed*

Knitting_Nora

freebyfifty wrote: »

It's Saturday - woo hoo :j and I have many plans most of which is housework and gardening

I am going to the local shops to pick up some bits and pieces to get me through the week without spending.

This is my new plan.

Apart from the big shop and diesel I am trying to be organised enough to get all the little bits I might need on a Saturday out of the £20 spending money I allocate each week to incidentals.
Then what's left out of that I allocate myself a little bit (last week it was £5) for my purse for anything not predicted that I might have to get during the week. I do the weekly spend challenge and it keeps me focused on whether I really need something or just want it.
Then if there is anything left out of my £20 I put into my new 'left overs purse'
Then at the end of the week if there is anything left out of my weekly spend challenge money, I put that in my 'left overs purse' (last week I spent nothing so my whole £5 has been put in there)

Pure genius! *runs off to pinch yet another of Freeby's brilliant ideas*

freebyfifty

Good Morning

Missus Knitty, I'm not sure I'd call my idea genius but thank you very much *bows and enjoys the misplaced glory*

Here is where my money went yesterday

£1.84 - Post Office posting ebay parcels
£2.00 - Dog biscuits and 6 packs of the mint with the hole in the £1 shop
£3.00 - Christmas/birthday fund in the local jewellers
£7.24 - Shopping in F/foods on milk/bread/egg/breakfast cereal

= £14.08 :eek: £5.00 for rest of week = £19.08 :eek: 92p into dross jar = £20.00 :eek:

It's tight but I did it and hopefully because I might be organised :think: then my weekly spend challenge £5 may end up in my 'left overs purse' on Friday night :dance:

Managed to do very little else so I'll be a busy little bee today getting all those jobs done I was supposed to do yesterday.

firesidemaid

hello.

sounds like you are doing very well - i totally get your spends/pots/purses thingy;)

i haven't posted on here in a while, but i have been reading:D

after funding the car repair, we now have to fund a new roof:eek: not even going to attempt to say the amount required on here:eek:
so, i am really having to get off my butt to list lots on ebay. we are also stoping spending completely (obv not food lol) - it's the only way for the next few months.

am kicking myself regarding my Mr A's shopping tho - i MUST remember to purchase all the special offers separately otherwise i don't end up with my 10% difference coupon:mad: i'm normally in such a rush to get out of there and so happy to have made it to the till that i totally forget.

anyway. hope you have a great sunday x

Lemon_Tree

sounds like you've have a cunning plan there FF my friend, very technical but very cunning

MuffinTops

Great explanation, thank you freeby. I tend to work on a £10 a day budget but will put that aside to save for planned outings. I'm having dinner with a friend on Wednesday so need to hold some back for then (although he's more frugal than I am so he's a pleasure to go out with where I can be openly concerned about what I spend my money on with no judgement).

Your plan sounds really motivating. Especially if you have a £5 note in your purse which is psychologically difficult to "break" when you're trying to be more financially efficient.

I hope you're having a lovely weekend.

freebyfifty

Good Morning

Still not much happening in freeby's little part of the world at the moment, which I suppose is a good thing
Still managing to PAD a little to the Carp 1 card most days and I am now on the edge of my seat waiting for the e-statement to pop up in my emails. It'll be lovely to see a difference and I am hoping to pay less interest than I budgeted.
Still 2 weeks until payday :eek: and my money has to stretch quite a bit.
We are off to Disneyland Paris the weekend after next, which was a birthday/Christmas present to DD2 from my mum & dad. I am looking forward to it but dreading what it is going to cost in spending money :eek: I haven't even budgeted it in yet as I have no idea how much I am going to spend and I'm too scared to try Typically we go the weekend before payday and arrive back the day before payday :mad: I am not complaining though - it's a lovely gift from them.
I have smashed my NSD target this month and am feeling slightly smug about it. 31 days in January and (if today goes to plan) I will only have spent on 6 of them I like this feeling of controlling my money and my spending instead of it controlling me :T The only trouble is, I think now I really, really grudge spending any money at all and I am becoming quite mean and miserable. Spending money actually makes me feel unhappy instead of the euphoria I used to feel. DD2 needs new school trousers and I keep putting it off and putting it off - they're not terrible looking and will see her to Easter holidays (or so I keep telling myself) when I will buy them - honest
Went out and about yesterday and ended up in Asda where I was looking and he was spending, but as a few of my bits ended up in the trolley which he paid for, I decided to treat us both to a Maccy D's (which worked out cheaper than buying my few bits) but their 'fast food' turned out to be 'a very long wait' food so I complained and ended up with a meal and a full refund :T Maccy D'd and a few bits for nothing - Result!!!! I do have to cook a nice meal this weekend though as penance :rotfl: I think I can live with that.

Have a great Tuesday everyone and stay warm - it's baltic here and all the brass monkeys have gone into hiding!!!!!!

Knitting_Nora

*cartwheels in*

Good morning Missus!

Been meaning to ask how you're finding the PADing?

*handsprings back out again*

.........medic!

freebyfifty

Knitting_Nora wrote: »

*cartwheels in*

Good morning Missus!

Been meaning to ask how you're finding the PADing?

*handsprings back out again*

.........medic!

*staggers in*

*looks in Missus Knitty's direction with suspicion*

Why are you so bouncy??? What have you been up to??? I'm a little bit nervous now :eek:

I lurrrrvvvvveee PADing. It is very addictive. I have managed to make a payment every day (except weekends) since payday apart from one day when my account was nice and neat and I had no tidying up to do. It has only added up to roughly £30 more than the minimum payment but at least I am £30 closer to debt freedom:T

*crawls back out* It's been a long day