A Thread for After Debt?

rising_from_the_ashes

Ohhhh Li can't believe how quickly the time has flown by!

Best of luck for Weds and look forward to hearing all about baby-Li!

Mort

I have been flying without a spreadsheet for a while now, might start again soon though when mortgage overpayments start and hard line budgeting starts again.

Good luck for tomorrow LianneH.

SOT2011

Yes - very best wishes for tomorrow Li, hope all goes swiftly and safely for you both x

I've a spreadsheet - sadly a bit neglected recently, but it has the basics - list of dds for each month, plus the calculation of what to transfer over each payday to the bills account to cover those.

Second sheet has the food receipts listed, and big red numbers where I go over budget again and again and again - somethin I need to tackle soon!!!! :eek:

A third sheet for petrol spends, generally (just) under budget each month

A fourth sheet for all the other spends, but this is the really neglected page with no updates since June! I know I've dipped into savings a little recently to cover the overspends and really need to rein it all in before I make too much of a dent.

A fifth sheet with savings balances and breakdowns of what that is meant to cover - very out of date

Hope everyone is well, I'm still a bit awol atm, rarely seem to get more than a minute to read, and none to post, but really want to be back soon as I know you guys all help me to stay on track.

I've sneaked a little free time now as the dog is having her haircut so taking 5 to chill, though won't be so chilled when I have to pay for it!! Hers is twice the price of mine !!!!!:eek::eek:

SOT xx

rising_from_the_ashes

*quickly flying in*

Having an :eek::eek::eek::eek: moment (or rather several) ....

Looking more & more likely I'll need to change the car for an automatic (foot is errrrr not great & new meds for pain control gave me the most horrific nightmares so I've had to come off them:()

Could possibly scrap together £500 towards the cost of changing but leaves me around £1,500 short ........ dread the thought but ...... may need to borrow the money:eek::eek::eek::eek: (could poss scrape that together but that's my tucked away & never touched redundancy threat fund & really don't want to do that or I'd be errrrr s*crewed if it does happen)

Thoughts welcomed.

determined_new_ms

Mort wrote: »

I have been flying without a spreadsheet for a while now, might start again soon though when mortgage overpayments start and hard line budgeting starts again.

Good luck for tomorrow LianneH.

:eek::eek::eek: the very thought! What fresh daily horror it would be not to know what I've got for what

I have a spread sheet - but confess I'm really poorly disciplined at updating. I've tried and tried and tried to do a spending diary but am useless at it. Start of with such enthusiasm and then errrrrr......

I am good at drawing up my planned budget each month and reconciling on pay day how much was in my bank but that's about it.

However my savings sheet I am top notch at. Each time I put in or take out I religiously update it.

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

*quickly flying in*

Having an :eek::eek::eek::eek: moment (or rather several) ....

Looking more & more likely I'll need to change the car for an automatic (foot is errrrr not great & new meds for pain control gave me the most horrific nightmares so I've had to come off them:()

Could possibly scrap together £500 towards the cost of changing but leaves me around £1,500 short ........ dread the thought but ...... may need to borrow the money:eek::eek::eek::eek: (could poss scrape that together but that's my tucked away & never touched redundancy threat fund & really don't want to do that or I'd be errrrr s*crewed if it does happen)

Thoughts welcomed.

honestly rising if it were me I would "borrow" it from myself and then set up repayments into this account, as you would a loan and not pay any interest. But that's me, you need to do what is best for you.

dreamdreamer

Could possibly scrap together £500 towards the cost of changing but leaves me around £1,500 short ........ dread the thought but ...... may need to borrow the money (could poss scrape that together but that's my tucked away & never touched redundancy threat fund & really don't want to do that or I'd be errrrr s*crewed if it does happen)

I wouldn't borrow the money if you have it in another fund. I'd borrow it from the redundancy fund and pay it back monthly like you would have paid back the credit, but without the interest.

I have a spread sheet - but confess I'm really poorly disciplined at updating. I've tried and tried and tried to do a spending diary but am useless at it. Start of with such enthusiasm and then errrrrr......

I am good at drawing up my planned budget each month and reconciling on pay day how much was in my bank but that's about it.

Me too! Lol. I've been lurking about on here for couple of days reading through all your fantastic spreadsheet ideas! You all put me to budgeting shame. Since becoming debt free I have dipped in and out of these boards but like most of you have been afraid of coming across as smug rather than helpful so have refrained from posting most of the time.

I have eased off on the budgeting, I have to say. I still have my little spreadsheet for my incomings/outgoings each month. I allow £500 a month for food, petrol, entertainment, clothes, any presents etc, and find that more than enough. The rest goes into savings (between £500 and £1300 a month dependent on overtime). I did have about £9k saved up a couple of months ago but we've just spent £4k on a holiday to Disney World next year (we're on a cheapy holiday to Portugal this year) which I literally cannot WAIT for, and then spent about £1k doing various essential work on the house.

No matter, I should have my £9k back by christmas, and as far as I'm concerned this is what my savings are for. I'm not a "stash it all away for a rainy day that might never come" kinda person, life's too short and you can't take it with you. I like to save so that when, on a whim, we decide we want to go to Disney World, we can! We're very fortunate that we both extremely secure jobs.

I'm also no good with the multiple accounts. All my savings are sat in one place. I'm going to have to start splitting it up soon. Ideally I'd like:

Maternity Fund (we won't start trying until there is about £5k in this to supplement having the full year off).
Holiday Fund
Present Fund
Emergency Fund

determined_new_ms

Its hard the thing about not sure where we belong at the moment! I cannot be on the MFW board as I don't have one (although we are going to look at a house today! - scary stuff!), so that's out for me, but maybe not for too long. I still am very frugal and look out for tips on how to keep my lifestyle as I want it for as little as possible. I have also built up quite a few "friends" on the DFW board - albeit of the cyber variety. I like that everyone is really genuine and kind to others and I try to give tips to others in the hope that my ideas can help another.

I do sometimes feel that as a DF (no longer a wannabe) people might think "what does she know" or "tis easy for her to say" but it wasn't easy to get to this point. I had years of debt, cutting back, the unexpected. I do acknowledge that I was "lucky" as we took hold of our finances when they were at £11K. I feel so sorry for people who find themselves way over their heads at £30k+ it must be overwhelming, it was for us at 11k and I couldn't even count the number of times either me or oh would come home to find the other one sobbing as a fresh disappointment had arisen (think unexpected bill/fine/having to say no to something we wanted to do and all of our friends were doing/having to face the guilt of the kids needing something and not having the money)

anyway enough musings for the day!

Spricklenickers

Afternoon all, newbie here *waves*
I am soooo nearly DF with just a few hundred to pay off my overdraft but im desperately trying to get my finances in order with a spreadsheet and i don't have the time or excel knowledge to set one up.....(builds up to asking for a favour )

Would any of you be prepared to upload a template of your sheet or PM me with details so I can start off on the right foot?

determined_new_ms

I'll send you mine but I think rising has an all singing all dancing one that others rave about all over the shop! I'll await her response

Spricklenickers

Thank you, that's very kind :-)