Wobbly Jellie looks for balance!

*Jellie*

Lois_E wrote: »

Seriously, good luck with learning some Amish/Quaker ideas for being frugal. I couldn't cope with their lifestyle, but there's much about it that's admirable.

I'm sure you could cope with the lifestyle of many uk quakers- lots of people on these boards would fit right in. They generally seek to live a simpler life within the modern world- make do and mend, recycle etc. Some try to dress more plainly and live a minimalist lifestyle.
Anyone else on here looking to live more simply/ frugally would probably enjoy finding out more. I certainly realised much of what I thought I knew was a misconception based on a historical image of quakers.
As you say they have many admirable ideas and concepts that make lots of sense.

sillyinthepast

Evening jellie. I love the Amish lifestyle one I admire so much. I would so love to be able to shut the world out and just live simply away from all of the technology etc. saying that I wouldn't have this forum then.... X x

*Jellie*

sillyinthepast wrote: »

Evening jellie. I love the Amish lifestyle one I admire so much. I would so love to be able to shut the world out and just live simply away from all of the technology etc. saying that I wouldn't have this forum then.... X x

I know exactly what you mean. I have made some moves to keep my technology use under control. When we go on holiday I shut off from Internet use. At work I try to only check my email at the start and end of the day. I'm making a big effort to be more mindful and cut down multi-tasking. When I am reading the forums I am just reading the forums not also watching tv/ working etc.
I wouldn't want to live without technology but I don't want it to rule my life either.

*Jellie*

Forgot to say yesterday that I changed my mobile phone tariff to save some cash- just need to be careful I don't go over my new lower limits?

Plans for today
1. Tidying craft stuff which is in a big preChristmas mess
2. Keep going with retrospective spreadsheet to analyse spending for last year and set targets for this
3. Continue house inventory and declutter in our bedroom

If the rain lets up I'd love to get a walk in too

*Jellie*

The spreadsheet of doom (expenditure for year) is finished for now! I can't find one bank statement so I had to make some assumptions for one month.

I actually feel better for doing it. My fears were that I had been massively overspending- actually I have been within my paypacket but not making the savings I need to meet our goals.

As part of the plan I am following I will be attempting to track every penny spent. As I have been making the spreadsheet of doom I have been working on spending categories that will be most helpful for me. I've colour coded them red for areas I'm trying to reduce spending a lot (like hobbies, books, clothes), orange for those where I am trying to reduce where possible (groceries, health related, toiletries etc) and green where I can't see I can make much saving (petrol and car expenses).

I am using a tracking app to record spends with the same categories and colour coding. I also have a credit card wallet in my bag which contains my debit cards I use for spending and then the different sections are for the different categories. I want to try and record the spending BEFORE I get to any tills (to hopefully reduce mistakes!) and then I will keep the receipt in the right section of the wallet.

I have also used the information of my spending over the last year to work out a budget and this is another reason to feel better! I looked at my average spend per month in each category and then tried to decide on a budget which is not too punitive. When I totalled it up for the year if I keep to it I would have exactly enough money spare in the offset to meet out goal.

Now the tough part. I need to stick to tracking spending and make sure I actually keep to the budget. If I start to slip please remind me that it has taken days to do a years worth of tracking.

Now I need to add some reminders to my home routines app to make sure I keep up with the tracking.

Managed to go for my walk too.

gallygirl

"Hangs head in shame". I am not worthy .That is seriously organised Jellie, well done .

*Jellie*

gallygirl wrote: »

"Hangs head in shame". I am not worthy .That is seriously organised Jellie, well done .

Coming from a fellow MFW who inspires me to keep going that has really lifted me up. Thanks for taking time to read and post GG.

The organisation won't last too long though- as soon as I get back to work it will start to slide

LavenderBees

Yes, well done, Jellie! Very impressed with your thought processes and effort to pull this together :T

Many thanks for the links, too. I'm off to read through them, shortly.

I needed a re-motivating kick up the bum to get me into 2013, in the right frame of mind, so have been reading a few MFW diaries to remind me of the huge effort we all have to put in, but the rewards are there for all to see.

"Just" got to keep going on going on :rotfl:

Good luck, Chuck! I wish you all the very best for 2013.

LB xx

*Jellie*

Thanks LB- I like getting my thinking onto 'paper' in here so I can look back and remember why I decided to make goals.

Happy new year to you and all my fellow MFWs and MSEs!
_party_

newgirly

Blimey, well done Jellie Happy new year to you too :beer: