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Is anyone starting from scratch???
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Welcome KONG! Please do join us.
Another not bad month. I am holding off till new year before getting anything done so i can build up the pot a bit.
I have also decided to split the extra amount a bit and save this as mortgage overpayment. This can be kept in the bank (getting more interest than mortgage is costing at the mo) but is still there if needed.
I have also done quite well with any 'extra' amounts lately, this too goes towards mortgage overpaying. This is usually amounts I would have spent, but used a voucher for the difference or for example this month - not having to pay a monthly insurance amount.
I like the 1% idea with this. Check out the '100 ways to make your 1% thread'. You basically work out your debt, divide by 100, that is your 1%.
Money saving seasonal wishes to all!Back on the trains again!0 -
Happy new year to all money savers!
I jump into 2015 with a new signature and renewed with what I have learned in the last few months.
A sparse January may be up ahead but this is to do with a couple of essential spends. Dentist (for me) and vets (for the cat not me)!
I start 2015 in a good place though. I can finally start on getting things done for the home (money put aside for this).
This months task is get the electrician in to sort the bathroom light and extractor fan.
A day trip may beckon towards the end of the month (money put aside for it). As it cannot be too long without a day on the rails. My son will be 16 this month so I make the most of this time we spend together.
Yes money is earmarked for this as well!
money saving wishes to all!Back on the trains again!0 -
Cautiously heading towards the end of the month!
not bad! The extras that cropped up this month were swiftly dealt with.
A new hoover was required (money from my DIY fund), Bike repair needed (cleverly had put some monthly spending aside for this).
Son's birthday tea for the family was paid out of money not used for day out. We still went out but not where we had intended. His pressie was paid for by money already put aside.
The electrician has been and had a look into what needs doing for the bathroom extractor fan so I'm just awaiting a quote for this.
Money saving vibes to all!
Davenport xBack on the trains again!0 -
I must have been one of the only staff to have a basic amount in the wages this month, being office staff I am not required for bank holidays so just managed to make up my hours. Others will have had extra shifts and double pay for these.
It still seems that I expect to struggle during/towards the end of a month!
I categorize my monthly spend now which really helps. This is splitting my spend amount into things like household items/bike repair/clothes/emergency fund. Also allowing for any known expenditures at the beginning.
Half term beckons and I have the whole week off! Plus February is a lovely four week month and hours from January more than make up for this payday!
Hope it's going well for everyone else?Back on the trains again!0 -
Hi, I'd like to follow this thread if that's ok to keep me on track for my new round of starting from scratch savings. My DH and I have just said goodbye to all of our savings and said hello to our first mortgage!! So we are going to be starting from now.
I have a regular saving account with £200 in and my Isa currently has £100 in so that's our starting total for now. We will be saving a lot more after June this year as for the time being we have a lot of expenditure for the house etc so aiming to save between £150-£250 a month until then.
Glad to be rejoining MSE as I've been away all last year, things were hectic with house buying and the purchase of my beautiful Horse who as you can imagine made a BIG dent into our budget, but he's worth it!
Anyway will update as and when I get to save and hopefully see my total increasing for 2015!! :jRegular saver £200 Saving for emergency fund (£2000)
ISA £30 Saving for new clothes/ new laptop (£1000)0 -
Hi Saving_NOW, welcome - please do tag along and share your progress.
That's some expenditure with a mortgage and horse as well!
If your putting money aside then that is great too. A good habit to be in!Back on the trains again!0 -
Thanks for the welcome davenport151, Trying to get the balance between spending and saving is really hard sometimes isn't it? one thing that I am trying this year is to do batch cooking and It is amazing how much this has lowered our food budget not to mention time spent preparing meals through the week. Another money saving ploy I have tried for the first time is to open a regular saving account that is by post only as I find it so easy to just transfer money from my online savings accounts when tempted by some new (usually horse related) purchase haha, I have vowed to myself and DH that this year I am spending NO more money on that animal apart from the cost of keeping and feeding as I have all the gear I need for him, so I'm hoping this far away savings account will help me!! I see this thread has been quiet for a while lets hope some more "starting from scratchers" can join in. Hows it going for you?Regular saver £200 Saving for emergency fund (£2000)
ISA £30 Saving for new clothes/ new laptop (£1000)0 -
Hi Saving_NOW, yep it's been very quiet on here lately. The others have gone AWOL I believe!
Totally agree about the meal planning/batch cooking. I'm sure there is lots more I could do to get the budget down too. I do try, for example to see if I can substitute something if I run out of a certain item before venturing out to the shops. We have a supermarket a ten minute walk away that is a bit too convenient sometimes!Back on the trains again!0 -
Hello is this a good time to join? My name is savingwannabe I used to be on here a long time ago when I was saving for a new extension. Now I think I will save for a new kitchen. So far I have one hundred pounds in my Christmas fund (I would like £500 for Christmas presents and Christmas food and also birthday presents) anything left over will be my kitchen fund.
I am on half term hols and have just renewed my passport (well I posted it off) and when it comes back I am going to change my bank for one that pays a reward!. Dead excited.
We are waiting to hear about redundancies at work so am keeping fingers crossed. Having said that we shouldn't hear till May June hopefully.
I work part time (as am ill) and earn £1638.
Mortgage £750
Bills £350
Christmas and kitchen fund £50 (am hoping to increase this) Currently I have 100 saved up for presents.
Credit Card £120-200 depends how naughty I've been
Food £120
Cash anything left over ( I tend to waste a fair bit but some goes on taxis as I can be immobile depending on my health).Aiming for a minimal spend 20220 -
Hello, can I join you please? I am starting from £0 from today.
I am saving for something specific- a holiday to Disneyland Paris for my girls. For year I have been promising them that when they are 8 and 5 we will take them. Well that has crept up and come July I will have a year to fulfil my promise! I have checked out prices and looking at May 16 so have just over a year to save. I'm determined to do this:o
Our general finances are ok, we have a mortgage which is covered. I have an overdraft of 2k which I have sorted out a paying off solution so that will be gone in 2 years. Apart from that we are careful with money but it's definitely tight by the end of the month. We aren't extravagant so to save for this is a huge thingour normal holiday s usually a week camping in beautiful Dorset!
Sorry for waffling!!
Mimok x0
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