Growing up and facing the debt burden

justajamjar

justajamjar wrote: »

Payday is on Friday and I have £37.10 for the rest of the week. I think that should be a relatively easy amount to use until Friday. I am looking to spend £700 (excl rent and monthly utility bills) before my next holiday on the 23rdDecember.

Things that will eat into my cash:
* The pub/going out
* London transport (£35 p/w on a ticket (£5 a day) or £6-8 on pay as you go for 5 days a week)
* Buying lunch and breakfast at work (typically £5 for lunch £3 for breakfast)

There are obviously others but the above are what I am most worried about.

Hoping that I can sell some stuff during the next few months to boos tthe income.

ARGH wrote a post which got deleted very annoying.

Keeping a diary keeps you honest and shows how I am not behaving how I should. I probably spent £200 during the week. This reminds me what a spend glut I can be.... The gym I joined cost me £69 for the next 3 months, dinner which I organised with a few mates was pricey I lost a bet and I took the train to work each day....

justajamjar

I will be honest and say I thought my initial amount was wrong when I subtracted all my payments this week off my total. I cant believe that I have reduced by £1300 in one month. (I paid off more as my halifax card went up) In the cold light of day it leave me £350 for everything until next month including bills and phone. I dont think I can only spend £350 in the month but will be interesting to see what I do end up spending.

So far it has been:
Take aways £14
Dinner out £30

I am off to a mates 30th am sure that another £20-£50 spent.

I am planning to cycle into work from Monday so the weekly saving of £35 will help immensely

Moneymash

Hey Jam,

It's good to see your balance coming down a huge amount so quickly, if you carry on you will clear the debt sooner than you expect.

Regarding the friend's present £20-£50 maybe a £50 original price reduced to £20 with some internet research, for a bargain, special offer, forward planning and prepartion is the key for reasonably priced presents.

justajamjar

We havent even hit the first of the month and I have already spent my income. To be fair a lot went on my cards which I know for next time is not the right way to go. I do however have £440 from the office for expenses returned. (about 300 of that leftover)

I have kept a budget and the following is how I spent my income:
Cards/Loan: 1694.5
Rent: 470
Entertainment/presents: 160
Dinners (incl creating lunches for the office): 20
Take aways: 35
Bills for the house: 96
Clothing: 102
Gym (swimming): 69 (3 months worth)
breakfast 2.26
lunch buying from officer area 3.75
Totals: 2639
Income was 2500 + 440 from last month paid back = 2940 leaving 301 for the month for food and fun and buying kit for skiing... whether I like it or not am on a budget of £11 a day.....

justajamjar

I had a nsd on mon until I bought a pizza and a NSD on tuesday which is great to see. TodayI was on course until I noticed my suit trousers were worn through... £102 for a new pair and I wont be buying my next suit from TM Lewin!!! This was followed by another takeaway pizza and a lock for gym which I didnt use...

I have swum twice since joining the gym so my membership cost is 34.5 a session compared to 3.5 - I do have just 80 days to rectify this equation.

I have cycled into work and back everyday so far and hence the need for food (rained mon and wed with tues being left over pizza) my diet is shocking, which I am fine with as the exercise has come back. I will fix the diet as soon as I get home before 9pm and can get decent food.

justajamjar

So the last few days have been good, however the unexpected expenses have hit hard! £102 for trousers as my others wore out. £35 for a new tube and tire for the puncture and £20 for broken squash strings. £150 out of my budget definitely not accounted for. Ahh well c'est la vie and I still have the rugby coming up to go watch in scotland!

Hugandroll

Blinking heck that's a lot for trousers! Was there no way you could have got cheaper ones to go with the jacket or would it have been too noticeable?

justajamjar

@hugandroll - suit trousers - for my suit. Cheaper than replacing the suit i can assure you.

justajamjar

Food is really stacking up against me when I look at my total spend so far... That said entertainment (going out etc) is more than food.

The puncture gods are punishing me, 2 punctures in 20km and thats after buying a new tire that was hard as nails....

managing to get some decent exercise in which is a great sign. Entered the london triathlon today, not much change from £100...

justajamjar

The expenses keep coming in and having had to buy some stuff for skiing its another £240 gone. At this rate I will be spending way more than my salary in the month.

The week has been good apart from that with very little spent during the week and entertainment today sponsored by the company which should be fun - I am off to see the rugby in about 5 minutes.