Diary of a "Frugal Saver"

Frugal_Saver

I'm back again! Still not debt free but in a much better position to manage it now.

In the last month we have relocated and I've started a new job.

My new job is a £6k pay rise so it's going to help a great deal with paying off debts and I've already started saving money towards a deposit on buying a house.

My debt currently stands at £6,100, all of which is on credit card. Approximately 1/2 is at 0%. I'm just in the process of getting the rest of it put on a 0% balance transfer to another card so very soon all my debt should be 0%.

I had a bit of a difficult few months leading up to this and was at a point where I was having to put food and petrol on my CC but I can happily say I've not used the CC for 2 months now.

I'm hoping to find some time today to sort out a budget for the month, my outgoings are very low as we're currently staying with family but I've been a bit frivolous so I need to put a stop to that now.

Verbatim

Congratulations on the new job! And with a plan for getting the rest of your debt onto 0% cards.
How is the situation with your oh?

Frugal_Saver

Hello again.

Thanks, things with OH are much better now, he has also started a new job which is also a much bigger salary than what he was on. We're looking forward to spending a lot more time together as a family.

Ever_the_Optimist

I've read your diary from start to finish and just want to add my support for what you're doing. It does seem like you have to carry the bulk of the responsibility in your relationship. It's hard always having to be the grown up!

Verbatim

Glad to hear things are much improved. That's great.

Frugal_Saver

My debt of £6,000 is now all at 0% and for the first time in my life I have savings to use for emergencies. I feel so much better for not having to worry about money so much.

Last night I was having a play around with my budget. My CCs are both at 0%, I'm thinking that I might start paying closer to the minimum payments and putting extra in my savings account. Then when the 0% deals end I can pay a large chunk off with my savings and/or find another 0%. It will also depend on whether I'm any closer to buying a place of our own.

Still not got our own place but hoping that will happen soon, just waiting for the right place to come up for rent. The longer we stay here the less money we're spending on bills but I really miss having my own place.

Frugal_Saver

Not long til payday and I'm looking forward to making payments on my credit cards, how sad am I!

Hoping to stick to a more realistic budget next month, didn't get into further debt this month but I did spend some money I hoped to save.

Started getting back into surveys recently which should help towards Christmas. Nearly got enough to cash out £25 amazon voucher. If I can keep going at the rate I'm doing them just now I should be able to get an extra £25 a month just from surveys.

Frugal_Saver

Payday tomorrow. It's the first month I've got childcare vouchers and pension payments set up so I'm waiting to see how much I'm left with before setting budgets.

I've opened an account with a credit union and set up a direct debit of £50 a month. Hoping to save the money for car insurance when it comes up for renewal next year to save money rather than paying monthly.

Nearly managed a NSD today but was having a bad afternoon with excel constantly crashing on me so I took 5 mins out and bought myself a chocolate bar from the vending machine. If I had realised at the time it would have been my only spend I would like to think I wouldn't have got it but I'm not convinced.

Looking forward to sorting out finances in the morning, how sad am I!

Frugal_Saver

Argh! Got my dates wrong, it's tomorrow I get paid. Must have got confused as it's OH who gets paid today.

Hoping for a NSD today, I'm going to prepare my lunch shortly and will try and pack an extra snack for the afternoon so I'm not tempted to use the vending machine like yesterday.

Frugal_Saver

Wahoo, payday! Have a rough budget for the month, it's the first time I've ever done this and I don't have any major bills so I don't know how it's going to work out but this is my plan:

Wages: £1,500.00
Bus Fare: £50.00
Credit Card: £100.00
Car Tax: £12.68
Car Insurance: £44.29
EE: £22.55
B/A Fee: £10.00
Total: £239.52
Savings: £500.00
Money for Presents etc: £200.00
Weekly Spending Money: £115.12
Buffer: £100.00

Already spent £12.00 this evening on small supermarket shop, lunch sorted for tomorrow and snacks for the next few days.

Tomorrow my only spend should be my bus pass and some rolls for lunch the following day. If I'm lucky I should be able to get them reduced.