Hard work now but hoping to lead to financial freedom

niftythrifty33

Iron the plain side on medium heat, don't use steam!

It does sound a bit organised, I just hope it lasts!

niftythrifty33

Well I haven't been very good at keep this diary up. A few times I've thought Oh I better update my diary as that was a good or bad decision.

We went away last weekend and my DH is the WORST at shopping, no, not the typical man! I get bored after about half an hour whereas he will just shop ALL day...and he did!!! He had saved some tips from work and we had a bit of cash for Christmas. Though the weekend did cost us a bit.

I have been good at doing meals from the planner and went to Tesco for 1st time this year yesterday. I spent £30 but when I got to the car realised they'd charged full price for 2 half price items so got £10 back as they double the difference

I have helped the kids with their CV's and really hoping they can get a sat job soon but its really difficult round here as not much choice.

I'm going to do the budget for the year today and I know I will have to increase it as last years wasn't enough put by each month. I'm still aiming to get as much paid off the CC by June when it runs out as the less we swap over the less we get charged transfer fee.

niftythrifty33

For some reason I haven't been as keen to start the budget thing going this year, last year I had it all sorted on 1st Jan. All I've done this year is look at it and make a spreadsheet list of savings pots but I still can't work out how much to put in each one. Last year our clothes budget wasn't enough and we went over by loads.

I worked out yesterday that we have spent just over £600 since 1st Jan :mad: this was not how I wanted to start the year. I have broken it down into whats gone where but haven't got the list to hand, but I think its something like this...

Diesel-£70
Food-£240
Clothes-£200
Cash-£40

I can't remember the rest? All in 19 days!!! I also thought I had been good using up all stuff in the freezer. All the family needed new underwear last week so I went to Peacocks, bought a cardigan for £12 then all the underwear came to £38!!!! I was so shocked at the till that now I've decided to take the cardigan back (I dont NEED it) and some socks and boxers back as they have some in Lidl. My DH says I'm being silly and if it's stuff we need, like underwear, then so be it, but I'm determined to save money. From analysing last years spending so much of our money goes on clothes, shoes, football kits, uniform etc etc. We are not extravagant with clothes and I usually only buy kids stuff when they need it, mostly same for me and DH. But realistically we are financially supporting 5 adults on 1.5 wages, its no wonder we're skint!!!

Have been picking up some great tips from the 'Diary' thread and will go back to using cash this week and use a seperate purse for food/shopping and write it all down again. Also NO MORE CLOTHES for as long as I can get away with it......

.....just remembered DS2 needs football boots

niftythrifty33

Well how typical is this...We've just about managed to get the OD paid off and be in credit by enough to cover the months DD's with about £300 spare, I was so excited as we are desperate for a new bed, I was either going to buy a bed or pay it off the credit card. Then car went for MOT last Friday and guess what... It cost £325 as the suspension had gone GGRRRR.

In one way it's good that we had the money, but in another way I was really looking forward to paying some money off. Also I STILL haven't done the budget, which means I haven't transferred this months money to savings for the multiple savings pots. I will do this today, then set it up as a DD like last year. But I know it will have to be a lot more than the £240 we were putting by each month last year as it definately wasn't enough.

Oh well, at least its all going in the right direction

natsplatnat

Hi Nifty!! I have just read through your diary and you are doing really well!

Gutting though when you have some pennies ear-marked for something and then WHAM, something uses them all up! But at least you had the money there to cover the MOT!

Look forward to seeing what your budgets will be like for this year!!

I would defnitely suggest that your children are old enough to make their own lunch - or at least help with the lunches on a rota basis!!

All the best and I will keep popping back! Nats x

niftythrifty33

Thanks Nats. I agree they are WELL old enough but to be fair, this week they have been taking it in turns to do them and I LOVE it. This is definitely the way forward!!

Still havent done the budget and its now 30th so unless I do it today or tomorrow I will have missed putting Januarys into savings pot. My trouble is, how much I want to put by for each thing each month is nothing like how much I realistically should put by. Ie. last year I put by £35 per month for clothes, over the year we had gone over that by £700. And we dont usually buy clothes unless we need them, but we had weddings/prom etc to buy for. This year I want to be a lot tighter about clothes. Though I find it really hard with the older two as ebay isnt very good when theyre older (and 6ft 2).

Right I'm determined to get the ebay stuff sold so will try and start tomorrow.

niftythrifty33

Just a quick update. I had started doing the daily challenge of what DFW things have you done today? but realise I will be rubbish at keeping it up so have decided to do it on here now and again...

Today I...
...had a sandwich at home before meeting friend for lunch so just had a pot of tea.
...Parked just outside town and walked in so no car parking ticket needed.
...Made kids sandwiches (yes I know they should be doing it!)
...Made beef casserole in slow cooker.
...Took £30 of stuff back to shop in town that I decided we really didn't need that I'd bought a week ago.
...Put heating on timed, whereas it was on constant before.
Oh and I dyed my hair, cost £5, saved £30...looks awful!!!

I finally worked out the budget that we need to put by each month and it comes to £345. I feel this is too much but I am basing the savings budget on last year and although we were putting £240 by each month it was no where near enough so I'm trying to be realistic. If anyone is interested at all I will give a breakdown of this and see what others think compared to their budgets? I'm going to transfer the 1st lot tonight, should have been done at beginning of month so will keep doing it a bit earlier each month into the savings acct. until it's back to the beginning of the month. Hope this makes sense?

Ok, not such a quick update

niftythrifty33

Well I've been a bit distracted lately from doing my diary but will get back into it now hopefully after reading some motivating other diaries...

Things are going well money wise, feeling quite in control. Have managed to use cash weekly for everything though last week after taking £160 out in cash, by the end of the week we had spent £240 with one thing and another!!

This week I will be very tough. Me and DH decided a few weeks ago that it's just a whole lot easier for the kids to have school dinners, so Ive had £40 changed into coins at the bank as I'm always running out of change. I was just so fed up of having to make little trips to the shop for sandwich stuff as it had been eaten early and not lasted the week.

Did a shop today, came to £78 which isnt too bad but means I have to do some baking as didn't buy biscuits or ANY junk!! I have a meal plan.

Oh just remembered DH is off to watch the footy tomorrow so will need about £60:mad: I will transfer that from the savings/budget pot.

This years monthly save (to budget acct) is £340 p/m I worked this out from last years spending but will still be tight. This should mean we have about £400 p/m spare to overpay stuff but will see if this actually happens!!

kirstypark

hello, just reading your diary as you had left a message in mine. I think you are doing very well considering your kids ages - these are the most expensive years. We only got sensible with money once both of ours left school and started paying for their own stuff and then began paying rent..it makes a huge differance. We went from being overdrawn all the time with always credit cards to pay off to suddenly having spare cash. So well done for having your lightbulb moment now. :j

I had better go and answer your post on my diary now...

niftythrifty33

Thanks Kirsty. Like you, we were young when we had our first mortgage and our kids, were 40 this year and kids are well and truly at the stage of costing us A LOT!! We don't give them pocket money but will chuck them a fiver now and then if they do some jobs (hmmm we wont go there). I'm hoping the older 2 will get jobs soon but its v. quiet where we live and not many jobs at all.

Thanks for your post and hopefully we can keep each other (and others on here) motivated.