January's Big Financial Freeze!!!

nimbo

got another £10 voucher on the way for work clothes I'm not counting findlings (I confused myself as to what had been included and didn't want to double count) - as I am aiming to make £310 this month, and I count vouchers towards that (as long as I would have spent them any way e.g. books for uni vouchers for placement / work clothes, and luncheon vouchers to spend at supermarkets)....

another NSD as I am not going out other than to shovel the front path....

mayfair1985

Just a quick ponder whilst I was doing my sig this came to mind...

How do you all do your planned spends? This is my first month of doing this properly. What I did was took everything I knew we had coming up, and did a bit of guess work on how much we would need. The added a bit of a buffer on to it to account for anything unplanned. For example: I knew we had 2 birthdays coming up so that was a planned planned spend. But the something on one of the cars blew up that costs £30 quid to fix, so that was an unplanned but still came out of the planned budget.

Just looking back over the spending diary as we've gone over the planned spend budget. There's minimal on there that we could cut out as the things that have taken us over are like the car part mentioned above.

I'll do the same next month. I know the things we will definitely need to spend on, but I'll give us a buffer in case anything else pops up.

What do you all do?

karmachilovething

Oh, good question mayfair, I'd like to know that too.

I do something very similar to you: work out what is happening in the coming month and assigning a budget to each event. Not any more scientific than that I'm afraid!

his_missus

Yesterday was a NSD.

Today I must confess I bought another knitting mag for £2.50 as I seem to be able to kit better than I can crochet...just. It was probably worth it for the wool and crochet hook -I will try crochet again, I won't be beaten.

My turn this week to do the overtime, most is being paid as time in lieu which I don't mind really as I only get 25days hols + bank hols, a big shock to the system after having worked in schools for many years. Besides, they don't tax time off in lieu like paid overtime

Ninno820

Rookie error number one here - I forgot my pack up and milk for drinks! I am therefore confessing to a needless spend of £2.20 - and a lot more milk than I need this week!

Budget - I have worked out what I can afford each month and try to keep some spare to pay off the debts. In January, however, I ahve tried to stick to whatever was in my purse on 1st January - hence the strange total!

Oompa_Loompa_2

Bought lunch today - lack of preparation - bad me!!

£17.45 extra dosh/vouchers.

YORKSHIRELASS

mayfair1985 wrote: »

Just a quick ponder whilst I was doing my sig this came to mind...

How do you all do your planned spends? This is my first month of doing this properly. What I did was took everything I knew we had coming up, and did a bit of guess work on how much we would need. The added a bit of a buffer on to it to account for anything unplanned. For example: I knew we had 2 birthdays coming up so that was a planned planned spend. But the something on one of the cars blew up that costs £30 quid to fix, so that was an unplanned but still came out of the planned budget.

Just looking back over the spending diary as we've gone over the planned spend budget. There's minimal on there that we could cut out as the things that have taken us over are like the car part mentioned above.

I'll do the same next month. I know the things we will definitely need to spend on, but I'll give us a buffer in case anything else pops up.

What do you all do?

I allow myself £30 a week for extras. I am aiming for an emergency fund of £500 (havent got there yet though) which would cover unexpected car bills etc. The £30 is for things like car parking, things for the kids and odd bits of shopping that arent covered anywhere else. £30 isnt a huge amount but it works for me.

Have done quite well over the weekend. Its snowy so no incentive to go anywhere and I work from home so NSDs are fairly easy for me. Have made £35 on ebay, not an earth shattering amount but thats OK.

I need to get a couple of things from Boots, DS is really fussy about toothpaste and they dont sell it anywhere else locally. I may do an online order to save me picking up other stuff I dont need!

Learning2Budget

Hello!!
Well i hit NSD 16 and feeling very pleased. I am off into town tomorrow as i have a load of hmv vouchers so need to avoid everywhere else apart from boots cos also have vouchers for there. Hoping that will quell any urge to buy what idont need and i already have a list of what i need from boots.

My budget....i look at what is coming up e.g meal out for friends birthday, work out travel, meal and alcohol rough cost so say £30 then stick it in a kitty. I do this with all my planned spends then anything left over cos in my pig. It my new plan for the new year so its a work in progress. But am hoping that this leaves money untouched in the bank today towards debts and an emergency fund is starting in my pig.
L2B.x

Mancman86

February planning is going well - I have just received my wage slip and they forgot to pay me 5 hours overtime however this shouldn't cause a problem.
Looking at my budget for February I have a potential £110.70 available to spend per week - this is excessive and is after all bills have gone out - I intend to set the budget at a maximum of £50 per week (to include petrol) and will withdraw this and put in envelopes. And pause for breath.....

Me and the OH seem to spend more on food for the week - and seem to go over budget - preplanned budget is £50 for food a week but then if we pick things up mid week. I am going to suggest the envelope idea of withdrawing food money every week before shopping etc.
We are finding this quite handy to plan money :-
http://www.paperchase.co.uk/invt/00490613/
Lost 3kg since last tuesday which is about 6lb of my weight loss target :T

missyv30

Well this thread doesn't have go quick mind you i haven't been on for awhile. Been busy with work and kids and also swagbucks lol been ebaying as well. Will update properly tom but am on NSD 14 for today will try and catch up with posts.