Psychology

full-time-mum

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

Lots of different budgets... am I the only one who borrows from one budget to make up for an overspend on another? Doesn't that defeat the point of budgets? lol

Not really as you still only spend a total amount and you then decide whether it is more important to buy one thing or the other rather than getting both.

Shineyhappy

Since my LBM I have stopped withdrawing 40-60 pounds in cash at a time. If I have a lot of cash in my purse it tends to get spent, where as if I only have a little I think of it as emergency cash so tend to leave it alone.

I think psychology does play a large part in becoming debt free and for people who succesfully save. I have to ask myself do I really really really need it?? Although I tend to try and think of it as making me richer and the company poorer when I have to talk myself into eating my slightly stale marmite sandwhich instead of going to M&S and getting one of their yummy advocado ones! I don't know if that makes sense.

Storm

Psychology, hmmm, well it works differently for all of us - I'm one of those who works far better with cash in my purse as it's 'real' to me in a way that using a debit card isn't. I've also found that since I joined Emily's challenge to clear one £1K debt in 2 months I've been a lot better in sticking to my budget - the psychological impact of paying off all the smaller debts first has definitely helped alot!

JenPup

Excellent idea for a thread! I have a bit of a peculiar one - I tend to take out all my spending money for the week in one go (about £40). If it comes in one £20 note and 2 £10 notes, I'm much more careful about spending the £10 notes than the £20 for some reason.

Also, whenever I get coins in my change, anything less than a 20p gets put in my coin pot straight away and I save the 2 pound coins. So I only really have one pound coins and 50 pence pieces in my purse change at any point. Is very surprising how quickly the small change mounts up.

Dotmatic

sammy115 wrote: »

Where do you get trolley tokens from. Because I don't like to carry money I am always lugging a basket round instead of getting a trolley.

I was given a charity one a few years ago and hadn't seen any in shops anywhere but recently I've noticed more and more shops having them, our local 'cheap shop' has them now too.

CAFCGirl

oooooooh I'm quite chuffed my thread got a mention.

I think pyschology plays a massive part in my efforts to become debt free as well as my shopping habits.

I'm now fully aware of eyes down for a bargain for example! Even explained the Great Banana/Loss Leader ploy invoked in supermarkets at the moment to a colleague.

Cutting up my credit cards was a great boost in my mental state because it removed temptation for me.
As well as my £2 on a tuesday plan, I also if I ever have to pay money in do it through an ATM. It takes two extra days to become available, by which time the "need/desire" to spend that extra has wained, and I've forgotten about it so dont then spend it.

All these things work differently for different people. I'm quite interested to hear what works for other folks, and sometimes it can cause me to re-think my plans.
As for trolleys etc, I always take a hand basket and before I go to the checkout I always try and put something back. Its always normally something I picked up close to the end, which I neither need nor truly want. Yesterday it was honey, because I didnt have any! lol

full-time-mum

newlywed wrote: »

I have finally got a trolley token for the same reason as you!!

However, I usually get a basket instead of getting a trolley - why? 1. I don't go to the gym any more so it's my weight lifting exercise. 2. I can't fit £90 worth of food into a basket and so have to think about what I am getting and put the impulse buys back!

I don't do baskets - have to watch my back - but do choose the shallow trolleys in preference to the large ones if I'm only planning a small shop!

skylight

I put everything 50p and under in our jar - its the holiday spending money and there is a lot in it now!

I actually spend more in the local shop than Tesco! Not just becuase its much more expensive, but becuase I do not have a list and I feel comfortable(!) there, I easily fall into the "that looks nice, must buy!" syndrome! So I send my daughter. I know exactly how much the bread/milk is, so if we run out I have to send her instead.

Wierdly, I do not have the "that looks nice, must buy" thing at Tesco and therefore rarely overspend there. But I think that has more to do with the fact I know they are trying to get me to part with masses of my cash and their ploys - and therefore I can resist.

okra

I find using cash works best for me. Our budget is £40/week for food, drinks, cleaning products, etc. If I have £40 in my purse and know that has to last for the whole week, I usually stick to the budget. If I'm paying by debit card, I'll often go over by underestimating how a few smaller spends add up.

frugalpam

full-time-mum wrote: »

I brought my first trolley token outside Tesco from a charity stall (forget which one), the replacement (forgot to retrieve it from locker) came from the swimming pool and was in aid of a local hospice. I brought a second from St John Gate in aid of St John Ambulance.

There was a basket of them at the coffee shop I used to work for. Try charity shops.

I found them for sale in Morrisons supermarket - the proceeds went to our local Hospice, which I was really pleased about :T

Pam