How to fall in love with saving money

cathybird

A bit better thanks WantToBeSE - I was out tonight and felt okay, though still not over the cold.

I have to say in the bad old days I would not have thought twice about spending £7 to catch a taxi home from the station but this time I walked, cold or not.

Tomorrow is my last day back at work and I've not really planned the January meals or shopped, or cooked, due to having been ill so I need to spend a good chunk of the day doing that.

Hope your alcohol-free day went well Yours too, atush

cathybird

Today I have to do a little shopping for the month and a little cooking to cover taking my lunch to work this week. I'm thinking seriously about getting the bulk of the groceries delivered though as I buy more than I need to if I go to the supermarket. I also want to stick a couple of items on eBay or Amazon to gear up for the 2014 savings challenge I've signed up for.

What a grim day it is today ... be a lot nicer to spend the whole day in bed.

Lomcevak

I've done three months once before, though at the time I was trying to do a full year (which I didn't remotely manage) . Three months was actually okay though - the first two or three weeks you do miss it but then it's fine. I may not last this time but I'll certainly try.

I'm another on an alcohol-free January, although i've done it for the last four or five years so not too bad. Usually lapse early February though when the target is past, so the idea of three months is a good one. I have a marathon to run in early April so three months off prior to that might be a good target to aim for.

Certainly having a beer after the marathon though

cathybird

Lomcevak wrote: »

I'm another on an alcohol-free January, although i've done it for the last four or five years so not too bad. Usually lapse early February though when the target is past, so the idea of three months is a good one. I have a marathon to run in early April so three months off prior to that might be a good target to aim for.

Certainly having a beer after the marathon though

A marathon, blimey, Lomcevak, that's impressive I guess you're already training? ...

Three months off alcohol is a really good thing to do - I did feel really well when I did it the first time. Also, it's really not that long - I didn't find I missed it for about six to eight weeks of it. Then about the 10-week mark I did find I missed it. So, you'd probably find it wasn't that hard, you know

cathybird

Back to work today, sadly ... have enjoyed my festive break.

At least I have lots of nice food to take courtesty of WantToBeSE's Take Your Lunch to Work thread. Now in the habit, or it feels like it. I worked out that my soup for today cost 60p - I would have spent over 10 times that as a matter of course before. Let's say I work roughly 220 days a year, that's £1,320 I would have spent before (at least), which minus the £132 for soup (not strictly fair because some of the things I cook are more expensive but still) is £1188! Some days I spent a lot more than £6 and I would routinely buy breakfast as well as lunch too. I reckon the savings I'm making are in the region of £1,500 at least, probably up to £2,000. I'm not even going to run that through the savings calculator to see what it would come to over the longer term with interest.

So, that's a good thought for the first day back to work of the new year.

Stereophonics

Hey everyone,

I'd love to join in the thread and add my motivation for saving in 2014!

I'm trying to save £7,000 in 12 months. I think I can do more than that, but I'm self employed, so we shall see how the year goes!

So I'm trying for £600 a month and once I've finished paying a £250 a month family loan in May I'll add more to the pot.

The end goal is for £7,000, my half of the £14,000 we are looking to have as a 10% house deposit asap.

My income is around £2000-£2500 a month, no debts, so it's possible that I can save a lot more, but I'll try for the minimum of £7,000.

Anyhow, I've read the whole thread and found it very amusing! :rotfl:

GG

cathybird

hi and welcome Stereophonics Savings for a house deposit sounds like a great goal. It would be lovely to have you around so we can all stay motivated together. And I'm glad you find us amusing

margaretclare

cathybird wrote: »

well the good news is there's nothing wrong with the boiler ... All that was wrong was the hot tap in the bath was running. :rotfl:Not gushing, just over a drip really, but enough to make the boiler think I wanted it to heat the hot water. I suppose it was in that state for, ooh, just over 24 hours? I noticed it very late last night. Not good that it was running all that time but at least I don't need to call out the plumber. Oh dear ... got a cold, not quite on top of things, I'm afraid

Yes, that happened to our new boiler not long after we had it installed - a drippy hot tap in the bathroom. They are so sensitive - we got it sorted very quickly, though.

margaretclare

I've paid off my credit card and have decided that I shan't need any new clothes for the foreseeable future, except maybe shoes. It was useful having savings a year ago when I wanted cosmetic surgery. Now I want to increase my savings. We just don't know what we may need in time to come.

Lomcevak

cathybird wrote: »

A marathon, blimey, Lomcevak, that's impressive I guess you're already training? ...

I'm dangerously close to 40, so think it's my midlife crisis kicking in - at least it's a cheap crisis to have

I did my first marathon last year so know what to expect, came in just under four hours which I was happy with but training much better this year so as long as I stay healthy hope to do a bit better this time out. The plan kicked off in early december, so long runs every weekend now - fifteen miles out in the wind and rain today... :cool:

Three months off alcohol is a really good thing to do - I did feel really well when I did it the first time. Also, it's really not that long - I didn't find I missed it for about six to eight weeks of it. Then about the 10-week mark I did find I missed it. So, you'd probably find it wasn't that hard, you know

Yeah, think I might give it a go - I like the weight loss, money saving , and waking up with a clear head. I don't drink a lot normally, but still feel effects from just a pint or a glass of wine the next day, and the calories add up over time.

Biggest challenge is just a bad day at work though, I do well with targets (e.g. 'January off') and if I stumble then find it very hard to get back. Somehow '30 of 31 days off' doesn't carry the same motivation, even if physically it's almost exactly the same thing

:beer: