Decreasing spending - increasing happiness

Enjoying_life_more

thanks I think I've figured it out now

Here goes with the full soa :-

Outgoings-

Morg 622
Loan 232
CC 25
Gas 56
Elec 24
Water 24
Tv 14.50
Virgin 22
C Tax 59
Pet ins 7
House ins 8
Car ins 14.50
mot/repairs 17
car tax 14.50
Xmas 84
B/Days 42
hols/trips 74
Clothes 50
Pet misc 8
House repairs 14.50
Food 35
Petrol 25
save 100
nicotine addiction - 316 (I know its horrendous isn't it and this has got to end this year!)
nights out 100


total 1988

Enjoying_life_more

I have money left over each month!!! - (this is very new to me and only because I have recently restructured my debts) Also I have to bear in mind that my current salary wont last for ever - as I posted earlier in the week my salary is protected at the moment and will reduce by about 150 per month late next year. So I want to try and live as though I am on the reduced salary now.

I know the glaring big money saver is the cigarettes and I am taking steps to deal with this - more on that in the new year! It ain't going to be easy but it has to be done.

EssexHebridean

Well done! So DO you currently have money left over or does it vanish, is the question?! I need to get back on top of the frittered odds and ends at the moment - a task for the new year!

Enjoying_life_more

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Well done! So DO you currently have money left over or does it vanish, is the question?! I need to get back on top of the frittered odds and ends at the moment - a task for the new year!

Very good question!! and January will be the first month of testing this new budget ( I restructured my debts in December) I intend to post all my outgoings / spending on here to keep me on track.

Enjoying_life_more

Gifts delivered -dog walked- my contribution to the big dinner prepared - opened one of my presents as I could tell by the shape it was chocolates - so enjoying a few chocs after turning down drinks out with friends - due to my new debt free mind set.

Mrs_Cheshire

Do you spend £84 per month on Xmas?

Enjoying_life_more

yes I have done for quite a few years (which is one of the reasons why i'm probably in debt) I am very generous with others and I do buy for quite a lot of people - this is something I am addressing - so I am hoping it comes in at a lot less next year. Same for birthdays too - although my main big bad spend is the smoking

Mrs_Cheshire

That is definitely an area you need to look at, with your current level of debt you can't keep doing what you've always done otherwise you'll still be in the same place 10 years from now!

Just reread you SOA how do you manage to only spend £35 per month on food???

Enjoying_life_more

Just reread you SOA how do you manage to only spend £35 per month on food???[/QUOTE]

aargh well spotted - it's wrong that's the weekly figure - thanks for spotting - i'll post a new SOA now..

Enjoying_life_more

After adjusting my SOA and rejigging figures I am going to budget things this way as some of my payments are made monthly and some are made yearly such as car ins / house ins/ tv licence / mot / hols /xmas etc etc

Monthly
623 morg
233 loan
25 Credit Card
164 Monthly bills
400 yearly bills and xmas/ hols / birthdays etc
655 for me to spend (food/ fags/petrol/social life/gym etc)
100 Save

2200 total

Income
2060
140 (family member owes me towards loan payment detailed
above) I forgot to add this in my last soa

2200 total

I've worked this out a few different ways and it roughly comes out the same

My main aim from Jan onwards is to stick to this budget - if I draw out 151 per week for my food / petrol/ fags/ social life etc I should be okay - i will then leave the remainder in the bank to cover all the other bills. Perhaps open different accounts to save this in?

I want to mainly use this diary to track my weekly spends. I also want to try and cut back on some of the yearly spends and the smoking.