Obsessive?

Scritti

fevlo wrote: »

Check my balance on my online banking every day and then again if I have spent on my Debit card to make sure its been taken off my available balance.
I keep a running available balance on my phones notes app so i know what I have to spend as not all debit card transactions come off my avaliable balance instantly.

I do this too! I check all my accounts daily, keep receipts for all purchases using my debit card so I know exactly what's still to come out. Always know EXACTLY how much I have in my account, the proper balance with all that month's DD's taken. I've been doing this for many years and have never in my life been overdrawn or missed any payments. It's so incredibly simple, I actually get annoyed when people say they go overdrawn because they spent money in their account and didn't realise a DD had yet to go out. Sorry but that is pathetic in these days of internet banking and there's no excuse.

Being "obsessive" (to a certain extent) is, I find, very useful when it comes to debt-busting, accounts and saving money.

arsenalmorris

I do my debts spreadsheet every Monday, alot of weekend involve going to football etc that as costs so by doing it every Monday I know where i stand

Sedge123

If you are obsessive then I am too, my hubby has got used toke typing records of every penny spent for the spreadsheet.

I think there are worse things to be obsessive about!

JustinCredibleGillespie

I have this problem too. I sit with my post-it notes and write down the cost of everything. Rent, Electricity, Sky, CC (paid in FULL), Car Insurance. It never really changes, but it helps me budget to a T and I know what I have left every month for savings etc.

Roll on payday so I can do it all over again.

JCG

xx

ikesmummy

I'm another who has got into the habit of checking my banking and fiddling with my spreadsheets on a daily basis. Know my hubby thinks I am obsessive (to be fair to him there are a few things which take up big proportions of my time, not just budgeting) but think he is also grateful to know I have it in hand.

I think for me it is about re gaining control of my finances, it was a run of bad decisions, poor mental health and hurrying my head in the sand that got me here so keeping my head well away from the sand now is important to me.

Prothet_of_Doom

Did you get into debt by having no idea what you owed, or what spending you should have been planning?

I spend along time doing investment risk spreadsheets, and proving to myself that I should invest in a buy to let, but can I convince my wife that my figures actually stack up.

anna2825

I couldn't believe this thread when I read it! Not because I think you are all obsessive spreadsheets freaks but because I want to be one too but have no idea how to go about it! I am the opposite to you guys - I'm terrified of looking at my bank balance and feel physically sick thinking about doing it even if I know what the balance will be! I am a very organised person in other ways - even a bit OCD - but my phobia about money has been with me for years. I owe roughly £9k in total (CC and O/D) and I have the most wonderful personal banker who has sorted things out for me and continues to do so, however, going forward Id like to beat the fear. I know already that being on top of things makes it supposedly less scary but no, it doesn't! Im hoping that if I can get obsessive about keeping tallies and seeing balances reduce it might help? I use Excel but only for lists and cant really get my head around formulas. Is that a problem? Can anyone show me how to do this?


Thanks!

ikesmummy

Hi Anna2825.

I went through a phase last year where I didn't open the post let alone log on to my online banking or keep spreadsheets but now I have started I can't stop. Do you mind me asking is your fear all around the worry of being in debt? I was fighting with depression (possibly a bit of a chicken or the egg type situation although my depression had many factors as well as spiraling debt) and there was no way I could have got to this point without tackling that first.

I am quite good on exel but my budget spreadsheets don't have many formula's mainly just cells containing totals.

Not sure if this will be useful to you but will try and explain the sheets I use daily.

I have a budget page, the is everything I plan coming in and out during the month but sorted into categories - income (mine, DH's, child benefit) with the amounts next to each and the date the should come in. Then debts - what I plan to pay off each each month and when. Then household bills (mortgage, gas, elected etc) again with dates and also categories broken down for transport, entertainment and other. Each category has a total (using the autosum)

I then have a monthly budget sheet. I have a column for the date, a column for each account (including my debts and one for purse is the cash I have) then one for a deception of the transaction. Each time I pay for something, transfer money, withdraw cash I make sure I keep a receipt or write on a post it note and then each day update my spreadsheet. Again each column has a total at the bottom. This spreadsheet also has a section for each months direct debits (which I just copy and paste each month). I highlight transactions once they are showing on my bank account so I can see any transactions I know have happened/are going to happen but aren't showing on the bank account yet.

Sorry that is an awful lot of waffle and may not even be helpful so I'll stop but if it is helpful and you have any questions just ask

anna2825

Hi Ikesmummy


Thank you so much for responding though I have to say I'm more confused now than I was before! I will read through your message more thoroughly over the weekend at home and see if I can put something together.


I have no idea where my fear comes from. I wouldn't even say Im a spendthrift though I do have an online shopping problem! Specifically ebay really! I never spend high amounts but it mounts up and whilst I feel better after a purchase it generally doesn't get used! I sell on ebay too so its not as though its a one way street but even then, it barely makes a dent! I'm a credit card tart so the debt I have ins interest free but it has been for over 6 years as I apply for another when one runs out. One day they wont let me any more!


Anna

Sedge123

I have a basic with a page per month where I list any money spent and assign it to a category I.e. Clothes, water bill, mortgage etc. I also add in our monies coming in and then the difference between the two. Sounds technical but it's evolved over the years!