NSK: MAY the Odds Be Ever In Your Favour!!!

oldestgnome

Definitely the food budget every time, for me also going out - I'm saving for travelling plans and find it hard to break bad habits. I am using these challenges to help focus my mind! They are helping so big thanks to you all for inspiration


Budgets - Food £80, Petrol £250 (including weekend away and commuting), Entertainment/misc spends £150, Birthdays £80.

SiannieLaz

Hiya All,


I'm working on a cash only budget from now on, so totals don't include any of the direct debits that are already accounted for (rent, insurance, council tax, etc), as I don't see that money because my bank puts it to one side.


Budgets for this month are as follows:
Total cash income: 731.40
- £80 Groceries incl cat food
- £40 Misc
- £15 petrol
- £67.87 electric bill
- £136.29 gas bill
- £216 childminder
- £135 credit card
leaves me with £25.24 at the end of the month


I've got £20 in the bank today which is included in the total and the bills will have to wait until I have the money in the bank, as it comes in weekly I can pay the electric bill tmrw, then gas bill in week 3, and childminder & cc in week 4. Have had no luck in selling anything so will be having a push this month with those bits to try and get some extra cash.


I have a full store cupboard and freezer after my free £100 ocado shop last month, and received a donation of huge bag of cat food from a friend with fussy cats so should only be buying milk, bread and veggies. I've actually made some money from avon, but when that comes in I'll be whacking it straight off the cc.


I had to get petrol today as was below the red line, £15 gets me half a tank so that should last me for 2 weeks as long as we walk everywhere! There is a possibility of a small pay rise at the end of May as I will have been with the company a year, but nothing has been confirmed as yet.


So, a very lean month, will be keeping everything crossed that there are no disasters looming as I have no spare cash and I don't want to stick anything on my horrid cc.


Good luck all xxx

Siouxsie32

Flippin heck, how did it get to be May all of a sudden??? I seem to have missed April Naughty naughty Siouxsie - had a terrible April (spend wise, otherwise it was fabulous ) and now have a credit card bill that I need to find money for before I pay extra towards my existing debt! NOT how it was meant to be, but May is another month and I PROMISE I will do better!

Count me in again please Kat - and shout at me if I disappear again...it probably means I'm up to no good!

smokies

OK be kind to me folks this is my first month at doing this challenge, but I give you all permission to kick my !!!! if don't stick to it...


I really would like to get my next debt paid off in 6 months..... (worked it out and if I can pay an extra £100.00 per month I can do it)


So I hope this is right for my budget


Total bills (household) £750.00


Food for the month £300.00
Petrol £75.00
Going out/ away for the weekend £150.00


Need to watch what I spend this month, as its going to be a very busy - got 1 weekend away with friends - another one at the end of May but that's from another budget.


My food budget is the one I really need to cut back on I was way over in April ( grocery challenge)..... my freezers are stuffed to the brim so it looks like I only need store cupboard things like tins stuffs etc. and fresh items...... will be cooking out of the freezer this month.


Going to write out a food plan for this week, and hopefully stick to it ( I have habit of going way of track in this area) lol


Take a lunch into work each day (by making a little extra each night)

Leave the car at home when I can ie short journeys or to work if on the right shift


Have a great month everyone..... so looking forward to doing this challenge


xx

Fmess

Yay, I love the start of a new challenge

Budgets are;

Food =£244.06 (2 humans, 4 dogs and a cat)
Misc = £95.44 (vets/birthdays/social etc)
Petrol = £90

I need to be really strict as I have got myself into more debt last month, with silly spending (and booking our first holiday in 5 years).

See you all for the start tomorrow

Munchin

Oh noooooo - NSK is back in the country....will have to be extra good with the May challenge

Tea-lover_2

Count me in too please kat! Will be back tomorrow with the budgets x

[Deleted User]

Here we go...budgets are set (see sig). Lots of big things happening this month, retirements (not mine), birthdays (mine!), babies (not mine), holidays (mine & DD) so I have allocated a specific social fund. Hol accom paid for already and fuel allowance increased to allow for it - I hope - but extra fuel will have to come from the fun fund if its needed. Really hope to offset with lots of cycling to work.

Pay to debts day is the 15th (payday for me). My first trimming the sail increasing the odds activity will be to try to pre-allocate my NSD's after tomorrow. Just waiting on some dates of things happening that will affect them.

My next trimming the sail activity will be to crack this meal planning lark. I tend to list food I have in but not really work out how long it could last or pre-allocate it. I have a lot in at the moment so should be able to stay within my food budget, even with some bigger spends required (on self catering hol with friends at end of month - we each take it in turn to cook two nice main meals - but catering for 14! plus packed lunches and treats as kids will be very active). I did splurge with a big shop at the supermarket on monday, a bit of comfort food shopping, a bit of yearned for bits and pieces that join things up as my £10/week budget for April and May was taking its toll! But I felt very guilty at the £40 shop which took me £20 overbudget, and as it turned out, friends didnt come, much wasn't needed and has found its way into the storecupboard and freezer.

My third trimming the sail activity will be to review my broadband / landline provider - been meaning to do this for ages.

I will set some more small goals as I go through each week of the challenge.

traveller

Well here we go again guys :j Good luck all and don't give up

NinjaSavingKat

Let The Games Begin!

31 days! Let's keep things tight, stay focused and keep your eye on the prize!! Your future is in your hands so make the changes now and make them last.

It takes 21 days to form a new habit so make sure yours is budgeting, planning and focus!!

You can do this!!!