Shall we get started?

nellis10

Thistlewhistle wrote: »

Me again.......

For things like car servicing, car insurance, car tax, house repairs, income tax etc, I use my S@ntander 123 account but have a spreadsheet which partitions the money into the different categories. In my budget it just comes under "general savings" but I split it across these categories.

For instance, I know my car insurance is around £60 a month (I know - extortionate!) and my car tax is £10 a month, so I save the £70 but split on my spreadsheet. That way the money is always there (theoretically!).

I use zero budgeting so any money left over at the end of the month gets saved into that account but then I split it on my spreadsheet. That way, I know how much I have available in each category and can "borrow from myself" if I need to. If I have extra money, it gets saved as emergency fund to top up the other accounts if an unexpected bill comes in.

I keep a spending diary down to the last penny.
I've only been doing this for a month but it's thrown up some serious areas of improvement. Do I really drink that much Coke Zero?:eek:

It's hard work keeping it up, but it's really saving me £££

Good luck Polly!

T:D

Sounds very similar to me but I am but you are 3 weeks further down the line from me!

I too have my spreadsheet and have various tabs, and at the end of the month, I was going to decide what to do with all the savings (I am being optimistic here lol)

I have a 123 account too, so what to be able to maximise any savings with the interest...it will be nice if it gets into the £3000 bracket (eventually) and I get 3%.

But I also have a new account with the same bank as my divorce loan, so I want to be able to put any underspends from my weekly budget and savings into that account to start paying down my loan so much faster. I have two loans, both "affordable" but I want to remortgage my house so I need to show my "affordability criteria" is maximised, hence my new budget drive!

I have a "Mattress Fund" for emergencies that I don't want to touch unless I absolutely need to...plus I want to add to that too!

Sorry for hijacking your diary PWD

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

You're not hijacking, this is what we all need, support and ideas - fab:D

Thistlewhistle

nellis10 wrote: »

Sorry for hijacking your diary PWD

Oops! Look at us gassing on like we own the place!!

Apologies PWD:doh:

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Well back to work and boo hiss to it.
Still it is the source of income so i better start feeling the love!

No flipping money anywhere, have had my eyes on the pavements but nothing doing.
Have some things to ebay so just need to do that instead:D

Been rejected by yet more banks on my quest to move away from the Co-op but one did say if i came in with my paperwork they could override the computer decision and Barclays look promising (not if you work for them though) but like all banks the nearest branch is miles away.

Been a birthday in the house so choc cake has been made and is being consumed (and my waistband was agony at work today:eek:).

Right off to look at the surveys and see if i can do enough to make a couple of quid:A. The quest continues.:money:

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Two shirts now on ebay:j and by jimminy they better sell:eek:

nellis10

You go girl!

I have about 50 reels of ribbon...full and partial than I need to get on ebay and see if I can see them!

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Mortgage statement recieved and a reduction of £9.34 owing, must have been a short month:rotfl:
So will adjust the sig and keep moving.

One bid of 99p on ebay and have completed a few surveys on onepoll and mysurvey, no payouts yet, but i know where they'll be going:D

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

£3 PayPal payout redeemed with my survey, will op it when it comes into the pp account.:beer:
DH away to Sainsburys with week 2's £12 off voucher, will report back later how he did, and hope that will be another £12 in the jar of hope:rotfl:

nellis10

Morning Polly!

Well done on the payouts!

Here's to another good week of budgeting and saving! :j

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Oh and more importantly the secured loan can issue as many statements as I'd like for free.
First one has just arrived and it goes all the way back to the beginning of the loan in 2007 and shows the £4 op'd at the end of April:j

Off for some spreadsheet updating:D, the first month's interest in Dec 2007 was £282.99 cf April 2014 of £55.56 :T

Opening balance was £30,150 and now it's £12,670.73 but there will be interest for May to be added on.