where do people get the money?

sweetilemon

Mistral001 wrote: »

This might be a bit controversial but I think the OP has nothing to worry about. He has a reasonable income and spends money maybe a bit freely but does he really want to become one of those people who has money but whose wallet seems welded shut all the time, at least when buying at the pub or restaurant.


I think it can be problematic when we judge people who spend what seems to be a lot of money in restaurants and nights out. They might not have much money but save up to have money to spend with friends/family now and again.

I think the query is not how to spend less but how to get more for the £750. If the OP can discover where the money is spent, vouchers/ideas could be found to then allow the OP more nights out or whatever they choose. I agree, nothing worse than someone being tight.

andygb

This year, we have eaten out four times (three of which were disappointing), and had about half a dozen takeaways.
We make most of our own food, including bread and we do not waste much at all.
We have not had a holiday in fourteen months (unless you count a couple of day trips to Calais), and like others on this board, we do look out for bargains all the time.
We have friends and relations who eat out three or four times a week, and then complain that they do not have any money.

gayleygoo

It can take a while to get into the habit of keeping a spending diary, updating it every day and doing up totals. I add up totals a the end of each week in categories such as "food..., car... fuel,... electric,... clothes... toiletries... household.... personal allowance (my own "pocket money" for treats and crafty stuff)... alcohol...." etc. At the end of each week and month it can be added up to see how much I've spent and where I need to cut down to get within budget for the month.

The spending diary is also a useful tool for planning your spending, as well as recording it. The first page of the month will have my budgets, along with notes of birthdays and events coming up, plans for meals out if there's an occasion etc. The next page will be for the first week's meal plan, shopping list (stick to the list!) then my spending.

Unfortuntaely I have become lax with my spending diary and noticed how much poorer I seem to be without it. I swear when the kids go back to school I'll get my !!! in gear again!

Butterfly_Brain

Caterina wrote: »

Butterfly Brain your post is a true inspiration, you are my role model!

Thank you so much

Butterfly_Brain

ampersand wrote: »

'On the spike' is the best and easiest of all!

It was my late and blvd R's way and is mine too. Also cathartic.
Take your pick
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=paper+spike&rlz=1C1GGIT_enGB308GB353&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=fb3lU7ihE8ig7AbT_YGoDQ&ved=0CEkQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=676



I have several.

Oooh I think I have one in the loft along with a sponge that you dampen and you use to stick stamps instead of licking them.
Something like this

jackel

Thankyou BB and GQ for your brilliant posts - something for everyone to learn from in each of them.

BB please do tell - what on earth do you do with beech nuts ? We have three great trees here and have never thought of anything to do with them. Thanks. jac.xx

maman

gayleygoo wrote: »

It can take a while to get into the habit of keeping a spending diary, updating it every day and doing up totals. I add up totals a the end of each week in categories such as "food..., car... fuel,... electric,... clothes... toiletries... household.... personal allowance (my own "pocket money" for treats and crafty stuff)... alcohol...." etc. At the end of each week and month it can be added up to see how much I've spent and where I need to cut down to get within budget for the month.

The spending diary is also a useful tool for planning your spending, as well as recording it. The first page of the month will have my budgets, along with notes of birthdays and events coming up, plans for meals out if there's an occasion etc. The next page will be for the first week's meal plan, shopping list (stick to the list!) then my spending.

Unfortuntaely I have become lax with my spending diary and noticed how much poorer I seem to be without it. I swear when the kids go back to school I'll get my !!! in gear again!

I find that the very act of keeping a spending diary (and same with spending cash) is that it makes you think (need/want?) before you spend. It soon becomes a habit even without the diary.

Butterfly_Brain

jackel wrote: »

Thankyou BB and GQ for your brilliant posts - something for everyone to learn from in each of them.

BB please do tell - what on earth do you do with beech nuts ? We have three great trees here and have never thought of anything to do with them. Thanks. jac.xx

Beech nuts contain a lot of tannin so you have to soak them first for a minimum of 8 hours, but I have eaten them straight from the tree and came to no harm.

They taste quite a bit like hazelnuts I think. They're really small so you need to collect a lot.

I think they used them as a coffee substitute or were ground into flour during the war.

Last year was a mast year which means they were everywhere, it could be another five years before the next mast year
Don't bother looking in the actual burr, the green/ yellow prickly casings, the best place to look is all over the floor under the tree, pick up the nuts which have fallen out of the casings - if you go to the trouble to open the burrs, or try to pull them out - most of the time these ones are empty.
The ones which are a complete nut, have a distinctive lighter shading towards the fat end - and these ones are more likely to fall out of the burr while in the tree or when the burr hits the ground, due to them being heavier.

I usually roast them and use in cakes

According to nutrition websites, Beechnuts are a great source of thiamin, riboflavin and iron, and Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats provide more than 80% of the fat content so they're pretty healthy little nuts.

http://www.rawrob.com/2009/10/08/beech-nuts/

dailycheaptips

Definitely write everything down, so you know where your money goes.


Then you can see how much you can allocate to evenings out, and how much you should keep an eye on. Another idea is to increase how much money you have at the end of the moth by looking into little things you can do to save money.

happydays_70

Really enjoyed reading this thread. I did the budget brain. I now realise where my money is going. I need to reign in my spending on trips to home bar*ains..for example. I give my DS irregular amount of pocket money. He gets too much..but I feel guilty if he doesn't take a few quid out with his
friends...he is 12!!
He will get £10 a week on a Friday to last. Put.him on packed lunches because he was putting £20 a week onto his account.
It's true..It's the little things that add up.
I resolve to be more organised with spending habits after my trip to the Trafford centre tomorrow (pre arranged day out with DS and my friend and her girls).