I am such an idiot! When will I learn?

judi24

YesBob - I guess there is a lot of guilt whith single parents - anyway no more for me!! Going to be sensible this year and make it fun but not expensive! Even the food bit is all about me! The kids are not fussy but I like to be able to serve the best and have all the trimmings even though noone else is that worried - so going to do the food economically with lost of home made rather than bought goodies!


I have had a lovely surprise which has made my DD3 (and no doubt DS and DD2 when the find out!) very happy! My friends hubby has started a photo booth business and want to come to mine on halloween to set up a booth and do promotional photos with the kids all dressed up - my DD2 is going out and is fantastic at doing stage makeup so her and her friends will all get pics done too before they go out - my friend is going to help me decorate house and we will make it a bit of a party (on a budget of course) - off to google party food ideas! My friends are coming on Sat to plan - so not only do I get the booth and the party on Holloween I get a fun night of planning with my good friends!


Nothing to report MSE wise - spent 70 p on a can of diet coke from work (I am an addict and have none to take with me cos I refuse to go shoppiong til Friday!)

judi24

Well I think I am converted! Finally spent some time trying to get my head round YNAB - and I think I have finally got it!


Just been going through my accounts and I have managed to overspend again this month by £150!!!!!! I am owed £30 from DD1 so £120 once (if!) i get thet back but I really think the new budget technique might help me. Only 3 days to pay day but I am not exactly sure what i will get paid as I am on a slightly different salary scale in my new job. I am also owed £250 from my old job so that should help redress the balance of the overspend from this month!


Not much else to report really - I have been thinking about a short term goal of getting to under 15k by the end of the year - I would need to make debt payments £933 plus interest per month - It might be do able if I am very carefull with Christmas - off to crunch some numbers!!!!

gfplux

So sorry you have fallen off the wagon. An overspend of £150 in one month I imagine is a lot less than your past problems. However that is £1800 a year so you need to check your accounts more often.

Busy_Mee

Am loving the sound of the Halloween party - that will be a lot of fun !
You have done better than me with the YNAB thing - can't even begin to get my head around it. I am more of a notebook kind of gal and I mean the pencil and paper type !
I wouldn't beat yourself up about £150 overspend, I have found money saving a bit of a process - you get better and better at it as long as you stay focused (or even slightly obsessive my family would say !)
Christmas is hard - I like to spoil my kids too, but I now try and stick to a budget and have already bought stuff in sales, with vouchers etc over the year to try and spread it out. I also "borrow" my daughter's NUS card which helpfully gives 10% off in the shops that they like. What I have found works when they have wanted an expensive item is to give them cash towards it. They often get cash from other people that they can put towards too. Interestingly though they have sometimes decided that the "must have" item isn't so "must have" when it comes to spending their cash on it.

judi24

gfplux - yes £150 is alot to overspend - but to be honest I am ok about it as I know where it went. I thing YNAB will definately help as long as I budget right and I also need to make sure I am realistic with myself in realtion to day to day spends.


Christmas is a major weakness as I have said over and over and no matter how good my intentions are I still struggle with not overspending. will do a prooper plan when I get paid this month and try to spread the cost over the 3 months

judi24

Well pay day as been and gone! Paid £400 to each of the 2 credit cards and just waiting for the loan payment to go out of my bank on the 1st before I can update my signature. I have possibly an extra £500 to come in this month - but can't bank on it yet - I have switched gas and electricity and am in credit - it is at least £250 but might me more. I tried to phone Npower today to find out how much but they said they couldnt tell me until my leaving bill was finalised and that might be another 2 weeks so I guess I just need to wait and see how much it is!


I have another £250 due from my previous employer in an on call payment and some travel expenses but I am not holding my breath on this one as the organisation i used to work for changed payroll providers this month and as I have left I might not be on thier payroll - I Have not had my P45 fro them yet though so I will see what happens on the 28th (thier payday)
.
The first £250 will go towards Christmas and if I get the second £250 I will put this towards my debt.


I have invited my friend, her husband and possibly thier 2 grown up sons (and a partner) for Christmas dinner!!! I love having a housefull and they are good friends but it does mean Christmas dinner might have to be a little more expensive that I had planned - but it will be worth it!

asparagus1968

Hi Judi, hope the cold has gone now. I always get ill after starting a new job, it's new germs!
Don't let the old employers with that money, it's nothing to them, and significant to you.
You have inspired me by the way, have been making homemade lemoncello for Christmas presents.
Having a frugal week here, pay day Friday. My DS is away so eating out of cupboards /freezer, except for meal with friends tomorrow evening.
Keep up the good work, enjoy the weekend.:)

judi24

Ooohh lemoncello sound lovely Asparagus - might look for a recipe for that! Yes cold has just about gone - just a tickly cough left but feeling much better thanks.


I won't let my old work get away with short changing me but I might not get it this month as I haven't been pestering HR to make sure it all goes through - but I havent had a P45 which I am sure I am supposed to get from them on with my last pay - so I will wait and see what happens next week.


I have had a busy weekend - went for a nice walk with the kids and dog today and ended up with chips and ice cream! Home now and snuggled up on the couch with the gas fire on for a bit to warm us up - makes me feel all Christmassy. I have to say I love the sun and long summer evenings but equally being toasty and warm after a chilly walk is also great! Simple pleasures!


Kids are off for a week here so trying to plan some low cost activities that my mum can do with them - although my DS will want to plug himself into his x box no doubt! I have budgeted a little more for spends this month as I know holidays are always expensive and got the halloween party on Friday - my friend has gone mad with decorations so all I need to do is provide some food (although other friends are bringing bits too).


I have bought YNAB as my free trial ran out today ( got a referral code from a kind MSEr that gave me about £3 off - every penny counts!) - I love it! I think it will be a real help! Ideally I want to get under 15k by the 1st of Jan but I know it will be a real challenge with Christmas.


Been thinking about applying through CSA for child support for my DD3 (DS lives 50% of the time with his dad and 50% with me - even though I pay for everything for school etc!) but I know it will cause a fight - looking at CSA calculator and guessing his pay I think I should be entitled to at least £100 a month and DD3 has a residential trip this year with school that is nearly £300 and another trip to London to see the lion king which is another £100+ so £100 a month would really help - not to mention she has hardly any winter clothes! I feel much stronger than a few months ago so I think I might be up for the fight! It's not like I want it for me - its to provide for the kids!


Anyway - off to see if the pulled pork thats in the slow cooker is ready!

Bobarella

Hi judi
What is YNAB?
Well done on all your efforts! Hope the Halloween party is fun.
Bob

asparagus1968

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1087/limoncello




This is the recipe I used:) it's lovely as a liqueur, or over ice cream, or with lemonade. Must keep some for myself!