Blurred Lines Back In Focus

MuffinTops

I've not had a diary in a really long time, but I have kept up my MSE forum addiction with lots of lurking!

I think it's time I got my spending back in focus and hold myself accountable again. I also feel motivated by other diaries, including old "friends" popping back here with their shiny new diaries.

Earlier today I was thinking about my finances and I am in a really lucky position. When I saw the end of my mortgage approaching I rewarded myself by going to part time hours. So I work just 3 days a week now, but still have a good wage coming in.

My mortgage has finished which is great, but ....... I can't say I'm feeling the benefit of it. The opposite really as I think I must have gone on a mad spending frenzy as I have credit card debt! It's on 0% for 12 months, BUT I have no idea why I thought it would be a good idea to rack up debt again! Yet I have nothing to show for it! I should have a nice little pile of savings or wallpaper of gold, but no! Just a big ol' credit card debt!

So, during my thoughts of being in a fortunate position I was also thinking about my finances and what they should be. I really want to save a nice little safety blanket for myself, so that's my first goal, which will take me about a year to sort out. So I'll just focus on that for now and may add things over time.

I also need to have a life again though, so I have to work out how to save as much as possible while getting trips away and days out and generally having a nice life.

I'm here - I'm skint - and I'm going to sort it!

MuffinTops

1. Work out how much can realistically be saved each month.
2. Credit card debt - minimum payments for the 0% time with savings to pay it off when due.
3. Work out monthly personal budget.

MuffinTops

On my original journey to debt and mortgage free I set up a budget of £10 a day which worked ok for me. If I had a No Spend Day it would be put towards something else or saved.

I'm not keen to jump back on that method this time as I found I had to keep saving for things like getting my hair done etc. and the thought of doing that again doesn't fill me with excitement. I now have YNAB and like their method of giving each pound a job so with that in mind I'll give myself a personal budget of £310 a month and will allocate a job to each of those pounds. I also benefit from an extra £10 here and there based on days of the month!

My next step will be to work out my incomings and outgoings to make sure all is covered.

Excited! :j

moneyonmymindsam

:j 3 days a week that is a nice life ...I like the idea of £10 a day

I'm here too- I'm worse than skint - and I'm going to sort it too!
xxx

MuffinTops

Hello Sam. I must admit I feel very blessed with my 3 day week! Breaking my personal budget down to a daily amount works really well for me as it keeps me in mind of how much I'm frittering away.

Do you have a diary? I'll have to have a little look and see so I can offer some support.

MuffinTops

A very busy weekend, and not all that frugal. I sort of panic shopped, but the benefit is that I'll be taking a lot of things back tomorrow for a refund.

I'm going on holiday to UAE for a couple of weeks on Saturday which is why I was panic buying. It's not a late decision to go, but it is a late decision on what we plan to do out there. There's a group of us and it's taken us around 9 months to agree on various plans. Primani has been such a Godsend to me! I ordered some clothes in the New Look sale but don't feel they suit me and they're MUCH more expensive than the Primani designer outlet so I'll stick with my £2 shorts, thank you very much! A little jaunt to New Look tomorrow is in order to return what I ordered (and sadly lose the cashback too!)

To be honest I only needed swim and beachwear as I already have nice summer dresses for general wear and will be spending most days on a quiet beach. I also bought a lovely neutral type scarf for £4 to cover up in areas requiring minimal flesh showing attire.

I went food shopping yesterday and bought (more than) enough food for the week including breakfast items, and then left without a lot of it this morning! So I ended up buying breakfast. Luckily I remembered to bring in my lunch, and I also remembered at lunchtime that I had brought food in too! I avoided the pancakes in our work restaurant today as I'd only be eating them because it's Shrove Tuesday and so it's the done thing, rather than actually wanting them!

In January I went for the Audible deal of 3 months for 99p and so I was able to download another book this morning for my holiday. I sleep really badly a lot of the time and when I'm away I won't have the luxury of getting up at 2am and pottering about as I'm in a shared room in a large house with others scattered around the property! So, I downloaded a really good bedtime stories book with lots of famous narrators . I feel quite comfortable knowing that if I can't sleep I can just listen to Judy Dench reading me a bedtime story to lull me to sleep again! I've got one last 99p book and then I'I can cancel that subscription.

I've also diarised the date my Amazon Prime requests the £79 membership fee to make sure I cancel that in time. Unfortunately I saw that they have Season 3 of Scandal on there, so I'd best hurry up and watch that series before my membership runs out at the end of March.

Late last week I applied for a basic current account that I could add my £310 spends to and keep that money separate from all other areas. I took my ID straight in to them when they asked me to, so I was hoping the account would have been set up by now. Hopefully I'll have the card waiting for me when I get home. I think they're just about within the time they state.

I think that's it since my last update.

Happy Shrove Tuesday and good luck to all who are giving up something for Lent.

moneyonmymindsam

aaah the olde panic shop ;_) been there too. Take the stuff back am sure you look amazing in primarni

MuffinTops

Thanks Sam, I'll be taking it all back tonight. It's in a little bag by my front door so I can't forget!

MuffinTops

It's just occurred to me that I don't feel comfortable until I've checked all of my accounts to make sure I know what my current "status" is! I not only check my bank details, but I check how much of my monthly allowance I have left on my mobile phone, my gas & electricity app to make sure I'm still in credit there, and Oyster account so I know how long until my next commute payment is due!

A tad geekly I think, but I really don't feel like I'm ready for the day until I have that information confirmed! I'm sure I'm not alone in this......

I've got my bag of New Look clothes ready and waiting at my front door for when I get home tonight so I don't forget to take them back. I brought my unwanted but confidential bank gumpf in to work with me today and have thrown it all in our confidential recycling bin. I've also contacted the basic account bank and have asked them what's going on with my application, so hopefully I'll hear back from them today.

I also want some time later to print off some infographic cheat sheets for my camera as I'm hoping to learn more about ISO and aperture photography while I'm away.

So much to do, but as long as I keep my list with me I should get through it all.

MuffinTops

I had a surprise lunch date today. As it's my birthday next week, while I'm away, my boss took me for lunch. Lovely surprise.:D

So it looks like my dinner will be the sandwich I brought in which works out well because I'll be dashing around. :cool:

I've also spoken to the basic account bank and I think my account opening got stuck somewhere along the lines. It sounds like the system was stating that a signature was required while the documents confirmed the form with the signature was all in. She said she'll move it along to the next department and that my detail will arrive in 7-10 days! Not particularly convenient as I won't be here, but at least it's moving forward again! YAY to that!

MuffinTops

I've just tried to amend a Virgin Trains booking for March. What a palaver that was! All because I paid using vouchers rather than a credit card so they wouldn't let me amend it in any way at all. In the end I managed to sort the hotel rather than change the travel so all's well. Yes, another little trip away has been booked!

But, that's in the future. For my trip this weekend I have printed off a few help pages for my camera. That's in a protective cover as I'll be reading them fully on the beach and don't want them ruined too quickly. :cool:

Which reminds me, I need plane and general beach reading too!

Phew! I've also sat and looked at the YNAB rules again. I keep thinking about my finances as pennies in the bank which has confused me with YNAB. I need to keep in mind that it's about categories now and no longer about pennies! Have to forget everything I know about managing finances I think! Which isn't easy as I'm obsessed!

Right, I can think about travelling home shortly so I'm off to "sort myself out" before I go. So journey home, run out to the shops for refund, home again and bed...

Happy hump day all!