The Happiness Fund.

savingwannabe

I have put the money for next month's credit card bill (£120 spent on food mostly and two Christmas presents) into my savings account to keep it unspent. This leaves me with £133 in my current account and also £30 cash I spent £50 on something to help my brother and my dad will pay me back so I have that too.

Luckily all I did today was sleep. Am starting to feel much better I still don't have an appetite though- how long does it take to recover from flu? I walked to the end of my street today to use leg muscles which ache!!!! lol.

From January 2016 I will (without fail) put £50 a month into my holiday and Christmas fund so I am not in this pickle again so close to Christmas. I keep thinking how poor I am but at least I am not in debt. That is a blessing at least.

Upsidedown_Bear

Hello :hello:
It can take a while to get fully better after flu so take it easy as long as you can
Glad your mum & dad are spoiling you and you've been out for a walk :)

savingwannabe

Thank you Mrs Upsidedown Bear. That walk lasted 10 mins and nearly finished me off. lol.

I am going to put up my old and new SOA.

Old:
Mortgage £750
Bills £350
Holiday fund £50
Credit Card £120-200
Food £120
Cash I tend to keep £100+

New SOA:
Mortgage £600
Bills £260
Emergency fund £250 (earning 6% interest will probably go in mortgage)
Holiday present fund £50
Credit card £120-160 (fun, food, insurance etc)
Cash £100-150 (haircuts, mobile, snacks, transport).
Parents (£40 they always bring me groceries & useful things)

This still doesn't look right. I keep tweaking it. I think I will have to keep a spending diary for a month to see where I put it

Upsidedown_Bear

If you want to do a "full" statement of affairs this is the template MSE suggests:
http://www.stoozing.com/calculator/soa.php

A spending diary is a good idea

savingwannabe

Thank you Mrs Upsidedown Bear for your helpful link. I will stick with this as it is simpler for a simpleton like moi.

I hereby announce that I aim to reduce my credit card spending down to £100 a month.

I would also like to find out where I seem to be frittering my cash as there is some spending unaccounted for in my SOA at least a £100-200.

I would also like to save £75 in my holiday and present fund from now on an increase of £25. Every little helps.

Well we shall see.......:D

savingwannabe

I had a phonecall from a nice friend at work. Everyone is really busy and I feel so guilty as I am not in. Also I am scared with all the troubles at work I may lose my job.

This is the time of the week when I start browsing fleabay and spend money on 'bargains'. I am watching a so called gorgeous bargain but now I know that they are the reason I am not cash rich so I am going to bravely unwatch it.

I am still planning to keep this months credit card bill down to 100 as I am only going to buy food on it.

I hope I can maintain it. If I am sick I can't go out and spend money so this is a help in a funny sort of way.

My mum is staying with me and I am being looked after which is lovely. I am so lucky even if I am ill.

savingwannabe

Hooray today is dry. Well the air is rather damp but at least it is not pouring with rain. It is day 8 of the month and so far no unnecessary spending has been undertaken. My ideal is to live off £500 a month (for bills (£285) and food (£120) and essentials such as travel(£95) but this excludes the mortgage) so i can save all the rest (£415).

I do think this is an ideal but what the heck i am going to try for it this month. After all, what's the worst that can happen?????

At the back of my mind I am starting to worry as I have had several absences from work and they may hold it against me with all the horrible redundancies going on. I have to remember people have been off for much longer than me and I am sure that I am good at my job so even if they get rid of me another employer should want me.

If only I hadn't spent all my earnings in earlier years. I would have a fortune now and wouldn't need to stress. Still at least I know to save now for the future.

I am able to eat small meals now which is great but am still struggling to walk etc I must eat lots of protein and veg dr has said and rest. I will try to do some work tomorrow I think I am able to concentrate now so fingers crossed this is feasible.

savingwannabe

I did a tiny bit of work but it's a start and I am v proud of self. I also went for a walk. For some reason my blood sugar has gone sky high so I am exhausted again.

Still I am happy with progress. It is colder now. My gas and electric direct debit has dropped to £59 a month I wonder how long that will last lol. Another NSD.

7 weeks till Christmas crumbs. I am trying to find ways to reduce my bills so I will explore an alternative to British Gas Homecare cover which I have used for 20 years.

savingwannabe

Marks and spencer have a 60% off sale. Funny isn't it? I used to virtually live there now I am struggling to find anything I can justify buying. lol.

I have been looking at fleabay though. Some nice things on there. I have done some work I will do more later. Weather is very dark but dry.

Upsidedown_Bear

Glad you are feeling a bit better :A

M&S are always having a sale these days :cool:
I don't shop there now. I really don't like their clothes and the quality is nowhere near as good as it was. I had 2 things shrink in their first wash. I gave them the benefit of the doubt (and returned the item) after the first one but when it happened again I decided not to waste my money anymore.
I do like their food though

There are plenty of other clothes shops :dance: