How do you do it?

antonic

Its hard but will you consider quitting the booze ?.

I did with approx 18 months to go in my 90 month DMP and it made one hell of a positive difference to my cash flow.;

2 years later I am still off the booze and feeling a lot better for it !.

(When I was drinking I was spending approx £25 p/w on alcohol).

YORKSHIRELASS

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Is this spending online through to boredom or unhappiness maybe?

This is a really good point. If you can understand why you spend then that helps.

I had this belief that having the right car/clothes/house/stuff for my kids would make me more likeable, happier and somehow a better person. Which of course is ridiculous.

Nowadays I come on here instead of shopping on the internet. I took up cycling and exercise (being careful not to convince myself that I needed all the latest kit!). We stopped going shopping on a weekend as a social outing and found other things to do instead.

I will never find it easy but being aware of your demons makes it easier to fight them.

Zoology_Dragon

I don't use YNAB but I have been using my own system with the same principles for the last few years and it's been a life changer. In my system I have lots of e-accounts, one for each spending category and move the money into our current account when I spend something. I keep a small float of <£100 in our current account and usually finish the month with most of it intact, it then gets swept into savings. Note that I also pay a large amount into savings at the beginning of the month as well as all the spending categories.

It works the same way as YNAB and I thoroughly recommend you either set up a similar system yourself, if your bank account allows you to have enough e-accounts, or try the YNAB software.

Dobbibill

jimmy*c wrote: »

I was about to post a current SOA but I thought "what's the point.. I know where I can/need to save". It makes me think.. why can't I seem to be able to stick to budgets? Must admit, alcohol is a bit of a soft spot this end

How do you guys stick to your budget? Will power? Barriers? What?

It may seem pointless as you say you know where the problem is.

Do you know the true extent of the problem?
Do you know categorically to the penny how much you spend?

This is what a budget is all about, knowing to the last penny where it goes, what it's for, when to use it. Doing a SOA can give you those figures IF you do it properly! Go through your last 6 - 12 months statements. This will give you a more accurate result than guesswork. Get it all down on a SOA (you haven't got to post it) but look over it. This is when you may find you get your true LBM.

There is no magic potion, it all comes down to will power and self discipline. YNAB, multiple accounts or spreadsheets are only going to help you, you have to have your LBM first though. You have to really, really want it!!!

All the best

DB

sourcrates

I have to admit that i have never used any kind of budgeting program, i have mentally written down what my outgoings are every month, utility bills, phone, broadband, council tax etc, and then whatever is left, that's mine.

I can see the benefits of using a system like YNAB, but i am an impulsive spender, so if i see something, and i can afford it, cash, not credit, i will buy it.

That`s just the way i am i suppose, and if i had debt now, i probably would use it, as its imperative you know were every penny is going, when you have debt to pay off.

jimmy*c

thanks for all the replies ladies and gents... I guess my true LBM is imminent. Will have to try new approaches from now on.

Dobbibill

jimmy*c wrote: »

thanks for all the replies ladies and gents... I guess my true LBM is imminent. Will have to try new approaches from now on.

Just some links for you (in case you haven't got them for when you have your LBM)

YNAB is available through Steam, sometimes on half price offer, also check cashback website as well like TCB or Qu1dco to see if you can save pennies there too

If you want to do a SOA, here is the link

Also if you want to use spreadsheets, here is a link for that too that someone on this site very kindly shared.

There's no right or wrong answer to how you budget and keep track of your finances just as long as you do it. It's got to be the way that suits you.

Good luck with it, it will be challenging at times but also so very rewarding too when it all fits into place.

DB

jimmy*c

Thanks for all the input. I'm going to give this a good go now. No excuses, just get in with it. Last night I only allowed myself 3 tinnies, a marked half what I normally have. I will be taking any overtime I can get. let's do this.

Pixie5740

I use YNAB and have a category dedicated to alcohol (under a master category called "Treats" which also include categories such as "chocolate"). Life is too short to drink cheap wine so now I just drink less of it. I've also done Cancer Research's Dry January challenge as well as MacMillan's Go Sober for October and I felt great by the end of them.

Kelxx

Pixie5740 wrote: »

I use YNAB and have a category dedicated to alcohol (under a master category called "Treats" which also include categories such as "chocolate"). Life is too short to drink cheap wine so now I just drink less of it. I've also done Cancer Research's Dry January challenge as well as MacMillan's Go Sober for October and I felt great by the end of them.

Me too except my master is luxury ('cause that's what they are!) along with cigarettes, Lotto, Bingo, chip suppers, McDonalds etc. I am just coming up to my 12th (without a fresh start) month & quite frankly, I'd be too embarrassed to put on here the yearly total of that category.

So now whenever, I think of indulging in any of these, I look at my YNAB. I still smoke & drink & I still occasionally play the lottery or eat takeaway, but I've surprised myself how much I've cut down, almost subconsciously.

Get the numbers down in black & white, you won't spend more, but it just might help you spend less.

Good Luck