Hummingbird's Progress....Well it's time she made some!

hummingbird

I had smartmeters fitted today and am fascinated by the display showing me how much energy I'm using on a day/week/monthly basis!

I wonder how long the novelty will last LOL?? I'm hoping to save a bit of money through the increased awareness - I've already noticed how boiling the kettle sends it shooting up!

I haven't had it for the full day today - just since this afternoon - so I'll be interested to see how much I spend per day on average and whether I can reduce it a bit!:T

hummingbird

I've had a bit of a spendy day today - about £17.50 That's high for me in one day at the moment but it will be averaged out by low spends for the next few days I'm sure.

Met friends this evening and was out most of the afternoon in town. I only go into town now when I really have to and I had a few things I needed to do there - so it was good to get it all done in one visit!

It's been lovely because of the gorgeous weather!! Also got free coke in town as they were giving our freebie cans of the new version in the green cans - I couldn't tell much difference from the regular version but there you go!!

I'm still fascinated by my new "toy" i.e the smartmeter display LOL!!
I was shocked at lunchtime today when I heated something up on the gas hob for a couple of minutes and it shot up by 9p LOL!! Also shower this morning cost 10p. (and that's just the energy, doesn't include the water:rotfl::rotfl:)

hummingbird

^^^OOh just thought, that doesn't include the shampoo/conditioner and shower gel either - gosh showers are expensive LOL!!:rotfl::rotfl:

hummingbird

Well this is a strange one to deal with........I wrote on here how I'd decided not to go away with friends this weekend, and how I was so happy to have stopped worrying about what other people think and how I must have entered a new era........


............well they've only gone and clubbed together and paid for me!!!:eek:

I'm so grateful and it means I'm having a lovely weekend away. Finding it hard to deal with though - they knew it was due to finances I couldn't go. In the past I've helped others in the group and they are reminding me of this but it's still hard.

However I need to swallow my pride and just have a lovely time, even though I know I will still end up spending some money that I wouldn't have done otherwise.....

I really need to avoid "social" spends where possible and particularly situations like this occurring again:o Also need to think ahead very hard about the wedding I'm going to at the beginning of July. And a friend's special party next weekend. Help.

Any thoughts/comments from anyone would be very much appreciated on how you deal with stuff like this without becoming a hermit?

Westie983

oh wow what amazing friends you have, you must mean quite a lot to them, in regard to the spending, on the weekend, just set yourself a budget take it out in cash and leave cards at home, so you have no way for overspending.

I'm sure this way will make you more frugal with the spending over the weekend, dont forget the tricks in the bars with diet cokes/lemonade this will look like vodka/malibu whatever if anyone asks you, so you can look like you are joining in with the rest of the group but saving money by only purchasing the soft drink!! (hope this make sense)

in regard to the guilt factor about the paying, thats a hard one but look on it as your friends are repaying you for all your help and kindness over the years you have been friends....

in regard to budgeting, set yourself a goal that you want to spend on the wedding be it the present and the socialising at the wedding and, then work towards that - * I want to have £50 to have at the wedding to cover transport/drinks/present.

think this way its a phycological goal which has a bigger chance of achievement then just, whatever I have by July...

hope some of this helps you

:0)

hummingbird

Westie983 wrote: »

oh wow what amazing friends you have, you must mean quite a lot to them, in regard to the spending, on the weekend, just set yourself a budget take it out in cash and leave cards at home, so you have no way for overspending.

I'm sure this way will make you more frugal with the spending over the weekend, dont forget the tricks in the bars with diet cokes/lemonade this will look like vodka/malibu whatever if anyone asks you, so you can look like you are joining in with the rest of the group but saving money by only purchasing the soft drink!! (hope this make sense)

in regard to the guilt factor about the paying, thats a hard one but look on it as your friends are repaying you for all your help and kindness over the years you have been friends....

in regard to budgeting, set yourself a goal that you want to spend on the wedding be it the present and the socialising at the wedding and, then work towards that - * I want to have £50 to have at the wedding to cover transport/drinks/present.

think this way its a phycological goal which has a bigger chance of achievement then just, whatever I have by July...

hope some of this helps you

:0)

Wow thank you so much Westie that's an amazing help!!:T:T:T You're right, I do have amazing friends!

I've got £40 cash to spend this weekend and it's in my purse already, so after reading your post I'll make sure that lasts and see if I can bring some back with me!

The budgeting for the wedding can start as soon as I get back from this..... setting the goal beforehand is really helpful as what usually has been happening is that events seem ages off and then all of a sudden they're here. A bit like when Martin says that we all know Christmas is 25th Dec so why do we get surprised by it???:rotfl: I don't think the party next weekend will be expensive as I've already bought a present. Just a bottle of wine?

Thanks again Westie!! P.s hope you're feeling better!!

Westie983

glad I could help,

I must say I used to be the same as you, with events, I would think "oh thats ages away" then when it happens I have to use money that was meant for bills then end up using the CC to fill the hole....

so now with the help of YNAB, I now have a budget for each event, so I put £10 each payday into the birthday catagory, and EVERYONES birthday presents come out of this... now the issue I have is that both my sisters and my nieces have birthdays and my both my parents and my sister have wedding anniversaries in the month of September, so I find that the presents have to come out of this, so one sister may get a present that is less value then the other if I see something that is totally them... but it is working for me as I know by September I will have £60 in the category to budget for the cards and presents accordingly...

It has just dawned on me writing this that my little sister will have her first wedding anniversary in July that I haven't budgeted for - what is 1st year paper? may get her an origami set :-)

what I'm saying is that working in the envelope system seems to allow me to budget and keep to it, gone have the days of just buying a present for birthdays without giving it much thought to the cost...

I am useless with birthdays, I have forgotten its my youngest nieces birthday in June, at this rate there will be no money in the category by September lol.

The trick is to keep adding to the category even when you spend from it... so when I get the next birthday present (Emily's who will be 2 in June) I add to it again in the next pay day, so its replaced, and then it continues, this works for me well as I have limited birthdays in the end of the year apart from my godson, so I work towards September....

sorry for the ramble....

I still have the cough but my voice is slowly coming back, hopefully I can return to work on Monday, thanks for asking...

:-)

scubaangel

I would have suggested the same as Westie.

Take the cash you want to spend/can afford to spend this weekend and leave the cards behind.

As for the pressies thing again set amount to be budgetted every month, in my case I aim to earn it as amazon vouchers as mostly my family will send each other wish list links of things we'd like, friends it's a niceish bottle of wine from whats been on offer in the weeks before the birthday.

Levi-

hi gorgeous hummingbird
sorry i haven't written on here much lately due to time constraints but i just wanted to say H E L L O and that i am always reading and cheering you on in the background, i think you are a wonderful person and it really shows in the things you write and obviously the way your friends IRL value you too :heart2:
i have no advice on the social spends at the mo and i'm afraid as most parents would say "whats a social life?" lol and glad westie could really help on the practical front! have an amazing time birdie xx

hummingbird

^^^ Thank you so much for those lovely comments Levi, I am now back from what has been a wonderful and memorable weekend!:j:j

So glad I went.....and I have been able to bring some of the money I took back with me which I was hoping to be able to do.:beer::beer:

I've been totally worn out since getting back late afternoon but have now recovered:rotfl::rotfl: