Half way there and a slight change of direction

beanielou

:j :j :j

tattycath

Great news that your mortgage is now under 10k. :j :j :j
I will be pleased when ours is under 40k and it isn't under 50k yet! but we will get there.
I saw an article on the breakfast programme this morning about Scotland. I had no idea there are so many castles in Scotland, we really should make the effort to go north of the border and have a look!

LadyGnome

Hello, what an amazing journey so far, I've enjoyed your diary.

One thought about the spending the savings issue. I make a list of things that I want to do during the year for fun e.g. go to the cinema, go to a particular show or sports event etc. I have a specific savings fund for those things so I can spend on things I want without feeling guilty. I think it works because it is intentional / purposeful spending so it never feels like money slipping through my fingers. It makes it easier to leave the savings alone because the treat money is available.


As others have suggested, perhaps you need to start locking bits of your savings away e.g. a notice account or limited withdrawal one so you would stop and think before spending. If you had to give 30 days notice would you still want to spend if you had to wait a month?

beanielou

Hoping to be under 20k by next year!!

Karmacat

Congratulations El!

Thats a good idea from Lady Gnome - like Cheery's no quibble fund, maybe?

elantan

tattycath wrote: »

Great news that your mortgage is now under 10k. :j :j :j
I will be pleased when ours is under 40k and it isn't under 50k yet! but we will get there.
I saw an article on the breakfast programme this morning about Scotland. I had no idea there are so many castles in Scotland, we really should make the effort to go north of the border and have a look!

There's so many up here we keep tripping over them

Come on up anytime, just watch out for the midges

elantan

LadyGnome wrote: »

Hello, what an amazing journey so far, I've enjoyed your diary.

One thought about the spending the savings issue. I make a list of things that I want to do during the year for fun e.g. go to the cinema, go to a particular show or sports event etc. I have a specific savings fund for those things so I can spend on things I want without feeling guilty. I think it works because it is intentional / purposeful spending so it never feels like money slipping through my fingers. It makes it easier to leave the savings alone because the treat money is available.


As others have suggested, perhaps you need to start locking bits of your savings away e.g. a notice account or limited withdrawal one so you would stop and think before spending. If you had to give 30 days notice would you still want to spend if you had to wait a month?

Thank you very much Lady Gnome and welcome

A 30 day notice account might work ... yeah I may not get great interest which will bug me ... but I need to learn the skill of saving now

Thank you very much for the idea

elantan

beanielou wrote: »

Hoping to be under 20k by next year!!

Wooooo hooooo Beanie ... that makes me so happy to hear :D:D

elantan

Karmacat wrote: »

Congratulations El!

Thats a good idea from Lady Gnome - like Cheery's no quibble fund, maybe?

Oooo will need to go look up cheers no quibble fund

elantan

OK ladies and gents ... a spanner has been thrown into the works

Now this isn't a bad spanner, it's an opportunity spanner, and I can't decide whether to grab it or leave it

On my course we have an Erasmus programme, I have been given the opportunity of being considered to go, I have been shortlisted and do believe that if I chose to I will be successful in going.

It will cost money , quite a bit of money, it's a chance I will never ever get again in life ( but that doesn't mean I need to take it)

But it is an opportunity to spend 3 months in a different culture learning new skills and meeting new ideas ... a HUGE part of me wants to grab this and run with it but there is the sensible El sitting in the back ground going ... well you know it's money, you might land up having to stay in student digs and listen to nonstop parties ( one of my ideas for hell )

Etc etc etc ... you know how the sensible part in your head goes

So ladies and gents


What would you do ?