Half way there and a slight change of direction

elantan

Right having a wee think and a wee look at the old style board ... my idea for a budget is much different than there's ... but I think I will stick with it, as they say to go from 200 to 100 straight away isn't sustainable

So I'm giving myself a budget of £350 for food and £50 for take aways, usually we are much more for take aways and I'm gonna be honest I don't know how much on food .

Next puzzle, do I keep the money and pay everything as cash? Do I use a discount thingy hubby gets with work, do I use my TsB contactless card and get cash back?

Hmm

edinburgher

I think your budget is probably ok for starters *if* you plan on reducing the food amount if you underspend for the month. As it stands, it's very high. As you know, I've been wrestling with our budget, but I'd say that we could comfortably cope with £250 for groceries for 2 adults and a baby (including fair trade, free range and some organic products and basics such as generic medicines).

I'd say that you need to start recording what you spend, but you probably already know that. Even recording where every penny goes, I'm living proof that it doesn't matter at all unless you're willing to act on reducing it!

I think we (sorry, have jumped on your challenge) should probably consider just using cash or debit cards for the month, I have got into a terrible habit of just putting everything on the air miles credit card. We do pay this off every month, but it leads to a really 'lumpy' profile for expenses, nothing for weeks and then £2k disappearing etc.

Do you and OH get spare money for general spends? Would you consider paying for takeaways from this instead of budgeting for them? This treats them as an unexpected expense in that it hurts your bottom line/the money in your pocket. TBH, it's the only thing that reduces our spends on takeaway.

Ps. We treat alcohol the same, it's a treat, not 'groceries'

elantan

Sounds like I have a challenge partner

Welcome aboard ... I'm gonna need the help lol

We don't tend to have a general spends ... we tend to just spend ( oh how bad do i sound) ... if I want something g I order it ... same for Mr El, takeaways come from a budget of ... do you fancy something to eat ? Aye ... right what do you want ? Type budget

In the last two months we have been well over our money, we have actually landed into the dreaded overdraft, so this needs fixing and now, I was thinking that giving us a take away budget would stop us from spending more ? Also have planned for an alcohol budget ( £40 a month) I have recognised that recently we have been spending much more on alcohol and giving Mr Els relationship with alcohol this isn't a good thing.

I think your right about the money idea Ed.. envelopes it is then.

edinburgher

I suppose budgets for less healthy things are most definitely better than just spending whatever, whenever! I don't think I'll go as extreme as cash, I don't have an overdraft, so debit card will do for now

elantan

wages in, and wages out.

I have paid £200 to the 0% interest visa which we used to buy the fires with, also paid off the credit card which I hadn't put the money by for last month, so we are short by £350 this month and that isnt covering the £1,000 overdraft that I seem to have run up over the last couple of months.

This tells me we have a lot of work to do, Ive been complacent obviously, we will get there of that I have no doubt but I will need to keep a tighter rein on things as well.

I have put the diesel budget down to £100 from £150 this means that wee trips away for the day will need to go for the next month, we enjoy going out for the day but it just isnt sustainable just now.

I will be going up to the bank and lifting £5 notes for Mr El for his work, ( he uses roughly £10 a week) and I will ensure I take food with me to work. I will be putting £50 into an envelope for take aways and £40 into an envelope for alcohol.

Thats this months plan ... Lets see how it goes

in uni work ... I could cry, just found out I was meant to do 30-40 hours worth of online work over xmas and new year, we were not told this so i havnt done it... I have 4 major things I must achieve before the middle of April as well as keeping on top of the uni work and working to earn money... I could cry ... but as we say in MSE land ... I will Keep plodding

beanielou

30 to 40 hours :eek:
Why the beep did they not tell you?

As we say keep plodding

elantan

In their defence, we are adult learners and should keep checking the website ... in my ( and many if my class) defence ... I'm nearly finished and I still don't know how to navigate my way round, allegedly it's easy but many of us still find it a nightmare

Oh well I've started now, did half an hour ... the annoying thing is I have done all this before previously in a past uni course, however I have to do it again ... sigh

Karmacat

What a pain, El I've used two academic websites in the past (University of Central Lancashire and University of Hawaii ) and they were both bad. Good luck getting through it extra quickly, hopefully, as you've done it before?

elantan

Thanks KC ... that's the plan .. skim through and remind myself what I know then sit the various tests etc throughout and pass

I have enough going on with the stuff I have to do for April just now ... lesson plans are something I never thought I would have to do

beanielou

Lesson plans :eek: