I'm a spendthrifth - how do i get back on the Wagon

pinkparrott

Help - I've slipped serious off the MSE wagon and need to get back on. I'm very fortunate to earn a good wage , but i'm miserable. I Don't particularily like my job and I want to be able to reduce my hours when my husband retires (he's older than me) however we've got in to the habit of living to our means (if not beyond them sometimes). I just don't think about money enough and it evaporates from my bank account. I need to get back on track quickly so we can stop spending and start saving.


What's your top tips on where to start over please.?

karenccs67

Is there anything such as a holiday of a lifetime that you would love to have when hubby retires? We are saving for two big holidays when my hubby retires, 11 yrs to go! Perhaps a goal would focus you.

pinkparrott

I suppose going down to 3 or 4 days in 2 years is the main goal - I might try to work out may pay based on those hours, & then try to save the rest. Going to start recording all spending again from now for a month to see what I actually spend money on & then try to budget properly , maybe doing grocery challenge will be a good start ?

mumofthetwins

Hi coming here was the best start

Grocery challenge is fab as you have to think about what your spending and as its a challenge it's good if your like me and always want to win lol

Get a note pad and write down your total outgoings and list each bill then do the same for in comings .. I also have a page for extra savings, debt paid off, meal plans and grocery spends (I take cash out then use this for the month) and one for my current account balance (I try not to spend out of here but still check every day for dd)

It really makes you think twice if you write down everything you spend, it also gives you a little boost when you see the savings page going up

Lisa x

Linda32

Put cash in your purse. It makes you think about spending money if you actually see the notes disappearing.

pinkparrott

Thanks guys, think I'll deffo do the cash thing , as I used to pay for absolutely everything on my credit card but then pay it off, but then I had no money left.
So since Christmas I've gradually weaned myself off the credit card to debit card.
So I might try taking out the weeks worth of cash & try to leave my cards at home

Butterfly_Brain

Meal planning is a must and always write a list before you go shopping and only take cash with you, this will stop impulse buys.

Use leftovers to make extra meals

Shop in Aldi or Lidl, use your local market, fishmonger, butcher, greengrocer and other independents.

Buy a whole chicken rather than pieces it works out cheaper.

Take baby steps, just change one thing at a time and you will soon get back into the swing of things.

Lynplatinum

Hiya

I agree with everything so far said on here - especially about only having cash!

My added tips would be

1) Each week stand in front of wardrobe/ chest of drawers/bookcase/spice and herb rack/shoe storage and ask yourself - 'Have I used this in the last year? Is it a pain to launder/prepare?' If the answer to the first is 'No' and the answer to the second is 'Yes' then seriously consider - if you need that item - if you start gathering all these things in one place for either eb!y or CS then you realise just how much money you have spent on Carp you now do not use!

It is a disincentive to buy more + you can see what you actually like and want to keep and use better - it simplifies your life! Thus making you feel better!

2) Take a day (when you feel strong) to go through, as Martin suggests (somewhere in the 'in Debt' section) all your direct debits. Check that you still need em all. Can you swap providers? The first year I did this I saved £1750 for that year!! I could not believe that for years I had wasted that much!! (I was on £ 30K and STILL short of money)

3) use Martin's disincentiviser calculator - put in the price of your daily - coffee shall we say (I have a weakness for C!sta!) £2.85. It will add this up over a year -- I still treat myself but mostly once or twice a month! (BTW 2.85 x 360 = £1026 - allowing for 5 days off coffee per year)

4) take a packed lunch to work - because a) use disincentiviser as above b) nutritional quality will be higher c) its a little treat from home in the middle of your day d) if you are organised they only take 5 mins!! - See Hugh F W's web site and Everyday book for suggestions - or look on the MM&M front pages!

Hope these tips help and welcome aboard!
Frugally forward!

barneydee_2

I can relate to this I have had to jump back on the wagon,I have just posted on an other thread I want to make over payments on my mortgage so I can cut down from full time to part time work & have time to spend with the gran kids.
So I am going to stick to meal planning,taking only cash with me leave the plastic at home,shopping from my cupboards fridge frezer befor going in to the supermarket I have already gone down a brand, I am not going to be so loyal to the big 4, use more local shops plus Turkish, Polish, ethnic stores.
I also need to Declutter so will be selling stuf on fb car boots or sending to cs
Dee x

emslovesmickey

You may want to take a look at the Not Buying It thread on here. It's full of lovely people who have decided they are not going to be fooled by consumerism any more. We still allow ourselves treats of course but it's changed my mindset completely.

[Deleted User]

I use cash all the time if I can,unless its once a month to fill up with diesel (then I use my M&S card for the points at the Tesco garage for their points as well double whammy ,

I have a set amount I take out every month, and for things like window cleaner,gardener (essential as I can't bend well ) Quiz night and history club I have seperate jars with the cash in, and my little brown purse for housekeeping only.

So far this month out of my £60.00 budget for food etc I have spent £20.57 and its day 14 of 31.I try to keep away from the shops if I can as that is the way of temptation, careless shopping and impulse buys.

I streetch what I have, if I can in stock, and its suprising how many things you can make out of few ingredients.I never waste anything if I can help it and if I'm not eating it straight away it goes into the freezer for suspended animation period

Just a case of getting a different mid-set really.I treat my housekeeping money as a business and you wouldn't want to waste anything in business would you.

I agree with B/B and a whole chicken gives you more meals than just a chicken breast.Roast,cold with pickle and mash,curried and the carcuss gives excellent stock for soup.Padding meals out with salad or if meat, lentils etc will help streeetch stuff. I amke my own cakes and biscuits ,cheaper,nicer and I enjoy baking.So easy, and with Youtube, if your not expert anyone can cook really.
But baby steps, a bit at a time, and you'll soon climb back on board the thrift wagon
Good Luck
JackieO xxx