NST: October: Letting go of the love of stuff.

andrar

Well done thrifty you're now the cause of my second wind of inspiration which means I'm now also going to write a Xmas list. I'm going to be ruthless this year as I'm away so will stick to mainly cards and then some IOUs for really special mates for when I get back in January and get to see them.

Booked in my DMP yearly review and have just redone my overall budget in prep for it. I thought because my pay went up a couple of months ago I may be able to put a lot of extra cash towards it each month but alas the few bills that went down due to my money saving bartering like sky, car insurance etc has been cancelled out by my other bills going up like the gas and electric, rent etc and my extra pay has just equalled it out again. A bit gutting but now I'm back on the money saving wagon I'll hopefully be making an extra payment every month from now on, even if it is only a few quid.

My NSD today before payday and lots of money going straight back out on bills over the next few days, and I've hit my target woohoo! I also did a full list of all my food in cupboards, fridge and freezer and meal planned so determined not to buy too much when I do my top up shopping at some point this weekend.

Hope everyone's had a good day, it's been very quiet on here.

andrar

Oh and thanks apple I'm off to sign up for November now, I'm on a roll!

apple_muncher

littleskintdragon wrote: »

Back to budget and debt paying planning, i find this really difficult, does anyone have any super tips? I get monthly pay and dh gets weekly, so i cant pay everything towards debt at the beginning of the month as we simply dont have it all then?? Ideally we'd be working a month in advance, but then even more ideally id have no debt to pay!!

It sounds almost like you need 2 budgets! I assume you know which DDs go out on which dates and have done your soa? If you want to, you could post it here and we can offer advice.

I just do my budget on my own income, and must confess that for many months did NOT pay to the debt first- I just kept quiet about it! I'm good at having money left at the end, so would pay a wodge over at the end. I'm more confident now, but this month I kept some back because I had been overpaid and didn't know if they would want it back or simply iron it out in my October pay. They did the latter, but it meant that I had money available to help my neighbour.

Could you have a set amount from your monthly pay and then weekly amounts for your dh's pay?

littleskintdragon

Thank you, yep i know when everything comes out. Its also hard because a lot of my pay is commission based (sales) so i never actually know exactly what ill get this month or next. I think i need to start my own thead for advice.

I wish we had two constant salaries so id know where i am. This month for example my pay was half of last month

I think the best thing would be to transfer anything over and above my pathetic basic salary to debt repayment/savings, and then anything else we have left from dh is a bonus we can transfer after weve had it. Sound sensible?

misstara

LSD I have a monthly wage from my main job and weekly wage from my 2nd job. I can't pay everything to debt at the start of each month as I never know for sure what I will get paid from 2nd job through the month (its 0 hour contract so hours vary from week to week). What works for me is paying/budgeting the minimum payments from my monthly wage plus an overpayment if I can afford it. Then I make an overpayment each week from 2nd job sometimes it's only a couple of pounds, other weeks it might be £50, depends on what I've worked the previous week and what I need to budget for that week. I just ignore the 'pay your debt first' part of the challenge because it doesn't work for me.

Right away to check out November's challenge.

apple_muncher

lsd - meant to say too that when I joined nsk and these challenges, I was working 2 days per week. I then had the opportunity to move to 4 days for 8 months, and I paid ALL of the extra I earned to the mortgage. I then reverted to 3 days, sometimes 2, now 4, and I still pay ALL the extra (ie over the 2 days' wage) to the mortgage. So my budgets are set from my 2 day wage each month and that's where I try to make savings.

fmess - how are you now, after your visit from Him? You ok?

traveller

Hi guys, sorry for the lack of posting I've been doing and have now finished the flooring but I'm that knackered you would have thought I'd done Buckingham palace:rotfl: I did spend today, I had to get my little one a pair of school trainers as he was starting to resemble someone from Fagan's gang in Oliver Twist :eek:, so it was a needs must. The damage was 31.99 including nominated delivery day of Friday. Some of the prices for a 7 year old shoes truly had me gasping :eek: Well I'm too cheap to have learned my lesson and am waiting for Assda again. This time I'm glad they're running late, as I had to sort the house out after the floor laying. I promise to catch up tomorrow. Take care everyone

Fmess

dolly - was it good, I'd love to go there. Have you and dd been watching the TV program The Yorkshire Vet?


Well done on the flooring traveller! Go you!


Thanks for asking apple, yes I am ok, I would just feel better if I knew he was moving on too. We had a good normal conversation but then he made it clear that he is still waiting for me to change my mind


Today has been lovely, thanks to my lovely friend who treated me to a spa day for the support I gave her regarding her wedding. It was completely unnecessary of her, but much appreciated and we chatted all day Spendy day as I did buy a cake for my dessert at the spa but it was worth it and my friend wouldn't let me buy hers.


Another hour of extra work done tonight

stewby

Good evening.

Started off with a phone call yesterday, boss on the phone, really short staffed, do I want to work.
Could only work until 10:00 as had to take my mum to the doctors and boss was really happy with that... however, usual story, I felt guilty so ended up heading back at about 13:30 and worked until finishing time. A little bit extra in the wage packet for next month.


Had a quick nosey at November's challenge. It's looking good. Always seem to spend the last few days of a month wishing for the next one.


Glad to hear the visit was okay fmess. Hopefully your ex will move on shortly which will allow you to move on fully as well.

Hugs to everyone.

traveller

Morning everyone Gosh so much has happened! Sorry, i haven't taken notes, so if i forget to mention anyone, it's not deliberate Bob, i hope you feel better soon,
Fmess, i'm glad your ok,
Apple, that was a really kind thing to do.
Calling, i'm glad your treating yourself. Total admiration for the way you help your daughter so it's nice you treat yourself too :T Mothernerd, well done on the sale of the house, boo to the offer! Don't do another thing on it.
Andar, i hope you enjoyed your film.
LSK, how awful regarding the extra payment taking! I hope it gets sorted quickly for you!
Stewby, at least that's extra pay for you :)How's your planning for your trip going?

Well today is pay day althoughI have to make a dent in my new debt I really need to change my signature :rotfl: I also feel a bit annoyed that I will not return to Vegas debt free possibly, but we'll see. I need to source a couple of large plants pots and some beading to finish off the hallway. I do feel guilty buying these, but I need the beading for the edges of the Laminate (and boy, are these needed with my dodgy cutting :rotfl:

At some point I will also need a bigger fridge freezer. I don't have enough room in the one we have now, and you notice it more when the monthly shop comes in. I need to spend some proper quality time with the little one today as I've been mainly working from home or doing the flooring and he has not had much attention at all! Tuesday we went to the park where he rode his bike and he was so happy so I think we'll do this again today, although I would like to do something a bit more with him. Slightly annoyed that any entertainment budget I do have has been swallowed by middle DS's cab fares to and from the airport. I the best part of £120.00. The only reason I'm annoyed is because I assumed Ex would drive him, but he announced his Christopher columbus voyage, after we knew about the trip and with the boiler too, it's all a bit much! In view of not having an emergency fund, I keep thinking whether to pay the minimum on this debt and make some savings (I have 16 months to pay it) or just clear, clear, clear! I'll probably do the latter realistically.

Thrifty, totally in awe of your christmas planning I'm going to try to organise myself after failing Miserably at the xmas challenge I was not supposed to be having christmas here this year, but now the DD is saying she would prefer it here and no doubt the others will too. I musty admit, I love the whole getting ready for christmas thing, but I always imagined when I clear my debt that I had before, christmas would be the icing on the cake-not that i'd be back in debt :rotfl:

Well I hope you all have a great day and take care everyone