Sat 7th/Sun 8th November - what small DFW things will you do this weekend? :)

crazy_cat_lady

Foxgloves - are your piggies like the envelope system, and are they real or online? I'm trying to weigh up the pros and cons of real cash vs online.

foxgloves

Hi CCL - Yes, my Savings Piggies are indeed the 'envelope system'. I just use 6 A5 size envelopes.....tho did cut out shiny pink pig shapes from recycled giftwrap to stick on them, lol. I also wondered about having 'virtual' savings pots but opted for cash so that it really focussed us on actual available funds. My 6 piggies are car maintenance, clothes, holidays, presents, entertainment & household. When I set the budget each month, I divide £200 between them. Usually I aim for £50 for car, £40 for clothes, £20 for presents, £30 for household, £40 for holidays & £20 for entertainment. There are in addition to other allocations such as groceries, emergencies & our personal spends. The piggy system is very flexible. For instance, if neither of us need clothes, I'll hold that piggy at say, £40 or £70 in case we suddenly need shoes or work shirts or whatever, but then divert the next couple of months of clothes pig money to the presents pig, or leisure pig if we know we've got an event coming up or Christmas gifts to buy. Actually dealing in cash helps me budget these categories but you do need to remember to take the relevant pig money out with you. Today I put cash from both the clothes & present pigs in my bag as I knew I was shopping for trousers & a gift for my in-laws. There's no right & wrong way. It's a very organic system & can be tweaked till you find something that works for you. Hope this is helpful.
F x

Bobarella

Thanks everyone

Karb

Happy Saturday everyone. Been a miserable day weather-wise, and not helped by the results in either football or rugby.


It's largely been a day of cleaning - mainly doing all the upvc panels in the conservatory. The dog has a tendency to jump up them, either to look out of the windows or to get out of the door, so they were looking quite grubby, but they are gleaming now.


Shopping was done solely at Aldi - I completely resisted the temptation to pop in anywhere else. I did by DS2 and DS3 a McDonalds this evening, but didn't have one myself. I just did myself a quick snack when we got home.


The local bonfire and fireworks event would have cost me £12-£15, (depending on whether my 16 year-old passed for an adult or a child), plus no doubt some extra food and drinks while we were out, but in the end they preferred to spend the money on a McDonalds and we can still see the fireworks from the front garden anyway.


Downside is the dog insists on trying to be outside to bark at them. She doesn't seem scared of them at all, and as soon as she hears one she dashes to the door to try to get out, but then she just barks and barks at them. Her tail is wagging, so she seems happy enough, but I guess its a territorial thing. She's 14 now, so it will never change. It's either have her outside barking, or inside crying and crying.

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

Belated happy birthdays Bob.

Well the course was quite good but it has taken all day which feels a bit strange.

Foxgloves I am trying the envelope system. What do you do when you need to buy something with a debit card though? This is where I slip up.

Weather is awful again and I now have 3 loads of wet/sweaty/muddy football kit to wash and dry. I have a heated airer but we have nowhere to leave it without it being in the way so I tend to use it evenings/overnight then finish things off in the tumbler next morning. Footie shirts cant be tumble dried though. The football club give me £5 for washing 14 shirts, shorts and socks but I have no idea how much it actually costs me.

Not much planned for tomorrow, will have to do a mealplan and look at my finances. No-one wanted much tea tonight so we will have to have the hm burgers tomorrow as they have already been frozen.

Oh and Ally I desperately need new undies, would like to go and get properly measured, its years since I have done it.

kayannie

A very belated Happy Birthday, Bob. Wish I was 37 again!!
K x

foxgloves

Hi Yorkshire Lass,
Yes, agree you do need to keep pigs/envelopes straight for the system to work. Having to use a debit card in a shop shouldn't really arise if I've remembered to take the cash out with me. If I haven't or I need to buy something online, I use my debit card, then I sort of 'moneylaunder' the cash through the grocery budget. So last week, I ordered 2 balls of sock yarn online (about £10) for knitting a Christmas present. I paid with my debit card, then transferred the £10 cash from the Presents Piggy to my grocery purse & updated my grocery budget accordingly. I mostly pay for groceries on visa debit, but always like a bit of cash in my grocery purse for the local market & small food purchases such as local butcher, etc, so this works for me. Sorry if this sounds complicated - it really isnt when I'm doing it, but the system can start to fall apart quickly if transfers/updates such as these aren't done promptly. The system took me a while to get used to, but it really seems to work for us now.
F x

crazy_cat_lady

I think that's a good one for me to try Foxgloves thank you - I do have a couple of online savings accounts. But I haven't worked out yet if I'm more motivated by online or the real thing. Another thing to add to my list of things to think about.

Baileys_Babe

Belated happy birthday Bob

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all
Managed to sleep until half past seven this morning :j so I kind of feel like a new woman. I'm sitting in bed watching a bit of catch up TV, snuggled under the covers and keeping the heating off. DH is asleep on the sofa and I predict another day of nothing from him as his anxiety takes over.
List of things to do today:
ring bank to find out how I can pay a cheque in if I can't get to a branch.
urgently find dd a new pair of school shoes for next to nothing
[STRIKE];) check school uniform policy because she tells me she's not allowed boots[/STRIKE] Dark, preferably black, footwear should be worn with low heels for general safety. Doesn't mention about boots.
ring my dad and find out how he's doing
buy ds a toothbrush after he lost his last night in the cat litter :eek:
tutoring
dd to tumbling class
find the recipe for super easy beef goulash that I can't remember
bake biscuits or cakes with ds
minimise use of heating
There will be more - never have a quiet day do I? Have a good one everyone.