The "Save 12k in 2016" Thread!

bobobski

RichyRich wrote: »

Checking in a few days before payday. Today will not be a good day for the 'Save £12k in 2016' challenge.

I was walking home from work last night and noticed a rip in my trousers, which is irritating because they belong to a suit that I've only had for less than a year. It's right in the fabric which is even more irritating because if it was on a seam I could have had them mended.

I wear a suit for work so I went into my wardrobe to pull another one out for today. Those that are not almost worn out I'm too fat for. So I had to go to TM Lewin today and buy another one. Spare pair of trousers for this one left me over £200 down all in. And I could do with another one.

I also booked myself onto a Spanish course because we're going to Spain in summer and I don't want to be one of those Brits abroad who can only ask for dos cervezas por favor. £183.

Bit of a rant, and I apologise for it. Hopefully it won't dent the grand plan too much :mad::mad::mad:

Richy, I'm sure you and I are money saving twins. I too am having a bad savings month but also for the greater good. Signed up for weight watchers (via Quidco, of course) so my weekly food spend has gone up, and invested in an e-cig to help move away from the real things.

There's more to life than saving money - so long as you're still saving on average, which I expect you are, you're doing great. And good for you for taking a class! When I went to Cape Verde last summer (not very MSE) I bought a lonely planet pocket book to help me with Portuguese and the locals said my accent was goos because the book teaches you pronunciation They couldn't believe I'd learnt it from a book. Highly recommended!

bobobski

They also said it was good. My spelling however...

[Deleted User]

£204 added to savings today taking my total up to £2500. It would have been more but I dipped into savings this month due to my car needing work done. Off to fill in the update sheet.

Hantsman

£1074.82 for April, paid for an amazing holiday and treated OH as she's put up with a lot recently, so I am very happy with that figure.

Well done everyone this month

Domayne

#127 reporting another £1000 for April!

The separate pot I've been saving £300 per month for holidays/new pc etc has been depleted this month (900!!!) I'm going to Madeira this Saturday and my budget for spending money + new clothes was supposed to be £500 leaving me with £400 to continue saving...I don't know what happened but it's all gone.

Now what I'm worried about is its my dads 60th bday and he wants to go away for two weeks in sept...i said i would go for the weekend of his bday (dont really want too, benidorm not really my scene...) and next April I am going to new York for a week with a few friends but my sister has decided to go and book her wedding in Greece the week after I get back!! I need to save harder between now and then, Too many holidays

enthusiasticsaver

Just filled out my update form for April as OH and I both been paid now. Declaring £1500 for April (no 46) making a total of £7000 so nearly half target. Not sure if I will have to adjust target as OH is now retiring (early at age 58) at end of October so we will be two paydays short for the year.

slowlyfading

Spreadsheet updated

Sorry for the delay - DS has been quite poorly so everything else has gone out of the window.

RichyRich

Bobobski, I think you might be right! I started with a book but I couldn't get it to sink in. I had my first class tonight and it was really good! Very enjoyable, a great teacher, and classmates seem fun.

Keep at the e-cigs, you won't look back once you find a flavour you like. And the cash you'll save is immense.

I need to do my calculation for April, which I think will be fine because the suit and the course will be paid in next nonth's visa bill!

We're also looking at getting our kitchen redone which might just kybosh the whole thing. But we'll see what the quote comes back at. I might just make it!

RichyRich

I thought I might as well work it out. I don't know how I have managed it, but declaring for April £2,284.87.

FD Regular: £1,500
Natwide Regular: £2,500
TSB Classic Plus: £2,000
TSB Regular: £2,000
BoS Classic Vantage: £5,000
Tesco Internet Saver: £103.07
Tesco Instant Saver: £2

Total balance: £13,105.07
Beginning balance: £5,027.78

Saved this year to date: £8,077.29
Last month's year to date total: £5,792.42

Saved this month: £2,284.87
Still to save: £3,992.71

I have never concentrated this hard on achieving a savings goal and it's amazing how obsessed I'm becoming with it! I check balance every day, see if there's any extra I can squirrel away, and always thinking about how to swell my savings balance. I genuinely had no idea what figure to aim for and am delighted with progress - though certainly not counting my chickens! Next month will certainly not be as successful due to this being an expensive month on the credit card which is due to be paid after May payday. And there's the complication of the new kitchen, of course.

I also switched my student loan to direct debit because I'm getting close to paying it off, which gives me three months with no repayments, so come June there will also be a marked decrease in the amount I can save!

Happy saving everybody!

sofarbehind

Declaring a massive £2600 for April thanks to a tax refund. Next month won't be as good sadly.