The Spreadsheet Diva's MF Diary

SueP19

Well the mags went to recycle this morning :T:T:T funny how a small thing has made me feel more positive

Since the weekend of "I need and I want" rantings of OH I have felt a little despondent..................it always feels like I make plans and "puff" up they go in a whisper of smoke.

I love forward budget planning, estimates but they always seem to be a manyana event, just always out of touch :(:( moved forward to the next week, I have a lot of will power (lost 6 stone in one year) when I set my mind to it but yikes money is a tough one BUT I need to crack this, for all our sakes

So here goes a mid month budget plan
18/03 Save £280 for holiday fund
24/03 Save £320 for holiday fund (that's the holiday sorted)
1/04 Save £230 for Emergency fund
8/04 Save £70 Emergency fund and £90 Xmas fund

So fingers crossed that no unforeseen things will appear and I will be strong enough to stick to it :D

shangaijimmy

I love having money plans!

As for magazines I have never seen the point in them! Mrs SJ went through a phase or buying and keeping them, and I wasn't allowed to look at them, let alone touch, move or talk about them! I was made up when she admitted they needed to go! And quick as a flash the deed was done before she had chance to consider the implications!

SueP19

Yeah but Shangai the best laid plans of mice and men come to b*gg*r all :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: must try harder, must try harder

I have to say I am on section 3 of Kondo-ing (total surprise as I'm usually bored by now) and realise that my hoarding tendencies are money related, I keep it because it cost.....................OH is like Mrs S about his mags, he came home, saw the 3ft pile and actually swayed backwards and turned a funny shade of white :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I told him not your mags dear, to which he utter a huge sigh of phew :D:D

Karmacat

I used to keep all my work journals - when I first had a go at them, they dated back 20 years!!! I chucked anything that was older than 5 years, and then scanned articles I was interested in. It took forever to catch up, but nowadays I scan the one or two articles I want to keep (for CPD - which I don't need to do now anyway ) and throw the magazine within a couple of months.

SueP19

Amazing what we keep I have bank statements from 1995 lolol xx

SueP19

I have been pondering my issue of not sticking to my budget and always feeling like I have failed and that I will have more saved, more money, more in the pot next week/month

I realised as I took advantage of a special offer this morning at 5am (£45 Th*rntons :EasterBun at sale £30, with MSE code £22 and TCB cashback £20.37) I don't take these things into account, not that I buy said chocolate all the time, first time actually and only because OH commented on how carp Cadb*ry's was now, I have to admit I luuuvvv Mr T's chocolate :EasterBun..............................anyway I had a mini lightbulb moment :idea:

That was it I set myself up to fail before I have even started, yes I budget for petrol, food and bills but nothing else, no craft supplies, no items that I know I plan to buy in next couple of months Duh!!! what a dunce I am, how can I possibly win when I am tying my hands behind my back.

So today I will mull over all those things that I know or am likely to spend money on over the next few months...............it's why when money is tight I can spend very little and "do it" because I put off buying anything other than essential must have items. Ever heard someone say "whenever I get a bit of money it always goes" well thats the answer, having a bit extra means you buy from the want/semi-need list, planning for that list eliminates it :D:D:D

Watty1

I've just found your diary. I didn't want to read and run as I've found you on down moment. Goodness knows have had plenty of those myself.


It will get better SueP. You know what it is like, you are making steps and progress and DD needs food. Yep ok feel indulgent, raid the Mr T' choccy tin (hope they have arrived) and then have a good weep then dust yourself down and start again.

Sending over a virtual hug. I know how hard it is when plans de-rail.

SueP19

Ah bless you Watty my plans are always derailing but had a good text convo with DD and at least she is calm, despite me telling her that she could not leave paying her council tax bill for the new year till Feb 17 :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Being calm means we can plan :D

What has really put things in perspective.................take a look at this, on the matter of food...............it's for a week !!! So I do feel both good about my spend but ashamed I felt down at how little people have (see the last pic)

http://www.amazing-stories.net/they-asked-each-family-to-go-shopping/

Watty1

The last pic from the refugee camp very humbling. But for the most part it would seem the poorer you are the better you eat, a lot of the smaller spends had way more fruit and vegetables than the wealthier places! I'm not sure that really applies to the west but I really did notice how much fruit and veg appeared in remote place compared with the earlier pictures.

SueP19

The last one really brings it home what an over indulged life we lead, now feeling guilty about the Th*rntons


I was stunned when I saw how little the fruit and veg was......................we do have it very wrong in the west when oven chips are cheaper than a cauliflower. That has bred obesity not cola

Maybe Osbourne ought to put that in his budget instead of sugar tax :D:D