Getting A Grip

Palindr0mic

Okay, so I'm very nervous starting this. I hope it's okay as I'm not technically in debt (yet), but I've very little left in the way of savings and my credit card bill is creeping up and up. I have a spending problem and I need to get a hold of it before I really do throw myself into debt.

So this is my diary to myself. To get a hang on my spendings. To put more money in my savings account for the future (like the car and house I will need to buy). And as a non-monetary goal, to be a bit lighter and a bit more fab.

Fingers crossed.

Palindr0mic

Month One Goals - 18th December - 17th January

Basics:
- Money in: £1,100
- Fixed Spending: £475 (rent, bills, driving lessons) £650 if water bill due
- Money left: £625 - £450

Goals
- Put £100 in savings
- Limit food spending to under £200 (this sounds huge I know, but binge eating is a massive problem for me and I can easily spend way more than that on binge food in a month :( I am so ashamed)
- Participate in challenge threads for using up beauty products and losing weight
- Only buy things I actually NEED in sales eg. new microwave and new shoes (both of which are utterly broken)
- Clear out closet for charity/ebay

Wish me luck?

MuffinTops

Happy new diary and the very best of luck to you. Although, if you keep up with your diary then there's not so much luck involved.

I'll be cheering you on! You can do this, just try small steps and stay organised. That's what I've learned anyway.

MTx

Palindr0mic

Thanks!

Started getting ready to keep an eye on my spendings and start saving. Got a bag out in my kitchen to put all the reciepts into. Got my carrier bags sorted and just trying to get my brain into "only stuff you need mode".

I am trying to cut back, but this first month will be mostly focused on working out exactly where and what I'm spending, while trying to cut down on the obvious stuff like regular trips to the shops I don't need. Then I'll have a better idea for proper budgeting.

Palindr0mic

Had a bit of a "moment" today at lunch time, anxiety over starting to cut down (despite it being what I need to do damnit) getting the better of me. Spent more than I should have on some groceries that I don't really need. Tomorrow is crunch day. Also the day I head home to spend the holidays with my mum, which hopefully will curb some of my spending as we can share food bills and such.

Palindr0mic

£36.80 spent on Friday. £15 for last minute christmas presents, £15 sponsoring a past student for charity, £6.80 work meal out.
12.86 spent on Saturday. Some food and household essentials, some silly food buys when I should have known better.

Back home with my mum over christmas, she bought the Christmas shopping and food for up until then (and probably a bit past then too). Offered to help pay but she wasn't having it, so I guess that was one way of saving money? I feel so bad.

MuffinTops

Your spending seems fine. Do you ever write shopping lists to keep you focussed? I find I need to do that now otherwise I get too distracted with money off price tags!

Don't feel too bad about Christmas food being paid for. In my experience, Mum's love helping out like that.

Palindr0mic

Shopping lists sound like a good idea. I'll certainly try to implement that, thanks MuffinTops

Have to admit, I've been in hiding from the board. Personal and Uni stress combined with Christmas and New Years sales got the better of me. Well sales and finding food for the inbetween days when there's not a big meal happening. Mum and I have very different diets, while the house is stocked with her food as standard (of course) there's not much in that I eat, aside from biscuits... Anyway, I'll be back in uni on Monday and it'll be a fresh start and a lot easier to keep track of things, especially food, as all my stuff is there and I won't find myself suddenly needing toiletries or food, because I'll know what I have and what's going on. Until then, trying to keep this weekend as spend free as possible, and trying to be more active on here to be accountable. I guess this is a learning experience, if I stop making myself accountable I go a little off track...

Palindr0mic

So ashamed.
Stressed out over my Grandad. Since we had to put him in a home (my grandma died and she was his primary carer, he has alzheimers and at nearly 92 can't get about very well, never could cook for himself and now struggles with incontinence and can't dress himself or wash himself or anything. No one could take care of him, with me being at uni, my mum & sister working full time and my aunt being disabled herself. I still feel awful about it, and sometimes people comment on how terrible it is that people these days don't take care of their elderly...) he got ill and they never called the doctor, since then he lost his teeth and the home possibly found but then lost the envelope they'd put them in for "safe keeping". Now he sleeps all the time, won't eat, is sick often... it's bad. It's upsetting. It's hurting my mum as well.
But it got to me. The stress and everything. I bought a pair of leggings. And instead of just getting nicotine for DIY ejuice pre-TPD implementation I also bought a bunch of liquids and some extra flavours and eurgh... I haven't looked at my bank account yet. At least my rent went out already and it was out of my debit rather than racking up a bigger credit card bill.

I really am barreling towards debt. And messing up too often.
At least I'm back in Bolton. Fridge full of vegetables (and a bit too much cheese, reduced Christmas stock got the better of me ). I can do uni, gym and straight home and try to stay away from the internet sales.

Palindr0mic

Money unrelated: checked my weight and the Christmas damage has been bad. 3kg. It's my birthday first week of Feb and I really want to at least have that extra 3kg gone. 5kg loss would be ideal really. Good thing I have fruit and veg I guess!

Palindr0mic

Yesterday I went in the lab to start work, discovered that over Christmas all but one of my UV bulbs for curing had broken. It's a 6 bulb setup and they're nearly all needed (I can get away with one, max two broken). So that £50 for new bulbs, plus £30 binge food I bought yesterday because the broken bulbs mean I won't get something done in time and no doubt my supervisor will murder me (fair bit left, but it's also unhealthy food that won't help me lose any weight) then an extra £5 on things I needed for new practical work.

*sigh* this is why my savings account has something like £50 in it. Darnit woman, get a grip and stop being so emotional.

Still waiting for the uni councilling services to get back to me as well...