Can definitely do better!

new_mortgageeee

Hmmm, My Budgets looks a bit complicated for me! I put in next week's budget as £40, but for some reason it was showing as £9.21 on the main front page? Must be doing something wrong!

new_mortgageeee

Went to look at a possible new flat in Devon today (and play by the sea!) - really nice; made me a little bit excited to head over there - even if it does mean getting a "real" mortgage of c.£140k :eek:!!

Weekly summary
Little OP of £55 as it rounded down my total nicely - will do a proper one early next week.
£5 swagbucks-ing (think I might switch to John Lewis vouchers soon; not everyone can have Christmas presents from Amazon)
Total spend £38.79/£40.00 (literally unheard of!). That was everything but fuel, which I've excluded as it's out of my control.

Exciting stuff - I'm really enjoying this :beer:

new_mortgageeee

Oh! And I received a cheque yesterday for £220 for some work done in Jan/Feb, will pay in tomorrow to go straight on OP/savings.

new_mortgageeee

£233 OP this evening to tip me down below £16000 :j

Had a meeting with HSBC today and now have a decision in principle for a new mortgage of £150,890 :eek:!! Hoping I won't need anything like that much (more £130k) as that seems so huge. Still, gives more flexibility in looking for a new place in Devon I suppose.

Seem to have managed to blow half of my weekly £40 budget already(!), though not on anything outrageous; and in theory I shouldn't need to spend much more for the rest of the week... Will see.

Weekly spend:
£19.60/£40.00

Moneyfordreams

Good luck to you.

I hope all your plans are fabulous for you

nappy501

new_mortgageeee wrote: »

Pretty good day today - total spend, 90p! And that was a bar of chocolate (couldn't resist), and some bananas (I was out of them, and these will last a few days). I also (in an idle moment at work) downloaded a simple spending diary app, which should hopefully help me avoid inattentive spending. I enjoyed inputting my 90p anyway!

I do need to do a supermarket shop tomorrow though - will definitely be making a meal plan and shopping list this evening; could easily blow my planned £40 weekly budget in one shop...

May I ask, which app are you using?

nappy501

nappy501 wrote: »

May I ask, which app are you using?

Don't worry, I have found the posts about My Budgets and Moni.

new_mortgageeee

Managed all week on budget again (£38.03/£40.00), though I really had to think about things I actually NEEDED towards the end. Think I should still have £150 left come payday (15th) at this rate, so that'll go into savings; That's £520 OP/savings this month; more like the £650 my SOA suggested I should have!

Went to look at a flat this weekend, and think I might put an offer in - it was really good with oodles of potential. Another incentive to budget and save (as if I needed it!)!

new_mortgageeee

A quiet few days (it's been quite nice!). No big expenditures and no OPs, but it's pay day early next week, so I'll do a clear out and OP whatever's left then. Looking forward to a whole month on my budget to see what is leftover!

£26.40/£40.00 spent so far this week, but nothing much to buy for the rest of the week (besides the odd chocolate bar from the work's tuck box - it's for charity, I can't resist!).

I've been trying to stick to doing some Swagbucksing each free night and am up to £20 in JL and Amazin vouchers now; easy money?! So far avoiding the temptation to spend them on treats, as the plan is to put Christmas on them.

new_mortgageeee

Monthly summary
(my months run 15th-14th)

£318 OP
£241 into savings
£20 swagbucks
£5 prolific surveys (will OP this once Paypal payment clears)

£584 total not frittered for the month - really very pleased with that!

Weekly budget on track: £21.03/£40.00

Intrigued by the Lifetime ISA in today's budget - depending on interest rates that are on offer, seems to be better than pension due to tax-free withdrawal?! At least worth having as an addition to normal pension savings I'd have thought. Will do some investigating.