It's not a lot, but it's enough

SpekySquarehead

Yesterday was a relaxed evening and a NSD! I went to the gym (twice in one day) then came home for a healthy dinner and chilled evening with my highlight being GBBO. I’m a keen baker, I actually love it, but my health kick prohibits me from making cakes as often as I once did or would like to. To the point where family and friends have encouraged me to enter GBBO actually!

Came into work this morning and my colleague hasn’t handed her notice in as she’s waiting on an amended contract being sent through, so it looks like she’ll do it on Tuesday of next week, which is my last day thankfully. Work today has been hectic purely because we’ve an event on tomorrow in which we’ll be super busy. Makes the day go faster.

This evening I’m not sure what the plan is. I’d like to go to the gym after work but I feel I’ve neglected the GF lately so I may go out for dinner or have a movie night. We’ll see what she decides.

Anyway, today is payday much to my disbelief. For the first time ever I didn’t even realise, I wasn’t counting down the days, I didn’t desperately need the money. It wasn’t until I done my daily YNAB check that I noticed and what a lovely surprise it was. Since it’s that time of the month again, I’ve analysed the month of August thus far;

So August is as follows;

Petrol - £177.03
Standard amount for the month and under my monthly budget of £180. Can’t complain.

Debt - £790.74
Delighted to have paid this off. My next payment will take me under £2k in debt. A huge milestone achieved.

Cash - £190
Higher than I’d like. As per usual, most is for social occasions (taxis, dinner, drinks etc)

Avoidable - £490.49
£150 of this was travel money for my holiday, £37 on new clothes, £60 odd on Xmas presents etc. So although a high figure it’s all controlled. I really should change the title of this from 'avoidable' to 'miscellaneous'.

August was also the first month of my HTB account in which I deposited £50 and will be doing so each month until the debt disappears.

September is a strange month. I’m on holiday for the first week then when I return I start my new job, so I think my monthly spend on petrol will increase. I’ve got 2 nights out planned too so I’ll need to budget for that and my GF’s birthday in October so need to plan ahead.

Tomorrow I’ll make a payment toward my CC too so watch this space.

joeyjimbles

Well done.
And I agree about changing the name of the Avoidable category - that title makes it sound like it was over your budget when the reverse is true. Obviously you want to keep an eye on this area as its the discretionary spends that tend to be where we all go over if we aren't careful, but a less negative heading would be more appropriate. Also, are you going to start putting some money aside from September and the following months' budgets towards the next holiday?

louby40

How long have you been doing YNAB now? Are you quite a bit in credit in your bank account each month?

On the YNAB forums many people say they have a $3k buffer in their account after 3-6 months. I just can't see this ever happening!

SpekySquarehead

Joey - Sound advice, thanks. I think I will start to budget for the next holiday, yes. I've nothing booked, apart from a couple of nights in a cabin for my GF's birthday in October, so I'll put something away as I do love a trip away to just tune out for a while. Great idea.

Louby - I started using it in May (I think) and yes, as each month goes by I'm slowly but surely building up a buffer which astounds me. I said before on here, I have more money in my account the day before payday than I ever have before in my working life. Granted it's all budgeted to various categories so I couldn't just splash £500 on a holiday or something, but on the face of it, I do have more money than I used to!

I would recomend persevering with it. It works. It won't be instantaneous, but it will eventually show results. It forces you to plan ahead not only for the week ahead, or the week after but for someones birthday next month, the holiday next year, Christmas or those unexpected bills!

Today I made a payment to my card. YNAB showed me I had allocated £266 odd for the month of August, so I've sent that across. I'll update my signature once it hits my account but that'll me be under £2k which is a big milestone. The next target is under 1.5k. Small but achievable targets to keep me motivated.

joeyjimbles

Looking forward to coming on here and waving the pom-poms for you being under £2k. I am frustratedly waiting on a payment from one of my clients to get rid of one of my little debts - they normally pay like clockwork but I guess someone was on holiday as it's been later this month.

SpekySquarehead

Annnnnddddd I'm now officially under £2k. Happy days. Really pleased.

Joey - fingers crossed that the payment comes through soon and you'll get that little annoyance off your back.

SpekySquarehead

Good afternoon all,

Had a really nice weekend of being productive, yet not doing much. Managed a NSD yesterday and a low spend day on Friday too which is good.

Today is a spend day though as I crumbled and bought myself a soft drink, my first in a couple of weeks. Which, if you knew me 3 or 4 years ago would be something!

Penultimate day in work today. Got quite a lot to do actually so it's went in super fast so far. I'm now excited to finish up, chill out for a week and then get started on 12th. Unknown to anyone else, my boss is away to collect and sign her contract for her new job and she'll announce her resignation tomorrow. Joey, can I take you up on that flak jacket please?

Holiday on Friday which I'm all set for really. Need order a bit more spending money which I'll do today as it's a spend day. I think I've got everything.

Oh. And. On Saturday a few of my friends and I met for breakfast. It came to £8 each and with our £2 change we stuck a bet on the football. 6 teams to win and both teams to score. Our £4 bet was going to return £16,900.00. And would you believe it, all we needed was 1 goal in the Newcastle game. Half of that would have been mine and no exaggeration when I say life changing! So close, yet so far. Thankfully I don't have an addictive personality where I'm now 'chasing the dragon' as they say. Maybe another time.

curlytop12

wow, just read your whole diary in one sitting!
what a great example you are, i have really enjoyed your journey, good luck with the remaining targets.
i took a while to pay off my debts too, as you say, you need to live!
I saved up at the same time as paid off the debt too, which MSE'ers don't recommend, but psychologically it really helped me, as I knew if anything untoward cropped up, I had savings, rather than increase the debt on my CC.
I wish I'd been so organised at your age!!


Hope your last day goes well tomorrow, have a lovely holiday and I look forward to following your story when you return.

SpekySquarehead

Curly - thank you so much. It's kind words from fellow MSE'ers like yourself that help give me that extra kick up the bum.

So today is the last day. As usual I'm first in work in what will be a very busy day. I'll hopefully catch my boss when she comes in and ask if she is handing her notice in today for sure, just so I know what kind of day it will be.

Tomorrow is essentially a day off. In which I'm getting a delayed birthday present: a tour round Krispy Kreme!! My favourite place in the world. I bloody love doughnuts. Always have. Pictures of me when I was 3 in Majorca stuffing my face with a huge sugared doughnut. When Krispy Kreme openned up here in Edinburgh I was there a couple of times a week getting a couple of doughnuts and a coffee before work. Now that I'm on my health kick, i've not had one in probably a couple of months. But tomorrow signals the start of my holiday, so I'll have to enjoy one or two.

Thursday is a day in which the GF and I will just try to enjoy. We'll get the train into Edinburgh, maybe do some last minute shopping, grab a nice lunch (which I picked based on TripAdvisor for the first time) and get the train home again to relax and make dinner together. Really looking forward to it.

Anyway, the boss has walked in and confirmed she'll hand her notice in today. Wish me luck haha!

joeyjimbles

Hope the last day goes well.
Well done on getting under £2k - really pleased for you, you've made a good solid plan and stuck to it which sounds so very simple but we all know that it is dozens of tiny choices day in and day out and you're doing so well.
Hope you enjoy your doughnut trip - wouldn't be for me - when they first opened in Harrods I went with a friend, and had to go and wait outside as I couldn't bear the smell. I'm not keen on eating them either but I do enjoy making them from time to time. Like you I'm a very keen baker.