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

SpekySquarehead

Louby - I tend to get excited with the MSE newsletter that comes out which features the different deals that are on. I keep my eyes peeled and buy various things when they're on sale. Less stress for November/December too.

Cailbhinn - With you on that. At our age, we still need to live life and enjoy it. We could lock ourselves away, survive on beans and water and pay off the debt in no time but what way is that to live. You can have a balance.


Yesterday I had to spend £2 on my lunch so I missed on my NSD. Today I brought my lunch with me but I know I need to stop off and buy some sugar for a dessert I'm making for tomorrows dinner at my GF's house. So I'll miss out on another NSD. At least they are both low spends.

I'm looking tight for the remainder of this month although I only get paid a week on Thursday, so not too long to wait. I've got money budgeted to fill my tank up again and buy some groceries but that's all I can afford. The thing is I don't actually mind being skint because the reason I am is that I've put a big chunk to savings. It feels different to being skint because you're paying off debt, it's easier to accept.

Cailbhinn

SpekySquarehead wrote: »

I'm looking tight for the remainder of this month although I only get paid a week on Thursday, so not too long to wait..

Ahh... do you have the dreaded 5 week month too? I'm last Thursday of the month. I used to dread them as I knew I'd be rooked for the last few days. Hopefully now i'll budget for it. Next one not until January though. That might be a good or bad thing I don't know...

SpekySquarehead

I do hate them. They always seem to catch me out.

Yesterday evening was great and my sticky toffee pudding turned out well, very happy with it all and it didn't cost a fortune too which always helps.

I'm off work tomorrow so I can tie up some loose ends. I've written a list;

- Go to the gym
- Visit the library
- Collect grocery shopping for the weekend away
- Drop said grocery shopping off to GF's sister who will head up before us.
- Pack for the weekend.
- Get the screw tightened in my glasses

All of which I'd like to be done before noon. Really looking forward to it all.

I suspect the full weekend will be spend days. With the Old Firm on Sunday, I'll probably have some expenditure but I'll get it to a minimum - work in the morning.

Cailbhinn

SpekySquarehead wrote: »

sticky toffee pudding

Geez a bit! My favourite! Have a belter of a weekend.

SpekySquarehead

Good morning all.

I didn't stop on Friday. So busy getting ready for the weekend away making sure that everything was just right, and so it turned out. Had a lovely weekend and on a MSE side it was a pretty cheap one, we didn't eat out and everyone brought food and drink with them!! Which is just as well since I'm skint!

Back to it this week. Payday on Thursday so I should manage to see out till then with very little expenditure. Playing football tonight, so that'll cost £3 or £4. I might need a trip to a SM before then to make sure I've got lunches ready but I'll raid the cupboards and freezer first.

I'm doing a secret santa with my brothers and their other halves and another secret santa with my GF''s brothers and sisters. So I need to get my thinking cap on on what to get. Once I've got those 2 I'll have most of Xmas sorted which is a first.

SpekySquarehead

Morning,

My best friend works in Glasgow and he suggested that we car share and he’ll give me £50 per month. It’s only slightly out my way and we’ve been trailing it since last week and it seems to be working. His train ticket was £150 odds for the month, so he’s saved £100 and I’ve gained £50. I’ve been more punctual at work now as I don’t want to be late in picking him up so it’s a win-win.

I actually forgot my wallet last night and so didn’t pay for football so yesterday was a NSD. I will have to pay my colleague who covered for me today though.

Tonight is FIFA Tuesdays so I’ll drop my friend off after work, visit the gym and then go home to sit and relax and have a good catch up which I’m looking forward to.

On the money front, I logged onto YNAB and my bank this morning to make sure the 2 matched up and I see YNAB now as a report function! Very impressed. It shows spending habits in various graphs over a period of time and seeing it in a such a way helps to highlight some particular points to note.

I get paid on Thursday and I need to budget clever for the month ahead. I’ve got 2 secret santas to get, one at £50 and one at £30. Plus there will no doubt be a work one which is a believe is £10 or £15. I’ve also to buy for my Mum and Gran but I think I know what I’ll get them. It’ll cost roughly £80 for them both, a nice spa day together. The biggest though is my GF. We agreed on a £200 limit. Adding up the above totals £375 and split that over November and December equals £187.50 per month, easy enough.

November looks to be a quiet month and with Xmas round the corner it’s a good excuse to stay in and save the cash. I’ll be giving it a good go at the NSD’s too – my GF’s birthday this month has kinda knocked me off track.

Lastly, I also listed tons of stuff on eBay. I woke to a few notifications on my phone of people making bids on various books and electronics, so I should have a few extra pennies coming in, happy days!

louby40

I got excited about the YNAB reports too! Are we a bit sad?? lol

SpekySquarehead

louby40 wrote: »

I got excited about the YNAB reports too! Are we a bit sad?? lol

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Not at all. We're just now much better with our money :money:

SpekySquarehead

Morning all,

Payday came early and arrived in my account yesterday evening, just as I finished work at 11pm. I called First Direct when I finished (answered within 1 ring) and organised my standing orders, very pleasant and helpful to deal with. I still have an account at the BoS in which most of my DD’s come out of. I had originally set this up so I had 1 account for DD’s and the other was disposable money but since YNAB, I no longer need this and so I’ll soon start switching in the new month. It’ll just make things much easier to track for YNAB purposes.

I’ve matched my savings payments of last month. A total of £375. I was going to add more but I’m conscious of Xmas and I like to get organised. The more I’m organised now, the more I can save in December.

I don’t have much going on in November. I’ve a haircut and a dentist appointment. I’m really going to push on my NSD’s for November and that’ll hopefully make a bit of a difference to my spending.

My mum asked me what I wanted for Xmas and I said either money that would go straight into savings, or vouchers for IKEA as I’m that determined that 2017 is the year I get a mortgage.

SpekySquarehead

Morning,

My bosses boss has turned the heat up and has applied pressure on me and expecting results quickly, despite telling me when I started it would take 2-3 months before I was able to properly understand everything. I’ve been lucky that in my career so far I’ve never had a bad boss, however I’ve a sneaky suspicion that he just has something in for me.

My friend that I am car sharing with shares a similar passion for going to the gym and so we’ve decided to join the same gym in Glasgow city centre in the new year and we’ll go in the mornings before work. I enjoy an early morning gym session however I find it too easy to just say, “naaaa, I’ll turn my alarm off and I’ll go after work”. Now that I’ll have someone relying on me to pick them up it’ll force me to go and hopefully I’ll do more often than I do now. Also the new gym will be £11 cheaper than what I am currently paying. And since my friend is giving me £50 a month to car share, I’m essentially making more money by doing this!

GF and I agreed on a £200 limit for Xmas and I’m struggling to think what to get her. I’ve got a small collection of bits and bobs already but in reality you can’t get much for £200 these days. I’ll need to shop smart.

Todays the day that my ebay listings end, so I’ll no doubt spend tonight packing and wrapping to visit the post office tomorrow morning. Hopefully I’ll be able to make a few pennies.

Anyway, back to it. Happy Friday.