26, no savings feel stuck

Jibeddy

Houseplant26 wrote: »

Hi all. Money sitch isn't great at all this month. However I have done two MSE things -phoned in meter readings and rang phone company. As contract ending soon I've resisted the urge to upgrade my phone (I have an iPhone 5C that feels like it is on its last legs, rubbish memory rubbish battery life!) and have asked to go on a rolling 1month contract of £13 saving £14 a month here. Plan to do this for a bit while I seek out a decent deal, or as long as I can stand to save money. I'm not obsessed by gadgets, I know I can't afford the latest ones, but a slightly better one eventually would be good!

Just received an iPhone SE as a work phone and was very surprised at how well it compares to my personal iPhone 6 (basically the same thing with a small screen). Not exactly Money Saving, but if it's something you're going to get anyways I'd definitely take a look at this as it is about £200 cheaper than other models.

Houseplant26

Jibeddy wrote: »

Just received an iPhone SE as a work phone and was very surprised at how well it compares to my personal iPhone 6 (basically the same thing with a small screen). Not exactly Money Saving, but if it's something you're going to get anyways I'd definitely take a look at this as it is about £200 cheaper than other models.

Thanks that's good to know! I actually had that one on my radar.

Had a spendy day yesterday as left work a bit broken and had to buy some food bits I could do easily. Spent £8 odd in the posh supermarket near me. Determined in 2017 to reduce food spending more. Although I think/know we're not awful.

Houseplant26

I've stopped logging spends for a little bit. Will restart next pay day. Fell ever so slightly off the wagon this month and don't have a lot left (like £50!) to last until 21st of this month. And in that time I have to pay for my work Christmas meal which is £26 plus any drinks. We don't get anything from company sadly as a charity which kind of sucks. I hope I enjoy it but I think money will be on my mind as will be most I've spent going out in months.

Savings stand at £500.

After meters readings we owe £28 but direct debits aren't being adjusted so our usage is on par with previous tenants it seems. Will do another reading end of Dec though as we have been having electric heaters on a lot as flat is very cold.

Flowers123

Well done on your savings Houseplant :T:T
Hope you have a lovely works Christmas party X

Houseplant26

Right I'm back!

I've just been paid. Not a lot because although I did some overtime all this did was cancel out the overpayment last month work did by accident and had to take off this wage.

The month until now was nigh on impossible to stick to budget in part because I binged all my overpayment into savings in case I was really really short this month if couldn't get any overtime. Luckily although it's going to be right I didn't get under a months pay this one in the end.

So once I've paid £100 into savings (my aim this month, now at £600), paid my share of rent and bills to joint (£550) and paid back £75ish to my partner in left with £325 but then another £75 is going on his Christmas present. I know it's too much but it was something he really wanted. I'm left with £250 to last me for food, a £15 phone bill and any socialising. Should be doable. Especially if I get a little bit of money from grandparents for Christmas.

Planning to go back to logging all spends and using cash, £50 a week if possible.

Houseplant26

Logging some spends.

I went to see a friend today
£3 day rider bus ticket to get there and back
£8 on a pizza, dough balls and Buck's Fizz for our lunch (I said it was my treat.... Need to do a little bit less of this in 2017)
Then £20 on food bits and bobs for rest of this week before Christmas and cleaning products we needed (my share will just be £10)

Houseplant26

Some spends to report:

£2.25 Christmas Card
£6 gift for my OH
£1.75 congrats card for my OH
£2 clear cellophane bags
£5.50 two Christmas gift boxes (I've made gingerbread to go in them)
£2 ish snacks

Need to buy less snacks in 2017! I think my main spending 'leaks' are snacks and also gifts for friends, buying them a drink etc when I do meet up with people.

Houseplant26

Spends until now
£9 train ticket
£5 food
£3 candle
£65 clothes (bit naughty bought in sales not sure can really afford to!)
£6 razors and shave gel

Income from Christmas via relatives £40 and £10 voucher will likely use for presents as not for a store I shop in.

Houseplant26

Eughhhhh my spending has got out of control and I am going to be spending my days until Jan 21st very very broke and/or dipping into savings or going overdrawn. Basically I got a bit spend happy in run up to and after Christmas. I blew the budget on OH present and although we spent exactly the same and I love what I got I should have really put my foot down and kept it lower than £75.

I forgot some spends the other day when I did a log. I'd actually also spent £12 on lunch out and £11 on a strainer to make fancy tea with. Which was daft.

Then I've since had to pay for two prescriptions and bought a notebook to start bullet journalling in for 2017 as I really want to plan more as I feel I like one day to the next always exhausted and overwhelmed.

Then throw in £38 on big food shop (we did Christmas at families so we ran out food right down in run up) and I'm broke. With three weeks until I'm paid again. I'm going to need a few random things even if the food lasts like cotton wool and shampoo. Gahhhhhhhhh.

Really maybe I couldn't save £100 this month. Really maybe I'm just !!!! with spending and needed to not act like I had money when I got paid basic rate and only £1000ish!!

I need to try and remember I am making some progress. Despite my predicament I have £600 in savings plus some in my joint account as we both have been overpaying. Won't know what of that we can plan to use until I've done more meter readings for energy company.

KxMx

I know I and other posters have mentioned this before, but I keep seeing prescription expenses, wouldn't it be better to go for the Pre Payment Card? £2 a week is worth it surely. And if paying by DD 2 months are payment free which is nice on the budget.