Learning to budget to make future adventures happen

enthusiasticsaver

Just read you diary and you seem to be doing really well. When our children were small we lacked personal space to do our own things and now they are grown and gone we have it in abundance. My advice would be don't chuck money at expensive furniture when you know eventually a bigger house will be needed. If you have to set up new organisation systems then so be it. A drawer, basket or stacker box tucked in a corner works fine and if you have to clear it away after using it this keeps surfaces clutter free. Easier to clean. I would focus on clearing the loan then set up a new house fund. Same with car, separate savings pots for both once debt cleared. That is the millstone around your neck so adding to it only holds you back. What was the secured loan for initially? A car?

doingitanyway

Crunchy, you inspired me to do a list of my debts and where I should be month by month this morning. It was really helpful as I saw a shortfall and instead of depressing me I could see the true situation.

Like you my default setting is to buy my solutions instead of thinking through another way. My diary has helped me with this.

My house is a mess but the 2 rooms that are not a mess have been mega decluttered so are easy to keep organised.

You are doing great so keep going

MistyMountainTop

Good luck Crunchy!

I've been going through something similar in our house, having to move things to get to other things was driving me nuts. I was able to get rid of a lot of junk (old papers, books I no longer wanted/needed, clothes that were a bad idea in the first place, gifts from relatives that I felt I should keep but had no desire for...) and once I started letting things go, I was inspired to get rid of even more. I'll never be a minimalist but a clean uncluttered room is a lovely thing. The unimportant stuff being gone made space for the things I do want to keep.

The problem I'm having now is it seems whenever I clear a space, other people see it as a dumping ground for their junk. I've told them they need to put it in their own room but it seems to fall on deaf ears and I'm in danger of turning into a terrible nag. I've started putting it all in a bag and dumping it on their beds. When they complain they can't find anything I tell them if they had put it away in the first place, they'd know where it is. I feel a bit mean but am not sure how else they are going to learn...

The basket sounds like a great idea, your things will be kept together and it will be easily portable. Let us know how you got on!

crunch_time

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Just read you diary and you seem to be doing really well. When our children were small we lacked personal space to do our own things and now they are grown and gone we have it in abundance. My advice would be don't chuck money at expensive furniture when you know eventually a bigger house will be needed. If you have to set up new organisation systems then so be it. A drawer, basket or stacker box tucked in a corner works fine and if you have to clear it away after using it this keeps surfaces clutter free. Easier to clean. I would focus on clearing the loan then set up a new house fund. Same with car, separate savings pots for both once debt cleared. That is the millstone around your neck so adding to it only holds you back. What was the secured loan for initially? A car?

Its a long story. Husband was heavily in debt when I met him nearly 13 years ago. I didn't find out the true amount until we moved in. Basically around £10k in credit cards he couldn't keep up with so he consolidated into a loan but then still racked up credit card and was always in his £2k overdraft. Then 3 years ago he had to buy new car (£5k - still own it but will need to replace it soon) and added it onto the loan putting it up to £13k. Meanwhile I took out a loan for a new car (£3k - no longer own, £4k of old credit card from uni 6 years ago, £800 for our wooden floor on our old house and a new laptop (I'm currently bashing away on it). In April 2015 husband decided to consolidate both our loans into one so at one point it was about £16.5k!!!! We have since worked hard to pay off all our credit cards and overdrafts but then find us even further in debt due to reckless spending or cutting the cloth too tight - I'm still trying to decide. Meanwhile the loan has got down to what it is. 3 years ago we were nearly £30k in debt. I cannot believe that at all.

To be honest I think a lot of our thinking is 'other people have credit cards so we can too and it doesn't matter if there is a little but on them.' Or that we earn around £75k combined a year therefore although people and by people I mean family and friends, don't know that figure, they know we earn what is deemed a lot of money therefore we 'should' maintain a standard of living that people who earn that amount should adhere to.

The reality is we are not materialistic and are desperate to start planning a future of adventures but I still feel the pressure to conform to perception of sorts.

Although I feel something has clicked this year and I I'm starting to rebel....

crunch_time

doingitanyway wrote: »

Crunchy, you inspired me to do a list of my debts and where I should be month by month this morning. It was really helpful as I saw a shortfall and instead of depressing me I could see the true situation.

Like you my default setting is to buy my solutions instead of thinking through another way. My diary has helped me with this.

My house is a mess but the 2 rooms that are not a mess have been mega decluttered so are easy to keep organised.

You are doing great so keep going

I'm so pleased I'm inspiring people (and also surprised). I'm trying to be a s honest as I can in my diary as it helps us in the long run.

My house is minimalist so you can see where clutter accumulates and I think that is what is frustrating. With little people you often cant do anything about it until the evenings and then you are too shattered!

crunch_time

Thanks for all your lovely helpful comments everyone!

Crisis averted. All areas of clutter in the house are now decluttered and I have 'my basket' with all my stuff sitting beautifully on top of a book case well out of the way of little hands. All the systems I have in place are fine I just lost my way a bit over the last few weeks with returning to work etc etc.

I must give myself a break, DS was off school on Thursday and Friday so I didn't have my usual time to myself when DD was napping. Lord knows what I will do when she gives up her naps! I will have to pay for an extra half day of nursery ha ha!!

I shall continue on on this journey slaying this loan once and for all doing everything I can to make it happen as soon as physically possible.

Organising done now need to get on with the cleaning before the little people come home.

Thanks for the support!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Gosh what an exhausting few days at work! Its performance week and ours is tomorrow. I just want it over with. Got my first performance management tomorrow. It will mainly be objective setting but it would be good to see how I've done so far. Not that anyone has seen me teach yet.

DS before and after school club bill is in - £10 over budget. I will check it though as some days he didn't go to before school club.

Just waiting for DDs now. I have emiled about it but heard nothing yet. Will call on Thursday.

Crunchy x

crunch_time

Morning diaryland

Been up several times before midnight with DD wanting cuddles and then at about 4.30am she was sick and then sick again. Her first stomach bug (not a first you really look forward to!) She is napping now and I'm drinking coffee!!

Performance management was postponed and class performance was fine. Just one week left to go!!

Got DD's childcare bill - I was £1 ish more than I estimated. All paid now. Just need to take cash out for DS and then I will take it up to school this afternoon then it is done.

Husband has decided he wants to start crossfit in the new year. I'm not against this as it is for health and something he has wanted to do for a long time. Its £40 a month so will factor that into next years budget.

I've started my Christmas shopping but I really need to finish it off

1 more week until my pay day and 3 more weeks until New Year and we will be at £10k!!

Crunchy x

crunch_time

Hello diary,

So I've been mulling over what to do to replace husbands credit card and I think I have found the answer. In the New Year he can open a no frills account with his current bank with no overdraft. I pay £200 in and that is used to fill up his car with fuel and then he claims back his mileage and tops this account back up when the money comes through. He can also use it to buy the occasional thing if he needs like lunch if he cant claim for it and I just keep it topped up as and when. Then the credit card can be paid off and then used for when we buy things online which are budgeted for.

Will mull it over for the next few weeks whilst we get Christmas over with.

Crunchy x

crunch_time

Morning diary.

Rudely awoken this am by dd coming into our bed at 5.30am. I guess it's our fault for taking the side off her cot. She has finally figured out that she can open her bedroom door and come out now. They grow up so quick!!

Husband rang up the 0% card provider to see if there was an offer on to transfer the balance of his other card. Reading between the lines there should be in the new year. We have had the 0% card since about June and since had 2 offers through the post to transfer balances so fingers crossed. If not I can apply for one in February. So just got to carry on regardless.

Then we can just pay the minimum on it until we have paid off the loan.

Christmas shopping is almost finished. Just got niece to buy for and a secret santa present then that's it. Although I may buy a tin of chocolates for nursery and school to say thank you for settling in.

We have £350 budgeted for our Christmas holiday and £60 is for the cattery. I'm planning on spending as little as possible if what is left after fuel. We don't need to. Husband gets paid the day we leave and we have pretty frugal plans for new year - cozy dinner in and a walk on New Year's Day.

Just need to get through this last week at school now.

Crunchy xx