Learning to budget to make future adventures happen

Willowtree222

Hi Crunchy,

Lovely to see you back and doing well. It's nice when we feel more in control and able to manage. Sounds like you are able to do that now.

£200 a month is a great amount too. Good luck with the training. Hope you manage to get it completed soon. x

crunch_time

Morning diary!

Sigh! I've just updated my signature to list the situation as it is now. I'm very proud that we smashed the original £23k in 3 years whilst on maternity leave and moving house and staying in a job that in hindsight was making me ill.

The big sigh is for the next chapter and because I sort of feel a big 'here we go again' feeling. But actually, this is different as I am in a MUCH better place.

We are exactly where we were aiming for nearly 4 years ago when I had my LBM on a walk on Fathers Day when I was pregnant with my now almost 3.5 year old! If we can achieve what we have over the last 4 years then what can we achieve in the next 4? Watch this space!

I've wanted to have budget proportions for a long time as opposed to being on a survival budget for years. So the aim for this year is simply to live within these proportions as this is proper life now and then use the excess to pay back what is owed on the credit cards.

The one thing I am going to do now is not to worry about it so much and to cut myself some slack. And to be honest about it all.

So the line is drawn and off we go!!

In other news I felt really encouraged yesterday as I had a lovely phone call from a prospective client which has helped me visualise my business so I have some things to work on going forward. I must say I absolutely love it and i love being at home with the children more.

After a lot of consideration, I have decided to rebrand and relaunch my blog which I am planning as another business venture. I thought about shutting it down and focusing on social freelancing but i want to do both and I still believe in the blog so I am going to give it another go. Im not planning to launch it till after the course finishes in July so i have lots of time to work on content.

Lots to do! We had a lovely day yesterday and I am planning a similar day today. Dog walk this am then lunch and then out this afternoon at the library.

Have a lovely day everyone! Im encouraged that it is going to be nice weather next week!

Crunchy x

crunch_time

Morning diary!

Sigh! I've just updated my signature to list the situation as it is now. I'm very proud that we smashed the original £23k in 3 years whilst on maternity leave and moving house and staying in a job that in hindsight was making me ill.

The big sigh is for the next chapter and because I sort of feel a big 'here we go again' feeling. But actually, this is different as I am in a MUCH better place.

We are exactly where we were aiming for nearly 4 years ago when I had my LBM on a walk on Fathers Day when I was pregnant with my now almost 3.5 year old! If we can achieve what we have over the last 4 years then what can we achieve in the next 4? Watch this space!

I've wanted to have budget proportions for a long time as opposed to being on a survival budget for years. So the aim for this year is simply to live within these proportions as this is proper life now and then use the excess to pay back what is owed on the credit cards.

The one thing I am going to do now is not to worry about it so much and to cut myself some slack. And to be honest about it all.

So the line is drawn and off we go!!

In other news I felt really encouraged yesterday as I had a lovely phone call from a prospective client which has helped me visualise my business so I have some things to work on going forward. I must say I absolutely love it and i love being at home with the children more.

After a lot of consideration, I have decided to rebrand and relaunch my blog which I am planning as another business venture. I thought about shutting it down and focusing on social freelancing but i want to do both and I still believe in the blog so I am going to give it another go. Im not planning to launch it till after the course finishes in July so i have lots of time to work on content.

Lots to do! We had a lovely day yesterday and I am planning a similar day today. Dog walk this am then lunch and then out this afternoon at the library.

Have a lovely day everyone! Im encouraged that it is going to be nice weather next week!

Crunchy x

crunch_time

Morning all!!

Urgh! It never rains but it pours! Ive put my back out about 2 weeks ago and soldiered on even though it hurt everyday. Yesterday I bit the bullet and went to the chiropractor (£34 on credit card as extra trips currently not budgeted for). Husband has also been on a work trip but ran out of credit on his work credit card so had to use his own. There is c. £300 extra on there. It will be paid back though it just might take a few weeks.

I have no idea if my next refund has come in because I have been locked out of my account so need to ring up about that.

We have £100 for food to last us 2 weeks. Some meals I have planned for this week havent been cooked yet as husband was away and so i fed the kids freezer tapas and I had toast or skipped a meal.

I have quick a few books from the library trip the other day to keep me occupied and loads of work to do to keep out of trouble.

Must update signature but DD is demanding my attention.

Crunch x

Willowtree222

Hope the back is okay. Sound like you are really positive at the minute x

Seasidegal58

Yes - hope the chiropractor has sorted you out.

crunch_time

Morning all

Seasidegal - the chiropractor has sorted me out a little but not completely. I've been in pain all weekend and have a doctors appointment at lunchtime today to get some diazepam which will sort me out no end - but make me drowsy for a few days.

Well its really pouring now everyone! My camera (that I need for 'work') broke and to repair it is going to cost me £150 ish!

Also getting lawn down is going to cost more than we thought - need to hire a rotivator and roller - if we cant borrow one and husband reckons when should be putting down turf and not seed so we can have a garden sooner rather than later. He reckons turf will cost about £200.

I have updated my signature a bit with the new damage to our budget but not to my cc as i still need to ring up to get it unlocked.

My YNAB renewal has been taken out of husbands cc for £36. I never got on with it and found it tricky but i wondering whether now im not 'working' I should give it another go. Anyone else swear by it?

Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Morning debt free wannabes!!

I have access to my sains cc now so i have updated the balance on my signature. This is our starting point and it might get worse before it gets better.

Husband is getting on board with starting YNAB again. We are going to talk about it tonight but the rough plan is to start on May 1st and learn all we can about it between now and then. It should be easier since we both work from home.

With regards to me and work, Im chomping at the bit at the moment. I read a fantastic book called Entrepreneur Revolution and its started something inside me and im bursting to get on with my marketing business and my blog - 2 businesses. One main one and then the side hustle. People dont talk enough about entrepreneurialism - at least in my circles anyway so its nice to read a very motivating book about it.

Im not freaking out about the debt - just want to get some balance in our budget and Im excited about what is to come.

Every time I post on here i see my views go up by at least 500 so i know a lot of people are reading this. Just want to say im sorry its not much of a debt busting motivation at the moment. I promise it will be though. We are turning this around.

Right - off to take photos for my blog. See you all later!!

Crunchy xx

enthusiasticsaver

I never got on with YNAB but some swear by it. Clear checkbook works for me plus my spreadsheets and now this new Santander app Spendylitics which categorises all card spends direct from accounts both credit and debit.

crunch_time

Afternoon all!

Sitting in the garden whilst I write this. Isn't it glorious!!

So I have made a start on YNAB and entered all our planned spends and bills for May.

My first target is to build a bit of a buffer for our spends so we don't use the credit cards to fill the gaps. My first target is a nice modest £100 which will mainly be for food and spending money as we pay for our fuel in arrears now which has been soooo much less stressful.

However Im hoping this will be easier since the spending money budget is now £70 more than it was and the food budget is now £30 more. We shall see.

Once I hit £100 I shall have a small celebration and then start saving up a buffer for the summer holidays as that is always a bit of a money drain and I never seem to prepare for it.

Payday is next Friday so its a case of getting by until then.

Crunchy xx