I’m taking control of my life, now.

boxofpaws

I'm just going to post a bit more of my plan. I am working out an SOA but this is it roughly

Income £4100 (that's both of us)

Monthly outgoings (all DDs and standing orders) £1732
Debt repayments (loans and fixed cc payments that will come out just after payday) £1400
Food, petrol, entertainment, misc £572 (:eek: )
Annual bill account £300*

*This covers all presents, car and bike maintenance and insurance and vets

It might need reviewing once I have done the SOA, £572 to live on doesn't sound very much...

KxMx

I don't know a single person who hasn't been horrified by their spending diary!

The first month I did mine I just kept telling myself it was for illumination, and I would get better. And I did

boxofpaws

Thanks KxMx. What did you find you could cut out? At the minute I feel like it's all necessities, but it can't be. People live on MUCH less.

I have just joined the mse credit club. How did I not know about this?

I need to digest my results...(gulp)

Bobarella

Could you ditch the window cleaner? Can you cut back on contributing to work collections? That's what the spending diary data is for. You see what you do spend then chop it back. Brand dropping, buying second hand, etc it all reduces what you spend. You can do it!!

Smolly

Hi boxofpaws! I've had a quick catch up of your diary and I LOVE your plan. You seem to be doing so well already - great stuff. Have subscribed x

KxMx

boxofpaws wrote: »

Thanks KxMx. What did you find you could cut out? At the minute I feel like it's all necessities, but it can't be. People live on MUCH less.

I have just joined the mse credit club. How did I not know about this?

I need to digest my results...(gulp)

The main thing I did was cut my cash spending. I take out a set amount each month for day to day, once it's gone it's gone. Makes you think extra hard before spending. I have been known to be in Poundland and talk myself out of a sandwich :rotfl:

If I have a meal or bingo trip where I want to pay cash, that is separate but still has to go on (and fit into) the overall monthly budget.

sashybo

Hi boxofpaws Love your name I have a house full of paws (or should that be claws as they're all cats? :rotfl:).Currently typing this around a cat as they all think sitting right in front of the keyboard is the best seat ever. :cool:

Our current debt total is about to go back up by quite a large amount (so wish we didn't need 2 cars) so trying my best to figure out where to cut corners before our baby arrives in May and our income goes down 3 months after that when I go onto half pay.

I must admit I'm a survey taker, I like to earn vouchers for presents and/or things for the house & try and use any cash to pay off the debt, however I'm one of those who finds payment a day useful too. I do go through phases where I can't be bothered with the surveys so I just take a break but mostly it works for me and what you're doing with your diary so far is finding what works for you. :beer:

Meal planning is great once you get into it, I'm still trying to find my way back there at the moment.

boxofpaws

Bobarella wrote: »

Could you ditch the window cleaner?

But then who would clean my windows? Me? Surely not! I might ask him to only come every other month though. I'm also going to ask my neighbours what they pay because I think £17.50 seems high. Also re collections at work, we are having a big reshuffle and a few people are leaving, so I am hoping this is unusually high. Its the first time I have monitored it though, so am interested to know how much it is. I am in a new team and they do seem more extravagant on things like this than my last. If it gets out of hand, I will put a stop to it. You never know, there might be other people who cant afford it either but didn't want to rock the boat.

Smolly wrote: »

Hi boxofpaws! I've had a quick catch up of your diary and I LOVE your plan. You seem to be doing so well already - great stuff. Have subscribed x

Smolly, :hello:

KxMx wrote: »

The main thing I did was cut my cash spending. I take out a set amount each month for day to day, once it's gone it's gone. Makes you think extra hard before spending. I have been known to be in Poundland and talk myself out of a sandwich :rotfl:

If I have a meal or bingo trip where I want to pay cash, that is separate but still has to go on (and fit into) the overall monthly budget.

Might try the cash thing. If its in my purse, it disappears.

boxofpaws

sashybo wrote: »

Hi boxofpaws Love your name I have a house full of paws (or should that be claws as they're all cats? :rotfl:).Currently typing this around a cat as they all think sitting right in front of the keyboard is the best seat ever. :cool:

Our current debt total is about to go back up by quite a large amount (so wish we didn't need 2 cars) so trying my best to figure out where to cut corners before our baby arrives in May and our income goes down 3 months after that when I go onto half pay.

I must admit I'm a survey taker, I like to earn vouchers for presents and/or things for the house & try and use any cash to pay off the debt, however I'm one of those who finds payment a day useful too. I do go through phases where I can't be bothered with the surveys so I just take a break but mostly it works for me and what you're doing with your diary so far is finding what works for you. :beer:

Meal planning is great once you get into it, I'm still trying to find my way back there at the moment.

We have crossed-posts (sort of)! I posted on your diary this morning, and here you've been on mine.


You have a really good reason to have to spend money. Its when it goes and you don't know where or why that its a problem. Yours is all planned and in control :T

boxofpaws

Good things since I last posted:j

• Went into local market town yesterday to buy cheap dishwasher tablets.
• Took me all day yesterday but all housework is done. My house is all shiny. Clean bed, mmmmmm, yummy
• Was looking for the company credit card (which apparently I should put all expenses on) which was in a Safe Place and while I was doing it, tidied out three Drawers of Doom. I am so happy that I no longer dread finding statements because we are all back in control.
• There is £1000 in the contingency fund.
• The bike insurance has been paid in full for the year (£142), and so far it hasn't come out of the Contingency Fund bank account (called CF bank account from hereon in)

Bad things

• Had food poisoning overnight on Friday (prawns). It meant I was not fully performing on Saturday and didn't go for a run or get any gardening done.
• When I was in the market town, I spent £3.56 in the bakery on rubbish. To try and make myself feel better.
• I could have bought the dishwasher tablets I like for the same price as the dishwasher tablets I bought plus the money I spent on sausage rolls. Oh dear.
• Came to the realisation that my diary is going to be really boring. I get paid on 21st, so there will be a big chunk of debt payment on 22nd....and then nothing...until next payday.
• Triumphantly presented the husband with haggis tatties and neeps last night. He looked at my little expectant face and said 'do you think its Burns Night?'. Yes, yes I did. I was 4 days early. Oh well, we both like haggis.