My New Frugal Life

Newfrugallife

Had a lovely Friday night, budgeted 100 for last bits of presents, cake, drinks, takeaway and balloons/candles- came just a bit under but I transferred £100 out of the Birthday/ Christmas fund to round it to £200.

Next weeks meal outing will be about £100 again so we will have £100 left and start building it up again in February. Next birthday is in April and then September

Personal spends went haywire as forgot to take my packed lunch twice this week! I was so mad at myself but fabulous news is my mum gave me £30 for my birthday, so my new personal spends budget is £32 which will definitely be enough to last me until February!

Also the person who I'm supposed to go out today gone quiet, I have a feeling it will be cancelled which would be good as then today will be a nsd.

Newfrugallife

Food shop day and a total of £75.37 leaving £90.93 in the food account for next weeks last shop before payday when the budget resets. We have nearly made it through the tight January phew

Personal account £44.33, there was still £24 accounted for to pay the dog walker, leaving me with £20 but I'm having some issues with the walker and thinking of cancelling next week. My mum says she will pop in more often and would save me some money

I will decide tomorrow but either way £20 or £40 it would be enough to last me until 31st

Newfrugallife

Done food shop on Thursday £63.38, £27.55 remaining

Personal account, restarted personal savings with £20 transferred. Had £25 left but just spend some on takeaway so new remaining amount is £8.64 - plenty until next Thursday

Husband got paid early so I have reset my budgets and topped my funds, cannot update my mortgage amount yet as waiting for the main payment to happen, around 1st of feb.

Also this is council tax free month so I will transfer that to savings (not sure which pot yet!) once it's definitely not come out.

In other news reduced my energy bill to £119 (was £129 and we in credit so adjusted my direct debit). Once winter is over will need to claim the credit back if we still have it. And thinking of changing my supplier, but not in the middle of winter.

Newfrugallife

Ok confession time.. I have been experiencing mental health issues again. When I first started the job I was so so happy but after Christmas break found it very hard going back. I didn't want to admit it as everything is going so well now! I very nearly just didn't go in, wanted to send an email and resign. But the people there are so nice I just couldn't do it!
I went in and carried on for a couple of weeks and then had a very bad week last week. Again just barely able to get myself to work, sleeping most of the weekend and cancelled my social arrangements, arelh done housework etc....

But! Again started to feel much better on Wednesday and now feeling ok. I know I need to see a doctor. My main symptoms are extreme anxiety, basically physical feeling in my chest/stomach, constant feeling of dread. Hardly sleeping, I was waking up every couple of hours to look at the time. Barely able to motivate myself to get up and feeling that everything is pointless. Didn't want to do anything just sleep, crying.

I know it's not work related as this job is nowhere near as stressful as my old job. Before I quit my old job things got so bad that I had some very bad thoughts, was researching suicide, but I don't think I would ever actually do it! While I was off my anxiety disappeared, apart from occasional driving anxiety but I am determined to carry on working. Things are so good now, I just need to sort things out and go to my GP. I almost think it's bipolar as I have weeks when I feel great and it comes in cycles..

It feels good writing it down

the_cross_rabbit

I would go see your doctor and explain all of your symptoms and hopefully that will start the ball rolling to managing your symptoms more. Hope I've not put anything to upset you. Sending virtual hugs
CRx

Newfrugallife

Thank you cross rabbit, of course you haven't upset me. It's so weird as I'm literally feeling great today, whereas just a few days ago I felt awful. And nothing happened between then and now.... That's why I don't think it's depression? I really need to go to gp and find out xx

Newfrugallife

Got unexpected present for my birthday £50 note I have put 30 to my new personal savings making the total of £50
And left 20 in current account, which has a total of £28 to last until Thursday pay day! Yayyyyy I officially have made it through the long January month.

Newfrugallife

Looking ahead to Thursday
Already got my payslip and will be paid £1,873
£1100 of this is for my half of all bills/food/all savings pots (apart from personal)/ Mortgage overpayment and now daughters driving lessons
£247 is my travel for the month

This leaves £526 for February! Really happy and I am planning to save a lot of this in personal savings.

Now a little issue which been bothering me for awhile... since starting my job my husband wants to keep our finances separate. I think this is to do with him paying all our bills when I was out of work last year. Even though I did earn 300/400 a month dog walking I did not contribute to the family finances that much. Also I believe he is concerned for my mental health and either wants to save as much of his salary as he can (he would have £873 left after paying travel and £1100 for half our bills!! That is if he hasn't had a sneaky pay rise meanwhile and not told me). Or he just doesn't want to share/ thinking of perhaps separating we argue a lot. Or even his way of control as perhaps he doesn't want me to leave this job, obviously as he now has huge amounts of money for himself.

But because of this I have no choice but to keep my extra money in separate savings as if I overpay the mortgage or buy things for the house it can backfire on me if we do separate.... it is making me very sad as if we pooled this extra money as a family we could have much larger savings each month, do more to the house, Holiday etc.. At the moment I don't know where I stand. Perhaps once I save enough buffer in my personal savings I will start buying NS&I bonds or some other longer term investing.

lexington013

Just happened across your thread, chat to your husband I'm sure it's not what you are thinking.

Newfrugallife

Targets and goals

1. Save £1k in each of my funds, then redirect to mortgage overpayment. Eventually all being well we would be able to over pay by £300/£400 each month. But obviously would need to replenish once we use, so say we use £100 out of Birthday fund, we would redirect tha savings back until its again at £1k etc etc...

As it stands:
Emergency fund - £500/£1000 with another £100 due to it once I confirm that this is a council tax free month.
Christmas/ birthday fund - £300/£1000
House/ other fund - £100/£1000
Personal savings £50 now are £100/£1000

2. We had £27 left in our food fund, I still transferred £400, the plan being once we have a £100 over I will again redirect to mortgage overpayment. So the buffer as it stands is £27/£100

3. I am leaving the remainder of my wages in my personal spends, apart from £50 I put in savings. This is due to quite a tough month and in case I need anything, want to enjoy myself a bit this month. At the end of the month I will buy premium bonds with whatever is left . I quite fancy building up my premium bonds instead of bumping up my pension!

I am determined and positive and the minute. I need to remember that even when I have my bad days they do not last that long and need to get myself to the doctors (easier said than done to get an appointment!). Will look after and be kind to myself.

Another bit of news, I have restarted my dog sitting but only on weekends! If I keep my earnings from it under £1k I am not classified as a business and I missed the dogs too much. It is more of a hobby now and my dog loves company of other dogs. Plus this is very good for my mental health. We have one doggy coming tomorrow evening until Saturday evening Woohoo!