Are we nearly there yet?

Pauper1

I think it's tough for us both; he's supported me through Post-and-Pre-natal Depression recently, ME/CFS a few years ago, more depression before that haha. I suppose now I'm feeling better it's just my turn to shoulder things for a bit.

Fingers crossed for the coming into their own! (How many years have I got to wait?! :rotfl:)

HairyHandofDartmoor

Not that long school age?

Pauper1

Our shopping is being delivered this morning, then DS and I have swimming and DH is finishing at lunchtime so he'll probably take DS to soft play or something and I'll crack on with my assignment. Not a NSD but hopefully no unplanned for spends either.

I'm really frustrated with my bank. At least a week ago we bought the last of our Christmas presents - lots of different little transactions mostly all from Amazon that I didn't bother checking against the orders (naughty me), but they all seemed to have come out, nothing in pending, no reduced balance, then BAM yesterday afternoon £50 odd came out I'd re-sorted out the bank accounts that morning and was feeling confident about our budgets. Now, not so much.

PLUS DH got an email from his accounts department saying the tax rebate is incorrect and if we claim it (already have done) then HMRC will just ask for it back at a later date. So now the phone and my overspends also aren't covered.

I'm ready for this month to be over, and to start again.

HairyHandofDartmoor

How annoying about the tax rebate . It feels like one step forward snd one step back sometimes.

You should definitely keep a spending diary, either on here or in a notebook so you are less likely to get unpleasant surprises.

Pauper1

I'll need another week's worth of shopping, so will budget £50 for that. DH put petrol in his car yesterday that he says will last about two weeks, so he shouldn't need any more until payday, but I'll budget another £10 there as it's just over two weeks. I think I'll need another £20 diesel. So £80 for essential spends.

Then we've got things like soft play (£5ish), meal out this weekend (only at Toby so shouldn't be expensive and I'll look for a voucher - about £20), another toddler group Christmas party next weekend (£8.50 this time), so maybe £45 for 'entertainment' just to be safe, and in case DS and I need to get out and do something! Eurgh, I've just remembered that DS has a haircut booked for Friday, so that'll be another £3/£4.

Bills are already accounted for, so I need £129.

We've got a "spare" £12.99 in our bills account so I will move that across to groceries, giving us £35.98 in there. There's £14.86 in the petrol account and £1.20 in buffer. I've got £13 in cash. That's £65.04. Doesn't even cover the essential spends.

Obviously we have various savings so we won't starve but it's so annoying that I seem to be failing to budget properly. Rather than move money across yet I'll see how much I can increase my income/decrease spends by. I'm not going to cancel the parties/haircuts and that's maybe not the best idea, but it's my Christmas mentality. If it was January, I might do. Is this where I need a change of thinking though?!

Pauper1

Thank you HairyHand I think I will pop my spends on here, to keep me accountable, plus to have all the money stuff in one place.

The shopping this morning was £42.85, which is within budget for a week, but I'll try to eke it out a couple of extra days on the end as well. So next shop should be the 14th. Ooh, our wedding anniversary, what a treat for me haha

Drawingaline

Hi, just wanted to say I have just read your diary and it sounds like you are doing so well. Hoping you have good news from the other creditors soon.

How are you finding ynab? I used to be like you, loads of different accounts for all sorts of things, however I found that when I started YNAB I slowly started closing them down and keep most of my funds in my current account now. I still have a savings account but tend to only keep money towards home improvements and holidays in it now. I am on a face group and they are great for helping with any queries about YNAB and how it works etc.

Pauper1

Thanks for popping by Drawingaline! I'm not really getting the hang of it, my multiple accounts are making things a bit tricky, stuff is showing up twice and I'm having to keep making adjustments. I'd be interested in the FB group, what do I search for?

Pauper1

I'm 49% of my way through my assignment, but I thought it was due in on Friday and it turns out it's Thursday _pale_

Better crack on...

Drawingaline

Sent a pm about the help group