Making savings before it's too late

[Deleted User]

I had a shredder 3 homes back, the family home and it was brilliant, some people just had bonfires, which annoyed all the neighbours. The shreds were a brilliant addition to compost as I also had horse manure and loads of grass clippings



I also just had an impulse buy but my feet are crying out for velcro summer sandals, everyday ones to wear in the house and for shopping. Widerfitshoes have some on offer so I have plunged, I cannot be suffering in the restricted sided ones that I have. Ok with tights on but who wants tights in the house at the moment

Blackcatsreturns

In the spirit of month end impulse buys - I just bought a beautiful dress at a sale price (albeit still quite expensive). I have a work event next month and it will be a perfect confidence booster for that. Limping to the end of the month with a small spend due tomorrow but will end month just under budget. Need to adjust my mind set to not using the budget as a figure to aim to spend but as a maximum figure that is more than I should be spending. Baby steps ..... but pleased with progress and this thread really helps.

caronc

Accounts all balanced for June and May's overspends allocated against the various "virtual pots". June is another spendy month for me with 3 birthdays (including mine:cool:) , my sons' home and a family get together "chez moi" to cover. Thankfully after this month apart from renewing my house insurance in July there are no more birthdays until October. Finances will be fine provided I don't overspend, however I have seen some shoes that would compliment the clothes I bought recently. I do have money in that budget and I can't think of the last time I bought shoes as I mainly live these days in shore shoes that last for years so I really might be tempted....

[Deleted User]

I must mark may down as a spendy month for me, would not have been so bad if I hadn`t had house and contents to pay for but I also got the vac bags and two sets of bedding and yesterday my precious wall clock gave up the ghost. Dh and I bought that together, 7 years ago, a red wooden modern cuckoo clock. I gave it new batteries and checked the wiring inside but I think it is one of those things with a finite life, an end date. Maybe just time to go, so I have a slightly different replacement on the way, same style, without the pendulum and a nice metal case and also same shade of red. I wouldn`t have but there is such a bare space on the wall and I never realised how much I glance at the time up there. So now I know I have gone over the comfort zone, so be it. I will catch up


Hairdressers today and petrol yesterday, from my cash wallet and thank goodness I have that. Grandaughter birthday next week and being 10, it will be cash in a card. I am dithering about what to do about 2 sons in law and a daughter in law, I usually send them something for about £20-30 but last year, not one of them thanked me for the present and that pees me off. I am thinking just a card each this year, what do you think?

[Deleted User]

I have just stripped my linked saving net down to the bare minimum ie £6 left and have shaved as much as I could off the current account, all to pay off visa, looking at the available amount and subtracting. I work out that I will now owe only £50 if I don`t use cc at all this month.


I have a pinch point soon, when council tax comes out but I will take AnC off my bills on m/s money, which will add a bit to my positive monthly current total. Nothing else I can save on now, just hoping that a premium bond wins, even £25 would be good


Makes me realise that I have no income I can build on, I have fixed pensions and anything else comes from capital, a dangerous strategy. Nothing will be clear to me until I have moved and am stable again


I did a bit of shuffling in my sipp the other day, no rocky shares now and 1/3 in long dated gilts for income, so a steady income for the nexy 20 years. I have to physically withdraw the income when I need it but I have planned ahead. I will get 4.25 and 4.75% and s*d the lower amount I will get back at the end of term. I will be 90+ so it really does not concern me

[Deleted User]

Six month water bill arrived this morning and `phew` only £3 more than I had allowed and the electricity bill is only £12.74 for the month with an estimated yearly cost of £325, which is too low imo. I have a spare £20 from my monthly electric bill allowance this month . I am really determined not to eat into any more capital



Part of looking after my savings and financial affairs is keeping paperwork in order, so a bit of filing and shredding done

caronc

I succumbed and ordered the shoes:o, not terribly :money:though I did go online and found a 15% discount + free delivery code which I'm going to count as a saving as if I'm honest with myself I would have bought them anyway;).

Blackcatsreturns

Caron C - I only found a free delivery code for the dress I bought and I counted that as a good reason to justify buying it!
Kittie - I think that you are really organised with your spending and your draw down % from your SIPP needs to be sufficient for you to enjoy life now whilst having sufficient for the future. If anyone can get that balance right I think it's you.
As for presents for people that don't say thank you. It's a tricky one as they are your "in laws" and you don't want to cause tensions but I wonder what would happen if you just didn't buy anything this year?

I have decided to really cut back on my present budget this year. I spent an absolute fortune last year and decided for various reasons (including not getting any acknowledgement of the gifts) to scale back my spending. I've tried to be more thoughtful and imaginative with a smaller budget.

I waiver with my advice (for what it's worth) between just sending a card, or sending a card saying you made a donation to a special charity or buying a £10 "token" gift. It is very irritating when recipients don't say thank you. It is so easy nowadays to just send a text. I had a text from a mum thanking me for the money I had sent to their son. Only problem is the son is 21 and perfectly capable of texting himself. At least their mum knows the right thing to do.

caronc

kittie - I'd be inclined to go with a "token" gift, card and a box of chocs etc. Certainly no more if not appreciated but saves any tensions. I hate ungrateful people!

[Deleted User]

I won from premium bonds, £125 I am very happy, it will arrive in my bank soon and will go straight into the depleted safety net savings

That was quite some fiasco with visa, I am glad I never have to rely on a card