Making savings before it's too late

lessonlearned

Went through my figures yesterday. Until I actually move there is not a lot I can do for now. I will rejig bank accounts and utilities after. In the meantime trying not to spend too much.

I decided to really start tracking my spending and have brought back a dormant account into use. I'm going to put all my penny savings, dribs and drabs and any expected windfalls into there instead of letting it just get swallowed up into my normal everyday spending.

Just gathering up all the odds and ends has already given me £40 in that account, so a good start. I still have a piggy bank to empty and some vouchers to use so I reckon I will hit £100 before I know it.

Easy money. :rotfl:

I have done much better with my food bill too so far. Fewer "top up" shops and then when I have had to buy a couple of things like milk then I have been very good and not been tempted by bargains.....

Although I did treat myself to a little linen dress and a top in Sainsbugs last week.

But they were half price so they don't count. :rotfl:

My son was about to part with some plain cream curtains....they were originally mine......they are big enough to fit a patio door so I pounced on them. They will come in handy when I move, even if only just as a temporary measure.

He is now under strict instructions not to part with anything without running it by me first. I am determined to keep renovation and redecorating costs to an absolute minimum so I am on the lookout for anything that can be repurposed, revamped or reused.

[Deleted User]

I sold and posted 3 crafting items today, made £160 in my paypal account but cannot add a card to transfer the cash to a current account. That is so frustrating as I wanted to pay down my spends on my cc. I am going to pay off the last cc statement on the 18th when I have leeway in my main current account, just 5 days to go and I will have a better picture of where I am at with my finances


It isn`t boring, not spending, I am keeping myself busy doing what I call positive stuff ie stuff which has a good effect on me and my plans

[Deleted User]

There is something psychologically good about paying off the recent cc statement, couldn`t wait to do it on monday, so did it this morning as I am not expecting any bills over the weekend. I sold 3 books yesterday and have some more cash in my pp account. I have a few more up for sale but don`t mind if I don`t sell them


Having a no spend week has been good, the two rooms that were most bothering me wrt potential moving have now been completely sorted and anything I will not need is pre-packed, all down to not going out to spend and wanting to use my time wisely. The thread started just before christmas, almost six months. I haven`t transferred much at all into any savings account over that time and I am surprised but maybe it is a reality check.

lessonlearned

Kittie......I couldn't agree more, I have well and truly adopted a savers mindset now.

I never thought I would find myself saying this, having been something of a spendthrift in my day. The idea of being frugal and saving would have bored me to tears but I actually enjoy saving now.

I just love seeing those noughts at the end.....:rotfl: I am a reformed character.

Just yesterday I found myself flicking through holiday bargains and thinking "nah.....I can't be bothered, I'll save my money) :rotfl: .......the old me would never have said that. The same with clothes, shoes, etc. Although I did splash out and buy three CDs yesterday........ at the charity shop......3. For £1. Bargain.

One football anthems for us to get into the mood for the World Cup, and one Il Divo and one George Gershwin songs. I would never had paid full price for them but at 33p a pop then why not.

Had to transfer some money into my current account.......to cover some of the moving expenses......it is in the budget but I still didn't like doing it.

Those moving expenses and fees really mount up don't they. I could have bought a nice sofa with that...... (or a fab holiday) :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

That feeling, of not wanting to spend, to see savings grow, its a good feeling and actually overtakes that `must spend every last penny in my purse`. LL you have an aim, an objective, a bend in the lane and you are now driven, not driverless zig-zagging any more, me too

My simplest and most useful buy for general packing has been a full heavy pack of white wrapping paper, I am using it every day and today I think I have finished in the garage. I bought medium size stick on washable numbers from amazon and so far have numbered 18 boxes. 1-14 were already numbered on the inside but now every box on the outside has a number and I have an inventory of everything in there. Later I am going to sit and transfer the inventory into my special book

I need to spend nothing this weekend

Blackcatsreturns

LL - I am gradually transforming into a saver. Keeping a spending tracker is a good incentive as well as having a goal to spend 10% less this year than last. I shall do a mid year review at the end of this month to check progress.
I wish I had been more organised when I moved house. I had half heartedly de-cluttered but moved loads of "junk" with me. I have since sold quite a lot of things and have a very healthy PayPal balance. I paid the removal firm to pack but to be honest they merely put things in boxes without much logic. My clothes were higgeldy piggeldy in wardrobe boxes but that was a good reason to sort through my huge number of clothes. As moving day progressed the removal men were rushing and I still felt very muddled when they finished.
That said, I'm pleased that I've moved. I loved my old house but there were a lot of memories there that weren't helping me and I felt that I was letting OH down by not looking after the garden to his high standards. He loved the garden and was pottering about out there until just a week or so before he died.
My new house now feels like home and I've also reduced monthly outgoings by moving.

tori.k

I think our goals have just shifted into just staying out of debt ( other than the mortgage) this year, im hoping things will settle down by next year. its the little add-on to every little project that soon mounts up, this weekend DH is painting the front door time I picked up sandpaper, primer and the paint I'd hit almost £70. I hope the neighbours appreciate my BT buzby yellow door with the cost and effort that's gone into it I feel a bit of a rebel breaking the various shades of blue front doors cycle.

lessonlearned

Tori.....your bright yellow door gets my vote. Why blend in with everybody else. Dare to be different.

In my last family home I painted both the door and the garage door bright red. Everyone else's door was that awful (sorry to offend anyone) fake wood look pvc. Yes it's low maintenance and practical but it doesnt exactly make my heart sing. My neighbours loved my door and it was always easy to give directions to people. Just look for the house with the red door....:rotfl:

Well I woke up feeling a bit panicky and rather overwhelmed about all I have to do. So then I thought the only way to overcome this is to make a start......so two cups of coffee under my belt and I have removed over 40 books. They are now in my car waiting to be delivered to the charity shop. I shudder to think what they represent in hard cash, how much money was spent on them.....but hey ho out they go. :rotfl: There's about 10 more to be read before I move and then they can go.

Just going to make a start on my paperwork. The shredder will probably have to work overtime. I figure if I can have one final declutter this weekend then I can start prepacking next week.

Last night I wore a pair of shoes. They were so uncomfortable and I thought why am I doing this, why on Earth am I keeping shoes that hurt me and run the risk of damaging my feet. So today I shall go through all my shoes. If they hurt me then out they go......and I'll try not to think how much money I have wasted......:eek: :rotfl:

Time to be ruthless and get rid of everything I dislike, don't use, doesn't fit properly, or is past it's sell by date. No point spending good money to shift a load of old junk.......and no point fretting about how much money I've wasted. That's history!!!

moneyistooshorttomention

Agreed LessonLearned - sometimes it's about "cutting your losses" and thinking "Which is the lesser of two evils?" (in this case cluttering your house up with stuff you basically neither need nor want - as you don't want to waste the money it cost to get it). I know the feeling....:cool:

lessonlearned

Well hopefully this will teach me a valuable lesson that will guide me through to a simple and sustainable lifestyle where less will really be more......;).

Meet the new minimalist me......:D