Crunchy's Final Debt Free Diary!

Homegrown0

Oh yes, do share! I love to read a plan of action!

crunch_time

Afternoon all!

Husbands pay day was on Friday so I shuffled some things around. Am yet to make his credit card payment so can’t amend the signature yet.

Haven’t formulated a huge definitive plan for the spending diet yet but have the following thoughts.

- we are over budgeting from My next pay day for before and after school club and any mornings we don’t need as husband can DS to school that’s another £5 off the debt. I’m going to target a particular thing on my spreadsheet and it will be nice to see it come down.
- the children are overnight at our parents at least 3 nights over the Easter holidays. Husband and I I just going to cook at home rather than treat ourselves to a date night.
- I’m going to fill the holidays up for free things and make a conscious effort to do them.
- I’m going to try extremely hard to stay close to home where I can so I don’t use up valuable fuel money.
- I’m also going to really make an effort to meal plan this holidays and eek things out of the freezer and cupboards.

So that’s the plan for April - let’s see how much money I can save off our budget!

Crunchy x

crunch_time

Morning all

Just popped on to get something off my chest. In real life, it would seem like I'm gloating and I'm not at all. I'm feeling relieved at us making sensible financial decisions despite some of the actions of those around us.

Some friends of ours do similar jobs so have a similar income moved at the same time as us 18 months ago. They massively over housed themselves and saddled themselves with a mortgage at least £500 a month than ours. This was all ok as the wife was working full time. At the time the husband was suggesting houses to us in our area that were well over our price bracket and it was hard to admit that to them. We've always been a bit envious/spurned on that one day that 'might' be possible for us should we want it of course. Husband has always held the husband high in his opinions as someone that is 'good with money.'

Well. They have now had a baby and she has returned to work, hates it, wants to be at home, they can't afford childcare so the family are looking after the little girl, he's now been made redundant and they are going to have to sell the house and downsize.

We are very sympathetic of course but also very relieved that we didn't go down the same route as them nearly two years ago even though the bank would have lent us more mortgage.

We don't talk about money enough as a society and as a result its so easy to assume that others are much better off than us, when in fact a lot of people are struggling and trying to keep up with the Jones.

Learning this about this couple has grounded me this week and I'm incredibly grateful to be where we are right now.

In other news, I have made an A4 sheet into a budget tracker with columns for food (£500), Spending money (£150), Fuel (£250), clothes £200 and the extra money we have left over this month (£300). I've written everything we have spent so far and the amounts left are highlighted. So husband can see at a glance how much is in budget.

YNAB isn't working for us again - we are just not being efficient in updating it so this is the only way I can get husband engaged in the day to day management of our money. Fingers crossed it works!!

Crunchy xx

enthusiasticsaver

I agree there is not enough discussion about money as a society. It has always been a bit of a taboo discussion and people who do discuss it are either seen as boring (good with figures) or money obsessed. The opposite is true I feel. Those of us who do think and plan our finances do so to live our best lifestyle, relieve stress of worrying about uncontrolled debt or lack of cashflow and feel organised and on top of things.

The other thing people forget to do and your friends will have been guilty of this is not to plan ahead. Have a 5 year plan whether you are buying a house, having a baby or wanting to retire early or change job. If your friends had planned ahead or even thought about the future they would have thought was it sensible to take on a huge mortgage given they wanted a family soon.

You did the right thing not going down the route of keeping up with the Jones's. It has never been a good idea.

enthusiasticsaver

Your budget tracker sounds like a good idea. Simple. I don't get on with YNAB either. You have to be pretty strict with filling it out and I found it took a lot of time although admittedly I did not persist with it. I prefer spreadsheets as they are tailored to our expenditure. I have worked with those for nigh on 40 years though (previously a notebook and pen rather than Excel of course) so maybe it is what you get used to.

Willowtree222

I agree about the talking about it, we don't seem to address money enough at all. Perhaps if we did, it would help so many more people in understanding debt. x

crunch_time

I have a friend that I talk to about money but more along the lines about what we value than anything else. We have similar values. I find it very interesting being on here and people posting their SOAs and seeing where they spend money. Often high salaries don’t mean lots of disposable income which has surprised me.

I’ve run some figures and we are on track to pay off the holiday by the time we go in four months time! Got to stay focussed on the small things though. Off later to buy paint for the next room we are decorating. Husband has been desperate to get on with the larger things but I have been reigning him in. At the moment I don’t have work for september - officially anyway so we must bear that in mind.

The husband has decided he doesn’t understand the plan I have put on the cupboard (sigh) but it’s workibg for me. I’ll show him!!

Just two working days to go till the Easter holidays!! I can’t wait for a break now.

Wow for someone who planned to give up her diary, this looks like regular posting!!

Crunchy x

Willowtree222

If it helps you posting, then it helps. Glad that it is working for you though I'm sure husband will see once you show it to him, or he can see it is working for you. x

enthusiasticsaver

Good luck reigning in your DH. I seem to have spent my whole life doing that and now he has permission to spend he is reluctant.:rotfl::rotfl:

crunch_time

Morning all

Have paid £100 off husbands credit card, finally.

Also - he has said that the budget lists on the fridge help him - yay!!

Which is a good thing because I cancelled the YNAB sub yesterday.

Car insurance renewal has come in about £1.50 cheaper. Some of husbands points have come off but mine are still on there for another year. Will do a comparison in the next few days to see if I can get it any cheaper.

Run in with a family member has left me feeling very low and I have been ‘buffering’ with beer and sweet treats. Which hasn’t helped our budget. But at least it hasn’t been anything stronger!! Every cloud. Determined to get refocused.

Crunch x