So what's next?

Dragonpie

I've not updated much this week as my new job started on Wednesday and I didn't have access to my budget spreadsheet! I think I am still close to being on budget but I definitely need to work on balance - I want my debts (including mortgage) gone in 5 years, it's definitely possible but I also want to still enjoy myself, I need to spend time with friends and family and to see new places so I think I need to slightly reduce my overpayments, accept that it will take longer to get everything repaid and focus a little more on enjoying myself (whilst still budgeting lol).

beanielou

Getting the balance is the hardest thing ever.

Dragonpie

I've been a bit quiet on here of late because not much has been happening on the money saving front. If I can make it to Friday without spending too much I will be happy!
All of my personal spending plus groceries goes on to a credit card, as it gives me cash back, I have managed to keep this to £500 this month, despite a wedding, an evening with my best friends at a tea room, a concert and a present for my dad's birthday (it's a special one so I have spent more than I normally do!). Next month should be a bit quiet but I have had some fantastic times and when I told my mum what I was getting my dad for his birthday she cried so I don't think I could have done much better with that gift!

Dragonpie

Today, I have revised my budget (and feel like I have spent hours doing this!) I have given myself an increased amount of spending money each month as I was going over my budgeted amount every month so it was clearly too tight. The new plan is £200 each month for 'spends', £200 each month for groceries and household items, £12 per week for my bus ticket and the other bills will remain as they are (approx. £722.63 if I don't include any debt repayments besides my mortgage). If I can stick to this, card debt will be gone in July 2019, loan will be gone in April 2021 and the mortgage will be gone by October 2023... And my partner is looking at marriage after all the debts are gone so this is definitely an incentive!

beanielou

That sounds good on all fronts

Dragonpie

Thanks beanielou :-)

Today I am trying to focus on my budgeting wins as I am getting a bit disheartened with the speed that my debt is decreasing.
I have started taking my lunch to work most days - I would have previously spent up to £10!
I no longer buy any drinks for work, I used to buy a 2l bottle of water every day and at least 2 packs of Diet Coke cans each week... Environmental win as well as budgeting!
I no longer impulse buy clothes and shoes to the same extent (can definitely still improve on this front!)
I throw away a lot less food due to meal planning.
If I buy online, I will go to the site via Quidco.
Last month my credit card spending was £400 less than it used to be on a typical month.

I have made some significant changes, using a lot of tips and info gleaned from lurking on MSE (thank you lovely MSEs) so I need to look on the bright side and focus on what I have done rather than what I need to do.

efes_shareholder

I have those days , when you feel like you are just plodding along but getting nowhere however you are ! each step is in the right direction and although it may not always seem as though a great deal is being acheived , you are changing your habits and habitable spending
All these things will get you where you want , I'm taking a more scenic route then maybe I should but the destination will be the same

keep going ,you are doing great x

Dragonpie

Today did not start well! A terrible night's sleep led to me getting up late, had no breakfast, forgot my headphones for my bus journey, forgot my work shoes so am sat in the office in trainers and had no time to make a sandwich so I ended up buying lunch and breakfast, £4.79 on food for today and sat there eating my pasta salad thinking 'This is nice but I could have made it for about 20p!' clearly all the MSE and the 'feed yourself for £1' group on Facebook are having an impact !!!128514;

Dragonpie

I don't know what to do! I can continue with my plan as above - throw as much money at CCs then move onto mortgage and loan... Or I can transfer all my CCs onto one card, the bulk would be interest free until August 2020 (with the remainder interest free until May 2019) and split my over payments between mortgage and CCs setting up a DD that would have the CC paid off by the end of the interest only period andstart overpaying the mortgage whilst the balance, and therefore the interest is higher. B/T would cost around £160 but I feel like I would save more in interest on the mortgage (but cannot be sure!)

Dragonpie

My main problem with the above plan is that it works on the assumption that my job will be secure for at least 2 years and after my last redundancy scare, I don't know how comfortable I am with this assumption.