I hope I can do this

zippygeorgeandben

Yup I'm up for reading and checking in with this diary. I'm still re reading the first post OP!

ftbwannabe

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

You seem to be doing well but a few things I would mention.

.

Thank you for taking the time, very practical advice.
I already meal plan & shop in Aldi & Asda, but there must be something I can shave off since it looks like a high amount to so many people.
I'm already planning for Christmas & I reckon everyone's getting a jar of my festive chutney this year

jwil

Rather than putting your DD up for each of the debts have you considered snowballing? Pay the minimum to each of your debts and then all the extra to one debt to clear it faster. You usually focus on the highest interest one first, so that would be your student loans, but if the 0% ones end soon, it would be better to clear them first before you start paying interest.

Have a play with this website
http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx

Good luck

ftbwannabe

jwil wrote: »

Rather than putting your DD up for each of the debts have you considered snowballing? Pay the minimum to each of your debts and then all the extra to one debt to clear it faster.

Thanks for the suggestion & link - I’ll check it out. I like the thought of targetting one at a time...

ChasingSunshine

Hi, welcome to the forum. The suggestion of tackling your student loans could be a good one. The amounts are small so you will get the quick win of having them paid off in only a few months if you put all the extra towards that. However before doing that check when the 0% expire on each of your cards. If they are short it might be better to focus on the card with the shortest 0%, no guarantee that you will get another one to cover the balance. You might decide to create a small emergency fund first before focusing on the debt pay down. There are lots of different approaches so really depends on your personality and approach which is the best option.

Regarding your food spend this is high esp if for two weeks your OH is buying the groceries and you are not shopping at expensive supermarkets. Maybe check exactly what you are buying, are you sticking to your meal plan or end up throwing out lots of food or doing lots of small top up shops? Do you batch cook as part of the meal plan? Eat lots of meat or could you introduce some veggie days which can help keep costs down as well as being healthier. Do lots of snacks fall into trolley while you are in supermarket?

On your SOA there is nothing for presents which is not realistic. You are making chutney for Christmas, is this out of your food spend? Are present spends being hidden in other categories or in that surplus which is fittered away? Agree with suggestions to put small amount for clothing, you might not use it every month but there should be something there.

Apologies for rambling on. Good luck, I have subscribed to cheer you on.

pidge04

Can you get an emergency fund together?

Admire your determination and focus!

ftbwannabe

Thanks everyone. I've tweaked my budget this week based on the feedback here & what goals feel like a healthy but achievable stretch. Let's see how this first month goes...

I'm lucky (in a way!) in that my friends & family don't do much for presents for xmas or birthdays. I have budget for a £140 a month 'socialising' fund which is where I'd take money for small presents & cards from, as well as the cost of drinks/cake.

I've started a £20 a month emergency fund, for stuff that might break & need replacing.

I can't figure out how I am spending too much on food - I'm vegetarian, I cook everything from scratch, I meal plan & I shop in the cheapest shops I can. My fortnightly shops are between 60 & 70 each. That figure covers cat food & litter (15 a month) & a couple of bottles of wine (10 a month) + any household stuff like washing up liquid & washing powder. But there's clearly an extra £120 going somewhere, which can't just be my lunches & breakfasts the rest of the month. I'll keep a close eye on this category from now on & see what could be bumping it up. I suspect it's that 'just nipping into Sainsburys on my way home' 'oops I came in for 1 tomato & spent a tenner on beer & snacks' trap...

ftbwannabe

Stuff I did yesterday towards my goals:
picked a by-end-of year goal of paying 3k off my cards &
set up a 100 square tfor that goal (just 100 x £30s to go!)
Paid £30 to 1 card (99 to go!)
Found a way to see an exhibit I want to for free
Bought ingreds for picnic tomorrow
Remembered to take my lunch & bfast to work (i!!!8217;m great at forgetting & having to rebuy)
Rang my union about getting free financial & mortgage advice through them
Rang student loan company to confirm my balance
Talked to partner about house & mortgage expectations (we're nearly on the same page, phew)
Escaped a necessary Sainsburys trip with only 1 thing I didn't need (99p reduced aisle snack)

Starmummy

Happy new diary.

Best of luck with everything. I can feel your determination through your posts

Take care
SM

ftbwannabe

Yesterday!!!8217;s actions:
-Managed to stick to budget on planned evening out. Resisted all food & drink & market stalls at the event (had picnic instead).
--Spent no money during rest of day, either, only CC payment
-Did mortgage in principle application (soft credit check only) using the level of debt I plan to have in January, & got approved! I don!!!8217;t expect those predictions to be reliable, but still it!!!8217;s a boost & incentive to make those figures real
-used that snowballing link above & loved it - new goal, as a result, is to pay off CC2 or CC4 by end of this year.

Quiet weekend ahead. Hope it!!!8217;s a good one for everyone.