Curbing my Impulse Spending... 11 October 2018 at 5:21AM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Debt Free Diaries 99 replies 8.4K views

ImpulseSpender

Woo today was payday!

I did some big debt busting activity today. Paid £101.03 off my FD CC meaning that is paid off. Also paid £400 off my MBNA card and £50 off my Santander. Its a good feeling to be able to update my signature and watch the numbers go down.

Also had a NSD which was good and budgeted out my salary for October and first half of November.

This weekend will be me getting ready to come back to the UK, packing and tidying and whatnot so will probably be pretty chilled.

ImpulseSpender

I had some annoying news today, because I'm leaving Australia part way through the month, I am losing my living allowance. But because its already been paid for October I have to have an adjustment in my November pay to pay back the days I shouldn't be paid it for the end of October. I've tried to work it out and I think it should be about a 300/400 reduction which is annoying but inevitable. They said they can let me know the actual figure a few days into November.

I've done my budgeting for rest of October and up until I get paid (21st) in November and I have 300 left which I am hoping to keep free to cover the adjustment in November's salary. I think I can do it as I've budgeted for everything else. I just really need to think "Do I NEED this?" if I am tempted to spend.

I did have some spend days over the weekend as I wanted to buy some chocolates for the team out here and I needed to get some food as I didn't have much left.

I fly back to the UK tomorrow (woo!) which is going to be roughly a 30 hour journey including a lay over in HK. I am going to steer clear of duty free and just window shop I am hoping because I am travelling Tuesday and Wednesday shoul be NSDs.

ftbwannabe

Happy pay day, & well done on clearing a card! Amazing feeling, huh? And probably, by the time you read this, welcome back to the UK

ImpulseSpender

Thank you ftbwannabe!

Landed back in the UK this morning, jetlagged but so glad to be home. I was hoping for NSDs when I was travelling but due to a 7 hour layover in HK, I needed to buy food. I spent £39.25 which really isn't ideal but ah well. I had to put it on my Santander card as that doesn't inccur charges when I spent abroad but I have transferred money over to cover this spend so my debt level has stayed the same.

My mum's birthday tomorrow so we're going shopping, I budgeted £35 to get some jeans for work as my current ones I've worn a nice big hole between the thighs due to overuse My lovely, amazing nan has given me £100 cash to spend tomorrow when I go shopping. My plan is to pay the cash into my bank branch tomorrow so I'm not spending cash. I find whatever is left over in cash I end up frittering away.

I also thought I'd need to buy a friend a birthday present tomorrow too, I was planning on getting her some bits from Benefit as she likes their make up. However last month, one of their foundations spilt all over my bag so I complained on Twitter and they sent me a goody bag with several full sized products. I think there must have been almost £80 worth of goods in there! So I've decided to use the products they sent me for my friends birthday. I asked my mum if this was bad but she said no as I have the products already available and might aswell put them to good use and plus I'm on a budget. I feel a bit guilty but there's no point in me buying products when I already have some there.

Today I've mainly relaxed. Been trying to stay awake so decided to do some surveys on Qmee and earnt £2.49. Had to buy some wrapping paper and a birthday card for my mum. Her present is already paid for.

ImpulseSpender

The past week hasn't had any NSDs but it was all budgeted for which is good. I have gone over budget on coffees/teas from the local cafe which is annoying and something I need to get better at, going to start bringing in my own green tea bags so I'm not buying tea.

Found out there is a night out at the end of November which I'll need to book a hotel for and split with someone else. Thanks to YNAB its all budgeted for so I don't feel too guilty about going. I haven't been out with the people from work here since before I went to Australia so I'm really looking forward to it.

Earnt another £2 on Qmee since my last post bringing my total up to £7. Planning on increasing that up to £10 by Sunday. Going to cash that out along with £30 I have in cashback in my work's reward account then I can spend that on the rest of the Christmas presents I need to get.

Need to fully unpack from Oz so going to do that on Sunday and whilst doing that, get some stuff together for a good ebay clear out which will hopefully bring in some extra cash!

I have an interview for another role internally tomorrow. If I got this role it would be a huge step up along with a nice payrise. Really hoping I get it as it would speed up paying my debts off alot.

ImpulseSpender

Interview went okay, felt like it was quite hard to tell. Should know if I've gotten to the next stage within the next 2 weeks.

Had a NSD today which was the first in a while and felt good! Going to do some more surveys tonight to try and get my Qmee balance up to £10 so I can withdraw.

eveningontheground

Thought I'd come and have a look at your diary too. Fingers crossed for your interview having been successful!

Do you find Qmee gives you a decent amount of surveys? I've joined Swagbucks but the intro survey keeps bugging out on me so I'm wanting to look elsewhere.

Munchin

Hi Impulse

Good luck with your diary. I love your username as it basically sums up my problems with money. I hope you get good news on the interview front. *Subscribes.

ImpulseSpender

Munchin wrote: »

Hi Impulse

Good luck with your diary. I love your username as it basically sums up my problems with money. I hope you get good news on the interview front. *Subscribes.

Thanks Munchin. I wanted a username that would best suit my spending habits and I am terrible at buying impulsively, although I am getting better!

eveningontheground wrote: »

Thought I'd come and have a look at your diary too. Fingers crossed for your interview having been successful!

Do you find Qmee gives you a decent amount of surveys? I've joined Swagbucks but the intro survey keeps bugging out on me so I'm wanting to look elsewhere.

Thank you eveningontheground. I only really use Qmee, some days I find there are lots of surveys on there which is good but then there are the ocassional days when it seems like there's only 1 or 2. Last two weeks have been good on there, I think I made about £12-£15. But so far, this weekend seems a bit slower. I don't like SBs, I find it screens me out of almost every survey.

ImpulseSpender

This weekend was very heavy on the spending. Friday night I went out for birthday dinner and drinks, managed to stick to around £50 for the whole night including dinner, drinks and train fare which was all budgeted for.

Saturday I went out for breakfast with my OH and spent £18 on our breakfast. Then I had to get an eye test and get new glasses which I had originally budgeted £200 for but because I needed to get the lenses thinned and some insurance on them this took it to £292 :eek: Had to re jiggle budgets on YNAB as I didn't want to take any money from money that still needed to be budgeted.

I then found £3 in a betting account so put on a £1 bet which returned me £59.41 :T

Sunday was a quiet day, just popped to M for some fruit, veg and soup and spent £8.81. Flatmate then cooked me a lovely dinner as its my birthday today. Opened a card from my grandparents today and they'd given me £40 which is so lovely. At least the £100 extra spent on glasses has been accounted for now thanks to the bet and grandparents.

Working from home today so hoping for a NSD as I don't need to buy anything or really go out, always do better on WFH days as I can be a recluse and not leave the flat