Curbing my Impulse Spending...

ImpulseSpender

Oops, haven’t updated for a week. Need to get back on that New Year Promise.

The past week has had a few spends, someone was leaving so went out for a lunch and then that same day in the evening I’d planned to catch up with a couple of friends. 2 meals out in one day, I mean I like food but even that’s a bit much for me.

Yesterday was a NSD so that’s 3/31 for January. Need to get a few bits from Morris today but I am expecting Monday and Tuesday to be NSDs.

I have been sticking to my 2019 promise of getting back into running. Although it’s so frustrating because I can’t run like I did 4/5 months ago when I was in Australia. I just want to be back at that level but I’m having to start again. Ah well, these things take time.

ImpulseSpender

Bought breakfast and a coffee on Monday which set me back £5.55, need to get out the habit of feeling like I need to buy breakfast to kickstart my week.

Yesterday was a NSD so that's 4/31 for Jan now, pretty sure today will be the same as I'm working from home so no temptations to pop out and spend especially when the weather is so miserable.

I'm really enjoying my new job so far. Definitely needed a new challenge and this is working out really well at the moment.

I get paid on Monday so will know my new salary then, and so will be posting a SOA just so I can see where my spending is going. Need to have a full clear out as my room and flat are getting me down with the amount of 'junk' I've accumlated in the past few years. Definitely need to watch that Marie Kondo on Netflix to sort myself out, everytime I look at something I need to ask "Does this spark joy?" and if not, then away it goes.

ImpulseSpender

Was paid today so £200 paid off Santander, £60 paid off MBNA. Sticking to my New Years promises, I transferred £30 to the Christmas fund and £50 to the weekend break fund. I also transferred £50 to my savings to get back into the habit of doing that.

Decided to start the virtual sealed pot challenge on Sunday so planning to round down to 5s or 10s so moved 3.14 over on Sunday to my sealed pot account. Really like the idea of the sealed pot challenge, excited to see how much it adds up to in a few months

Today was a NSD so that’s 5/31 for this month. Not going great on the NSDs but need to persevere. Tomorrow should also be a NSD as I’m on a course again like today.

Planning to post my SOA over the next few days now that I’ve been paid with my new wage and can see how much it is each month roughly.

ImpulseSpender

Had another NSD woo so 6/31 for this month. Hoping for another one tomorrow as lunch is already made and ready to go. Also started doing surveys on Qmee again to make some extra pennies.

ImpulseSpender

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned....................

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 2235.84
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2235.84

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 665
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 69 *Halved amount as split with flatmate*
Electricity............................. 16.7 *Halved amount as split with flatmate*
Gas..................................... 0 *Included in Rent*
Water rates............................. 0 *Included in Rent*
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 52
TV Licence.............................. 6.25
Satellite/Cable TV/Internet...................... 30 *Halved amount as split with flatmate*
Groceries etc. ......................... 100
Clothing................................ 30
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 240 *Highest it could possbly be in a month*
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 8
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 40
Haircuts................................ 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency Savings....................... 50
Dining Out.............................. 60
Takeaways............................... 25
Coffees................................. 25
Work Snacks............................. 5
Work Lunches............................ 25
Drinks.................................. 15
Days Out................................ 20
Weekend Break Savings................... 50
Household Costs......................... 5
Cosmetics............................... 20
Charity................................. 5
Total monthly expenses.................. 1561.95


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
MBNA...........................2564......60........0
Santander......................3263......40........0
Total unsecured debts..........5827......100.......-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,235.84
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,561.95
Available for debt repayments........... 673.89
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 100
Amount left after debt repayments....... 573.89

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -5,827
Net Assets.............................. -5,827

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.stoozing.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.

The £673 is roughly what I was expecting for debt repayments so no huge surprise. I think my issue is that when I get paid I will only use maybe half of that to pay off the debts and then keep say £300 'spare' as a backup until the end of the month just before I next get paid to then pay some more debts off then. However I think sometimes maybe I think I have more money available just before I get paid and sometimes all of the 'spare' money doesn't go towards debt repaying. Maybe I should be paying £600 as soon as I get paid and then it's gone and I can't spend it on things not in my budget.

ImpulseSpender

No NSD today or yesterday. Yesterday I bought lunch for me and someone in my team who was over from Spain so that cost £10.95. Today I bought a couple of coffees and some food shopping so that together came to £13.17. I've also bought cinema tickets for me and a friend to see The Favorite on Saturday and that was £13.50 each. I never go to the cinema so I'm really looking forward to it. I'm hoping she pays me back soon as before Christmas she was becomming a tad lax in paying me back for things she owed me. I hate being that tightwad but it adds up and up and got to about £30 odd that she owed me before Christmas!

ImpulseSpender

All meals planned out for the next week and ordered a food shop to be delivered tomorrow. Normally I'd walk when I don't have my car but I had a few things to get. That came to £45.81 from Ts. £5.00 is the pleasure of having it delivered so £40 feels a bit steep, although I know £7 was batteries so £33 for my weekly shop is probably just slightly over.

Also got my eyebrows tinted and waxed today which I don't do normally but its the only treat I give myself since having stopped having my nails done. It's £25 every 4/5 weeks.

Plan for tonight is to spend tonight at a friend's house and just watch tv and chill. I imagine we'll get a takeaway but I've budgeted for that. The rest of the weekend should be NSD as I am planning to go full Marie Kondo and have a clear out of humongous proportions. I might even stick a few things on ebay or facebook if I find anything.

ImpulseSpender

NSD today so 7/31 for the month.

Stuck to my takeaway budget for Friday night and yesterday a friend and I went for dinner at Wagamamas and then to the cinema which was already paid for. She also paid me back so I was happy.

I did my epic clear out and 9 bin bags later I feel like I have a new bedroom. It was mainly clothes but it feels so much better. Didn’t really find anything to sell but one bin bag is going to charity shop and the rest in the bin.

ImpulseSpender

NSD today again so 8/31 for the month.

Added 3.57 into my virtual sealed pot yesterday to round down to the nearest 5.

Will be getting my car back soon as my mum no longer needs it. I have mixed feeling about this as while it’s useful to have a car, it’s not a necessity for me because I can commute on the train. Plus I’m probably looking at least £55 a month for insurance. Mum has offered to pay for its MOT and service though in April seeing as she’s had it the best part of a year.

Aslong as I’m sticking to my budgeting on YNAB it should be fine.

ImpulseSpender

Paid for my car insurance yesterday and decided to pay it annually instead of monthly as I'd be saving almost £200. It ended up coming to £630 for the year which I've put onto my credit card which wasn't ideal but in the long run it saves me money. I'll just add another £55 each month when I pay money towards my card.

Didn't add anything to my virtual sealed pot yesterday as it was somehow already rounded down. I actually look forward to rounding down each Sunday night :rotfl:

Heading back to my parents on Thursday night where I'll pick my car up and drive back on Sunday. Spends should be low for the weekend although I might need to fill my car hope. Secretly hoping my parents fill it up for me before I drive back, wishful thinking eh