The "Save 12k in 2019" Thread

WillowGrove92

Please can you put me down for £8,000? Thanks

Wanna_Bee_Free

Thanks Suffolk Lass and Geoffers for all the ideas and mentioning Tillie Tidying, I’m giving that a go next year.

My approach over the last 3 years has been move my savings payment across at the start of the month. Toddle along spending what I want for 2 weeks. Realise I’m skint. Rein it back properly and cut out coffees, take lunch to work whilst trying not to take money out of savings. Just about get to payday. Rinse and repeat. Although I am paying a huge monthly AVC to my pension and have managed to squeeze my spending down almost enough so this chaotic approach is kind of working.

I used to have over £25k of credit card debt so I have made real progress over the time I’ve been trying but this budgeting thing needs to work better for me. I will need to be much better with money by the time I retire. I use YNAB and then plunder other pots when I am wanting to spend. My current debt is zero but I have made inroads into January’s pay already so I guess it would be great to not be dipping into next month early and really get to grips with YNAB Rule 4 Live on last months income.

Geoffers, I am so impressed with how little stuff you bought. Please can I ask why two combs?

eandjsmum

Please can I join in . I managed 6k last year so this year ii want to up it to 7k.

selloptape

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

My plan of attack is

• Follow budget plan for the year - splitting wages into savings pots each month
• Track daily spending on a free budgeting app
• Update monthly spend tracker with figs for each month’s spending/income
• Track savings pots on monthly tracker
• Pay £ into regular saver straight after payday
• Hold £ in savings pot for IFISA or SS LISA, set aside regular amount each month
• Additional savings - try to live below allocated budget for clothing, groceries
• Feb - look for new current ac and RS saver - maximise interest. Consider separate accounts for emergency fund, savings pots etc.
• Apr - review budget, is it working? Make adjustments. Open LISA.

It’s going to be tight but doable

lightbulb0811

Can you put me down for £4000 this year please. I am hoping to save more but my husband has been made redundant so I need to be sensible!

cydney65

Fantastic suggestions everyone

I have decided to do the Tilly Tidying this year. I used to do it but have slowly fallen out of the habit, so every Sunday I shall round my bank account up to the nearest pound and transfer the money to my savings account :j

I have also returned to spreadsheets (I lurve spreadsheets) to track savings. Now I'm back in the swing of them, I shall create one for the business in addition to my account book. Hopefully I'll get a greater understanding of the effectiveness of my marketing strategies.

CydneyX

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the suggestions, setting a budget definitely helps. Have set up a spreadsheet for the year, just reviewing expenses when creating it has been helpful for some scrutiny on what actually goes out I find. A few actions that came out of it recently:

* Mobile phone - Switched to SIM only deal, much cheaper each month

* Gym - Cancelled membership. Managed to pick up some weights on Gumtree second hand. Cardio wise I'll just go for a jog outdoors.

The thing I'll need to watch this year is temptation to spend around the home and garden following a recent house move: already there are a few jobs on my list for early 2019, so the plan is to DIY as far as possible and be on the ball with picking up tools either second hand or freecycled to keep cost down.

geoffers4

geoffers4 wrote:

In all of 2018 the only stuff I bought was; a book, slippers, gloves and 2 combs.

Wanna_Bee_Free wrote: »

Geoffers, I am so impressed with how little stuff you bought. Please can I ask why two combs?

Ha - tbh it was because they came as a pack of 2 in Aldi. But the book was actually an E-book so maybe that doesn't count as "stuff"?

Novice_investor101

My plan is to see if I can save £2k this year, from disposable income only. I'm not counting the £'s that are automatically saved/invested every month already. I want to see if I can be wiser with my discretionary spending.

I've joined the January Grocery Challenge thread to track my food/household spending. Set a budget of £50 pm (I live alone!) & keeping a track of every penny. Stopping wasting food is a big one for me.

- Started making a list of things to sell, it'll be a much needed declutter as well.

- Maximising cashback & Quidco.

- Putting the values of all my savings, investments, pensions etc & mortgage onto a spreadsheet on the 1st of every month - so I can see them go up (& down...).

- planning & booking my summer camping trips in advance. Pitches are much cheaper booked now than nearer summer. I go in whatever weather, so no danger of losing the money spent.

- banned myself from JustEat

Gizmo70

Hi,
Please can I join and be put in for £4,000
I am looking to get a new job this next year so not sure how that will impact me.
Cheers