Working the numbers 2019 style

mark55man

so inspired by DIA's wholesale slaughter of the frogs in her life, I tackled a few

* Finally accepted DS2 was not getting back to work anytime soon so got him signed up for benefits although only a year later than I should have - no idea what he will get but at least there will be something extra
* Managed to rearrange all my telephone broadband and TV services and saved £25 a month
* cancelled one bank account (well switched it into another) and got a £100 switching bonus and my OH also got that
* cancelled various house hold insurances (disaster cover) because I got a basic but much cheaper one with my renewed home insurance (which still ended up cheaper than last year)
* got a magic-money bonus from work for something I did last year and had pretty much written off (only a few hundred quid) which went straight to DD2 at uni

So that was good, work was a bit more based in my local office so not quite so ridiculous and did a fair amount of steps, but on a small %age of days. Been good on packed/free lunches. Feeling confident that this months report will be reasonably good, although have had house, car insurance and a deposit for next years seaside holiday

doingitanyway

Glad to be of service.

Nice to give the magic-money money to DD2

Packed lunches seem like a small thing but if I get this under control so I am not grabbing lunch out I save so much money...

It is looking good.

FootyFanDan

Hi Mark,

Just caught up with your diary (quiet night shift :T) I find the way you have set targets a super way of tracking progress and also love your overall outlook on things. I think i am going to maybe look at setting more personal targets in my journey. Loving the fact that the steps target seems to be closer.

Subscribed

mark55man

Thanks Dan

I've fallen way short on tracking the personal targets precisely, but they are all still there as personal goals - especially trying to reduce plastics and improving recycling

Don't want to post a spoiler, but be prepared for a disappointment when I report my steps for this month!!

mark55man

well - I thought if Dan can read my diary in one go, I might try a retrospective. Some observations
* I do bang on about trying to do more steps a lot, and never seem to quite get there
* I have lost some of the intensity from the first months around keeping track and it really feels like I'm winging it now, or at least just trundling along
* Lots of things happening kids, cars, overdrafts, holidays - honestly a different sound track and it could shape up to be a MSE horror story - in a Mark is comfortable, yet still isn't in control - don't be like Mark
* my methods of reporting have become (unconsciously mainly) like a politicians manifesto - choosing the methods or focussing on the areas where I can say something good and burying the dodgy dossiers!!

So I recommend to all my dairy reading colleagues the exercise of going back a dozen pages and skim reading. You will be both surprised at the themes that stand out, and what you have achieved.

Will try for a more detailed analysis of the half year, and then see if I can stick to a more active monitoring. I will also try to post a little more often, but try to focus on something specific not a helicopter view where there is no real analysis.

Anyway hope you have a good Sunday

mark55man

almost a week gone by and pay day tomorrow. but will save my report back until July so I can count every transaction. I will try and do a big half year report, but if the numbers are too scary I might wobble. There's accountable and then there's standing on a pedestal in a hair shirt.

this week has been good WFH 2 days, my middle distance office (with the roads behaving) and some good progress. have had 1 free lunch and took a packed lunch in for the other days.

steps are on hold this week but am doing a few more, but have 3 days booked into the gym as I am at my nearest office and can fit in a trip to the gym on those mornings

DS1 and GF are putting lots of extra shifts at their work so are really beginning to get themselves together. I might give it a month and then raise the rent frog with them. As with OH switching to a lower hours same rate sort of job that would be nice

enjoy the weekend ahead coming up sunny by the looks of it - so enjoy

FootyFanDan

Just popping in to say Hi,

The rent/board issue is one I know to well. I remember as a kid earning a decent ish amount but still living at home with Dad I was horrified when he wanted to charge me £30 a week!! I mean come on the cheek of it hahaha. If only I knew! my dads fav come back was ' Lad, if tha can get somewhere wiv water/gas/electric/rent and food then let me know coz I am moving in wiv ya'. Good luck


I too am scared about the dreaded spends diary but needs must, i think accountability is good, i also fear it will show i am throwing away a lot of money on daft stuff. Strangely i decided to go through our freezer other night i was shocked to find there is probably enough to feed us for ages, yet we continue to keep spending on food :O


hope you have a great weekend and enjoy the sun

mark55man

Thanks Dan

I think our freezer's are interchangeable, except ours has a load of vegan friendly stuff, but if the vegans don't like or fancy it then noone else is eating it :-)

I do believe the younger generation have more headwinds than we do, but where they can I think they should pay their way (even if a soft edged sort of way). With DD1 I saved her rent money and gave it back to her as a deposit for her car when she left home. DS2 paid when he worked, and now I give him pocket money when illness stopped him working so all swings and roundabouts!!

Sunshine_girl2

Look forward to your monthly update . I think we all have freezers with lots of food in. I try to have a week where I use it all up , or as much as possible and then start again.

mark55man

did the number tonight as it was a NSD so nothing coming through

As promised end of month - trying to get back a bit more detail to the numbers

1. CAR - usual balance of work and private but also annual insurance which was taken out of savings
2. CLOTHES - slightly over budget as my OH needed some outfits for her new role, which needs a slightly smarter wardrobe
3. COFFEE - under budget slightly - too hot for coffee
4. CRAFTS - slightly over budget - couple of workshops for OH
5. DEBT - all repayments/regular savings made, no overpayments
6. ENTERTAINMENT - slightly over budget - family and old friends
7. GROCERY - spot on budget - which still has slack, but happy to have got it under rough control
8. UTILITIES & HOUSEHOLD - On budget - all DDs so no surprises
9. KIDS - quite a bit over budget as DD2 needed help with Uni rent
10. LIFE - this is an odd category, for things thown up - this month quite high as anniversary present, poorly elderly cat, and some physio treatment for DS2 - so its not really a budget just something to deal with using the various mechanisms I have evolved

So reasonably happy with that - made a bit easier by the unexpected bonus which helped with DD2. Its been a good month eveything going OK, and some decluttering achieved.