Learning to live within my means

[Deleted User]

astrocytic_kitten said:

Have also just realised that the amount I’m now paying to my mortgage per month is the amount I’m hoping to pay to a new mortgage if I ever manage to move. So that bodes well in getting me used to it!

This is definitely a good thing, for 3 reasons: (1) getting used to not having the extra to spend, (2) paying down the mortgage and (3) showing the bank that you can cope paying the new mortgage amount.

astrocytic_kitten

[Deleted User] said:

astrocytic_kitten said:

Have also just realised that the amount I’m now paying to my mortgage per month is the amount I’m hoping to pay to a new mortgage if I ever manage to move. So that bodes well in getting me used to it!

This is definitely a good thing, for 3 reasons: (1) getting used to not having the extra to spend, (2) paying down the mortgage and (3) showing the bank that you can cope paying the new mortgage amount.

Thank you! I could get used to the warm glow of being told I’ve made a sensible financial decision ☺️

astrocytic_kitten

First increased mortgage payment at what I hope the new level will be has come out, and emergency fund is slowly filling up too. I’m happy with my spends in August - the only question mark is £20+ on compost and nursery pots for indoor plants that I won’t use until next spring. It’s not exactly wasted money, as it’s all stuff I’d have bought next year, but I’m mystified about the thought process that led to me buying it now!

Being September and distinctly autumnal outside, I’ve spent the morning down a rabbit hole of sustainable wool jumpers. I don’t have a problem paying for ethical / quality / etc, but I do have a habit of jumpers ending up either motheaten or with tea spilled on them which puts me off spending a significant amount on one. Happily I’m not in desperate need of a new jumper and I think it’s likely I’ll spend so long researching it that I won’t actually make the purchase (best of both worlds 😆). Also I’ve been knitting a jumper in fits and starts for a very long time so I could always make an effort to actually finish it!

I wish I could un-know some of the info I’ve read about how sheep are treated though. I keep on deciding I’m only going to buy environmentally friendly / ethical / second hand clothes and then every time the weather changes I find myself pulled towards fast fashion.

savingholmes

I have about 8 bags of compost from last year when they were hard to get.

Well done on upping your mortgage payment

astrocytic_kitten

I’ve made 2 more clothes purchases - a really soft, snuggly oversized flannel shirt from Lands End for £13 (reduced from £55), and a shirt dress in similar fabric for £15 (reduced from £70). It must have been some kind of special labor day weekend sale because they’re both showing as a bit more than that now. I’ve been looking for both of those things for ages but I wanted really good quality thick cotton and was thinking it would need to be a charity shop find. I’m now looking forward to the weather getting cooler so I can wear them 😂 Anyway, between that, some book purchases, and some cat toys that’s my September fritter money spent or accounted for. I’m posting here for accountability so I don’t go off buying anything else!

elbree

They sound SO comfy! 

savingholmes

Love a good bargain

astrocytic_kitten

Thanks both! Very hygge day has been had here - cat lying on my feet, cosy shirt, cosy socks, knitting, audiobook, tea…and a candle burning even though it’s daylight (it’s a new pillar one and I want to give it a good few hours for the first burn). Cat is enjoying spider season, and I’m grateful he’s saving me from having to deal with them. 

Haven’t moved any further forward with possible move etc, and have spent another £2 on kindle books - after a few months of not much going on sale and using the library ebooks heavily, this month my library holds list is finally empty but half my wishlist seems to be going into the 99p deals.

savingholmes

Glad you had a relaxing day...

Although I worked hard in the garden it was therapeutic as I was let the bushes experience my pent up aggression LOL so I feel more chilled tonight... whatever works

GeorgianaCavendish

I really identify with your struggles over spending even though it is "ok" to do so. I'm having a spendy month (I used some of the bank holiday offers to get a head start on Christmas shopping, and I had to replace some makeup - first cosmetics shop in about 18 months!) I'm finding it quite difficult to reconcile this spending with my MSE habits.

I think we just need to let our brains process the idea that we're in a new stage of the MSE journey, where spending is ok but we need to watch out for the danger signs and maybe adapt to some brand new MSE habits.

I find that sometimes I get the urge to spend money just because - it doesn't really matter what I'm buying, I just want to buy something. Sometimes I can redirect or reevaluate my thinking, and other times I catch myself finding excuses like "stocking up" or "getting organised early" (and the catching phase might come much later!) At the moment keeping a spreadsheet of my  spends is helpful, as is always allocating the money to budget categories right away so I know exactly what each decision is costing me.
In fact now I think about it, maybe I'm having a bit of a rebellious reaction to the last few months of add saving for driving lessons into the mix along with deposit savings. Even though I've got the budget available for this month's spends, something about it feels "off".