New Life Pending.....

Doing_it_my_way

Hello, i've just had a quick read You are so on board with this, its inspiring I haven't really got any advice at all but....I just noticed that you have £82 odd for benefit ....am assuming child benefit, I don't know if you qualify but maybe it would be worth trying to claim Working Tax Credit which is available I believe up until you earn £50,000 per year and you would have more because of your child? Tell me to shut up but might be worth checking? X

Iwantanewlife

Doing_it_my_way wrote: »

Hello, i've just had a quick read You are so on board with this, its inspiring I haven't really got any advice at all but....I just noticed that you have £82 odd for benefit ....am assuming child benefit, I don't know if you qualify but maybe it would be worth trying to claim Working Tax Credit which is available I believe up until you earn £50,000 per year and you would have more because of your child? Tell me to shut up but might be worth checking? X

Hey thanks for stopping by and your suggestion. Unfortunately, I earn more than that and so dont qualify for any help. Even the child benefit is being cut for this FY. I understand its needs based etc, but it feels sometimes that people do not realise that £50 odd grand does not go far in London, especially as a single mum trying to afford child care etc. It does make you realise why so many mums do not return to work!

Iwantanewlife

Update

Wow, what a MSE day i had yesterday!

- £35 made from Ebay - transferred into EF
- Meal Prep done, stretching my freezer to an additional 7 meals, so shopping list is tiny for tomorrows shop!
- Cosmetic and toiletries cupboard cleared out. Found 6 new deodorants, 9 body lotions, 2 sun creams, 5 hairsprays, Honestly, and i wonder where my money was going? all has been logged so not to buy again.
- 3 Gift sets found, which will work really well as a re gifting option for my 3 cousins birthdays that are also in September.
- Fuel that was supposed to be topped up on Monday, I have made stretch and I think will need topping up tomorrow. Meaning ive near enough knocked a weeks worth from the budget.
- Meal plan set, and ready for the shop tomorrow. I am going to aim for a £25 spend, although it may be able to come in lower. Considering i have £50 a week allocated im happy! The extra will go over to the EF.

Payday is fast approaching! 6 days to go........ This is when we will really see if all the planning will pay off!

DebtFreeMonkey

Sounds like yesterday was a brilliant day for you in terms of planning etc. and I'm sure it will pay off in the long term. Looking forward to seeing how it goes

girlatplay

Yesterday sounds great! I love that you've found the gift sets to regift. That saves more than just money (ideas and time too).

Keeping yourself accountable for everything, keeping track and being aware sure makes a huge difference.

Iwantanewlife

girlatplay wrote: »

Yesterday sounds great! I love that you've found the gift sets to regift. That saves more than just money (ideas and time too).

Keeping yourself accountable for everything, keeping track and being aware sure makes a huge difference.

Its made such a massive difference already, more with mind set, and re setting my value of money and spends.

Im just praying the budget will work out when i get paid, as its my first pay day since my new MSE lifestyle lol

enthusiasticsaver

Great day yesterday and good idea on the regifting as long as your cousins did not buy the gift sets for you in the first place.

Iwantanewlife

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Great day yesterday and good idea on the regifting as long as your cousins did not buy the gift sets for you in the first place.

:rotfl:

Haha i did think that actually - we are a really close family, and so its a major possibility lol. I think im going to risk it, in the name of debt busting :T

Iwantanewlife

Happy Friday All!

Small win today. Meal planning and portioning meat has meant that my weekly shop has cost me just over £12. I budget £50 and so the remainder has gone into my EF to try and top up again after my wine spending last weekend!

£1.50 paid into my EF from Shopmium.

Apart from now having to drive to Norwich, its going to be a pretty spend free weekend. I am going to take my son to get his hair cut this evening, but that will come out of the relevant pot so no issue. I love this budgeting thing, gives such piece of mind!!!

Have a lovely weekend all xx

Moneywhizz

I love budgeting too. Having a pot of money to cover all categories makes paying for things so painless. I used to hate having to spend my money on things that you couldn't really see like tyres, boiler services etc. When you have a budget line for these things and it is no problem to pay for these kind of expenses. I have a budget for everything and can't remember the last time something unexpected came up. I do have miscellaneous spending money each month that I can use for eating out/entertainment, or just treating myself and but often I don't spend the money and end up with a healthy little pot of money that I can use for something more special. I don't think it matters how much money you have, the only way to get the best out of it is to have and stick to a budget. Glad that you are enjoying it too.