Making money make sense

Franalamadingdong

Sunday went well, but all sad that the boyfriend had to go again. Half term next week though and we all have the full week off! Yay! 
Spends went a bit squewiff as cash was getting frittered. Especially as the boy decided to savage everything, and drink all the milk. Sent him across the road to get milk and he did get the milk... Amongst other things. Gah. I think I'm the only person in budgetdom who finds cash so much harder than cards. Lol. 

I managed to get two blocks sewn up today and another 4 smaller ones prepped. And I've been doing it (mostly) by using scraps. 

A new week starts tomorrow. I have not meal planned properly, and yet still have a food shop coming in the afternoon. I just need to press reset in the morning and get my head back.

Franalamadingdong

Well! Another head spinning day so far. Swished just over £91 to savings for this month's birthday pot contribution and prime pot. The birthday contributions go down a lot next month onwards, it's just because I've never had birthday pots before and my son's birthday is next month. 

I have seen that there is a craft show in Exeter on Saturday and I'm a little tempted

Blackcats

Craft show would be a lovely start to half term break.  Hopefully you never look to me for frugal, money saving advice  joking aside it is important to find a good balance between saving and living in order to sustain momentum for the long term.  

Your son and his milk shopping make me smile  . I'm much, much, much older than him and I can never manage to buy just milk.  When I was a child doing shopping errands for my mum or my Nan they would always ask "any change?"  Err no - any change was spent in the sweet shop". 

Franalamadingdong

I'm ok with spending too, it's more that the boy and the boyfriend would hate it. We'll probably do something. I just don't know yet. 

Must post the cards and gift for my friend tomorrow. And remember the keys for my parent's house.

Shopping was delivered and spreadsheet updated. Nothing exciting to see here! 

Franalamadingdong

I forgot the keys! But I have put the keys in my bag ready for tomorrow! And I have posted my friend's cards and gift. 
Work was busy again, but all seems to be going well. Going to be busy again tomorrow. 
I think this evening I'll be working on the boyfriend's gift

Franalamadingdong

Glad I upped my household budget for this month as I definitely needed a new shower curtain. I've ordered that and hopefully, if there's enough left in the budget I might splurge on a laundry basket that isn't falling apart!

Ah my ever exciting life.

Blackcats

A new shower curtain is always nice to have.  I've got 2 lovely laundry baskets which makes me very happy.   One contains the ironing pile so is always in use.  I expect you are really looking forward to half term time off.

Franalamadingdong

Haha. I disagree with ironing on the principle that I don't like doing it!

I am looking forward to the break. I've realised my son hasn't built the stem car gift my brother got him for Christmas, so we might do that during the storm this weekend. And I think he'd really enjoy a trip bowling. He's at the childminder's 8:45am-3:15pm Monday-wednesday, so we might go Thursday or Friday. I know it'll all be over too soon.
Almost finished my valentine's Day gift for the fella, it'll get done tonight. He's going to do a little work at my parents's house on Saturday so I might drag the boy to the supermarket for a few bits - I'm hoping to go to Lidl when I'm in Honiton on Tuesday, but we will need some bits before then.

Franalamadingdong

I've just swished £100 into my laptop pot and £50 across to my bills pot (I changed the due date of one so it comes out earlier in the month, which meant I didn't get billed this month, but next month's is a bigger than normal bill).
While I was going that I thought I'd compare this month's current balance with the past two months' balances:
 
December 14th I had £3774.12 in my current account and none in savings (not including my pension of course). 
January 14th saw £3178.06 in my current account and £500.04 in my savings. Making a total of £3679.10. down a little on the last month... But.... Christmas and a huge water bill, go figure.

Today I have £1167.56 in my current account and £3197.16 in my savings, making a total of £4364.72!!!! That's a difference of £685.62 from this time last month! 

As exciting as all of that is I know it's going to drop next month with car insurance, MOT, my son's birthday etc and next week is half term! But all these things have been saved for. I feel so much more in control. What's more the savings are actually in a savings account! I'm hoping to keep reducing what is in my current account, but it'll take time as I have massive anxiety over it. 
Current pots are:
Holiday: £120.02 (I really should add to this, but we've not got anything planned)
Laptop: £150
Prime: £20
The magazine pot has been used and subscription stopped after this year.
Clothing: £50 in and £37.02 due to go in
Emergency fund: £2000 (I want to build it to £4500 ideally)
Car: £400 (maintenance costs, I should start a new car fund though)
Birthdays: £174.62 (£100 budgeted for the boy for next month)
Christmas: £150
Home and garden: £49.20 (again, I really need to add to this. It's for the new flooring and sofas etc we need)
Events: £33.32 ( this is for Easter and father's Day. Mother's Day was done at new year as mum will be away still).
Bills:£50
The birthday and car pots have had heavy donations this and last month, but they'll go down next month, freeing up money to go in other pots.

Blackcats

Very organised and very impressive figures.  Christmas pot is very healthy considering it's only February.  

Any news on the boyfriend's plans to move and change job later this year?  It's half way through the academic year now I think?  

Have a lovely evening.