Giving every £ a job

foxgloves

Blackcats - Yes, because as you know, I too have had very many years of spending my (& the bank's) money on Objects of Shiny Wonder. I think the only difference is that I had my LBM earlier than you. I think you, me & Onebrokelady could basically have been the Spendy Triplets before that, lol.
F x

savingholmes

Hi Blackcats - found you again. I like your one month fund idea too. Can you change your utility bills to monthly so its less of an ouch and less to think about. I have a car savings pot with my dealer. I work out all my annual bills on a spreadsheet and when they are due. I then try to keep an EF of £1K on top of what is needed later in the year... I then pay an amount into savings each month to  cover that plus a bit for things I forgot to budget for... mostly works for me.

Franalamadingdong

I have a savings account linked to my current account, it's nice to see both at the same time (on the same app) so when I stop freaking out that the current account is low I can remind myself it is just in the savings account is all. 

I have a spreadsheet with the different pots in, but all the money in one account. I've found it works well for me. This month I budgeted £50 for shoes and clothes, but before putting it in savings with last month's £50 I'm waiting until the end of the month. I spent some of the budget on trainers for the boy, so deducted that from the £50 and will move the outstanding at the end of the month into the savings pot for future clothes/shoes. Given the boy's shoes are usually about £50 a time and he needs shoes, wellies and trainers each time he grows (twice a year if I'm lucky) it adds up fast, and it's nice to know there's money in the pot ready!

I have every confidence that you'll master it.

Blackcats

I've been absent for a couple of days dealing with a couple of real life issues, (but not financially based issues ) which are getting sorted.
Foxgloves, I have an image in my mind of the spendy triplets - a glamorous trio of ladies sparkling and glittering together.  It is interesting though to think that the spendy triplets were brought up in different parts of the country, with different family units, different education, and different parental values and influences etc but we all ended up spending/wasting money on similar things to similar eye watering levels with little regard for the consequences. 

Savingholmes - thanks.  All my household bills are monthly except the water bill which will no longer come as a quarterly surprise in theory.  Your car system is ultra organised which doesn't surprise me 
fran - thanks for sharing your system and for your confidence in me - much appreciated 

Blackcats

I'm trying to spend as little as possible this month in order to get ahead with my savings pots.  This has helped me focus on using vouchers etc to help with savings.  So for the moisturiser I need I'm using the 3 for 2 offer at Bo*ts and paying with my points card.  I'd saved up quite a lot of points ready to buy new perfume but I got perfume for Christmas so I can divert the points to face care.  I genuinely need new black jeans and I've got a £20 gift card which was a present to put towards those.  Finally I got a gift card for a restaurant for Christmas which I will use as an end of month treat.  I signed up to their newsletter which means I get a free glass of wine too.  

I'm feeling very happy to see the lighter evenings and spring flowers.  

lucielle

That all sounds very organised.  Especially having a meal to look forwards to.
L

Franalamadingdong

Sounds great Blackcats. I have 2 £25 gift cards and my son has one £25 gift card. Not sure what we're going to use them on yet, you sound super organised though! It's nice you're still enjoying yourself too.

foxgloves

Yes, that's interesting about the different upbringings, situations, etc, isn't it, Blackcats? Most of my friends enjoyed shopping & we'd meet up in the city centre & spend most of the day browsing the shops, trying on, buying stuff....& of course, there'd be coffee & a bun in the morning, lunch out as well & sometimes another cafe visit in the afternoon if we were still on the go. I loved it. However, another friend had no interest in shopping at all. It was very frustrating going shopping with her. She'd moan all the time, would be happy to browse bookshops or films & CDs but no interest in shopping for home/lifestyle things, clothes, shoes, make-up, beauty, garden stuff etc. She didn't like going for a coffee either & was too tight to spend out on lunch......not that she was really a frugal person.....she just wasn't bothered about shopping for the same sort of stuff as me......apart from books. I used to feel quite annoyed with her for not 'doing shopping' properly!
F x

Blackcats

thanks Lucielle and Fran - I'm very organised in my work persona but obviously far less so with finances.  As if I wasn't lucky enough with my vouchers and freebies I had the chance of a free heart biscuit from Greg's today courtesy of my mobile phone network .... sadly there isn't a Greg's near me 
I've requested payment from £co.  £14 from there plus my rounding down money accumulated over the last couple of weeks will equal another square to colour in.  Every little helps.
i did a big shop at Lid*s this afternoon - lots of sensible stocking up done plus a bottle of Prosecco and a bar of chocolate.  Well it is the weekend 

Franalamadingdong

Woop woop. I'm regularly thankful there isn't a Gregg's near me as I'd be more sausage roll than woman!
Sounds like you're on it this weekend!