Giving every £ a job

foxgloves

Glad you are not going to fall into the December Paytrap, Blackcats. It's so easy. Even for us reformed characters, it would be easy to say 'It's only one month, I'll sort it out afterwards', etc, but it isn't worth it for the hassle & shortage of funds it causes further down the line.
Glad your puddings turned out nice. Sometimes when I've had to contribute a pudding for a family occasion, I've done that frozen white chocolate berry thing. It turns up in a number of cook books - I think I originally found it in Sarah Raven's Christmas book. It's that one where you divide a bag of frozen mixed berries between sundae glasses then you melt white chocolate & cream together in a pan until warm, then pour it straight over the frozen berries. Of course you do need to know you can pick up frozen berries fairly close to wear you are going to be serving & eating it, as they do need to be frozen when you put it together. I've arrived at the hosts' place on occasion waving bags of frozen berries & put them in the freezer until after the main course. It's a very easy one to do though.
You sound so determined with your savings plans. We are also saving now that our debts have gone. I haven't had time to get the coloured pencil tin out yet though!
Merry Christmas,
F x

Franalamadingdong

Well done for the puddings! And for resisting the "early pay" trap. I get paid on the 24th of every month, so I treat it as a regular pay. Get those crayons out!

Blackcats

Thanks Fran. Have a lovely time over Christmas with our new found focus we can have a great 2020. Would love to hear about you using your crafting skills to help with money making.

Sayschezza

I have subscribed and will be following with interest. I have no debt but confess to being a spender rather than a saver. I have an expensive holiday to pay for in February which will make my savings look a bit sad so I would like to add to them this year. Long term I need to save for a new kitchen before mine falls completely to pieces. I could go no clothes spending this year as there is nothing I will need in the next 12 months but that may be the camels back broken.

Blackcats

It will be great to have your company Sayschezza. Holidays and kitchens are worth saving for but I do find the habit of spending is a tough one to break. Baby steps and thinking about spending should help us both on our journeys .
I read these boards a lot and I think that the mortgage free wannabes are mostly savers by nature and the debt free wannabes are the spenders. I feel comfortable in DFW and the people on all of the boards are so supportive. The pensions and investments board is quite scary - big, big amounts of savings and sophisticated knowledge and tactics. I'm not sure that my 10 x 10 grid to colour in my 1% savings achievements would fit in there.
I read the wonderful Foxgloves' diary and she recommends shopping from home before spending. I did that today. Rather than buying Christmas themed toiletries from the Bo*y Shop I raided my hotel toiletries stash and found a mini White Co shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion. Smells divine and seems like a real treat. Baby steps ......

Sayschezza

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you Blackcats.

Franalamadingdong

Merry Christmas. You're not on your own in the position of not being in debt but not being sophisticated with savings.

Blackcats

Thanks Fran and Sayschezza. I hope your Christmas days were lovely.
It's nice to "talk" to people in similar situations. It wouldn't really happen in real life as all my friends and acquaintances are too polite to talk about money matters. I would be embarrassed too. I think the TV adverts from some of the banks are trying to encourage people to be more open about money.
I'm having a quiet day at home which I'm looking forward to. Lots of food to sort out, freeze or use up. There's some Prosecco that needs using up too later.
Feeling motivated by the prospect of building up some savings in 2020.

Sayschezza

Nice day yesterday although quiet. We have all the family round a couple of Sundays before Christmas Day so they can be at home with their young families on the day.
I have done my budget spreadsheet for 2020 and it looks doable although my personal spending allowance will start with a deficit as I will have a cc bill to pay in January. I am not going to do big grocery shops in January as we have Christmas stuff to use up and a freezer to defrost. Red flag alert will be internet shopping in the evening when I am bored. Must remember to only put things in the basket and delete the unnecessary bits in the morning when I may remember I need to be sensible.

Blackcats

Hi Sayschezza. I need to do a stocktake of food that I have at home to try toes it out for as long as possible. Internet shopping is so tempting. I have unsubscribed from a number of sites that email regularly with 20% off this and 2 for 1 on that. I found myself thinking that I would buy whatever it was that's reduced even though I hadn't even thought I needed one til the email arrived. I've been doing some knitting or crochet on these cold, dark, long evenings. I find it quite relaxing and keeps me out of mischief