Giving every £ a job

foxgloves

Hi Blackcats, 
I've been continuing my 'use it up' policy with candles & room scenting gubbins. I still have stuff in stock, so won't be buying anything new just yet. Well done for being strong.
Agree that it's a nice uplifting feeling when seeds start to pop up. Sunflowers are cheery, aren't they? I've grown a dwarf variety called 'Teddybear' which look pretty in the borders. I had some last year. 
F x

Blackcats

Thanks SH and Foxgloves.  I've worked out that I should have a personal spends budget so that I can buy "stuff" without blowing my other budget but also treat myself in a joyous rather than a guilty way.  I know that many on these threads operate this system and I've no idea why it's taken me so long to work this out,  
I want to buy something for the house that is definitely a want rather than a need and it's exactly the type of thing to come from a personal spends pot.  I can then carry forward some money to next month to buy candles when my stash will be running very low.    

Just waiting for the final few direct debits to be paid this month and then I can send a second wave of savings across to my pots.  I do know how much I have leftover after all the payments are made but after years of never being entirely sure that I had enough money to cover all the bills, I prefer to wait til they are all paid before moving money to savings.  I do "pay myself first" at the start of the month but leave more money than I need in the account just in case. 

savingholmes

I think guilt-free personal spends have been a lifesaver for our DF plans. DH felt like he'd had  major payrise when last year we upped it from £50 pcm each to £100! TBF he had had a payrise too which helped fund it.

foxgloves

Blackcats - We have been operating 'Personal Spends' as a budget category for ages & I'm convinced it was instrumental in getting us debt-free & staying that way. We had £60 eachper month at first, then raised it to £100 per month at the end of last year when we became mortgage free. The rise was conditional on all our personal toiletries apart from shared household things like soap, bubblebath, toothpaste, etc, being bought from our 'Spends'. There are no other rules. 'Spends' are for whatever we want to buy. So if I want expensive moisturiser, 3 magazines & new earrings or Mr F wants more box sets, books, CDs, etc, that is fine. But when it's gone, it's gone. There are no 'top-ups' & no 'advances' on next month's 'Spends'. We find it works very well for us as a system & makes us think harder about what we want to buy.
F x

Blackcats

Thank you both.  I had provisionally set £100 per month so it's great to know that the amount is about right - based on my expensive research with 2 other contributors on the thread 🤣.  It seems like a lot of money but in reality I probably spend that amount already but I don't explicitly account for it.  My "general" spending category can be very loose indeed. 

Planning a big slow cooker bolognese tomorrow - some for me, some for elderly relative and some for freezer.  I seem to have a mushroom glut to use up.  Must remember that minimal garlic allowed for the elderly relative 😇

savingholmes

You're rich LOL. I started giving my DD clothing allowance (all of us really) once a quarter and our clothes spending fell as a result as it stopped the fritter spends

Blackcats

Funnily enough savingholmes, I do actually feel rich with my £100 which is just for me.  I'm thinking of what I want to spend it on and enjoying planning the spend.  Interesting that the clothing allowance you've implemented has reduced spending.
i remember being given the family allowance money by my mum when I was a teenager so that I could buy my own clothes etc.  I felt so grown up but goodness me I could spend it quickly.  Trips to the local market provided lots of poor quality, high fashion clothes, bags and shoes.  I continued to spend on clothes, bags and shoes for many more years .... 🥺

Blackcats

Feeling very proud as I made some elderflower cordial today.  It smells delicious and I'm looking forward to drinking some tomorrow night.  Apparently it is great with Prosecco - I think I'll check that tomorrow 🥂.  I went to Bo*ots today with a list of things I need to stock up on and I stuck to the list.  I think the one way system helps prevent me from meandering around the aisles aimlessly adding things to my basket.  

savingholmes

Sounds like you are on a roll. Enjoy the £100

PurpleFairy26

Sounds lovely Blackcats, let us know
how it tastes with the fizz.