Giving every £ a job

lucielle

OOH you could get a grid and colour in the squares as part of your countdown
L

Blackcats

Hello Lucielle - I do love motivational colouring in.  For this countdown I've drawn 13 stepping stones along a path towards a December 2021 checkpoint flag.   Feel irrationally excited about my colouring path 🥳

lucielle

Excellent, look foward to following your journey
L

Blackcats

Thank you Lucielle.  I just did a double take at your signature and thought WOW!  What an amazing amount of money to pay off!  I can't follow the link in your signature but would love to know your secrets of success. 

I've decided for November, month 1/13 of my challenge that I'm going to aim to spend as little as possible. Now I know this should be the aim every month but I'm going to use the latest lockdown to benefit from less spending and more saving.  I'm grateful that my job is not affected by the lockdown and not squandering money feels a bit respectful to those that have no choice but to be careful with money.  

My budgeting month starts on 5th November as that's the date the paid in full credit card new statement period starts.  

Not sure if this counts as a cheat but I've already bought my Christmas advent candle collection.  It was paid for from personal spends so I think I'll say that's ok.

joedenise

Of course that is OK @Blackcats.  Your personal spends is to use however you choose.  My personal spends come out of cash withdrawals.  Cash withdrawn weekly and when it's gone it's gone.  Having said that I've probably only withdrawn the cash about 3 times since lockdown in March as not really been spending anything on me that doesn't come out of another budget.

Blackcats

Thank you JoeDenise for reassuring me.  I'm not used to the personal spends category yet - ironic as I never bothered about how much I spent on stuff previously and now I am cautious spending from a category I'm allowed to spend from.  🤷‍♀️

savingholmes

Glad you got a real treat the with your personal spends. I agree with you on keeping quiet about retirement for now

Blackcats

well, continuing the discussion about personal spends .... and re-starting the plastic flower/plant debate 🙄.  Yes, you guessed it, I found myself poised to buy a bouquet of plastic flowers 🤨.  I had justified to myself that £95 (yes indeed £95) was within personal spends budget and would prove to be a long term investment and even count as a money saving strategy and I had even put my favourite, but empty vase in the middle of my dining table so that I could better imagine this wondrous plastic creation in my home.   Then, I came to my senses and thought about all the things I've learned about in this diary and plastic flowers are not part of my future self.  Phew, that was close.
I've done some rounding down of current account, transferred money that I saved using vouchers, taking my own coffee out on trips etc and now my AMGC (aggregation of marginal gains challenge) pot stands at £205.  I'm expecting some £co Cashback soon so I can add that in too.  I haven't noticed any hardship from this - I wonder where all that money used to go ----err actually I probably know - frittered on stuff!  

I'm really pleased with the L*dl app - it's so easy to use and benefit from.  I was happy with the store before so the app is a real bonus.  I got a £10 voucher last month.  
In other financial news, the ISA transfer is nearly complete - it's a point of principle as well as a sensible way to maximise interest, however paltry.  

Made a start on Christmas shopping but spent far too long enjoying myself looking at gift ideas for the youngest girl child of the family.  She loves everything pink and girly and sparkly - so much to chose from.  Its hard to know what to do for the relatives I usually spend Christmas Day with - I doubt that we can be together so I need gifts that I can post or have delivered.  Pondering hampers from marks and spensive.

Blackcats

Nice and cosy for the evening here.  I've lit some candles - some plain tea lights and a scented tea light - getting the scent whilst using cheaper tea lights for the majority of the twinkling.  

Had a shopping from home victory yesterday.  We fancied spag Bol for dinner and I was about to go to the butchers for mince when I thought that I must have a bolognese in the freezer.  I did indeed have a frozen portion, which was actually labelled with the additional comment "very yummy".  Well indeed it was and I found some garlic bread too, and I made a very nice coconut cake which will be a treat after work in the week.  I laid the table with pretty mats, lit some candles, played some favourite music and had some wine.  It felt like a real treat and only used stuff that was already here.
i had to spend £300 on my car last week - it's the first time it's ever gone wrong in 5 years of owning it.  The local garage were great, fixed it quickly and after the cost of parts didn't charge a fortune.  I've got a car savings pot so the cost can come from there.  I'll need to top the pot up again as service and MOT are due in February.  I'm lucky that there is no road tax and fortunately insurance is due in August so costs are spread over the year.  

Next week i have vowed that I am going to try to adjust my work/life balance 🙄.  Work is busier than usual and it is so easy to just keep working without taking a break and finishing on time.  I've got enough annual leave to take 1 day per week off from now until we close for Christmas on 24th.  First task of the day tomorrow is to book those days off.  I've already got Wednesday off and I'm going to use some time to finish off a couple of knitted Christmas gifts which just need sewing up.  When I say just need sewing up - it's actually my least favourite bit of the project  I plan to put on an old film and spend the afternoon sewing, watching the film and drinking tea and hot chocolate (but not at the same time!).  

Blackcats

 Mid-week check in.  Some glimmers of improvement with the work life balance but it is a constant challenge.  I finished work an hour early and watched an episode of Strike whilst sewing up a knitting project.  Although I still haven't finished sewing it up 😣
a £co payment has been confirmed £35 to go into the kitty.  I've earned over £1000 now since I started using £co - it's taken a few years but it really is bonus money.  Unfortunately when I first started using it, I just spent any payments I received, now I'm moving them across into savings.
a nice veggie curry for dinner - a cosy mid week supper, tasty and cheap.