2020: Becoming a Saver, Not a Spender

db2016

on the subject of water intake, when i started keto, i found i missed fizz.
so now i buy 15-20p 2L bottles from aldi or lidl, of plain "sparkling water" - that is just water and co2! not mineral etc, and buy them by the 8 packed load from the "back of shop", i ask for them how they come to the shop in, not as in picking up individual bottles.
and just add in a dash of whatever fruit dilute juice.
cheap, cheerful and ups my intake.

[Deleted User]

db2016 said:

on the subject of water intake, when i started keto, i found i missed fizz.
so now i buy 15-20p 2L bottles from aldi or lidl, of plain "sparkling water" - that is just water and co2! not mineral etc, and buy them by the 8 packed load from the "back of shop", i ask for them how they come to the shop in, not as in picking up individual bottles.
and just add in a dash of whatever fruit dilute juice.
cheap, cheerful and ups my intake.

That's a great tip! Thankfully, I've never really been a "fizzy" drinker, but something to consider for the future  

[Deleted User]

Morning MSE'rs! 

I tell you what, it's a good thing I can see and feel my shred results because the scales are refusing to budge

Sky bill went out today, so that's all of my monthly payments gone out, and then payday on Friday, when I should also get the cashback from Halifax as they say last working day of the month  

Opened up a saver account with TSB yesterday, though I may now opt to switch it over to a Monzo savings account where you need to wait a whole day to get the money out, whereas the TSB is instant access. The rate is a bit lower on the Monzo account, but I think with the amount that'll be going into it for now, it's not really worth worrying over. I would like to actually open a Fixed Term savers account, but I do not have the capital yet they need to pay in, in order to open the account.

I will be paying a chunk off of the car finance mid-March, which will be my first big overpayment  

Need to get my shred done on my lunch break today, I opted not to get up early and get it done this morning as it's a bit harder work on Level 2, and I know I struggled with the first level on the days where I had to do it late at night then early the next morning. I think the biggest difference has actually been in my butt it's much perkier

Right, we have some managers visiting today so time to crack on with some work. X

savingholmes

Let us know how you get on with the glasses

[Deleted User]

savingholmes said:

Let us know how you get on with the glasses

I will do I've sat with the actual frames on for quite a long time at home, so the actual glasses should be fine. It's going to feel very cheeky telling the opticians I just want my prescription after my £5 eye test, but it'll be so much cheaper this way. 

[Deleted User]

Hope everyone is safe with the snow! It's fine here as it rained in the early hours so nothing has settled anywhere, though the way people were driving on my commute this morning you'd think there was four inches on the roads! 

Halifax cashback was paid today, that is getting set aside for my hair appointment I have got at some point in March - must double check when that is so I don't end up double booking myself for that morning.

I opened the Monzo savings account that needs one days notice to withdraw the money, and also moved my Virtual Sealed Pot funds into there so they are less likely to be "borrowed" during the month, and so it had something to start it off  

Did the shred on my lunch break yesterday, thankfully tonight I'm home alone so under no pressure to get it done in a certain time. Yesterday was day 15 so halfway, now  

Did a few hours of work last night much to the displeasure of OH, but the work is mostly available in the evenings now, so I have to go where the work is!

I've still got half a tank of petrol and payday is tomorrow, so shouldn't need to fill up for another week or so. My plan on payday is to move my fuel & groceries money over to my Lloyds account, and just take that card with me when I need to fill up or go food shopping. We've been a bit lax with the grocery budget of late (other than the discounted Ocado shops) because of OH wanting to get certain bits and pieces for him and the kids to snack on, but we agreed £200 a month budget so if I can't fit in the treats he wants, he will just have to get them himself or agree that we can adjust how much I send him towards the other bills to balance things out. Luckily as we get the doorstep milk now, my shopping bags won't be quite as heavy

I felt like shaking him this morning, he asked if it was bin day or if one of our neighbours was doing it early, despite the fact that Thursday is ALWAYS bin day, and (here's the kicker) he asked me whilst I was gathering the bins from the kitchen and toilets in a hurry before leaving for work. Honestly

[Deleted User]

Happy Friday!

Not even March and there is already an unexpected hiccup in my budget. I checked my wages had gone in this morning, saw a different number than usual, and somehow read that I'd been paid about £90 more than usual so I thought, "Hey, maybe I've repaid all my tax!" (I got an email about my tax payments from HMRC a few weeks ago but couldn't work out from my online account what was changing). It was only when I updated that amount into YNAB for the month, I realised I got paid £115 LESS. Even factoring in my sick day last month (which I don't think my boss has ever actually deducted from me before) that's too much of a deduction, so no idea what it is and I'll just have to wait for the physical payslip to come in through the post.

Thankfully my bank referral came in today, so that's balanced the books. I had earmarked it for other stuff but at least I have been able to juggle. I still managed to pay £50 to my Monzo savings account this morning, and sent over an extra £50 to the account my LISA DD comes out of for a boosted payment next week  

My eye test, I actually have £5 in cash if the opticians take cash, so that doesn't really need to be factored into the budget anymore. Depending on what price I can get my new glasses for, I should still be able to order them.

I also had another brain fart this morning and couldn't work out why my transactions I was adding into YNAB weren't coming off of the available balance, then realised it's because we are still in Feb but it is my "March" budget on there  

Popped to Asda before work to pick up some steaks, OH and I are having a date night at home, I've picked up some steaks (which will come out of the grocery budget) and he is bringing the wine  

[Deleted User]

Sooo I have gone off-plan with the glasses, I was having a browse whilst waiting to be called for my test and saw two pairs that I really, really liked and then spotted that they were both included in the 2 for 1, so I have ordered glasses with Specsavers for a grand total of £94 including the £5 eye test. This isn't much more than the frames I would have been getting from the online store, but they are a lot nicer and obviously it means someone can check them over, adjust if necessary, etc.

Fortunately I had around £90 left in YNAB for "Things I Forgot" so this can absorb the £89 for the glasses quite easily, and the £5 was already budgeted for I was going to pay for the test in cash but whilst I was queuing I heard them ask someone "are you paying cash or card? cash? would you be able to pay by card, because the till isn't working?" Made me wonder why they bothered offering the cash option when asking how the person was paying!

Glasses will be ready next week, and the budget is still spot on

StartingAgainAt29

If you're anything like me finding glasses you like is rare, so to find two pairs is amazing! Definitely worth paying a little bit more, and you get the peace of mind that they'll fit and if they don't you can get them adjusted! 

[Deleted User]

Oh absolutely @StartingAgainAt29 the amount of times as well I've picked some glasses then after wearing them for a few days realising I don't really like them it's a nightmare!