DrSpendingLittle's New Home - staying accountable and responsible

DrSpendingLittle

I think this is the right way to start a new debt free diary... 

I can't access my old diary 'Reducing Debt - being accountable and taking responsibility' as my account can't be accessed / logged into

But, fear not, I've set up under this new yet familiar identity! 

I am (still) debt free and in the early stages of my post-debt journey towards financial freedom and hopefully early retirement. Financial habits have relaxed somewhat over the xmas and new year holidays but I am about to purchase my 'treat' I wrote about in my old diary so thought it pertinent to come back her to stay accountable! 

I'll be getting back into the swing of things soon but for now, please swing by and say hi so I can find you all in this new forum world! 

DSL

DrSpendingLittle

Aha, I think this is working.

It feels a bit odd not seeing the old forum but I'm actually looking forward to this 'fresh start'. I think I needed it. I just hope that I can find all my favourite diaries again! 

I'm super behind on YNAB and need to log spends from before xmas to now, Ugh, I know, pretty bad!! I'm dreading it and I think it'll just do a fake balance reconciliation by assigning one payment (the difference between YNAB balance and current account balance) to my personal spend line item and just be done with it that way. 

What else? Car insurance, house insurance, car service all were paid during Dec / Jan. Feeling a bit skint to be honest but I can building it all back up fairly quickly I think using the good habits I learned on my debt free journey. 

 Better squeeze in a bit more work, the be done for the weekend. Its been a long and busy week and I've bee away at a conference for most of it so I'm looking forward to some quiet time. 

DSL

redofromstart

Happy new diary!

your comment on YNAB reminded me why I have never tried anything like that, I would end up bodging it every month.

enthusiasticsaver

Happy new diary. At least the insurances and services were all paid so you have a year to save up for the next lot. I could not get on with YNAB either. 

ChasingSunshine

Happy new diary. Would it be worth doing a new start on YNAB rather than having to enter all the missing transactions. Does lose all your previous transaction data / averages etc though so if you are like me that's not appealing. 

Sarahwithlove

I know it’s. a bit of a pain having to try and put all that information in but by sounds of it would be worth while to give you a true picture of what was spent on what during that time. 

DrSpendingLittle

Hello everyone!! 

Lovely to see you all again 

I'm getting used to this new forum layout now but I do miss the crazy emojis  Need to sort my signature out but I'm not sure what to put in it. I shall take some time to think through some financial goals.

Been catching up on diaries just now and trying to get my mindset back into YNAB mode. Hoping to have a productive weekend prepping the garden for the oncoming storm and having a good financial sort out. No real spends planned but I do need to do an Ocado order and meal plan for next weeks dinners and work lunches. Also need to wash my car and do laundry - DF is getting desperate for clothes but wouldn't think of putting a wash on himself

DSL

DrSpendingLittle

I've just noticed that we have points assigned to our profile. Does anyone know where these come from and how we get more? My competitive side is fully engaged and ready to deploy!

DrSpendingLittle

ChasingSunshine said:

Happy new diary. Would it be worth doing a new start on YNAB rather than having to enter all the missing transactions. Does lose all your previous transaction data / averages etc though so if you are like me that's not appealing. 

I'm tempted to do this actually as it would be a real fresh start for me! Thanks for the idea

DrSpendingLittle

redofromstart said:

Happy new diary!

your comment on YNAB reminded me why I have never tried anything like that, I would end up bodging it every month.

It is all consuming and whilst I love that about it, it does make it difficult to catch up on entries when you've been away or just haven't been bothered with the discipline of recording every single transaction. I think I'm going to take Chasing's suggestion and do a new budget entirely. A proper fresh start! 

DrSpendingLittle

A fairly productive morning sorting my YNAB budget out. I used their start afresh function which created a new clean budget but kept all my settings. I then did my monthly budgets for the next 6 months. It felt great. I now feel much more in control of my finances and have a plan for various savings pots that I know will need building up in readiness for planned spends (car maintenance, holidays, legal fees, birthdays etc).

My savings goals are fairly aggressive for the next 6 months. I need to make up for some of the bigger spends we've had recently (holiday, new phone handsets, abortive legal fees etc) and replenish various pots that are a bit depleted.   

I've planned one new clothing purchase for sometime in March but I am going to try a low buy challenge for the next 6 months and see how I get on. I feel I've been a bit out of control the past few months but that said, I've not been outrageously irresponsible either. I've bought items of clothing that I'd desperately needed but didn't dare spent the necessary ££s on them for quality purposes (jeans) and then thrown a few extras into the basket 'just because'. So, I need to reign in the spending there and get back to frugal ways for the next 6 months. I'm quite looking forward to it. 

I"m also going to make some changes to my diet as I want to try a low carb/sugar. I'm fed up of feeling bloated all the time. I'm struggling to know what to take for work lunches though, so if anyone has any suggestions for low carb / high meat protein lunches, do let us all know. 

So, in summary, things have been a bit 'free reign' over the past few months, which have to some extent been needed given the crazy 9 months we had trying to move house, but I feel back in control now and ready to get back on track. 

We still haven't got a joint account but we might be moving again so I want to keep things 'normal' so the inevitable request for 6 months of bank statements for the mortgage application / to prove deposit funds will be a breeze. We're both still licking our wounds from the house move saga but we feel ready again to try. We've got the legal issue regarding our title sorted thankfully (hence the legal fees expenditure) so its just a case of deciding when to go to market. I want to do some sorting out before, so spends have been planned for that already. 

That was longer than it was intended!

Have a good and sunny Saturday! 

DSL