Life After Lockdown

Grogged

Hello and welcome!
I was a lapsed MSE for a few years, life eh... 😠
For me I can only agree with everyone else.
It's a lifestyle, it works really well when it's second nature, just like learning to drive.
I think you've made a great start, now the discipline starts as it's all new.
If you think you have £1,300 free then save it as soon as you're paid.
This is what I did, I only have enough in the current account to pay the DD and budgeted food. The rest is in savings pots waiting for when it's needed.
I'm sure you'll quickly find your feet and meet a great bunch of like minded people, just beware the owl chickens... 😂
ATB, G.

V8D

Hi Grogged, 

Thank you. 🙂

Yes, didn't think I'd come across owl chickens on a money saving forum. 😂😂😂 

The discipline is definitely going to be the hardest thing but hoping if I can manage to keep updating this, I will be spurred on to keep up the discipline. Well, that's the theory.

Would you suggest saving the £1,300 for the month as that does not count food and paying what's left after food has been bought off the credit cards at the end of the month? 

coldcazzie

V8D said:

Saw on the politics show this morning that the lockdown may last until June. 😱 It’s a nice break at the moment but I’m not looking forward to being in the house until June at all. 😂

I plan to hug my neighbours, and kiss the faces of my friends. I'm already finding it hard, and feeling a bit emotional about the idea of hugging my friends again. Who knows what I'll be like in June!

Also, oi! You'll never look at a chicken the same way again, will you?! My work here is done! *pmsl*  

Grogged

For me at start it was psychological, if it wasn't there it couldn't be spent! 😇
When needed I just transferred it back to be spent.
Go with what feels comfortable and natural for you today.
You'll change how you do things over time anyway as you get drawn in... 😁

V8D

coldcazzie said:

V8D said:

Saw on the politics show this morning that the lockdown may last until June. 😱 It’s a nice break at the moment but I’m not looking forward to being in the house until June at all. 😂

I plan to hug my neighbours, and kiss the faces of my friends. I'm already finding it hard, and feeling a bit emotional about the idea of hugging my friends again. Who knows what I'll be like in June!

Also, oi! You'll never look at a chicken the same way again, will you?! My work here is done! *pmsl*  

I know where you're coming from. Always thought of myself as the typical introverted and slightly anti-social surveyor but I'm actually finding not seeing people REALLY difficult! 😂 So perhaps learned something about myself there? 

😂😂😂 Nope, don't think I will! 😀

V8D

Grogged said:

For me at start it was psychological, if it wasn't there it couldn't be spent! 😇
When needed I just transferred it back to be spent.
Go with what feels comfortable and natural for you today.
You'll change how you do things over time anyway as you get drawn in... 😁

Think that's what I need - it not being there so I can't spend it! 🙂

I can be a bit of a perfectionist in some ways so have trouble getting things started when I know little about them as they won't be "right" first time. Currently just using the standard excel template for a personal budget with the $s updated to £s. When I started I felt a bit agitated about whether this particular spreadsheet suited my needs but adapted one section for the direct debit payments for the credit cards and being able to see it in front of me on the screen and easily replicated for next month, whilst not perfect made me feel like it's a step in the right direction at least. 

... that could be me getting drawn in ... 😱

coldcazzie

V8D said:

coldcazzie said:

V8D said:

Saw on the politics show this morning that the lockdown may last until June. 😱 It’s a nice break at the moment but I’m not looking forward to being in the house until June at all. 😂

I plan to hug my neighbours, and kiss the faces of my friends. I'm already finding it hard, and feeling a bit emotional about the idea of hugging my friends again. Who knows what I'll be like in June!

Also, oi! You'll never look at a chicken the same way again, will you?! My work here is done! *pmsl*  

I know where you're coming from. Always thought of myself as the typical introverted and slightly anti-social surveyor but I'm actually finding not seeing people REALLY difficult! 😂 So perhaps learned something about myself there? 

There's obviously individual differences, but we are a social species. We're not meant to be apart. 

coldcazzie

V8D said:

Grogged said:

For me at start it was psychological, if it wasn't there it couldn't be spent! 😇
When needed I just transferred it back to be spent.
Go with what feels comfortable and natural for you today.
You'll change how you do things over time anyway as you get drawn in... 😁

Think that's what I need - it not being there so I can't spend it! 🙂

I can be a bit of a perfectionist in some ways so have trouble getting things started when I know little about them as they won't be "right" first time. Currently just using the standard excel template for a personal budget with the $s updated to £s. When I started I felt a bit agitated about whether this particular spreadsheet suited my needs but adapted one section for the direct debit payments for the credit cards and being able to see it in front of me on the screen and easily replicated for next month, whilst not perfect made me feel like it's a step in the right direction at least. 

... that could be me getting drawn in ... 😱

Baby steps. You'll find what works, I promise! Just gotta give yourself time  

V8D

Cazzie, I think you're right re the human species and I'm looking forward to the journey ahead, finding what works for me. ❤️

longway2go

Just wanted to pop in and wish you luck. I have been focused since August ish and have been trying to find a balance of life and OP to make a substantial difference ... I'm still working on to but have made inroads and now realise that the amount I can/want to OP will change each month but whatever I do is always making a difference and whatever I pay now I will never pay interest I'm again.

Have you had chance to play around with the OP calculator? That's when it got addictive for me.