Pay for the future and not the past

MissRikkiC

Thanks @KajiKita i think we could've had more but i depleted available funds for a holiday weekend with friends, some new kitchen purchases, a new worktop ready for the utliity etc but all in all, we are in a good place. I could feel guilty that we spent all that money on doing that when there were other things to pay for, but as my husband will often remind me; i will always find something to squirrel money away for so im glad we enjoyed a bit of a break. 

£3 moved to credit card pot today along with the £10 from the saving on our pea milk voucher. These arent really me being challenged to do extra i guess in the way ive tasked Mr RC to do it, but feel that im contributing enough already. Hes accepted the challenge of make £300 by Christmas but i know him and he isnt the most engaged in anything like that, and if he is, it will be short lived. Will see how he goes i guess. 

I saw on another diary earlier that due to stuff happening, pots had been emptied that were intended for something else. 

In a similar vein, it got me thinking about the need for them to already be full for the event due, not because just prior to it being needed it was topped up.

Our only pots with this in mind, to a degree have been the car pot (then it was emptied because of the glow plugs) and Christmas and these are topped up monthly and then utilised when the time comes. But i wonder if other people have the buffer in there of what they need all the time. So for birthdays, i would budget for the birthdays in the month coming and add say £25 rather than already having that £25 in there already. What do others do?

Four_Seasons

Hi, I put a set amount into a birthday/Xmas savings pot all year, as my birthdays are spread for the most throughout the year it works ok, anything left I just leave in for the following year.  Thanx for mentioning sheep wool for keeping slugs/snails away, I will definitely be trying it, (luckily we have sheep on the farm) I have already lost tomato and pepper plants to themx

Bluegreen143

We have quite a few pots @MissRikkiC. Currently we’ve got (in addition to the emergency fund, and building up annual bills in the bills account):

- Home repairs (only for essential stuff needing fixed eg if we had to get a plumber out or a new washing machine etc)
- Car repairs
- Home & garden (fun stuff like redecorating, plants & compost etc) 
- Holiday
- Christmas
- Birthdays & other gifts 
- Kids (all their clothes, activities & pocket money come from this, my aim is always to keep this over £500 so we don’t need to say no to an unexpected opportunity/school trip etc because of cost)

- Weekends away (a pot I save for from my own personal money for going away with friends or my mum & sister) 

On top of these pots which keep running all the time, I have pots for specific one off things I’m saving for currently. Right now it’s camping gear and a wood burning stove for our conservatory. Once I’ve got these I’ll archive the pots and pick something else to save up for. 

We use Monzo bank so it’s easy as you can have as many pots as you like.

I don’t always have enough in a specific pot when the time comes, so I may need to top up from elsewhere but anything saved is better than nothing I think! 

MissRikkiC

We use Monzo too @Bluegreen143 and I think I remember that you use YNAB as well. How you find the 2 work together? 

Bluegreen143

@MissRikkiC I’m not using YNAB now, I decided to cancel it and work my budget myself to save the fee. So now I don’t have it I find the Monzo pots indispensable. I didn’t actually use the pots in Monzo when I had YNAB - I found it easier just to track in there instead. 

MissRikkiC

How very MSE of you I’m glad you’ve found a balance of something that works for you. 

We have got pots, I also have had many in the past and archived them when they’re done with. We also don’t have annual bills which I think from this year when things like car insurance renew I’m going to put extra away each month for the next year so that hopefully when they renew again in 2024 I’ll have 75% ish of what it could cost and we don’t have a monthly bill for it. 

Still not sure I’ve got how most of them work the way I want them to but it’s a process isn’t it. 

I will do an update shortly but 2 big wins, 1 I wasn’t sure was real. Actually both I wasn’t sure were real if I’m honest. 

1. Despite no reminders, Mr RC advised that he was at £200/300 of his challenge. I was genuinely the most surprised I’ve been for a very long time with him. He switched his bank account which I know is a relatively easy way to make some money but I have done those type of things for him in the past (not because he can’t, but because he isn’t motivated/bothered/is a bit lazy) so this is such a big win. 

2. Nationwide have emailed me to say as part of their fairer share payment scheme they’re giving me £100?! What on earth! I’ve checked its genuine and honestly didn’t believe it without googling but what a nice surprise. That is going straight to the credit card. Last month this would have been put in my savings pot and used for the house so glad my focus is slightly different right now as come the end of the year I’ll be grateful of not having to find the extra!

MissRikkiC

Had to disappear out for a walk this morning before I lost my 5hit and shouted at someone. As a result I’m in my crocs and comfy clothes and look like a right Wally. Never mind, it was worth it. 

It’s my sons 1st birthday today and we have had a lovely morning so far. Then Mr RC and I tried to get on top of a few general chores around the house which ended in my walk. If I haven’t tripped over or stood on something ouchey every single day this week I’d be surprised. There is always stuff everywhere and no one else sorts it except me. Cue almost getting very cross before I went out for a walk. Breeeeeath

KajiKita

MissRikkiC said:

Had to disappear out for a walk this morning before I lost my 5hit and shouted at someone. As a result I’m in my crocs and comfy clothes and look like a right Wally. Never mind, it was worth it. 

It’s my sons 1st birthday today and we have had a lovely morning so far. Then Mr RC and I tried to get on top of a few general chores around the house which ended in my walk. If I haven’t tripped over or stood on something ouchey every single day this week I’d be surprised. There is always stuff everywhere and no one else sorts it except me. Cue almost getting very cross before I went out for a walk. Breeeeeath

Does Mr RC realise how close he was to shoutageddon …..? Could he do one specific job (like sweep up all the lego after bedtime) every day so it just gets done? Even that would help wouldn’t it?

KK

MissRikkiC

I think he did realise on account of my attitude before I left the house. It just so happened that when I could’ve done with the extra man power dealing with a whiney 2.5 year old and a tired 1 year old, a runaway dog (he chased the neighbours cat) trying to wrestle the pram from the boot of the car; he was on the phone upstairs!! 

We need a bit of a reform at home tbh, there is too much to do and as a result I’ve done less this week because I’ve not had chance. That’s meant it’s not been done and so is more obvious, hence we both realised today. If not often I think he realises what needs doing, because it’s always done if that makes sense. This weekend he mentioned he was feeling stressed because there was so much stuff everywhere. Just goes to show how much I generally do on a daily/weekly basis that otherwise he doesn’t notice! 

Anyway, I’ve suggested we have less tv time this week and more time to get on top of what we can. Unfortunately there is a very long gardening list which is non priority but all needs doing too.
Lets see how this week goes!

@KajiKita so maybe something similar to that would help’

Bluegreen143

Hang in there, you’re in the hardest bit ❤️ Give it a couple of years and the kids will be able to help at least tidy their own things. But it’s not a surprise if it’s hard to keep on top of it all with two such tiny ones and you both working too.

My best advice is to be fairly ruthless and minimalist with toys - regularly declutter/donate them and it can also be a good idea to keep half of them packed away in boxes in a cupboard and swap them every so often. That way you don’t feel they are missing out but they physically can’t get too much out at once. But tbh mine generally play best when there are very few or even no toys (for example a full hour spent playing at the river today, a pair of wetsuit shoes on each and they just paddled up to their knees, threw sticks and stones in, made “potions” with anything they could find etc). When there is too much mess and clutter they won’t go in their playroom and play, it definitely overwhelms them.