Learning to walk before I run

Debsnewbudget

I also used to have my lunch in St James Park when I worked nearby
Took my grandson to the cafe in there this year when I did a day trip to London - he was so tired he stated 
“I need a coffee”
he was 7 years old 😂

edinburgher

@Debsnewbudget - I always find it hilarious when little ones recognise the magic power of coffee! 😉

rtandon27

@Debsnewbudget - I really love that your grandson was attracted to coffee.  When one of my God-daughters was that little, I bought her a decaf because she was a little mimicking monkey and wanted to do everything I did!  She took a taste, cocked her little head and said - why do you like this stuff?  It tastes bitter 🤣 Somehow she;d picked up from my body language that I enjoyed a black coffee but too this day (and she is an adult now) she does not touch the stuff!

Debsnewbudget

My grandson only drinks cold water or the occasional hot chocolate or decaffeinated coffee.
he doesn't enjoy fizzy or sweet drinks, and is definitely more savoury than sweet with food. 

edinburgher

Off to London tomorrow and I could really use a few surveys. Cue absolutely no surveys being available, my dashboard had multiple AI ones but they all had technical issues

Does anyone else find that the more sensible they become with money, the more worried they are about it? I have almost 3 full months of personal spends set aside + another £1,800 in my S&S ISA (which I don't want to spend). As a family, we are budgeted up to the end of November + we have another £4,000 which isn't budgeted. I still find myself fretting about the combo of Mrs E's birthday + 2-3 days in London. Mrs E's birthday will be a bit spendy, but there is holiday budget for London, we can spend a little from Groceries and also from "Children" for activities featuring said children. Not really sure why I'm fretting - travel nerves?

I have received my free flu vaccination voucher from work. Very pleased with this as I'm no longer entitled to an NHS one as I'm not frontline social work.

Baileys_Babe

edinburgher said:

Off to London tomorrow and I could really use a few surveys. Cue absolutely no surveys being available, my dashboard had multiple AI ones but they all had technical issues

Does anyone else find that the more sensible they become with money, the more worried they are about it? I have almost 3 full months of personal spends set aside + another £1,800 in my S&S ISA (which I don't want to spend). As a family, we are budgeted up to the end of November + we have another £4,000 which isn't budgeted. I still find myself fretting about the combo of Mrs E's birthday + 2-3 days in London. Mrs E's birthday will be a bit spendy, but there is holiday budget for London, we can spend a little from Groceries and also from "Children" for activities featuring said children. Not really sure why I'm fretting - travel nerves?

Yes, I feel the same about our finances.

Enjoy your London mini break.

rtandon27

@edinburgher - I'm not sure I'd say fretting as I have dedicated time each week to look at where we are and fiddle with the budget and banking.  I do however get uptight if I've gone for days without tracking the expeditures, even knowing full well we are restrained and have the money set aside for what we do spend.  I think it's just because I'm a planner and like all the t's crossed and i's dotted!

Greying_Pilgrim

I'm not sure I'm more worried.  I think I was more worried when I knew - because we budget - that we were walking a very, very thin line between standing still doggy-paddling, and beginning to sink into debt each month.  This was (relatively) recently when we were renting, and fixed costs ate up such a large proportion of household income - stemming from furlough and stagnant wages following c'vid.  Plus we were in the rental for far longer than intended due to c'vid, not being able to sell our property and then not being able to afford to buy anywhere due to the post-c'vid price bump.  

We're back on an even keel now - have savings pots and a re-established emergency fund.  So in the short-term, I know that we would be OK, but if something catastrophic happens, then I'm not so sure..... It's interesting, I'm still of a budget mindset, don't like getting ripped off, and try - where possible to get 'best bang for buck', and I do know that I avoid somethings because I am scared of spending a large(r) amount of money.  But I'm beginning to realise that DH has taken on a 'poverty' mindset.  He's always commenting that he has to go to work (eg if he's feeling poorly), as if one-day of 'sick pay' would break us.  It doesn't help that we've purchased a 'new' to us car, as the old car had become a money pit.  But of course, the 'new' car isn't without it's issues/things needing to be fixed, and DH has taken that worry on his shoulders, as it was his 'idea' - no it wasn't, we needed a new car, the old car was always needing mending, and would have struggled to pass the MOT.

We're in a slightly different position to our peers, as we still have responsibility for a young child.  But I don't think budgeting makes me worry more.  If LG was a different age, we'd probably have different things to spend money on for them! 🤣  One personality trait I have - that is a hangover from growing up in relative poverty in a rural area - is the ability to be satisfied with less.  Of course, I've done all the buy, buy, buy to try to make me feel better, or fit in, but I've learnt 'stuff' doesn't matter - people do.  Perhaps we are just lucky with LG, but I've spent a summer doing lots of low cost/no cost things with them, and they've enjoyed themselves.  They helped me in the garden this morning (which i was amazed that they stuck it out for 90 minutes), and were as interested in the cheeky robins coming searching for worms as I was.  It did cross my mind that if we were different in our outlook, I would have been in a soft play/trampoline centre/fun fair, mainlining drinks, snacks, money for the vending machines etc etc.  Instead 2/3rds of Team Greying were working together on something that ultimately, benefits Team Greying.  

Greying X

Watty1

edinburgher said:

Does anyone else find that the more sensible they become with money, the more worried they are about it? I have almost 3 full months of personal spends set aside + another £1,800 in my S&S ISA (which I don't want to spend). As a family, we are budgeted up to the end of November + we have another £4,000 which isn't budgeted. I still find myself fretting about the combo of Mrs E's birthday + 2-3 days in London. Mrs E's birthday will be a bit spendy, but there is holiday budget for London, we can spend a little from Groceries and also from "Children" for activities featuring said children. Not really sure why I'm fretting - travel nerves?

I do although anyone reading my diary might be surprised by that as I live a spend-y sort of life.  I finally paid off the ex and then found myself with no money at all (other than some PBs which I set aside for vet bills), very poor pension provision but at least I was MF. I've been working hard to rebuild and now have 5 months of bills covered (well I would need to cut back a little but I could pay the bills for 5 months).    I find myself obsessively checking my pension pot though and I do wonder if I will ever have the confidence to give up working so hard.  Having been financially (insert word of choice) by ex and left as I was I do fear somehow just running out and having to sell up.    

Cheery_Daff

I do as well Ed. Just had a budget reset to involve Mr Cheery more fully in proceedings (money was always shared, but he didn't take any interest in spreadsheets) and I've now found myself worrying more again 😬 No need, but it makes me think of all the things that MIGHT go wrong that I haven't budgeted for!