Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

foxgloves · 31 December 2025 at 2:24PM

BIG BUDGET DAY
Not a lot to report from this really. One thing I did want to mention - & this is really for anyone new who might be reading, who has maybe come to these forums wanting to make 2026 THE year that their rocky finances are put in order. Something I really notice these days when reconciling December's budget at the end of the month & setting up January's is that we no longer carry ANY Christmas spending over into the New Year. Yes, we both had some present-purchases on our credit cards, but we have a Presents Savings Pot for this, so our cards were paid in full as usual, & for anyone who isn't there yet, or is just starting out on the whole budgeting 'thing', this obviously means starting the new year in a stronger financial position. I have made no secret of how spendy I used to be back in the pre-LBM days & Mr F was just as bad, if not actually slightly worse, as he hadn't had the occasional bail-outs I had received from my parents over the years. I didn't budget at all but would spend a lot on Christmas presents, etc, would be heaving a sigh of relief at getting paid a week early in December as it took the worry of getting my cards stopped away for a few weeks. Then of course, December would be followed by January! Who knew? As all ex-spenders will recall, it was a long old month with some horrid bills coming in as it progressed, we limped on to the end, didn't we? Then, February! Even more broke, as I had by then been to the January sales several times, so even worse bills followed. Immediately after the LBM, we did still have a little Christmas present spending sitting on credit cards into January, but after a couple of years, this sorted itself out as the positive effects of implementing Savings Pots started to make themselves felt. The first end-of-December budget reconciliation I did in which there was NO Christmas present spending to carry over into January felt like a marker-point & we haven't looked back. It can be done, although it is much more difficult if the level of spending on Christmas presents is not sustainable for one's budget, so that is another thing which needs to be realistic. I really don't miss those horrible broke Januarys & Februarys at all.
No other thoughts from Big Budget Day. I paid into our Regular Saver, our Car Fund, Premium Bonds & most of our Savings Pots. January is a 5-week month for grocery shopping, but taking into account a full freezer & leftovers, I have budgeted our usual amount & will accommodate the 'extra' week through meal planning.
F

foxgloves · 31 December 2025 at 2:41PM

Still on updates....
COMPULSORY WATER METERING
I mentioned we'd received a letter from ST informing us we are to be moved to compulsory water metering because the EA has deemed us to be in a water-stressed area. This raised a wry smile at first, as I seem to spend a fair bit of time checking the river level figures for our village, which frequently floods (as do most of the roads in & out of our nearby town) & when this happens, walking down to see how near the water has advanced. That's the nature of climate breakdown I suppose, just more extremes of everything. We almost opted for a water meter last year but chickened out because we are veggie growers, have a reasonably big garden & a wildlife pond which occasionally requires a top-up in hot weather. Well, we are now on metered water. The strongly hinted at refund DID occur. Our letter said that we were overpaying when compared to houses of a similar rateable value. a few days ago, a refund (back to April this year) of £467 landed in our account. Our monthly payment on the old system was £82-34 (8 months a year). Our monthly payment (12 months) on the new metered system has been set at £38. That is quite a considerable saving of around £200 p.a. I have noticed that I have already increased my water-saving diligence as my main financial motivator was previously being careful with hot water to keep gas-use down. I will be interested to see how this goes.
Have sent the £467 refund to our House & Garden Savings Pot as I intend to raid this to help offset the roofing bill. While grateful for an unexpected boost to the scary roof costs, it is not lost on me that as we have lived in this house for over 20 years, our 'overpayments' during this time have been significant.
F

foxgloves · 31 December 2025 at 3:10PM

OFF TO THE SALES......
Visited the smaller of our 2 equidistant city centres yesterday. No major purchases planned - more of a look around, some fresh air, a stroll & a toiletries stock-up, really. Budget positives were:
*Deliberated how much parking to pay for & opted for 3 hours instead of 4 & to walk faster!
*Coffee & toasted teacakes for breakfast from Personal Spends so budget-neutral.
*Managed to get everything on my toiletries stash list from the main high-st 'footwear-sounding' chain. Mr F discovered useful offers on his loyalty app meaning that we got some reductions plus multiple extra points. It must have been a decent offer, as he came out with almost £20 of points when he apparently only had 'single figures' before.
*Only needed 2 items from the 'Shop where you would go for a new body' & stuck firmly to this, despite some rather tempting sales displays. A £5 loyalty voucher on my card reduced the cost.
*Went in the 'marine condiment shop for a browse of the sale rails, but wasn't really tempted as I don't wear their very prevalent blue/red/mustard colourways. I don't like waisted dresses either as I am only the tiniest tad over 5'3" & so waists are never in the right place on me. Then I spotted a rail of new season stock including a long deep violet coloured linen tunic. Well, I was into the fitting rooms with that like a naughty rat up a pipe! And it looked good on, plus it's my colour. Hmmm. Couldn't in all honesty justify it from our Clothes Savings Pot as very much a want & not at all a need. Decided to buy it from my Personal Spends as I have a decent wodge of Reserve Spends in an interest-bearing account & could easily use that. At the till, the assistant asked me if I wanted to use my loyalty scheme points. I replied that I didn't think I'd got more than a pound or two on there. She checked & said, "You actually have £19". So of course I used that to reduce a chunky lump of the cost & left the shop somehow feeling it was meant to be. It's too chilly to wear it atm, but it has long sleeves so will be perfect for Spring/early Autumn, especially with the nice dip-dyed jeggings my sister recently cast off in my direction.
Well, m'dears, I think that is all my bits of catch-up complete. I hope you all have a pleasant New Year's Eve. I've been baking today - bread, as we were close to running out & a batch of glazed mincemeat muffins for our guests tomorrow. We don't go out for New Year. Both of us often used to do so when we were single, but decided we didn't really enjoy the sort of forced-ness of much of the jollity at all, so we have made our own tradition of having a takeaway from our favourite local Indian restaurant, a bottle of cava, playing some games, watching a film or a couple of TV Christmas Specials & enjoying the televised London fireworks. My nephew has a long old bar shift in London tonight - rather him than me! If your thing is more sitting under a rug with a good book & pile of biscuits then fair play to you, as that would also be quite attractive to me, too!
Ah well, out with the old, in with the new, let's make it a good one!
Love F, Mr F, Soot & Ash xx

PennysIntoPounds · 31 December 2025 at 3:59PM

Happy new year to the four of you, your nye sounds marvellous 🥂

joedenise · 31 December 2025 at 4:33PM

Happy New Year and look forward to reading your posts in 2026!

badmemory · 31 December 2025 at 5:25PM

With water meters I always wonder whose prices they are going to put up. If almost everybody gets their bill reduced who will pay the shortfall & for all the pollution they get fined for.

ladyholly · 31 December 2025 at 7:31PM

A Happy New Year to you and Mr F.

amber03 · 31 December 2025 at 7:42PM

Happy new year to you and Mr F. We are exactly the same, just had a Chinese, finished my book which was taking ages to finish and now looking for a film to watch. Many moons ago we used to go to the fancy dress party at our local rugby club, oh those memories of walking home in stupid costumes at a stupid hour. My kids find it hard to believe we were like that as now you would have to force me out anywhere tonight .

Sun_Addict · 31 December 2025 at 7:46PM

I was only thinking today that years ago I would’ve been venturing out in a strappy dress and sandals on NYE 😬 Don’t even ask about the year I went out dressed as a bunny girl 🫣 Tonight I’m in my nightie and dressing gown 🤣