Follow the Yellow Brick Road 2023

SandyShores

savingholmes said:

Could you keep your out of season clothes in a suitcase?

Thanks for the suggestion savingholmes, but I'd like to be able to see what's in there otherwise I forget, especially when the shelves are higher or lower.  I'm happy to go with something cheap and there's only a few things so something medium size will do.  The set of 3 plastic crates from @rgos I used for the garage were pretty reasonable but Ideally I'd like some wire baskets.  Its not a priority, so I'll measure up and keep my eyes peeled.  Something secondhand / recycled would be my preference - I'm still overjoyed every time I see the old plastic bird food tubs that I keep my dishcloths and teatowels in (I just knew they were too good to bin)   

SandyShores

I'm leaning more towards a fabric box now, something with a handle I could pull down from the top shelf easily.  More clutter has to go before I buy anything more though.

SandyShores

I wanted to say that I've not spent anything on non-essential/non-asset items over the past couple of days, but then realised I bought a tote bag.  Still I haven't bought anything on v1nted or online clothes shopping so it has been a result this weekend.

I've also paid off any spending on the cc's - just a couple of spends on food and one on the tote bag to repay once they find their way onto the App balances.  Cash is running low in the accounts, but I'm determined to go into the new month with zero balances.  I do have £150 cash, plus £14.50 on its way from v1nted sales, two fleabay sales today and a few quid in the Asda cashback pot.  It feels strange having low cash balances, but it is stopping me spending so much, so is definitely the way to go.

SandyShores

Managed to swap some cash today so now have £120 cash.  V1nted money arrived, together with £20 from ebay sales.  Around £100 in the current accounts and about £10 in loyalty points so just this weekend's food shopping to go and we'll have made it.  Feels good. Its been a while since I've not had to use next month's money to pay off last month's spending.  It just became a habit for a few months, and I guess that's the slippery slope.  It will be great to start from zero again next month and the bonus is I could maybe even make another OP before the month end

savingholmes

I have been on the same slippery slope. It's going to take me a while to get out of. Well done on getting clear.

redofromstart

I will be spending the next 12 months plus selling Mr Redos stuff and I cant help thinking how much better it would have been if he hadn't bought the clutter in the first place.  Easy with the benefit of hindsight.

SandyShores

savingholmes said:

I have been on the same slippery slope. It's going to take me a while to get out of. Well done on getting clear.

Thanks @savingholmes, I was paying it off at the month end, but it had built up towards being unmanageable so I'm glad to be back to starting at zero again.  

redofromstart said:

I will be spending the next 12 months plus selling Mr Redos stuff and I cant help thinking how much better it would have been if he hadn't bought the clutter in the first place.  Easy with the benefit of hindsight.

So sorry to hear this redofromstart, I can't imagine. My own wardrobe and chest of drawers are bursting at the seams.  I'm taking the SDC advice to not buy any more clothes than will fit into the allocated space, so I'll have to do some decluttering before I buy anything else.  

LadyWithAPlan

How great you are off that future you pays for past you spending cycle! I am in my YNAB now filling up ‘next months money’ category and it feels great alongside my various true expenses pots slowly filling up 

I added a few (5?) things to Vinted as I went thru my old wardrobe at my parents and were a few things there left of mine 
Only sold two things on Vinted so far but that money went straight to my has deposit pot 

I have bought a few things back to london wardrobe wise so need to divest some things here .. it’s the old business suits I probably will never wear again but … 

SandyShores

LadyWithAPlan said:

How great you are off that future you pays for past you spending cycle! I am in my YNAB now filling up ‘next months money’ category and it feels great alongside my various true expenses pots slowly filling up 

It really does feel great.  I was thinking about popping to the shops on the way home to get a ready meal.  But I had a talking to myself and came home and used the ingredients we'd planned.  Already meal planned and shopped for Saturday too so no need shopping needed until Sunday.  We've enough in the money pots until pay day - it really is a great feeling LadyWithAPlan  

Vinted seems a bit slow lately but I've sold a couple of things on fleabay - there's no fees on clothes now.  I need to rethink how I'm selling things on vinted.  I'm the same with certain clothes for work, just in case, at least I've stopped buying stuff for work now - it was a hard habit to break.

SandyShores

I've done the food shopping for the week and also bought a few (cheapish) items for home and now have zero funds left in the home account.  But I do have £25 in my personal account, another £100 cash and about £20 of various reward points.  It looks like the £100 cash will be able to go to another OP fingers - crossed.  

Edit - oh and most important the credit cards are zero too