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gnobak

Weekly update:

• Probably spent 120 on Valentines overall as we both took each other out on different days
  
• Spent 120 on heat logs. Hopefully that will last 4 weeks as it's getting milder. I haven't actually used the gas much so am expecting big 'savings' against what I budgeted.
  
• I was lazy and spent 8 on a car wash. The roads have agricultural traffic and it really needed it.
• Spent 55 (budgeted for) booking in our 2nd car for the annual test
  
• My wife has been tracking all the shopping + petrol spend and we are definitely a good bit behind the 'target' so that is good. She is also making a note, with my help, of the others spends so we are both getting a good idea of how mcuh goes out each month on 'stuff'
  

For the week ahead:

• Pay day on Thursday. Due to the fact I put some stuff on CC I will almost certainly not go into overdraft this month. Yay, kindof.
  
• I have to pay an annual insurance fee for my land, budgeted for.
• I have to pay some motor tax for the 2nd car, budgeted for.
  

in_need_of_direction

don't those words "budgeted for" make your heart sing

gnobak

Weekly Update:

• Got paid, and my balance stayed above 0 so that is my overdraft cleared
• Spent 27 on takeaways.
  

The week ahead:

• My wife is ordering trees for planting but out of her own funds
• Nothing else planned. Loads of DIY to do but it's all zero cost

February Summary:

• I cleared my overdraft
• I cleared a personal loan (but using funds from an existing loan)
• We are tracking spend very well
• We spent 220 less than planned for on groceries/petrol. However, for some unfathomable reason I had set the target 200 too high.... so we are on target
• We spent 1300 on stuff/life. However 750 was on boiler and car service... so about 550.
  

March Plan:

• I have set the 'stuff' spend to 450.
• The shopping/petrol spend I am keeping the same 700 (well, minus the mistaken 200)
• I am spending 150 on an exam certification, which I need to do for my peace of mind/stress levels. Budgeted for
  
• Our 2nd car will need it's annual service, 150 budgeted for
• Insurance on our land due 220, budget for
• Some motor tax on main car due 145, budget for
  
• 2 months elec and gas will be due. Extreme prices mean I would be expecting a bill of 900-1000.... but between being frugal and not have the boiler work for a while it might be less. I have budgeted for 750, fingers crossed.
  
• With all of the above taken into account, I have put an additional 380 into our holiday savings, bringing it to 700.
• If we stick to the above then my balance at next pay day will be 0 again, which is the plan.. i.e. I have 380 left over to save. It's usually higher but I had some stuff on CC from the previous month(s)
  

enthusiasticsaver

You seem to be doing really well with the budgeting and fantastic that the overdraft is cleared. Great result when you both work as a team. 

gnobak

Weekly Update:

• The monthly food/petrol spend for last month ended up being 40 less than planned so my wife gave that to charity
• I spent 60 on more heat logs
• I have fully booked our 25th wedding anniversary holiday! 2 weeks in a country we've never been to. By last week I had 955 saved with a target of 2000. I came across some good deals so I booked the flights and first few days/last day accommodation to set it in stone. During the week I realised that I could book some car hire and other accommodation but pay when we get there with free cancellation, so that is all set too However this intermediate accommodation is proving a bit more expensive than planned. The whole trip comes to about 2700. But in terms of my spreadsheet projection.... I add 2700 in costs, but for that month I take away 300 in groceries/petrol and about 400 in monthly 'spend' that will not happen.... so it's standing at 2000 + whatever we spend while there. I'm OK with that as it's the 25th.
• Spent 90 on 2 new cabin-size suitcases as I can't deal with the stress of packing stuff in odd bags anymore! Our bags were also getting a bit worn so it was time.
  

The week ahead

• 2nd car annual test. Budget for.
• Possibly another gas tank or some more heat logs if the cold snap looks like it's going to go on
  

gnobak

Weekly update:

• Spent 35 on another gas heater tank. They represent very good value for money at the moment.
• Spent 35 on petrol for machines at the field. It'll last a while.
• Spent 10 on a takeaway
• Spent 35 on gardening compost
• My 2nd car passed it's annual test with no spend required I have booked it in for it's service next week.
• My parents took us out for a nice meal, so 0 spend
• We have been doing a good bit of garden/field work which means not spending much
  

The week ahead

• Car service. 150 budgted for.
• Gas bill of 220 due. Budgeted for.
• Exam certification 150. Budgeted for.
• Mother's Day (x3!) This will have to come out of the monthly spend.

We are nearly halfway through the month but definitely have spent > 50% of the funds. Need to keep an eye on things.

gnobak

Well it had to happen sooner or later! Read on....

Weekly update:

• The car service was 150 budget for, but they found an additional item which was 70 not budgeted for
• Spent about 100 on the Mother's Day(s) which I hadn't budget for. I've added it as a 'fixed cost' for future years...
• We held an impromptu family gathering for the national holiday which has put a slight strain on the monthy grocery balance!
  

The week ahead:

• Elec bill due 350 budgeted for
• An insurance bill due 220 budgeted for
• A car tax due 145 budgeted for
• The monthly spend for groceries and fuel is basically empty but we hope to scrape by. I am paid tomorrow so the squeez will be technically over.... I am aiming to not dip into the overdraft anymore as I have 'cleared' it... and we should be OK by 30-40   
  

The main issue is that my son arrived home in a ball of stress about various things, one of which being that he has run out of money! He has 3 months of college left but he has had a part time job for 7 years and has been no burden whatsoever, running a car etc so I've had it very easy. His car tax, insurance and service are all due in the next few weeks!

So, I am going to have to bail him out.

• I will pay 3 months road tax and re-evaluate when he has finished college   180
  
• I will pay for the car service   250ish
• I will pay for his insurance but put it on a 10 month payment, so he can possibly take it over after 3ish months ~10x150
  

The above means that I am committing to 180+250+150=~600 pretty much straight away, and possibly more.

I have adjusted my spreadsheet to assume I will pay it all. To do this I have resisted using the overdraft again, and have just deferred some holiday savings, and also deferred moving from having a 0 balance (from always have an overdraft) to keeping a 1 or 2k balance by a few months.

gnobak

Weekly update:

• Things are tight at the end of the month. A few expenses have cropped up but my wife used her money to cover them.
• Paid for budgeted costs such as taxes and insurances
• I delayed paying for my exam/certification as I was busy and didn't feel comfortable doing it (more study needed!)
  

The week ahead:

• Nothing planned! Want to spend nothing until end of month even though I have ideas on what I want to buy with next months spending budget! I am restraining myself
  

gnobak

Weekly update:

• Spent 30 on takeaway and some treats on a sunny day drive with our daughter.
• Did lots of outdoor DIY stuff which was free
  

The week ahead:

• 80 on servicing items for machines. budgeted for
• Probably spend 160 on my son car servicing, now budgeted for
• Might do my exam certification, 150 budgeted for
  

March Summary:

• We stuck to our budget to within 50 euro or so, which my wife covered.
  
• Based on that, and based on future known spends, I have transferred 645 to our holiday account which is now at 1600/2000
• I found a STUPID miscalculation in my fancy spreadsheet where I reduced the notional cost of my holiday from 2800 to 2000 by making savings in the same month.... however, I never transferred to 'savings' to the holiday account. So now I need save 2800 and not 2000. It was always the case that the numbers were the numbers so it's just annoying. All it means it that the first 800 I save after the 2000 goes to the holiday fund instead of the savings fund.
  

April Plan:

• Sons car service, 160 budgeted for
• Exam cert 150 budgeted for
• Dentist due 70 budgeted for
• Sons car insurance payment 150 budget for
• I have an outdoor DIY job I've been putting off as it was one of those ones that leads to others and if you do it right the cost mounts, but I've decided to do it partially. I should be cheap enough, perhaps 50-100. That will come out of the monthly 'spends' budget for.
  
• At the end of April, I would like to save 900 towards the holiday, all going well.

gnobak

Weekly Update:

• I serviced all my machines as planned
• Bought another gas tank. There has been a cold snap
• My immersion heater broke. I managed to fix it myself for 40. I had bought a 2nd part for 15 which I didn't need but got that refunded.
  
• We have spent more than planned so far this month. There has been more petrol usage than normal. But it is all being tracked.
• My inlaws kindly gifted us 500 for Easter which I have put in the holiday accounts 2100/2800 now
  

The week ahead:

• Dentist checkup budgeted for
• My nephew is unexpectedly over from abroad and there will doubtless be some family days out etc