Goals, hopes and dreams

itsthelittlethings

Weekly shop was £33 which I thought was pretty good since I am easing off on the freezer meals this week so had to buy quite a few ingredients.

Skint_yet_Again

How did you manage to save enough to buy your flat, pay off your mortgage and fill your regular saver if you are always in your overdraft. Maybe you could start those savings again. If you are in your overdraft now how will you manage to pay for a more expensive place and lifestyle in London? 

itsthelittlethings

Skint_yet_Again said:

How did you manage to save enough to buy your flat, pay off your mortgage and fill your regular saver if you are always in your overdraft. Maybe you could start those savings again. If you are in your overdraft now how will you manage to pay for a more expensive place and lifestyle in London? 

My dad died and I was lucky (!) to inherit enough money to buy a small studio flat. I was living in shared houses for years before that and have never been much good with money. I am hoping to change my habits. I live in a very expensive city so the lifestyle wouldn’t be that much more expensive. I take on board what you are saying about saving for a more expensive place. I would need to get a mortgage. I have never missed a rent or loan repayment (had car finance) so although I am not amazing at saving I am confident of my ability to manage a mortgage.

Skint_yet_Again

Sorry to hear about your dad. An inheritance can be a blessing but also a double edged sword as you don’t learn about saving. I’m glad you have some security. 

Have you used an affordability calculator to see how much you could lend on a mortgage? Have you passed your probation period yet in your current job. Would you be able to transfer your job or would you commute until you found work in London area ? 

I know you seem to visit London a bit and so maybe you can put a separate category for visiting in your SOA and still have plenty leftover 

Sorry also meant to say don’t forget about buying and selling fees, legal, estate agent, stamp duty, moving fees. 

itsthelittlethings

This week is going ok. I find out next week if I’ve passed probation at my new job. I’m having a quiet week and not going away for Easter. Two and a half weeks to my holiday. I’m going to stay with my mum for a week. I hope the weather will be good.

itsthelittlethings

SYA part of the reason I want to save is to pay all the moving costs, as well as have an emergency fund.

Skint_yet_Again

Maybe you could set up a standing order into a savings account and treat it like a mortgage/ bill. Then you would save and get used to living on less ? Good luck with it 🤞

itsthelittlethings

Just relaxing before work. I spent £7.50 on a coffee and doughnut at lunchtime yesterday as work was stressing me out which is not ideal. I had a look back through my spends last weekend and a lot of unnecessary spends are on coffee and treats. I really want to try and cut that down. I need to get in the habit of reviewing my spending once a week or maybe even writing down everything I spend. I did that once before when I was trying to get a handle on my spending for a month or so.

I need to buy something for breakfasts this afternoon but other than that will try for a no spend day.

I do have a standing order into my regular saver, the issue is that when it matures I have often run up a credit card balance which I then have to pay off, using some of the saved money.

Two days to Easter. I am going to spend time crafting. I have an outing planned to the garden centre with my friend and her son. We’ll feed the fish (he loves doing that), get an ice cream and maybe buy some chutney. A fairly cheap outing.

itsthelittlethings

Did some work on my rag rug last night. I’m trying to do an hour of crafting every evening. I have almost all the equipment so it’s pretty cheap. I have a couple of things I’d like to get following on from a recent course but I’ll wait until I get paid.

One day to the weekend. Apart from the trip out with my friend I’ve got a few errands to run, I’m going to do some cooking for the freezer and crafting. Would like to swim as well.

Dinner at my sister’s tonight. We take it in turns to cook for each other so get I get a free meal every other week, the other week I have a slightly more expensive meal as there’s usually three of us. It’s always lovely to see them though.

Rich1976

Couldn’t you cut down the coffee habit to maybe once or twice a week maximum, say a Friday or weekend as I’m sure if you add up all the coffees you spend on over a year you would be alarmed at the figure?