YNAB robber needs help to execute the plan

Wanna_Bee_Free

Well today was a bit tough in places but done now. Dentist involved X-rays so a bit more expensive but needs must and the good news is all ok for now. I bought a birthday card for a friend at £2.99. Was sure I had one but now his birthday turned up I couldn't find it. Must have given it to him last year after all!

I saved a fortune going out tonight. But I did buy a loaf this morning as I didn't feel I could be so cheapskate given it is my OH's money and I was near the supermarket on the way back. So the total left in my spending pot is £4.95. 

I managed to identify a pile of stuff to sell on Vinted so will be joining @PenniesIntoPoundsand @rachmac3 on the Summertime OAT thread to do an hour listing them tomorrow. I've sold on ebay but never on Vinted before.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Thursday morning I did reallly well with my first selling on Vinted, 7 items listed in an hour and 5 sold. 1 went yesterday and I plan to package and post the rest today. 

I spent £1.15 of my spending money on crisps at the petrol station so £3.80 left.

In addition to the unexpected train tickets I had an unexpected stressful journey yesterday. £3.40 parking and unplanned petrol. Nothing to be done as it's a family member in crisis but I felt a bit out of control of my spending. Sunday onwards may involve some difficult discussions about our current caring pattern. It is too much for my sis even with her getting 3 - 4 days help from me each week. I may need to go full time there to give her respite but that will drain me again. I only just feel human after a staycation week and a week self catering in west Yorkshire. Not feeling good about it all. 

Money successes: No YNAB categories robbed and pleased with the fact I am still trying to stop any spending. Actually because of the crisis I left my handbag at my sister's yesterday so today's spending can only be a little cash I have at home it should be a low or no spend day. 

Wanna_Bee_Free

Well, the best laid plans and all that.

Summary:

No ynab categories robbed but two huge red lines in YNAB - £66.04 My spending money and £12.99 Home Maintenance. Total disaster area is £79.03 

First I bought some drinks in the pub on Saturday - felt like I needed to pitch in rather than let OH pay as all my money is given to me from him and I wanted to contribute. Sunday I had more family drama which caused some extra spending yesterday. I bought 2 bottles of water, coffee and a bacon roll as well as the petrol I needed. This got me through. I also picked up some groceries for my father as his card had temporarily gone awol. Given this was a pretty big crisis I can live with that. Mostly I managed to limit my spending. Eg today I remembered to bring a water bottle from home and managed to eat from food in that was there even though I was away from home. The £12.99 home maintenance spend was because our shower curtain suddenly grew a huge hole.  I had funded the category for the chimney sweep this week but there was nothing else in that category as I always stole from that one in the past.

I am doing nothing quickly to roll with the punches this time. My bank account is not overdrawn and I really need to think about and learn the lessons so I will sleep on it. I have sold 6 items on Vinted for £21 so could put that towards the overspend when it comes in. I owe OH for buying me postage bags.  I am waiting for a £40 refund for an event I am no longer going to in November. I also may be able to reallocate some of £24 I have in a hobby category as I have cancelled plans to go out tomorrow night after all the family drama I am too exhausted. But I will give myself time to recover, breathe a bit and decide calmly what to do.

It is 3 years ago today that my lovely Mum died and also my father's health deteriorated suddenly that same week so the family drama is related but I really would have preferred it if I could have had a bit more time and energy for me to think about everything instead. 

Wanna_Bee_Free

Today was NSD 4 and I got some small things done at home. Might have been another NSD in there but I'm not counting it as I"m not sure.

I found out that they expect to return my £40 end of the month or early September. £40 refund, £21 Vinted £5.04 off hobby budget sorts out My spending money overspend. Undecided re shower curtain. I wish YNAB 'allowed' you to run a red into the next month. I understand it can make you overdrawn but I don't want to steal from another category, even the ones I won't need until September. I will think again on Friday when I hope to have another day at home to regroup.

So the idea is to check the category balance before spending and not to spend if I haven't got it.

For tomorrow I have my water bottle in my bag ready to go. Saying that I'm just off to find some snacks too.

joedenise

Absolutely agree with you on wishing you could go into the red on a category now and again.  With the old YNAB4 version you could but they did away with it with the current online version.  I kept the old version going as long as I could even after they stopped supporting it back in, I think, 2016.  I didn't start using the current version until the start of 2023.

I still prefer the old version to the current one!

Wanna_Bee_Free

@joedenise thanks for confirming it's not just me!

Today wasn't an NSD as I bought petrol but I did manage not to buy anything else. I have ordered some protein bars to make sure I have food on the move and don't need to spend on bacon rolls next week. 

joedenise

good idea to buy something for food on the go in advance rather than spending on (expensive) bacon rolls.

Wanna_Bee_Free

joedenise said:

good idea to buy something for food on the go in advance rather than spending on (expensive) bacon rolls.

Thanks, hopefully that will help next week. Today I plan to help OH sort the shed and depending on how that goes we both have some things to list on ebay. 1 large item was collected on Thursday which went well. 

Wanna_Bee_Free

Another NSD yesterday and the shed is tidy and the storeage locker is empty. 

Rhyddid2026

Well done!! I can only dream about that kind of achievement!🎉