Time to mend and make do, beg, borrow and barter.

wishingthemortgaheaway · 19 January 2018 at 7:34AM

Morning all, whilst I understand the wisdom of not paying out for something (ynab in this case) to save money, I am going to jump to its defense (a lot).

I have ynab classic still, the old version where you paid a 1 off fee, so it now costs me nothing. Would I switch to the new subscription model? Probably not, because it works for me. If I had to swap would I, definitely.

Ynab allowed me to save 12 months worth of expenses in around 6months prior to maternity leave. Add this to a couple of other pots of money and I had 15 months of self funded maternity leave, and was able to give up my job during that time.

I rarely use the desktop computer version, only if I need to/want to fiddle with the categories, otherwise it's the phone & tablet app all the way.

I generally use the phone app to record all transactions, doing it out and about, or sitting down with the receipts, it's instant and I can see if I can/can't justify the expense. The tablet app means I can tilly tidy and transfer money between pots really easily. I 'store' my mop pot tilly tidies in a ynab category and then overpay a couple of times a month.

Yes, a spreadsheet can do all this (effectively it is a spreadsheet) but it works, its flexible and it's so very easy to keep with me and up to date.

Greying_Pilgrim · 19 January 2018 at 9:19AM

Morning lovely,

Just been thinking about you. I was reading all about the micro-plastics deposits found up at Scapa Flow, and how they are on a par with more industrialised areas of Scotland :eek: Polymer fibres from clothing are as much to blame as anything else. As someone sat here in my 'fleece' top, I'm as much a part of the problem as the guzzlers of pop from plastic single use bottles........................

Hope you have a great day, and weekend. Ya working?

Greying X

Pippilongstocking · 20 January 2018 at 6:55PM

beanielou wrote: »

Lots of snow here

Here too petal - keep warm - its brrrsome outside.

EssexHebridean wrote: »

You ratbag sneaking off to a new diary without telling me! There's no escaping though - found ya now! :rotfl:

Need to do a proper catch up but have to confess I agree with US about YNAB - it seems utterly counterintuitive to me to spend money on not spending money...! I use a combination of the MSE budget thing, occasionally do an SOA, and have written records of what goes where from monthly money, then the bank accounts themselves work as a reminder for the routine savings account transfers.

:rotfl: how kind of you to use my formal sunday name :rotfl:

I've been using similar things to you - although lovely US has sent a nice PM - I'm finding tbh the new prepaid card and app pretty helpful - its free aside the £5 set up charge for the card and thus far I'm pretty impressed from a spends and analysis point of view. But, its not what I need for everything, albeit easier than cash to use as its a card, and I like cards, but the analysis app is proving interesting - bit like a spending diary.

I won't sneak off for a while the whole adverturising thing was just not feeling so groovey at the mo.

troglodyte wrote: »

Evening all!

Have never tried budgeting software, just go for the old-fashioned method of avoiding spending unless I have to. Just had a look at YNAB and it's $84 per year, which I guess could be well worth it if you are one of those people who's spending is totally out of control. Not for me though.

Still working on stores here; yesterday made coconut and lime cake as we had a bag of dessicated coconut in the back of the cupboard and a small tub of lime zest in the freezer. Today was bottom-of-the-fridge soup, with half a pepper, half a cabbage, a couple of spring onions and a few potatoes from Grandparents' allotment at Christmas, with stock from a lamb bone and a handful of split peas. Could do with a bit more flavour but it was substantial.

This morning a friend has just taken possession of her new home. Turns out the previous owner emptied the kitchen by the simple method of putting everything in the bin. The friend was a bit worried it wouldn't get emptied this morning as it was too full and they are quite strict if the stuff is piled up too much to close the lid, so we took some out and transferred to a neighbour's bin as she had space. That was when we noticed what was in there; my friend said 'Oh your chickens could have the fruit!' so I took out a bag to take home for them, and a jar of something because I liked the shape of the jar and intended to wash it out to use for home-made preserves (did you know that in Hobbycraft they actually sell empty jam-jars at £1.20 each??)

It was only when I got home that I really looked at what I had and realised I had picked up an unopened, undamaged bag of pears, a pack of grapefruit, and an unopened brand new jar of chilli pickle, best before sometime in 2019. Now I'm wondering whether to eat them myself, or is that a step too far in reducing waste?

:T personally you know here I'd go for eating it - I might soak the jar in some solution prior to opening just in case - but you know I'd do it.

I'm amazed at what folks put in the bin you know.

WOrking on the stores this end though I fear a revolution might occur as DH was expecting takeaway and we had wedges and pizza for tea yesterday. I am finding I'm using up more things I've bought - especially the reduced bit and the freezer is going down - soup did sound lovely by the way.

We went to the butchers today and bought some sausages and got some free bones, the dogs are looking at me nervously now - but even I won't boil them first to have the stock before I give the dogs them, seems a bit mean.:A:A

Pippilongstocking · 20 January 2018 at 7:02PM

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

Morning all, whilst I understand the wisdom of not paying out for something (ynab in this case) to save money, I am going to jump to its defense (a lot).

I have ynab classic still, the old version where you paid a 1 off fee, so it now costs me nothing. Would I switch to the new subscription model? Probably not, because it works for me. If I had to swap would I, definitely. http://static.moneysavingexpert.com/images/forum_smilies/beerchug.gif

Ynab allowed me to save 12 months worth of expenses in around 6months prior to maternity leave. Add this to a couple of other pots of money and I had 15 months of self funded maternity leave, and was able to give up my job during that time.

:T:T:eek:

I rarely use the desktop computer version, only if I need to/want to fiddle with the categories, otherwise it's the phone & tablet app all the way.

I generally use the phone app to record all transactions, doing it out and about, or sitting down with the receipts, it's instant and I can see if I can/can't justify the expense. The tablet app means I can tilly tidy and transfer money between pots really easily. I 'store' my mop pot tilly tidies in a ynab category and then overpay a couple of times a month.

Yes, a spreadsheet can do all this (effectively it is a spreadsheet) but it works, its flexible and it's so very easy to keep with me and up to date.

Thank you for posting this reply we do love a good debate round these parts. :A

So the premium version is more expensive but you get a free (ish) version to use, that's interesting.

I have to say I'm super impressed at your hard work to save expenses and give yourself so much more maternity leave - well done you! That's tremendous.

I think when we find functionality in whatever guise its such a help and when online/virtual tools are used to change what you can do in life its utterly amazing - so thank you so much for sharing. I'm so glad you got the right fit for you too. I'm going to read more about it all I must admit.

I did end up paying £5 for a spend card I could use abroad, as generally we use a card abroad, its more than saved itself and it is very useful. I am liking the fact its the only card I'm carrying and I know how much of the household budget I have on it - I guess its a bit like carrying cash but without the where did it go conundrum at the end. It accountablity I need over all, but how useful its proved to be. You can of course instantly upload MORE money to it - but the idea of doing that seems to be a pause to make me think about putting more money over.

Thank you very much and well done! :T:A

Pippilongstocking · 20 January 2018 at 7:16PM

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Morning lovely,

Just been thinking about you. I was reading all about the micro-plastics deposits found up at Scapa Flow, and how they are on a par with more industrialised areas of Scotland :eek: Polymer fibres from clothing are as much to blame as anything else. As someone sat here in my 'fleece' top, I'm as much a part of the problem as the guzzlers of pop from plastic single use bottles........................

Hope you have a great day, and weekend. Ya working?

Greying X

Evening cherub :A

I know I read that too or heard it on the news on the radio. I think to be fair we're all guilty as charged me dear. Plastic culture has seeped so far into our very existences its hard to even deal with the stuff we can readily see never mind the 'invisible' plastic all around (laptop here included too, hat and most of my clothes today. Dogs collars, bedding, phone case........:eek:

Scapa flow is a funny one, whilst in the far north, its the host of a huge fishing, shipping and fish farming industry in a quite shallow site with limited tidal flow, you'd not think that wee tiny tiny bits of plastic would really get there (I mean HOW) - but then again - the world we live in is uttely confusing. There was also a big worry that alien species would overcome the native underwater fauna and flora due to the balast water of the visiting big tankers to the to oil refinery situated in the middle there - all we need is mutant alien species beefed up on micro plastics taking over the world - stuff of nightmares.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I am indeed working at the weekend petal - thank you for asking, its been a full on week, the major changes at work mean its going to be quite a full on 'not quite known' season - in a beautiful new building that's still rather squeaky and clean. So its a bit head scratching full on for the moment.

But, I do have a new desk - so I'm decamping most of my botanical *carp* into that space so the house is looking a bit less cluttered.

Some of the wee pesky snowdrops are up and shining - so the world is waking up, its exciting to see the first signs of life.

I thought of you today as I wandered not to the big town but to the smaller one and used the local wholefoods shop and baker, butcher etc. It was refreshing to use smaller shops and also see that most of them still take a proper lunch hour.

:A

Hope the family are spendid and keeping you well stocked in cuddles.

troglodyte · 20 January 2018 at 7:46PM

You know Pippi I am going to eat it - now I keep wondering what else was in there :eek:

Glad the cheery snowdrops are up.

Have been making good progress down the freezer but yesterday stumbled across the local farmers' market so ended up buying a wild venison roast (revenge for them eating my rhubarb??) and also a gammon joint. Although we always buy British bacon it's hard to find British Gammon for some reason, and I'm not keen on Danish as their animal welfare standards are not as good as the UK, so we were glad to find this farm which is only less than 10 miles away!

On the plastic front, it is so hard to cut down when the stuff is everywhere, but there is hope if we make enough fuss I think. Recently the subject of plastic drinking straws has been in the news a lot, and I confess we are guilty because Little One thinks it's a special treat to have a straw. But today I popped into L1dl and was pleased to find packs of paper drinking straws. Remarkable how quickly retailers respond if they think there's a demand... I bought two packs and they can be rinsed and recycled or go in the compost.

Pippilongstocking · 20 January 2018 at 7:54PM

Hey where did the week go??

Its been a crazy one here - although we've been really good and worked those cupboards well.

I got given a free tuna sandwich at work by one of the volunteers so that was quite lovely.

Vets was not as expensive as expected as we were booked in for a blood pressure test and himself was having none of it. Had a grand chat with the vet and after 15 mins of that and figuring the dog wasn't playing ball, I left with blood pressure meds £33.28 and no charge for the consult and no new pain meds for him, we still have a stash as they were making him woosy so we cut him down after phoning in.

Unusual. But, a nice bonus. She did however give some advice which IS money saving but that's wasn't its purpose.

She told me that rather than use £35+ meds (which make him mega woozy and dopey) a month for him for pain relief you can use human paracetamol - as his size the dose has to be precise and not be exceeded, very easy to give too much. I've to expect it to work and shouldn't make him woozy. Its effective for bone injuries like his and to help manage pain.

PARACETAMOL is NEVER to be given to a cat - they CANNOT process it. And can ONLY be given to dogs under a vets recommendation at the precise dose they state.

I was quite shocked, I'd never ever heard of this before and digging around forums etc there's not much to substantiate it although there is on vet info sites and she is a qualified vet. So we might give it a go, although I'm a bit nervous I know she has his best interests at heart.

I did as a peer reference email she-who-should-not-be-named who is a vet, and ask for a consult - we'll see if she responds and what she says.

Petrol has been minimal £20 - being ill and taking the wee car has been quite helpful in some ways. Not that the dogs like it much.

Conversly the renewal for the car came in at 347.11

Almost double last year and it went up markedly the year before. What's that all about - its almost a toy car with toy wheels and a toy sized driver with no accidents and full no claims. ANd, I'm sure it has an actual elastic band for an engine, its an eco-car <1000cc and isn't worth that much anymore.

That's got to get sorted and some.

Off to investigate the cupboards for tea and see what I can do about that car insurance and update budgets.

Spent a bit at wee local shop on wholefoods and got some nice reduced bits, also went to butcher and got some sausages and dug bones.

Need to tot up stuff and look at UFM *uber frugal month* email and catch up.....

bon appetite whatever you nosh on.

beanielou · 20 January 2018 at 8:43PM

Thought I had Mr N's pain meds cracked for a mo but see a no no for cats. OH well.

How is your maw?

troglodyte · 20 January 2018 at 9:20PM

Bit of info about paracetamol in dogs here
https://www.vetinfo.com/how-safe-is-paracetamol-for-dogs.html

Yay to free sandwich!

On the other hand car insurance sounds a bit ridiculous. Have you tried tweaking things like job title? Not sure if you buy it online but it can be worth trying a local insurance broker, they can fine-tune things more individually which can be a better deal. Worth asking anyway.

Greying_Pilgrim · 20 January 2018 at 9:23PM

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

I thought of you today as I wandered not to the big town but to the smaller one and used the local wholefoods shop and baker, butcher etc. It was refreshing to use smaller shops and also see that most of them still take a proper lunch hour.

:A

Hope the family are spendid and keeping you well stocked in cuddles.

Ha ha - we were in a teeny town that is in the middle of no-where and is mostly 'independent' shops - to the extent that the only 'chains' recognisable were Weddersp00nz, b00tz and c0ffee-0-c0sta.... 'tis the only place I've ever been to, where 2 reasonably swanky 'hair salons' were closed before 1pm, on a Saturday....................................... There was supposed to be a wholefoods store there. I looked up the address and we were going to be on the same street, and they have been FaceBeing, recently, and I looked up where it was on goggle mapz... could I find it???? Today, I ain't terribly enamoured with 'local independent shops......' The upside is that the parking was affordable and the loos (if you searched.....) were FREE! :rotfl:

The 'fam' are splendidly-o-cious, ta so muchly fer asking. Cuddles aplenty, giggles and belly larfs in a goodly supply too

Greying X

Time to mend and make do, beg, borrow and barter.

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