Fixing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow!

ftbwannabe · 9 August 2018 at 11:25AM

I love Monzo! I look at it every day as though it's a fun app, not a banking app! Some of the features they're trying (like summary) aren't totally reliable, but the longer I use it (this is month 3 for me) the better it gets at both improving features & working with how I spend. The pots have been BRILLIANT for keeping bits of money aside, I have been able to go out at the end of the month (instead of hiding in my flat, broke) because I put money in a pot for an event & didn't touch it. I use a mix of the Budget & Pots to track & manage what I spent.
Possibly got a bit nerdy there, sorry... basically, I think you'll like it & I found it really helpful. It makes my spending and saving really visible, & accountable.

SavingAFuture · 9 August 2018 at 1:07PM

Thanks ftbwannabe! That’s really helpful.
I’m so excited to get my card now and get started

moneycantbuyyouhappiness · 9 August 2018 at 1:49PM

I second what ftwannabe says. Monzo awesome it really does help me budget. I love the pots too.

I've just enabled the roundup function on my savings pot too! Which rounds up your purchases to the nearest pound and automatically puts the rest into a pot of your choice!

SavingAFuture · 11 August 2018 at 10:56AM

So my Monzo card has arrived! It's so bright and beautiful!
I've transferred the money I'm allowed to spend between now and the end of the month. I am excited to not spend it haha. In fact, I need to not spend it. I'm trying to have 12 NSDs this month but have only managed 3 so far. Must try harder.
I've started doing surveys online too so I can try to pick up a little bit more cash. Every little helps right?
SaF x

SavingAFuture · 11 August 2018 at 11:20AM

Update - I just paid an extra £35 off my CC because the odd balance was bugging me!
£1800 looks much more nice and round than £1835 :rotfl:

LiveLifeFull · 17 August 2018 at 11:19AM

Loving your diary so far! If you don't mind me asking, how much are you planning to save for your wedding? I don't really know what the norm is these days. I want to have a really special day as I've been dreaming about a specific wedding since I was a little girl, but I don't want to be wasting money either.

You're doing great so far! Imagine how good its going to feel when you get married and you've paid for it all yourself :j

SavingAFuture · 17 August 2018 at 2:59PM

Thanks for stopping by LiveLifeFull. On my tough days I keep thinking how good it will feel to be debt free. It's such a motivator.

The aim for the wedding is £10,000 total. I wish we could do it for less than this (and I know it is possible) but factoring in all the things we really want, this is how much it's going to be. Between me and my lovely OH this is an achievable figure whilst still clearing the debt (he doesn't have any. So smug!). As mentioned before, we are pulling favours so if we can bring it in for any less than that, even better

SavingAFuture · 20 August 2018 at 4:59PM

I so desperately want my debts to be gone. I know there's actually no rush as it's all on 0% until August next year and it will all be paid off long before that if I stick to my £200 per month, but I'm so tempted to pay more. However, I don't want to do that and risk leaving myself short thus leading me to have to spend on the card again, something I haven’t done for over a year now. Especially with Christmas coming round fast!

I think it's best to stick to the plan but it's been such a long time and debt busting really does become a slog after a while. It's a good plan and it's been working well but I'm getting tired readers.

Right, little whinge over. I'm off to stare at my budget spreadsheet and pine for payday :rotfl:

LiveLifeFull · 23 August 2018 at 1:21PM

Keep going Saving!

I think this is the hardest part of being on a debt journey. Its all fun and games at the beginning when your organising everything and its all so motivating, but the lull in the middle its the most boring!

I often have to catch myself before I end up slipping!

We can do this! Think of the future :j

SavingAFuture · 27 August 2018 at 2:13PM

I've just been sitting quietly over here, trying not to spend any money and waiting for payday to come round. Overall it has been an OK month financially. I've been using my new account so I can't spend more than my allocated spending allowance.

The biggest challenge for me has been trying to help my OH understand what I am trying to do. As mentioned before, I earn a little more than he does so he can't understand where all my money goes. Quite frankly, I wasn't sure until I really started tracking things at the start of this year.

Ultimately, I knew I was earning more so I'd always be the first to buy a round of drinks, pick up the bill for dinner or pay for tickets to an event. For both of us. Let's face it, going for dinner alone isn't that fun so I'd always say "oh it's my treat" so we'd both go. It seems so obvious now - paying for everything times two was always going to take it's toll on my income, leaving him free to squander his on DVD's (but that's another story...)

Recently I've been very aware of this and only suggesting cheap/free activities that we can both afford or saying "OK, we can eat out tonight but you'll have to pay for your half". I hate being that person as I want to be generous but until this debt is busted I need to do what's right for me. In the long run it will benefit him as he won't be marrying my debt (haha) but short term it feels uncomfortable.

My next activity planned is for us to stay home one evening and cook a lovely meal from scratch, from one of my many-but-barely-used cookbooks that we can enjoy together without having to go out and spend. Hopefully he'll appreciate the idea!

Fixing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow!

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