Eating the Frog

sleepysleeperson · 18 December 2018 at 2:55PM

Since the last post about energy - National Grid have contacted me to fit a smart meter in January so I'll leave comparisons until that is in place.

sleepysleeperson · 20 December 2018 at 11:34AM

NEW SOA

Since my last SOA - I have:
- reduced childcare by using tax free childcare
- increased my mortgage by £150 as I have put an automatic £150 overpayment on it
- adjusted the insurance figures to money rather than annually

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 2
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1200
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1250
Benefits................................ 139
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2589

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 615
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 160
Electricity............................. 89
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 69
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 38
TV Licence.............................. 12.5
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 400
Clothing................................ 50
Petrol/diesel........................... 100
Road tax................................ 10
Car Insurance........................... 20
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 10
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 600
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 10
Contents insurance...................... 10
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 50
Haircuts................................ 10
Entertainment........................... 100
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 2353.5

Assets
Cash.................................... 10000
House value (Gross)..................... 210000
Shares and bonds........................ 10000
Car(s).................................. 12000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 242000

Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 103000...(615)......1.89
Total secured & HP debts...... 103000....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Total unsecured debts..........0.........0.........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,589
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,353.5
Available for debt repayments........... 235.5
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 235.5

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 242,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -103,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -0
Net Assets.............................. 139,000

sleepysleeperson · 2 January 2019 at 3:07PM

So I didn't go mad on Christmas presents (I never do, I hate what a wasteful society we are due to the need to buy "stuff"), but I did go mad on M&S party food for both Christmas and New Year (we hosted) - they were some very spendy weeks!

Anyway I've just checked and the mortgage overpayment has come out so that's £150 off the total.

I'm going to see how frugal I can be this January. We started well using our Zoo passes yesterday and taking a packed lunch so a family day cost nothing other than the fuel to get there. I think the secret to money saving with children is outdoor activities so I have just ordered an all in one waterproof for my daughter, £12 from ebay, I'm happy with that.

Other things I have my eye on are a new flask and new water bottle. They should help me avoid popping in to a cafe when we are out.

Now I'm off to make the first payment to the pension pot!

sleepysleeperson · 8 January 2019 at 10:43AM

Is anybody else tracking their spend this month? It's something I do every January and then it fades away for the rest of the year. Mine is making for scary reading already.

In the first week of January I've managed to spend close to £200. £100 on food (budgeted) and £100 on clothes and other things. I've tried to cut back on things like free parking and not eating out at all, but I've had to winter proof (as I think snow is coming) so all in one outfits for the kids, a sledge, new leggings to replace my holely ones, toiletries and it's all adding up. I need to think of some frugal activities for the rest of the month.

icklehelen · 8 January 2019 at 12:49PM

Hi
I have got into the habit of tracking my spending throughout the year and am now able to compare with previous years which helps me to set my budgets for the coming year.

I track them all on a spreadsheet which is split into categories (such as food, cars, toiletries, school costs, birthdays/Christmas etc) As I use credit cards for most of our spends I can track it more easily. At the end of each month I can see what I've spent from that pot and transfer it into the credit card paying account.

It may be a complicated way of doing it but it works for me and after years of trying different things its the one that works! It may be that you need to try a few different things before you get the one that's right for you.

Spreadsheets are your friend for these things and on these forums you can admit to [STRIKE]being obsessed with[/STRIKE] using them and be in good company :rotfl:

Good luck

ickle

sleepysleeperson · 15 January 2019 at 11:01AM

January seems to be taking forever! The spend tracker continues to surprise me. Even when i'm consciously not spending, I'm still spending money.
And I'm finding the grocery shopping a lot more than a year ago and I mainly shop in Aldi. A £50 spend used to be us eating like kings for the week, now £50 doesn't even cover everything we use in a week.

I think I might try growing my own veg and salad this year. Has anyone found any good resources to guide a complete novice?

sleepysleeperson · 17 January 2019 at 1:55PM

January is the month when I usually spend hardly anything but costs are coming from everywhere.

A puncture today let to £160 tyre and windscreen wiper bill and being two hours late to start work. Can't wait this month to be over.

Eating the Frog

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