Learning to budget to make future adventures happen

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Well done on reducing the debt as much as you have and resisting the urge to spend your windfalls from hmrc and your parents.

We did as you are suggesting and just used my part time salary as a bonus after childcare costs when I went back to work after our having our daughters. We did not have debt so just used to save my salary and used it for holidays, cars and home improvements etc etc. My reasoning was that if the children were suffering through both of us working I would give up work until they were older so we never committed my salary to anything and it worked really well. As they got older the savings pots got bigger to help with university costs etc etc.

Another thing we did was when the childcare costs reduced we used the amount we paid on that to overpay on the mortgage and overpay on pensions. That meant we were mortgage free when we were 47 and 48 and have both retired or will retire at age 58.

Thank you so much for this enthusiasticsaver - it's put it into perspective for me. I have BIG travel plans in the future and living like this will definitely make this happen.

I'm still in a quandary about what to do with the furniture costs. Being debt free Asap sounds marvellous but so does putting it on 0% and paying it off £100 a month for the next year. We are at the point where we need to start saving for the future. I need a new laptop, we need to save for a dog, not to mention retirement. Although I'd really like my debt free badge, I'd also like to start the future. I'm always feeling like I'm on the back foot all the time.

Crunchy xx

doingitanyway wrote: »

You are making some difficult decisions. It's hard. Whether present life or future life, it is still life and life is precious. We need to live all parts as fully as we can. I too want a dog. I am hoping next year I will be able to drop 1 day a week, that way I am home 5 days and out for 2 days.

You will make the right decisions for you in the end. Keep the faith Crunchy

I definitely feel like we are putting off living until we are debt free. I'm tired of feeling awful if we need to buy something as I fee debt free is the be all and end all. Husband and i were talking last night about buying DS a clock so he can start learning the time. My immediate thoughts were 'sigh - that's more money we cant throw at the debt this month.' I don't want to feel like this anymore.We should be able to not feel guilty about buying our son a clock for his development/enjoyment of life.

Truth is that when we do make it to 'debt free-ness' we still have £20k of car to pay off and will happily purchase a car on credit again when husband finally dies. The difference now is that WE are planning it and controlling it and can afford it. I'm confident we can make good decisions about our money. We didn't rush out and buy a new car for husband once i had gone back to work after DD or once i had no credit to my name. The objective of this diary is to 'learn to budget to make future adventures happen.' As long as we pace ourselves we will be ok. I'm confident.

Scenic route it is then. Decision made. Life is out there.

Crunchy xx

PS - I will adjust my signature once everything is settled.

Crunchy xx

Morning diary

I've had a pretty rubbish last week before the holidays. I have been told offf (like properly shouted at) by a senior person at school for chatting when I shouldn't have been. Seriously. Yes. That did happen. And it made me feel pants all day. And then someone crashed into my car yesterday on the way to work. Thankfully no blue lights involved and the damaged looks cosmetic but it ruined my day (although I did miss work taking it to the garage etc) but everyone is fine just shaken. Luckily everything is covered by insurance but I have to pay £250 excess so for the thousandth time I wished I had a proper emergency fund. That is of course less that can be paid on the debt this month but hey ho, I'm grateful for the outcome to be honest. At one point yesterday in the split second before I was hit I thought I might die so perspective and all that.

Hmmm. I'm really hating work at the moment and glad it's the first day of the eater holidays for me today. I can't believe I was shouted at - there are so many more ways to have dealt with the situation rather than treating me like a child. I don't know whether I have mentioned this before without looking back on this but I'm seriously considering leaving teaching. I really can't see myself doing it for the next 30 years without going crazy. I'm currently concocting a plan to get back into marketing which I was in before I trained to be a teaching. It will take a couple of years and the first step is setting up a blog in an area of interest of mine so I can get experience with all things digital. Then I think I will apply for a course in this area and that will hoefully be enough to start me off. I've got the name and theme of my blog in mind and I'm currently working on content ready for a launch in the summer. It's hard doing part time teaching, two small kids and a husband that works away a lot to find time to do this but I'm determined to make time and I'm letting the work event of this week spur me on.

Really really must check the bank balances today ready for husbands pay day tomorrow. I also have a number of phone calls to make regarding the accident, but otherwise I'm planning a quiet day at home recovering from the week and making plans for the Easter holidays - and my blog.

Have a lovely day y'all! I may pop back later for an update.

Crunchy xx

kirtsypoos wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the crash crunchy, and how bad work seems to be at the moment.

You're so focused when it comes to the debt, so you know if you put this focus to your blog and change of career you will succeed in no time

Aw thanks kirstypoos. That means a lot. I really hope so. I started writing up my first blog post today and finishing off the content (it's a craft blog) tonight. It's something I've always wanted to do but never had either the confidence or the time. Now I have the confidence and can work on the time I'll hopefully be into a winner.

Bumped into a friend on the school run who had an accidently third baby last summer. She has just quit her job as she can't go back to work after with two under 2 and a five year old. She said they are in trouble financially because of it. Puts it all in perspective. I felt an ache to be frugal again though like she will have to be. This blog I'm setting up has a theme of frugality.

Anyway lots to do. Currently enjoying my first beer on the patio this year!! Woohoo!!

Crunchy xx