Learning to budget to make future adventures happen

crunch_time · 26 October 2016 at 9:03PM

NeverUnderestimate wrote: »

Sounds good crunch!

I set off at the beginning of the month worrying things were going to be tight due to my work not paying me properly. Luckily all my bills came out on the 1st or in that first week. So I was able to physically see my balances in the bank for the rest of the month each time I checked.

Any left over pennies I sweep into a separate account (to nearest 0.00/5.00) which builds up after time and every two weeks I'll use this as overpayment to debt. Every little helps.

I've just checked my banking this morning and from being aware of my spends I'm near enough ending the month with approximately £200 of my budget left.

I'm totally surprised by that to be honest but I'm not complaining. I'll most likely put half into my emergency fund and half towards debt again.

Then the Budget restarts for November. Woohoo!!

This is how I want to manage my money tbh. Cant believe I have wasted so much time for this light bulb moment.

The years gone so quick.

It's nice to see you've cut your credit card up. Can you not unlink it from your Amazon account?

I will next time I log on.

I used to buy books for kindle willy nilly with the one click and never realised how much I spent. I was reading 4/5 books a week.

Woops.

Wow! Wish I could plough through that many.

Have a good day xx

Thanks Neverunderestimate. Comments in red.

Crunchy xx

crunch_time · 26 October 2016 at 9:06PM

Evening all,

YNAB budget done and I was right - if we can stick to the budget then that will be the first £450 towards my CC.

Woohoo!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time · 27 October 2016 at 9:58AM

Morning all!

Budget all raring to go for husbands pay day tomorrow. I particularly love the fact that I have £100 for 'things I forgot to budget for.'

I started to get ahead of myself by looking at December costs so I could see how long it would take to pay off my credit card but I stopped myself. This diary is not about forecasting, its about budgeting so that what I'm doing. One month at a time.

Ive subscribed to the NST NOvember thread. I'm going to try and do the military version which is basically no spending during the week but budgeted spends at the weekend. Next to all our social and family outings in my diary I have written the budget next to them. I'm hoping to come under so any extra money can be thrown at the debt. And I'm saying NO to any more social invites unless they are cups of tea at peoples houses or play dates at the park.

No extra money will be thrown at the credit card until the 27th November. All extra money will be transferred into one of our online savings accounts where it will stay until this date and that is a promise.

Looking forward to getting started!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time · 27 October 2016 at 12:42PM

Dd is poorly so I'm currently being held hostage on the sofa watching the little mermaid. Bless her.

The big Spanish bank and their ridiculous security questions made it very difficult for me to withdraw money from my isa today so I can be as up to date with childcare bills.

I'm going to have to go to my nearest branch which is 20 miles away with my passport. So I'm going to withdraw all of it and then march swiftly to my bank and pay it all in there.

It's a mix of savings for kids, emergency savings and dog savings so I shall assign it all to relevant pots.

Isas don't mean that much anyway with the amount of debt we have and interest rates at the moment. I shall be sensible, keep £500 in an online savings account for emergencies, allocate the right amounts to my children's isas and the rest can go on debt.

I look forward to this time next year when we can be looking at savings plans, investments, the whole thing.

Looks like a no spend day.

Crunchy x

reality_check · 27 October 2016 at 7:05PM

I am following your new diary, good luck. I can always relate to everything that you say, especially with the using credit cards to fill in the gap, and the buy now pay later attitude. I also should have a good disposable income, but of course debt prevents that, and I want to start paying down my mortgage too. You are so motivated and ready to go, looking forward to the updates xx

p.s Don't get me started on the big Spanish bank, I had a nightmare phone call with them today and need to go into a branch tomorrow :mad:

crunch_time · 27 October 2016 at 8:59PM

reality_check wrote: »

I am following your new diary, good luck. I can always relate to everything that you say, especially with the using credit cards to fill in the gap, and the buy now pay later attitude. I also should have a good disposable income, but of course debt prevents that, and I want to start paying down my mortgage too. You are so motivated and ready to go, looking forward to the updates xx

p.s Don't get me started on the big Spanish bank, I had a nightmare phone call with them today and need to go into a branch tomorrow :mad:

Aw thanks reality check. I do follow your diary too. Must make time to comment more.

During the endless hours of the little mermaid and then the polar express today, I stared at the screen thinking about how I spend money on my credit card to fix little 'issues' in my life. Like 'those clothes will make me feel better so I'll buy them now and then pay it back when I get paid next month.' And I do and then I lose track of all those little moments and I rack up the debt again.

I also realise I make our. I'd get totally unrealistic and forget things just to meet a target or get rid of my credit card so I deny us essentials and then it all racks up again. The reality is my life won't start once I have become debt free, all that extra money is just going to go on the mortgage or other investments so I might as well start being realistic now as it will be easy in the long run.

My life doesn't need 'fixing' as such I just need to stop turning to wine, self help books, clothes, sports stuff on credit cards to make myself feel valued and in control.

Oohhhh so I have value and control issues.......

That might mean why slimming world has not been working as I feel I have been treating myself with food and drink when things have got tough or I feel I deserve something.

Ok I can totally flip this around.

Sorry for the long post but in typing this out I think I may have found the root of my problem.

Can anyone else relate?

Crunch xx

kirtsypoos · 27 October 2016 at 10:15PM

Crunchy I totally relate to what you are saying.

I have huge control and value issues which have caused big problems in relation to my debt and my weight so I feel completely sympathise. I'm still trying to work on triggers and coping mechanisms in relation to spending and eating, so let me know what works for you

Seasidegal58 · 27 October 2016 at 10:56PM

crunch_time wrote: »

Ive subscribed to the NST NOvember thread. I'm going to try and do the military version which is basically no spending during the week but budgeted spends at the weekend. xx

Good on yer crunchy! I've wimped out and gone for the Civilian version!:D

crunch_time · 28 October 2016 at 8:01AM

Morning diary!

Seasidegal - I'm going to TRY to do the military. TRY being the operative word!... (wish my smilies worked).

So husbands pay day today. £70 extra as for some reason he is still not paying his pension. He knows he needs to sort that out.

All I have done on YNAB is put in his pay for November and transferred the right amount to the joint account. We have one spend tomorrow which will come out of spending money budget but I will put it as a transaction on the 1st Nov just to keep it even.

Sains arrived last night with our order for the week ahead. LOADS of food so I announced to husband that under no circumstances will I be doing any top up shops. This is it.

Oh and, if I understand it correctly, we have a small windfall coming our way from our mortgage redemption stuff which should be going ahead on the 31st which SHOULD mean that our monthly mortgage bill for November will be £613 rather than £825 so more money to my credit card. The money we will get back from the mortgage company will be £468!!!!!!!

Technically I should pay that off my mortgage as in my head/spreadhseet I already had. But mortgages can wait now. Debt first.

I'm raring to go to SMASH THAT CREDIT CARD ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRR!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time · 28 October 2016 at 8:20AM

Been brave and updated my signature!

NSD planned for today! No wine or booze bought in or will be buying just because its Friday! We don't need it!

Crunchy xx

Learning to budget to make future adventures happen

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