be financially responsible and live within my means

must do better! :-p

I’ve just downgraded my Clearwire (broadband company) and Screenclick (Irish version of Netflix) subscriptions, saving me a total of about thirty bucks a month. I don’t think I’m doing anything demanding enough with my internet to require the speed I’m paying for, although if the lower speed is noticeable and starts bugging me I’ll upgrade again – I worked something out with the guy in Clearwire (have to say the customer service staff in Clearwire are the friendliest and most helpful I’ve ever come across) whereby even if I upgrade again it’ll still be a bit cheaper than I’m paying now. And I took a look at the Screenclick packages and realised I watch few enough DVDs that the lowest package will do me – plus I have two movie-buff brothers from whom I can borrow movies if I do find myself short of something to watch.

To borrow a slogan, every little helps, right? :-p

I’ve been more conscious of this than usual the last couple weeks. It’s a quiet month, no major plans, so I’m taking advantage of it – last payday I paid a chunk off my credit card and put a little money aside for next month (which will have more outgoings), and so far I haven’t needed to touch the savings money or use the card. Think I’m on track to keep that up for the two weeks till next payday, too.

It’s really amazing the difference made by two small changes – walking to work instead of buses or taxis, and not eating out so much. That’s obviously where most of my disposable income has been going. Both changes are better for my health too, so definitely habits to keep up.

I won a pair of tickets to a fairly expensive concert a few weeks ago and had completely forgotten about them until today. I’ve no interest in the concert and had intended to sell the tickets, but it’s tomorrow night and I didn’t think I’d find any takers at such short notice. By a wonderful stroke of serendipity, though, I mentioned them to a workmate and she knew someone who was looking for tickets, so I’m suddenly a couple hundred quid better off. Couldn’t have come at a better time, as I have two eventful weekends coming up. It doesn’t really count as being financially responsible, but at least it means my financial irresponsibility won’t bite quite as hard this month :-p

No matter how cool it is, I do not need an adjustable-feet laser-sighted tape measure.

^{but I want it}

I’ve just looked at my credit card statement, and… oh my god. How does one girl manage to spend that much money without even noticing?! I’ve always been inclined to laugh at my extravagant streak and see it as a character quirk instead of a flaw, but this is no laughing matter. I’m going to end up in serious trouble if I don’t stop this.

• Stop eating out so often. Cooking for myself is cheaper, healthier and more enjoyable. Make a meal plan each week and grocery shop at the weekends – my lack of organisation here is costing me money. Have some quick-and-easy meals in the freezer (you know, the new one that’s partly responsible for the whopping credit-card bill :-p ) as an alternative to take-out for tired nights.
• Stop buying books. This one sucks, but it’s unavoidable. Thing is, I probably have a ton of forgotten treasures on my bookshelves. Find some of those to re-read instead of buying new ones. Maybe join the library.
• STOP getting taxis into work! That was a plan for getting me in on time that backfired very badly. Walk, for god’s sake. Get mornings under control so I can leave on time.
• STOP using the credit card! It is NOT free money. If I can’t afford it in cash, I can’t afford it at all.
• Start taking my own lunches into work again. The canteen food isn’t expensive, but it all mounts up. This should be easy if I’m cooking at home, cos I can just make double portions.
• Treat myself, by all means, but only if there’s money (cash money) left over at the end of the week.

I really need to start taking this seriously. The last couple months I keep saying I’m going to be good this month, I’m going to watch my spending, I’m going to… but I haven’t been doing it, not really, and I’m tired of being down to my last cent by payday. I’ll never get anywhere like that. I need to face up to the fact that I’m in debt, both short- and long-term, and while I’m meeting repayments and it’s not hanging too heavily over my head, it’s not the way I want to live.

Tomorrow is payday. My usual pattern is to pay my rent, bills, loan repayments and a (small) amount into savings as soon as I get paid, and then see the rest as disposable income for the month – and usually I end up blowing half of it in the first week, sometimes even just the first weekend, and by halfway through the month I’m skint again. This month it’s going to be different. I’ll pay all the bills as normal, but then I’m going to give myself a weekly budget, one which doesn’t use up all the remaining money, and put what’s left against my credit card. That way if I really need it at the end of the month I can use it, but it’ll be reducing my balance while it’s there, and hopefully if it’s not sitting there in the bank account there’ll be less temptation to spend it.

I’m also going to try taking out my allotted weekly amount at the beginning of the week, to make me more aware of how much I have left. It’s so easy to lose track of how many trips to the ATM I’ve made. I’m not entirely comfortable carrying more than a little cash, but I’ll have to get used to it. When I’ve tried budgeting before I’ve often been derailed by unexpected expenses, and of course once one week is shot to hell it’s very hard to start again; this time I’ll try and build in some flexibility, so things like that could come out of the ‘extra’ end-of-month money, or I could spread it across more than one week by reducing my weekly allowance a bit.

The biggest need, I think, is just to be more aware of my money and where it’s going. The thing is, it’s not really a big deal to me – I’ve always been a “spend it while it’s there, and do without when it’s gone” kind of person. I care only because I don’t want to be in debt, and I need a little more responsibility if I’m going to get out of it.

With my new slightly lower rent, and the small pay rise I got last week, I wind up about a hundred bucks a month better off. I’m already finding it hard to stop myself justifying an extra meal out, another new book, a taxi home in the rain and so forth because of this; but I really should be splitting it between credit card/loan repayments and savings. It helps that I now have something really worthwhile to look forward to and save for.

I’m already in the red for this month, and payday is still eleven days away, so I’ll be making a special effort to cook my own dinners, bring my own lunch to work and not spend on anything that’s not absolutely essential.

Because I’m trying to eat healthily, I stocked up on fruit and veggies at lunchtime today. The makings of lunches and dinners for the rest of the week cost me less than I’d spend in the office canteen in a day or two. I bought apples, bananas, nectarines, cherries, peppers, courgette, onions and sugar-snap peas for under €8. I also found my usual deodorant on special offer in Boots, so I’m rather pleased with myself. :o)