...but no saving either.
I need to save £2000 to make sure I can replace my car if it dies and to sort out my divorce and some other legal bits.
I should really be able to save about £250 a month but I’ve been spending too much on days out, eating out, socialising etc.
I need to work out my new budget taking into account all the changes since I’ve moved and make sure I stick to it. Quitting smoking and energy drinks is an absolute must as I’m spending around £140 a month on these things which I just can’t afford.
It’s owing to be a tricky month too as my car needs MOT and tax and I’ve also got K’s 18th birthday too! 1 week ago
...I can get through this house move without borrowing any money! Just waiting for a removals quote and then as long as I get my deposit bak from this house then I should be ok!
Really hoping to end this month with at least £100 in the bank, I’ve already paid £200 holding deposit on my new place too. 2 months ago
...in writing down all of my spending. Just doing this for a few weeks though has made a difference.
I didn’t quite end the month with £400 but I did have almost £300 left which is far better than the usual few quid I go down to. Unfortunately I then blew most of it last weekend on eating out and go-karting which I really shouldn’t have.
I’m definitely spending less since this payday. I’m really looking at prices before buying, I’ve cut out energy drinks and cut down hugely on alcohol. I’m also much better at filling my tank with petrol which stops extra spending each time I stop at the garage.
I’m just hoping I can somehow scrape together enough to move house and pray my car lasts a little longer! 2 months ago
31.01.13
£21.70 – half of meal and drinks with TMTIL
01.02.13
£4.83 – cigarettes and energy drinks
£15 – groceries (approx – can’t find receipt!)
02.02.13
£7.09 – cigarettes, milk and a card
£54.32 – DVD player, phone case, socks and groceries
£55.50 – childcare
Remaining budget:
Misc: £5.95
Childcare: £108.30 (will add to grocery budget to cover extras)
Groceries: £234.10
Petrol: £230
Frugality: err…. Not so great! Really could have survived without cigs, energy drinks, wine or new phone case. DVD player is a luxury but got one in the sale for £35 – taking the children to the cinema would cost me that! 3 months ago
28.01.13
£34.01 – petrol, energy drinks and chewing gum
£6.18 – groceries
29.01.13
£1.50 parking (can claim back)
£7.95 – coffees and cakes with TMTIL
£46.97 – petrol and groceries
30.01.13
£5.13 – cigarettes and energy drinks
£0.66 – sweets
31.01.13
£6.52 – cigarettes, energy drinks and bread
Remaining budget:
Misc: £5.95
Groceries: £228.74
Petrol: £230
Childcare: £163.80
Frugality: crap on the smoking and energy drink front though being forced to allocate these items to a budget has really made me conscious that I will have to buy less groceries to make way for my bad habits – ridiculous!
On a positive note I’ve been bringing all relevant meals to work and haven’t had to eat out or buy extras. I had a meal cooked for me Monday and last weekend TMTIL very sweetly bought me three new dresses as I was having a clothes crisis :) 3 months ago
25.01.13
£40 – paid half of meal out with TMTIL and K.
26.01.13
£20 – paid half of lunch out with TMTIL
£7.50 – sweets (fancy ones I’ll add)
£6.80 – x2 train tickets back from Margate
£16.85 – groceries
£16.99 – fuel for fire and soup!
27.01.13
£10 – stationary
£8.25 – toiletries
£136.20 – nursery
Remaining budget:
Misc: £7.45
Groceries: £266.16
Petrol: £300
Childcare: £163.80 3 months ago
£2156.72 salary
- direct debits
£700 – rent
£111 – gas/electric
£93 – council tax
£40.20 – water
£40.34 – phone
£36.84 – broadband
£12.18 – tv licence
£1123.16 cash remaining
£300 childcare
£300 petrol
£300 groceries
£100 misc/entertainment
£123.16 remaining +
£316.64 due in
£439.80 aim – to save £4003 months ago
21/01/13
£3.29 – toiletries (used £7.85 in points on my Boots card)
£13.25 – groceries
£175.45 – nursery fees
22/01/13
£15.34 – groceries
£10.00 – contribution towards meal out (K’s idea and she paid for the rest)
23/01/13
£5.20 – tobacco and energy drinks
£31.44 – petrol, chocolate and chewing gum
Oh dear – losing track a little this past few days! Must write down my spending daily or I won’t keep on top of it!
Frugality: have definitely smoked less than usual and only tobacco, not great but could have been worse. Less energy drinks than usual. Have remembered to bring food/drinks to work and not buy stuff! TMTIL was suggesting a meal out or takeaway but I insisted we cook (or rather, that he cook)! 3 months ago
£12 – x4 hot chocolates and a muffin
£10.66 – tobacco and groceries
Frugality: bit rubbish today, walked along the back in the snow with the children and hot chocolates seemed a lovely great to warm up with! Did only buy one muffin for two little ones to share and K and u refrained! Did come home and make lunch though rather thah buying it. Tobacco obviously unecessary but a few groceries were enough to make sure we had food for today and most of tomorrow.
Haven’t driven anywhere this weekend so no petrol used! 4 months ago
Grrrr. Thought today would be a good day for walking up to the library. A lovely free way to pass a snowy afternoon I thought.
Turns out I had £18 in unpaid library fines. Humph. Paid reluctantly and made a mental note to make sure I’m not overdue with anything else or it’s a false economy! 4 months ago
