Share your financial new year’s resolutions with other Mumsnetters - chance to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher, courtesy of Lloyds Bank NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

With a bit of luck the festive period left you with LOTS of happy memories - but we all know that Christmas can leave bank accounts looking a little worse for wear. To help you into 2016, Lloyds Bank would like to know the financial new year’s resolutions Mumsnetters are making.

Here's what they say: "January sales, unwanted presents and resolutions - the new year will bring new challenges, but plenty of opportunities for those who are shrewd with their finances. We'd love to hear Mumsnetter's tips for starting the new year in financial style‎." - Lloyds Bank

So how do you make sure your bills stay in the black? Do you make a spending plan to control your budget? Maybe opening a savings account is the best option? Perhaps you give the credit card a well-deserved rest and pay everything upfront? Or do you have some money-saving habits you force yourself to get back into once the festive season is over?

Whatever your tips, Lloyds Bank would love to hear them.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, and one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks,

MNHQ
Standard Insight T&Cs apply

[BrendaandEddie]

i am going to make it my financial aim to find out WTAF a love to shop voucher is BY WINNING ONE

[SerenityReynolds]

Am currently on maternity leave and will then have 2 lots of childcare costs for a little while, so the next 2-3 years will probably be our toughest financially. My main resolutions are:

1)Set a weekly food budget and stick to it religiously. Will be buying fruit and veg at the market and also plan to investigate Lidl and Aldi more thoroughly.
2)Check and make a note of the balances in both individual and joint accounts every evening, so I know exactly how each is doing.
3)Try to use cash rather than cards, especially for top up shops and treats. Last mat leave a weekly budget for those worked really well. Any leftovers go back in the account.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

I have made a list of events that I want to save for in 2016. So I have noted down all the birthdays, holidays, planned days out and worked out a rough budget for each. I now know how much I need to save each month to have the money ready to buy presents, day trips, event tickets etc. (I've even started saving for next Christmas)

[Seeyounearertime]

My financial resolution is to resolve to get some finances.

[Gazelda]

Funnily enough, I was just starting to put together a budget for my personal spending and our joint bills. I need a bit of procrastination time, so flipped to MN and found this thread!
I'm determined that we'll live within our means this year, stop spending money on bank charges and hopefully build ourselves a little cushion.
I'm struggling to find a good app, any ideas?

[CopperPan]

I've got a great app called Expense Manager that helps me track my expenses. It's free on Android and I can chart my spending by category. It has a budgeting function which I haven't used yet, and I plan to set that up for the new year.

I don't spend lots of money in person but online shopping can be really tempting. I'm aiming to curb that next year and think more carefully about what I really need. I am a bit of a sales hoarder and already have lots of clothes, toiletries and stationery stashed away.

[CordeliaScott]

I am determined to stick to my budget this year (yes I am aware that this is not the first time that I have said this). However, I intend to be debt free (save for the mortgage) in three years time.

I have taken off a loan to pay off all but one of my credit cards as it has a lower rate of interest.

I have also sat down with DH, drawn up a list of money in and out and set a budget based upon this which is workable rather than far too frugal for me to ever keep to.

I have handed over the grocery shopping to DH as I buy too much and the food usually goes to waste. As he is the one that does the cooking it makes more sense for him to purchase what he actually wants rather than me buying everything every week just in case. Food shopping with meals in mind.

[anonooo]

Just question ok ng every purchase as to whether I really need it. I want to overpay on my mortgage to save interest. DP spends money like water though and there is no reasoning with him. So it will be me scaling back and earn in ng every extra bit I can.

[SayAGreatBigThankyou]

Open a savings account for next Christmas and squirrel some aside each month - not just presents and food, but trip to Santa, Christmas jumpers, etc.

[MakeTeaNotWar]

I need to simply spend less on frivolities esp on clothes I don't need and in toys that the kids don't even want. I am going set up a direct debit into a savings account monthly and try to put aside a little and stop depending on my over draft.

[Allgunsblazing]

I have got a very ambitious mad savings plan. Part of the savings go out to a regular saver, but when I reach the limit on that one, I have contemplated opening a Lloyds regular savers account, I am aiming for June.

[thesnailandthewhale]

I check the bank balances on a daily basis, I have a budget I stick to and any extra money I can make (overtime, mystery shopping etc) gets moved to a savings account. I have also resolved not to spend any money on carrier bags this year - at 5p a go I reckon I was spending best part of £1 a week (food shopping = 10 bags, then a couple of top-up shops for milk etc and I always ended up getting a bag ... ), anyway, I reckon that's £50 a year I can save myself

[FoofFighter]

I've got myself in a bit of a pickle over the last year from leaving abusive ex in Jan 2015, being in homeless accommodation with my (then) 1yo for 5 months, getting given permanent accommodation and having to furnish from scratch all whilst working still - have now burnt out, given up work and am on benefits with some debt.

My FNYR to myself is to get help to sort it out. I went on a Money Matters course run by DD's tots group and really got to grips with a lot of things and have ralised there's no shame in getting help so I have an appointment on 12th Jan with a money adviser and am feeling very positive about getting myself sorted out :)

[FoofFighter]

oh am joining a credit union as well to get some savings going

[sminkypink]

Have my accounts spreadsheets and files ready for the accountant in May (when he asks for them) and not the first week of December, which really annoys him. He's getting on a bit now, I shouldn't stress him out as he's lovely!
Sell everything I've been meaning to put on ebay and clear some space in my home.
Do a crowdfund to buy me a flight to Greece so I can go help some friends who are there, doing aid work with refugees. I've sent some money but they need extra pairs of hands.
Pay for all of my trade show flights six weeks before the shows so I'm forking out £100 a flight as opposed to £500 a flight.
Get all my invoices out to clients before the 1st of the next month.

[asuwere]

I'm pretty organised with money so nothing major changes at the start of the year. Top tips tho are to work out how much you need for birthdays/Christmas then set aside an equal amount each month to cover it, I have an account just for this to make sure its separate, makes things much easier.
Although working in cash is good, I use a cash back credit card for everything, paid off by direct debit each month, the cash back is taken off Decembers bill which works well.
I think just checking accounts regularly and being aware of spending is the important thing.

[CheeseAtFourpence]

My resolutions are to properly menu plan so that I have pretty much everything I need, rather than have to pop up to the more expensive local supermarket for odd bits. Also to have less takeaways - more of a treat than a habit.

I have increased the amount I am putting away although changes to my pension from April may affect my ability to do that.

What I will continue to do from last year's resolutions - check out our local charity shops, use cash back websites, shop around, check discount codes, shop online (to save petrol and the itch to purchase something).

[Dolallytats]

I'm going to look at all my bills and swap providers to make sure I am getting the best price.

I am going to set up a savings account and try and put some money aside every week. We are currently on benefits due to my severe agoraphobia and I live in fear of the washing machine breaking or some other such large cost item breaking. If I can save money on bills I could put it into the savings. I am especially scared of my laptop breaking because I can not do anything without it.

[PennyPants]

Keep over paying the mortgage, then hopefully will be free of it by this time next year.
Stick to my clothing budget for mainly financial but also other reasons.
Keep saving for early retirement.
Leaving the holiday/fun/days out allowance as it is, you've got to have balance

[WowOoo]

My savings plan is to not buy anything that I don't actually need.

I'm trying to do this already, but I need to be far stricter.

I am also going to start paying in more savings from my pay account. I've managed to do it for 12 months into another account. I need to transfer this to an ISA soon and keep it up and forget about it. But we need so much work on our house - it's hard to know when to spend or save.

[Snoopadoop]

This year I'm going to stop being financially lazy. I am very lazy.

I have not shopped around for insurance ever. I've been with the same bank since I was 7 years old. I've not renegotiated contracts like mobile phone, broadband, television provider etc... Ever.

It's time to stop being lazy and potentially save some money.

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

I have very limited means as I am a student but I'll continue to be frugal in 2016 and I use my ISA for any extra money that I can spare. Even £2 a week adds up.

[noisytoys]

I'm planning to take over my ex husbands share of the family home in 2 years. To do that I need to make a major dent in the debts that were accrued during the marriage (our settlement states that I get the house if I pay the debt). This year I will pay off a £4.4k credit card by paying £250/mth standing order then when my tax credit overpayment is clear in the summer divert the direct debit that was going there to the credit card. At the end of the year when the credit card is paid off I will use the money to pay the rest of the debt (debt total circa £24k!!).

[Ragwort]

I have always been boringly frugal for all of my adult life, the mortgage is paid off, we have a small investment property , I always shop at charity shops etc., I have upped my pension contributions, money put aside for DS university, have sensible savings so for once I am going to actually start spending some money .

[foxessocks]

To increase the money going into my savings each month if possible.

To shop at aldi more often

To continue with my meal planning as this does seem to help a lot