To ask for help NOT spending money!

Make a budget and stick to it. Make conscious decisions to reduce spending on coffees, lunches etc by making at home (you can burn through money on these and once you make the switch you think why did I waste so much on things that really didn’t enhance my life)

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/savings-accounts-best-interest/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=987060911&utm_id=987060911&utm_term=moneysavingexpert%20best%20savings%20account&gclsrc=aw.ds&&source=GOO-0X0000042AADF6152B&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=987060911&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-NHLBhDSARIsAIhe9X2KaV76qos_gyoCm5MuVxhGLNhiBmPs6GK5KLikFlFZabIV_DoUe8gaAuGwEALw_wcB

Have you noticed you spend more on the kids than your DP ? I do, you say things that get spent on the kids.

it’s a common issue with me and also my friends that activities and clothes etc for the kids come out of my bank account all the time and I’m saving less. I have my DP’s bank card and he always tells me to just use it but I never do, it’s an issue I need to tackle

You could go through your statements?
This was a gamechanger for me-mostly it was bits and bobs and top up shops that I didnt really need!

This is why you really need to budget
So you know exactly what outgoings you have and how much is available for spending
The biggest issue people have is just winging it and hoping it covers what they spend.
Take control and budget
Imho you have plenty of spending money at £840

I dont spend anything like that -its £210 a week!

If its for discretionary spending
Complete a budget of rolling bills as your baseline each month
Set up pots with savings for yearly/ one off payments for the year.

Then, look at what's left and what you have coming up that month
Decide how much you want to spend on lunches/ coffees

If you cant shave anything off your discretionary spending or dont want to then its a bit pointless also trying to save it
You cant spend it and save it!

Im sensing you don't really want to monitor your spending or make a budget

That’s literally what some people earn in a month for working full time.
Of course you could save more - don’t eat out for a month, being coffee from home for your commute to work/ out walks etc.
work out how much you “have to spend”…how much are you in fuel a month, how much are the hair cuts, prescriptions, what do the kids “need” how much are their classes etc.

This month I will reduce my spending down to £700, including food and some fuel.
I bought a £200 gift card for Tesco via Jam Doughnut for groceries. (It’s just me, DDog and DD). £53 left until next Friday.

Every single other little thing I spend I’ve logged on a phone note, with my main balance reduced accordingly. It’s surprisingly effective at stopping you spend!

I’ve still visited friends, gone out for food and we’re out again tomorrow for lunch. 40% off mains in the local has been handy for that, plus I bought a Giggling Squid £50 gift card for £25 before Christmas. What I haven’t done is mindless mooching round the shops or shopping sites.

I’ve made lots of food, cakes and sweets from scratch, which has been fun.

I’m hoping to save £3k this year this way.

That's an easy opportunity to save money. Takeaway sandwiches etc are v expensive and rarely good value for money

I think at least transfer 500 out, so no matter what that 500 is savings. See where you go from there

YNAB is the GOAT budgeting software/way of managing money, I’m an accountant but it is so intuitive. It makes you allocate every £ but only what you have available so it’s very intentional. I’ve used it for well over a decade and wouldn’t stop!

Put it in savings right now. If it’s in your normal account then it will disappear- the fact you would have to move it back may make you think again about what it is you want to spend it on!

You need to make a list of «necessary expenses» vs «I would love that.»

Write both down with the price tag for each.

Everything that’s necessary, account it for from the £1840 after bills. If it’s less than £840, you can consider buying something off the “wishlist” with the leftover. If you can still try not to spend the whole leftover and do put extra £1000 in savings. If the necessities already add up to over £840 then nothing from the wishlist for this month and put whatever is left over from the £1840 into savings, and do this every single month.

You need to do a proper budget as I outlined above
Exactly how much do you need for your haircut, prescription ( would a prepay cert be cheaper) fuel.

Everything needs to be accounted and budgeted for otherwise you just keep spending.
So how much on clothes,make up etc
Lunches how many can you afford, ditto coffees , budget for them
If you just keep tapping your card, before you know it, its all gone

If you want to save it put it well out of reach.

Put it in savings that require notice to remove

The way I work is.

I have the account i get paid into.

And have roughly budgeted how much i spend in a month- obviously sometimes it more if have to pay insurance or other big bill- like this month paid off holiday and glasses.

Anyway.

So should be able to last a month on about £2200.

And I transfer £2200 into a different current account and thats the account i use for the rest of the month for my bills/ spends. And i have to try and stick to the £2200.

If I have left over I move to a quick access account. And can use that if I have extra spends in any other months.

Obviously the main account has the cash which I divide into different pots- short term savings/ long term.

I really hate having to transfer extra cash from the main pot.

And the £2200 is quite frugal so budgeting a lot with that and can be quite difficult to stick to sometimes.

Exactly my thoughts. I need a plan.