Budgets

[Muuuuuuumcanihave]

Can anyone help me set up a budget or recommend a iphone app to help me budget, i am crap with money to the point where i am left with pence to live on and then i end up borrowing which means the next week im short due to paying back debts. I waste my money on junk, takeaways, and food shopping that doesnt get eaten as we have takeaways. I have no savings direct debits bounce nearly every month unless they drop on the day i get paid. I have read on a few threads on here to meal plan and shop around. I just want to know that bills are paid meals are planned and i have some starting to build up for xmas and bdays instead of doing my usual blagging and borrowing TIA

Make a list of all DDs and the dates they go out on. Do a simple spread sheet - income pay, benefits etc, then all out goings then you can see what's left over. Then keep a note of all your spending for a month and work out where it goes.

What helped me was getting a separate account for all direct debits to come out of. I put the right amount of money in for all DD's and then cross each one off my spreadsheet as they come out. Anything left in my account is therefore disposable. I also use my other account for Christmas and savings. I tend to put £220 into that account for food and then transfer it into my account when i need to spend it. It might sound like a faff but it works really well for us.

I have got 2 accounts as that was my plan but just never got round to it. I will make a start on it tonight. Im fed up of being skint when on paper i shouldnt be.