We’ve had our Merry Thriftmas, now bring on the Happy Fru Year! All welcome as we Frugaleer our way into January 2018.

[Cagliostro]

A new thread in case we are too tipsy (or in my case, asleep on the sofa) to remember later.

This is a friendly group where we chat all things money related and all things everything else related. Everyone welcome so settle in and let’s make 2018 the year we save money!

[ShoopShoop]

Long time lurker here (and occasional poster from years ago) but would love to properly join this year. Have CC debt which needs paying off this year and I just want to reign in the unnecessary spending and be more conscious of how much I’m spending and on what. I have a hugely expensive commute - just under £600 per month - which unfortunately can’t really be changed, but there’s definitely other areas of spending which can be looked at and reduced.

Happy new year all and here’s to a frugal one 🥂

[Wolfcub]

I’ve been ruminating on my financial objectives for the year whilst doing some very exciting ironing and I think I’ve come up with the following

1. Live within our means - this may be more of a challenge than usual (and it’s usually quite hard) I will take a pay cut in May if I don’t find a new job before then
   
2. Finish paying for holiday in cash - on target for this, it’s the first proper holiday for eight years and so far I’m on target to pay my share without credit and I’m encouraging dp to do the same
   
3. Pay down debt - made some money moves before Christmas to help make sure that we’re paying down more capital and wasting less on interest
   
4. Stick to the bloody food budget !

[Taytocrisps]

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to the new posters. Just to agree with what previous posters have said - this is a friendly, non-judgemental place full of support and encouragement.

I think I've already posted about my long term goals (pay off credit card x 2, set up savings accounts for things like Christmas, holidays, car maintenance, college fees etc.). My short term goal is to have a no takeaway month for January. I get lazy especially at the weekends and justify it by thinking, "But I've been working all week". Like nobody else works! It's not good for my waistline or my pocket.

Our car broke down at the end of November and has been in a garage ever since. The first garage couldn't identify the problem. The second garage identified the problem but are having difficulty fixing it. I think we'll have to get it towed to a bigger (dealership) garage so we're probably looking at a hefty repair bill. Not the best start to our year but so be it. There's a possibility that DH will get a company car in 2018 which would save us a small fortune in terms of tax, insurance, maintenance, diesel etc. Am trying not to get my hopes up too high.

[AnotherShirtRuined]

I may be faced with a tricky employment situation soon as I have developed long-term stress and may lose my job in the not too distant future. This could be a blessing in disguise as the stress has been caused by this job, but I need to get well before contemplating getting another job and this will of course have financial consequences.

As a result I really need to get our family finances in check and will

1. Go over all expenses to try and get better deals
   
2. Meal plan and food budget (potential for rather huge savings)
   
3. Stop emotional spending, especially on the DCs
   
4. Save as much as possible
   

Anything I'm missing?

[Sheepasaurus]

I'm joining in if I may? Goal for the year is to clear my credit card (around £800 - will update when I have actual figures). I would also like to save for next Xmas and try not to use my overdraft. I'm quite lucky in that I did a load of overtime in November that I have just been paid for so bank account in the black, just need to keep it that way!

I need to keep a track of all of those 'little' purchases, especially takeaway coffee and lunches at work, so I have a little notebook to write down EVERYTHING I spend for the month. Saying that, I am at work today so am just about to buy a subway for my lunch . I'm going to get a footlong though and save the other half for tomorrow so that's frugal right?

[Unescorted]

Tayto ours did that.... Cost more to repair than my company lease car costs all in for the year.

[Fluffycloudland77]

www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/compare-passes/new-pass-sale-now-on?

Need I forgot to comment when you mentioned Waitrose, as long as you avoid joints of meat at £50 it's quite cheap isn't it?. People on the money thread who think we're not frugal enough probably saw me shopping there & thought this isn't the thread for me.

NSD & E-Rewards paid out £5 in nectar points.

Dh broke another of my nice wine glasses last night. I'm going to save up my valued opinions points & buy myself more & a plastic picnic goblet for Dh. He thinks I'm joking. Im not

[Unescorted]

Last night some of our mates were asking why we haven't had a NYE party for the last couple of years. It is only because we have very few glasses left after a particularly riotous one... They have all agreed to bring their own for next year's.

[00alwaysbusymum]

I've been a lurker and in denial for years ! 2 days ago I looked at dh accounts and realised in what S**t we are in 😥

Finished 2017 really upset that he had taken out a loan with out telling me and how bad our finances are. Spent this morning menu planning for the first time and determined to sort things out.

My aims for 2018:

• Understand and control what we spend our money on
• pay off credit cards and overdrafts as much as possible
• menu plan
• live within our means!!

[WreckTangled]

Always busy that sounds tough. I think the first thing to do is write down all of your static outgoings each month and see what you actually have left. Was your dh burying his head in the sand?

Fluffy that's so funny! He definitely deserves a plastic one. Been looking at the NZ NT again. Only thing is you can't pay monthly so I will need to save up first. I want to cancel the membership we have to the children's farm play place as it's so expensive I could pay for the NZ NT with that easily.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Yeah it's circa £50 for a family NZ heritage pass. Free postage though.

The only places I've seen charging for parking are Lord Lichfields old house in Staffordshire which everyone has to pay regardless & an honesty box in Little Dartmouth.

I think the Zimbabwe ones cheap too.

Mum That sounds awful, I hope he's on board with this.

[Pinkpeppermintteaforme]

00 not sure what to call you !
Do you want to type out your expenses/bills/debts ?
We can help and most of came here for help
Meal planning really changed things for me -supermarkets have whole rafts of people to find ways of parting you from your money .
Stay with us !
It will get better no matter how scared you are now xx

[Unescorted]

00 get in touch with one of the debt management companies. We used Pay Plan. There are others - do not pay for advice.
Sit down with your husband and go through everything you owe, your monthly essential outgoings (bills, contractually obligated spending, food). If your essential out goings are higher than your combined outgoings then you will need to contact everyone you owe money to. The debt management company will help you with this. Most of our debt holders agreed to take reduced payments and froze the interest. There is a way out but you will have to work together.

We will be here to hold your hand....you can do it.

[princesssparkle1]

Oooo yes please! Thank you @Cag

[prettymess]

Gosh this thread moves fast!

First thing I’m doing is deleting my cards on my phone. Or get them off websites that store them for future purchases. It makes it just a bit trickier to impulse buy online.

We have no debt. Been doing YNAB for years. I do use a credit card but pay it off every month and I use it to get reward (JL vouchers) back.

But we struggle every month and we spend a lot on food and “stuff”. So going to try to get by on the £350 we have left after bills in January.

[Fluffycloudland77]

That sounds very sensible Pretty Jl vouchers always get spent easily.

[needastrongone]

busymum, this must have come as a terrible shock for you. I'm sorry. Key now I think is knowledge and honesty with each other and about your financial situation. There's nothing else you need to know do you think? Plan plan and plan, look at every aspect of your life and see if you can save. We will help all we can.

Someone mentioned the 'small things', for sure I agree with this. Amazing how clicking on the amazon button, buying a coffee etc adds up. Buy some thermos coffee mugs, make your lunch, don't click when you've had wine

fluffy, it could have been me, it's probably obvious we are not on the breadline but I want the mortgage paid, pensions increasing etc, so best value applies at what ever level. Martin Lewis doesn't need the cash does he?

I've had a busy morning. All the decorations are down and away, my kitchen is gutted and I've cleared out my chest freezer. More waste from this that I would have envisaged or liked so determined to rectify this going forward. Just because it's reduced doesn't mean I need it. And freezing stuff doesn't work for me.

[Pinkpeppermintteaforme]

Ok can someone explain YNAB to me
I found it really annoying and clunky
Currently add up all DD and fixed outgoings plus essential spends (v.e.t / pet food)
Savings go out by DD .
The add groceries/DC rent etc ( 2 @ uni 😭)
Then discuss budget for remainder and keep a tally .
Food is in cash .Never impulse buy or go over spends .
I felt like YNAB would be miraculous and save me loads -maybe Im exoecting too much

[needastrongone]

pretty I have an M&S and Sainsbury's card for that very reason. The vouchers or points. If it's paid in full it's 'free' extra stuff.

[prettymess]

I have used the YNAB principles but not always the app. I have an old version before they started charging subscription. It’s a bit of a faff. I do better just writing down.

[Pinkpeppermintteaforme]

I had the old version -glad its not just me pretty
I felt like I was setting it all down and then just repeating it all when I moved everything across .

[Cagliostro]

Welcome all!

Wow £600 is one hell of a commute :(

So sorry about that shock 00 :( I hope he is suitably contrite and willing to work on things.

Another that sounds really tricky, is it something you would be able to claim ESA for while you worked on your health ready to start another job? Mental health is so important 💐

I would love to be organised enough to use a credit card and pay off immediately, especially if it’s one with rewards. I think I’ll make it an aim to be doing that by the end of the year - currently I’m not quite organised enough to manage that (without forgetting, miscalculating etc). We have a little under 3k on a 0% so with our income we couldn’t pay that all off in one year but we are making progress and recently increased from £100 to £150 standing order. No other debt, we just use debit cards. I’m not even sure if my credit card is still usable, they sent me a letter last year saying it would be cancelled, and the actual card I have is expired and I never received a new one), but it’s still there when I log into the app (every day now, no more Ostriching!).

Work is piling in already, need to sort a timetable for tutoring. And de-Christmas the house ready to have pupils round! This place is a mess.

[mammymammyIRL]

I use YNAB and I'm deffo more into stuff online and on my phone than a paper based system so pay for the convenience.
My simplest explanation for why it works for me is I get paid weekly & so does dh & we operate both personal & joint accounts. We've got weekly, monthly and annual bills some payable in cash, some by direct debt. I've got everything I can think of set up by recurring transactions & goals on ynab and then it tells me where I need to budget money & whether I'm on track or not.
If you spend on credit ynab highlights this & your budget will be off until you allow for this spending. This both annoys and pleases me!
Ynab is different to normal budgeting as you're making decisions based on the money you have right now and what it must do until you receive income again.
Since i started using ynab about 20 months ago I haven't missed a direct debit or gone overdrawn once.

[00alwaysbusymum]

What's YNAB??

I've been trying the Martin Lewis budget planner but is ynab something better ?

Great start to new year .... dh off to B&Q to buy a new thermostat as our heating is not coming on, we are hoping this is the cause , fingers crossed it's not too expensive and fixes the problem...

[Sheepasaurus]

My subway lunch plan was foiled by the lack of veggie patties :(
I ended up with pizza, chips and salad (£4) and a coffee from M&S (£2.15)