Sensible September

[HowDidThisHappenDinesh]

Back to school and back to budgeting… a thread for us to keep each other accountable in sensible spending.
New posters welcome :)

With clothes quality being shite whether you go high middle or low end it seems, it's made me just stick with the low end, eg supermarkets, primark etc as what's the point in spending more? A few years ago you got more for your money with the better shops but now it's all much of a muchness quality wise. Possibly not the very expensive stuff but I wouldn't know as never been able to afford it.

Yeah, mine are full of holes and rips and are not even a year old, or they might be a bit over a year old but no more. I shouldn’t need to replace my clothes as often as a child

I was browsing clothes last week and agree the quality isn't great yet the price tag suggests it should be better. I'm trying to make do with my wardrobe but it's all a bit boring.
Spent £1 on a lip balm yesterday. I was supposed to meet a couple of friends next week but the mum of one isn't well so we've cancelled. To be honest, it does save me some ££s
Hoping for a lowish spend weekend. Need to get the rest of my dad's birthday present and I may see a friend but unsure if we can make it work!

In London at the moment visiting family, being a tourist today as I have the day to myself so wandering around central London, will haemmorage cash if I am not careful!
Allowing myself a budget of £50 to cover food, drink, transport and entry to a museum/ gallery. To last 6 hours or so.

Only went over budget slightly today in London

Spends: breakfast ( for 2).£11
Art gallery £7 + Cake £3
Beer apx £20
Lunch £8
Snack £3
Sub total £52

Had already topped up oyster card yesterday but spent apx £8 on travel. Saved £3 on coffee using M and S voucher

Bought some drinks/ snacks as staying with rellies £5, but food/ drink should be provided for until Sunday now

Total £65 inc travel. Money really doesn't go far on a day out in the city.

Checking in. A rather odd and spendy week here. Two takeaways as we were just too tired and work is still very busy. Around £20 on top-up of groceries, too. Plus £70 for holiday club for ds. I think that's everything!

Ds was sick this morning so he didn't go to school again, but he seems to be feeling better now, so that's good at least. But I can't seem to motivate ds re: doing homework at all this year. Might have to stop with carrot approach and tell him no screens until he does 20 minutes per night, except that his homework is all online on a screen, too. 😩

Anyway, I'm hoping for a NSD one day this weekend, but we shall see! Good luck everyone and hope you're having fun in London @IDontHateRainbows

@IDontHateRainbows It sounds like you had a lovely day out, doing lots of things for a reasonable price, not far off your budget.

@moimichme I hope DS feels better soon. Good luck for the NSD this weekend.

11/12 NSDs. I've been too busy with work to spend any money thankfully. My hairstraighteners have given up, I'll need to budget these in soon. My eldest DD had school photos, last school photo for her and feel I need to order it.

Trying my best to get through the next three weeks,it feels like a long month.I have my eye on a few things, I've decided to just write a wishlist as and when I feel the urge to spend, and if I feel the same at the end of the month I'll consider buying some items. I'm hoping it will help stop impulse buying.

Went for a run yesterday before the rain and managed to get my NSD too.

Today we've been bowling £31 and to local beach to get out of the house for a bit. A nice day.

@psuedocream3 This month seems rather long to me, too. I think I'll adopt your strategy of a wishlist to stop impulse spending and decide what I really need/want.

Good luck for the new week, everybody!

Well done everyone on continued low/no spends. I lost my motivation at the end of last month when it was clear we were going to go overbudget again. Trying to be stricter again this month but it seems every other day things are breaking and need replacing, plus DH is eating us out of house and home.
We have £100 left set aside for groceries until the end of the month. Completely out of ‘fun money’ but got nothing planned so we’ll be forced to stay in! It’s doable but tight. Fortunately DH is slowly but surely refocusing his mindset on finances and frugality so it’s less of battle saying no to purchases and we may even avoid using the credit card this month. We’re also doing sober october (and maybe november) which I imagine will save us a fortune!
I’ve had a very nice and very unexpected ‘windfall’ of about £500. Trying to decide where it would be best used, paying off some larger purchases or topping up my much neglected savings. I’ve also had a lead on some freelance work which would more than make up for my lost day at work. Almost cried with relief when that came through! No guarantees but I’m preparing my pitch today after a (very minimal) Lidl shop.

Thank you to everyone keeping this thread and the spirit of Sensible September alive

A savings acc of mine pays 700 gbp interest at end of nov so im looking forward to that

Just started another bank switch to ' earn' some money
As had some time off work sick this month

Fair few medical appts so find myself buying experiences/ things to cheer myself up a bit

Still regularly selling things on vinted and ebay

Got the the rest of my dad's birthday present today. I'm also at that time of year where, if I see suitable gift for someone, I buy it as I hate last minute Christmas shopping.
Tomorrow and Thursday should be low or NSDs. Out at a gig on Friday evening.
I got some more cat sitting for the weekend so that's a little extra.

£12.50 at Lidl yesterday on a top up shop and £7 on a swimsuit for upcoming holiday. I have swimsuits so not an essential spend but I’ve had my eye on it for ages and it went on sale.
Today I did treat myself to a takeaway coffee, I was in a rush this morning and didn’t prepare a flask to bring with me. My first in 2+ months from what I can see in my statements! Topped up my travelcard, essential spend of £25.
I put most of my windfall into savings and used the rest to pay off extra from the upcoming holiday. I still owe £600 on the credit card which I can pay off by the end of the year which feels amazing.
Also finally had a very overdue small invoice paid hence the feeling justified spending on a swimsuit.
How are we only halfway through the month… I think I can stretch to the 24th without buying in more food (at least for dinners) but it might be beans on toast after that 🙈

Well done, everybody!

@HowDidThisHappenDinesh In that scenario I would have put money into savings + bought a little treat for myself, too. It's so nice (though rare, for me!) to have a financial windfall.

Two NSDs so far this week. Not sure about today, because I often go to a cafe with ds before his jiu-jitsu, but sometimes he doesn't want to go there first. We shall see.

But otherwise I'm wfh today so there won't be temptations of work canteen, etc. So it'll be a low spend if not no spend day, I hope.

LSD today for me. Went on daughters school trip as a parent helper. Spent nothing on food/ drink etc there but bought a mug in the gift shop for £6.50. I know I needn't have, but it feels like too much of a detriment to never be able to buy anything. It was relatively inexpensive and better than buying an overpriced drink or snack.

You might want to find another abbreviation! 😂

The mug had psychedelic mushroom juice in it, plot twist.

Not that kind of LSD surely!! 😆

I had 3 NSDs this week including today because ds was sick again. I'm beginning to wonder if it's his psoriasis flaring up that is somehow causing it. He hasn't had any fever and seems fine later in the day. Hmm.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend,

Just having a quick catch up - I started October full of good intentions but birthdays (three family birthdays within 10 days!) got in the way plus school have been asking for donation after donation. It's all for reasonable things - swimming lessons, a couple of school trips etc - but also all adds up

@IDontHateRainbows I haven't been brave enough to volunteer on a school trip yet, think I would definitely need magic mushrooms for that!!

@psuedocream3 my hair straighteners are also on the way out, I'm hoping for a great Black Friday deal...

@moimichme I hope your DS is feeling better now? I'd like to get back into running but my DC are a bit too young to be left, and DP is bugger all help. He's still paying for his gym membership despite not setting foot there for six months

@HowDidThisHappenDinesh what lovely news about your windfall! I feel like I'm non stop food buying, but have no time to plan or actually cook. Seems like such a waste but I just can't work out how to squeeze extra time out of the day!

Still a bit spendy with news of impending job but reining it in!
Bought 2 thermal vests in sainsbos for £11... practical for wearing under stuff when cold.
Resisted the urge to buy a v expensive Eyeshadow, im a liberty beauty drop member so should get £20 credited to my account at the end of the month which will mostly cover it.
Took the kids to the zoo yesterday but my mum came along and paid for everything, bless her, as entry, / food/ drinks/ fuel etc came to £150 and that was with 2 free kids places too. I forgot how expensive a family day out had got. Food bumped it up, we could have brought our own but my generous mum offered to pay.

Out for drinks tonight but only locally.

@ElizaBalfour It'll be thick and fast with school donation requests with Christmas on the way. I hadn't thought to put it in budget, but I probably should put some aside.

@IDontHateRainbows Congrats on the job, it sounds like the perfect reason to celebrate. Enjoy the drinks later.

DH's car was badly damaged in an accident last week, luckily no one hurt, other party at fault although I don't think they are holding their hands up. We have a courtesy car at last, but alot of mental stress of paperwork due to it.

Mostly been feeling ill, and trying to work. I'm just slightly over £100 away from my next savings goal which is keeping me focused, If I carry on with NSDs I should complete it by the end of the month. I quit vaping a week ago, so I have been tempted to reward myself with a treat, so I may buy something if I'm still going strong on Black Friday. One spend this week, only 9p after vouxcher and code, just a couple of Christmas presents.

1 Week left of October... stay strong everyone, you've got this!

Ds is back to his normal, energetic self, although DH has been suffering from something all week and feeling rotten. I'm glad we didn't book a trip to visit family in Edinburgh this weekend - it would've been hard for DH driving and tired us out before school starts again. Not to mention the ££ it would have cost for a flying visit. We'll have to arrange a longer, proper trip another time.

Sorry you are feeling ill, too, @psuedocream3

Work is still busy and this week seems to be dragging. Need 2 NSDs this week to meet my goal, so hoping tomorrow will be spend free.

Good luck everyone!

@IDontHateRainbows I like the LSD abbreviation 😂 didn’t even register until @Cuwins commented, shows how exciting my life is lol.

@ElizaBalfour it was a very rare but very welcome bonus! Sensible spending is starting to feel natural now, the credit card debt is so close to being paid off and I can actually start to think about saving again. So this was a nice kickstart to that. I’m planning to open a new fixed term saver.

One week to go, this month has felt long. Been eating out of cupboards and minimising top up shops, I think I’ve finally figured out a way of meal planning that works for us.
Yesterday I bought a round of coffees for my team, it was my turn, comes round once a month or so. Today popped into co op and m&s for bacon, eggs, and mushrooms and found yellow sticker deals on sausages and veg so I was very pleased, I think I can now put off a big shop until the 4th.
Another quiet weekend ahead thankfully.

Well done all.
Non sensible weekend looming, going to stay with a relative in another city tonight to see a gig... train and ticket paid for and I have a small gift for their hospitality already so it's butty and flask for the train ( longish journey) and then just avoid spending too much there... will limit myself to 3 drinks out and then I'm straight back on train the next day.
Then I have family coming to stay with my mum this weekend so big takeaway for everyone on Saturday night and meal out for 14 on Sunday. Will chip in for mine/ kids share. Last time I had a takeaway I was in shock at how much they've gone up but it's the easiest option with so many.

Yesterday mainly spent money on daughter which comes out of the family pot, £5 hair accessories £8 a book and £4 something to complete her Halloween look/ outfit.

Then ice skating which was £14 although we can pay for an annual ice card which brings down the cost of future sessions. She's also having lessons and enjoying her new hobby so it's money well spent although bloody freezing sitting at the rink watching ( I have tried to skate before and let's say it's a spectator sport for me!)

Long delay between trains when changing so succumbed to the Starbucks OMG got fleeced for £6.50 for a pumpkin latte I feel violated! Nearly didn't get it but I really wanted one so I guess that's one less beer for me tonight!