Monthly budgeting thread

[Msbouffet]

Anyone up for a budgeting support thread?

I am trying not to spend money beyond food and essentials.

Taking it one day at a time. No plans to spend money today-goal is to avoid temptation to spend!

The bigger goal is paying off credit cards and (ironically) getting a favourable loan for a second hand car.

In the post today I got a nail polish I ordered which is non toxic. It is quite a nice salmon/orange colour for summer (better late than never, my old favourite L'Oreal one got used up). Also a lovely card from colleagues to say thinking of you due to a recent situation.

The mad part was I mistakenly took a bag my dd had put aside for the bin... I sold some of the stuff inside and made £10

Im in.... ive started ebay things my kids have out grown. Week 3 and 200 in xxx

It's so great reading about all your savings success!

@ivykaty44 That's fantastic & great you had some luck with items you were going to chuck

Hi @dollypops15 Ebay seems to be the way to go. Well done!!

I have about £13 of books boxed and ready to send. We Buy Books is a bit of a con I decided as the books sell for 4 times the amount on ebay. I kept aside a few of the cookbooks to put on ebay.

Worked out I have some expenses to claim, which should cover my glasses.

Found a bunch more items that will sell on ebay- a book of postcards by an artist should go for £20. You can even sell empty perfume bottles if the design is interesting enough! It has been a bit of an eye opener, I have kept hold of a few things, never sure why, but good to see they are worth something.

How is everyone else doing?

Thank you @Msbouffet it was lovely, just another trip visiting family (once again, not budgeted for...)

Came home last night to a jumper and t-shirt I ordered in August. The £16 t-shirt is being returned, I don't need it, it's bloody freezing now. Going to sort through mine and DS's clothes today and work out what we actually need for winter and factor that into the budget.

Also worked out our budget for the next three months as well, the next two are rather tight, so going to have a chat with DH about scaling back family Christmas presents. Also need to have an awkward chat about a family meal (£40 a head for the three of us!) that we really can't afford, but it's for DH's grandad who's unlikely to be with us after Christmas.

Should be a no spend day today - going to go poke around the vegetable patch and see if I finally have any sweet potatoes ready I'm very inspired by everyone's eBaying.

You are all doing so fantastic! I mainly lurk but am following all your tips and self restraint goals as I really need to budget.

I am trying to declutter which will hopefully result in listings on ebay, but its slow going. Still, having lost my part time job I have the time to do it!

@Otterses Sounds like you are getting ahead with planning

Welcome @Thiswillbeinteresting and I'm sorry to hear you lost your part time job

I've spent 3.10 on postage. I can't find my library card to print the postage label for the books so had to cancel - will look this weekend. A subscription got away from me - 20 pounds came out for online yoga I signed up to as a recurring card payment. The bank can't reverse it. Will have to do some yoga! Hoping I can not spend - junk food cravings are coming - and list a few things this weekend. Enjoying budgeting and cooking; everything else is going to pot!

@Otterses Any sweet potatoes?

Trying to @MsBouffet well, trying to get on top of it before DS's free hours kick in in January, I'm so scared I'm going to just fritter away the £600 a month I'll have spare so want to feel like my budget is fine so I can pretend that extra money doesn't exist.

Sadly no potatoes, but tons of french beans so I'm not too grumpy about it.

Managed to save £10 a month on our sky contract, so I'll divert that to the savings pot again. I'd love to get rid of it all together but DH is quite dependant on it 😑

I spent a couple of pounds in cash on a kefir yoghurt drink and small bar of chocolate and an orange. Thought the yoghurt might help as decidedly brain foggy and bit desperate for focus.

I have turned the chocolate and orange into two chocolate prune mousses using egg white (I thought this would be quick then the recipe said whisk to soft peaks ffs 😂) which are chilling in the fridge so feel that I've got good value . Veering toward spending money on a personal vitamin and mineral test - why am I SO tired all the time, but instead I am going to try using a nutrition logging app. This really helped a couple of years ago to make sure I am getting the right daily amounts and I felt great.

@Otterses Feeling in control is half (nearly all?) the battle I am sure. Great saving. I am tempted to bring back Spotify as the ads are a pain but will leave it and count my blessings that it exists.

Also, next month I worked out I will have money for refresher driving lessons! I am not sure whether to book a week of intensive ones or spread them out. I need to reorder my driving license as I lost it 20 years ago. Also not sure whether to pay off the debts with savings, which will almost deplete my savings, or wait a bit longer. I think I might wait one more month, as by the time I have got driving lessons etc we will be around there anyway.

Totally misread that as you bought a chocolate orange @MsBouffet hope they were tasty!

Bought all of DS's winter bits yesterday, spent £62. Went a bit over what I intended to spend but to be fair that was five jumpers, socks, boots, a shirt, vests and a raincoat so I at least feel I got my money's worth.

Coffee today with a work friend I haven't seen face to face since March, excited and know that'll only be a few pounds spent. I've had an unexpected £45 arrive in my PayPal account that I forgot I was receiving, and fighting the spending itch. I want a couple of £12 stag statues off amazon, which I know I don't need.

Also wanted a pot plant, and instead am attempting to grow one from an avocado seed. Not quite the instant gratification I wanted, but still a saving.

@Otterses they were , as well as the exercise of whisking egg peaks! I'd definitely make that again as it was an easy treat.

Posted too soon.

Great value on the clothes and one to tick off. Coffee is great and good value meetup.

It's amazing how many things crop up to buy. I tried sprouting seeds a few weeks ago in the heatwave, just dried up.

I bought some Vit D and K2 spray and Spatone. The Spatone, I didn't buy the more expensive fruit flavoured one, just plain. It is kind of essential to keep my iron topped up especially at the moment. I have not been out a lot so I suspect my Vit D is low and I don't want to get ill this winter. K2 helps it absorb. Also desperate to improve my focus! This is my justification anyway. Due for a blood test next week. They came to £17.

There was something I almost bought and didn't but can't remember what now. I found £34 in a savings account and drip fed £10 to my credit card.

More unexciting news on the budgeting front. Dropped 3 bags off for charity. Not saving as such but pleased they could take them. Collecting my glasses later. Went to get a replacement library card. Had a £9 fine but they reduced it to £2.90. Most I had cash so it was £1.50 on the card.

My food shop was more quite expensive but some of the items are store cupboard. Still less than I thought and only had to pay 50p above my £40 voucher.

Just made veggie meatballs, oh my goodness they are not too bad. Doing some more batch cooking/prepping later this afternoon.

I'm hoping with this chipping away at things I can get to the point of budgeting ahead more realistically.

I did take out a new subscription which is for a nutrition app. It means I can create meals and copy them across to different days. Handy while trying to track nutrition. Will keep for 3 months then reassess or cancel.

For those who asked about tracking your budget, I use You Need a Budget (YNAB) and it's amazing. Completely transformed my finances as it makes you think about everything you are spending and also plan and save for future expenses.

@MsBouffet

Well I'm glad they were delicious makes up for all the whisking. DS and I made crumble with the masses of plums we got off our tree this year that were in the freezer. It's so satisfying making stuff yourself. The veggie meatballs sound delicious, what sort of things have you been batch cooking?

I'm pretty happy with his clothes, his decent outgrown stuff has been stashed away for potential DC2. Coffee was wonderful, and has potentially saved me a fortune as it turns out work are piloting an internal course, so no need for me to spend a fortune on a relevant degree in theory. Will be nosey tomorrow when I'm officially back at work.

£47 top up shop yesterday, lots more then usual but nursery needed wipes/nappies as did we, do that was about £25. Covers us till the next proper food shop next week Monday.

Last glossybox arrived, it was nothing exciting, so actually not feeling too bad about cancelling it now.

Going to sort out the presents we have stashed for Christmas and get post it notes on them today hopefully will curb my spending itch.

Sorry been neglecting the thread.

@Otterses Mostly mince, some veggie things, also into bag prepping e.g. 5 bags of cut veg to go with a meal every weeknight. Seems to cut down waste.

I spent 1.50 on a library fine, but they wiped off about 8 so I was happy. Got some books out.

I did spend another 45 in the supermarket but it was all things I will use over the coming months/have made and frozen.

Feeling stress on a few fronts and I know having food organised makes me feel less stressed.

Amazon never delivered one of my vitamins, I called them and they refunded it so I could order it again.

Also bought cracked heel cream (rock and roll) as sandal wearing has taken its toll and oh my god I noticed my feet are sad and neglected!

Bought notebooks on Amazon as I am using a separate one for meal planning and one for budgeting etc. They were 10 pounds so a bit pricey but have soft touch covers and 120 pages. Will look out for cheaper next time.

Also bought a cable for my PC, can claim back on work expenses. And some hob cleaner, I always buy the same brand as my hob as I tried Hob Brite and it didn't make it glossy, it last ages though.

Also bought, this probably was an indulgence/curiosity, some spices on amazon, I figure I can store them, and some fancy herbal teas that were half price. Kind of thinking these will be comforting in the winter.

Also booked a cheap hotel in Dec with gig tickets, optimistically. I need a break away/something to look forward to.

I need a few more vitamins for the winter months - vitamin C, that low iron liquid for periods/tiredness, not sure if its my paranoia as I cant afford to get ill, or genuinely that they help, probably paranoia. I seem so sensitive these days to migraines/headaches so trying on all fronts.

So while some of the things might be essential or not I'm continuing to steer myself on the right path! When I go to the supermarket I manage to stick to the list. Have found asking myself twice helpful e.g. I walked into the coffee shop the other day then weighed up, do I really need it, can I have something else at home, and decided not to get the takeaway coffee & snack.

Good news I sold my first item on Vinted so that is going off the credit card.

@MsBouffet can I recommend the Astonish hob cleaner? It's excellent, £1 and you'll find it in the pound shop or savers. I haven't found anything that cleans and shines quite like it!

I'll be with ya for the next few months.

DH has a company car but his work didn't fill the tax form in for a few months, so now he owes a load of tax (which they will be taking off him over the next few months) as well as paying for the company car tax for the rest of the year. I reckon we'll be about £300 down until April's wage, so I've to be uber frugal til then.

I also need to pay £2500 off a credit card.

I fritter far too much money away so that is the first thing I am going to tackle.

We went into B&M Today as DH needed e-cig liquids and I did not purchase a single thing applause

@MsBouffet notebooks are a real weakness of mine too, to be fair though I think if they're helping you feel more organised and less stressed they were worth the money

Your mentioning of claiming back work expenses has reminded me I have £60 to claim back on my health insurance once I get an invoice.

Went to the next sale and spent £10 on some tops and socks for DS next year, didn't even look at home ware or clothes for me so feeling very proud

Not anticipating any spending this week (pay day tomorrow) other than maybe £30 worth of winter bits off eBay for me if my bids win, and £35 on DH's afternoon tea present for his birthday at the end of November. Going to be far stricter this month, a pay day seems a good point to start at.

@RudieSmithy Thanks will try that!

Welcome @ScarletPower great you have joined us. That's a pain about the tax. Good luck with cutting back on frittering.

@Otterses Thanks I'm also eyeing up a journal and a 2021 diary...will consider carefully what's essential.

Also been doing a pay day budget. I have booked a few cheap days out between now and Christmas & 1 class a week at the gym. Putting money aside for a haircut.

I'm going to pay a big chunk off one of my credit cards and hopefully should almost clear it, leaving just over 3k on the other credit card.

Thinking of suggesting we do thoughtful presents for under a tenner this christmas. I feel like everyone would appreciate it this year as all my family are watching money atm. Going to have a go at making christmas cards.

@Otterses well done for resisting the next sale!

Just unlinked my cards from amazon. It is still linked to google pay so I think I am going to cancel the App subscription I have as it means the saved card details appear automatically when I click on a payment box. Makes it far easy to spend!

Hi all I would like to join and am interested in any tips for not being a spendaholic.

I am saving for a new car and to pay off a home improvement credit card debt in 12 months from 16. Its 0% interest till next March so will be doing a balance transfer then.

Today was a win. Received an email saying my energy DD reducing by £69. Rather than spending this extra for as long as it lasts I'm redirecting it to the credit card monthly payment. I'm doing a cheery little happy dance in my head at my self control!!

That's fantastic @Myfirstcarwasamini I'd be doing a dance too!

I finally got around to sending off an online claim form for my work expenses today - only £6 a week since I started working from home, but it's still money I should be claiming. No reason it shouldn't be accepted, the office has been closed since April.

Also asked vision express for an invoice for my contact lenses so hopefully that'll be another £60 I can send off for.