Budgetting is so tough. We've had a tough month because we haven't been as disciplined as we must be. A few quid here, too much diesel there, toothache......dentist bill, follow up treatment, dog and cat insecticide. Budgetting is about putting money aside for what you have to pay for, what you will pay for in a few day and what you might pay for. It's also about leaving some spare in case you find something you want to pay for.
Budgetting really can get us down and it did today. We are not geographically close to DB's family and we have to put money aside to go to see them. We've already assigned the lodger's money for that. I need a new waterproof coat and some shoes and I'm on a mission to make the money for that. I will start Ebaying at the weekend.
It is totally vital that people budget, that you pay everything on pay day, that you buy the big month shop, that you buy all of the toiletries and pet food in one go. In fact bulk buy anything durable to last the month. Now we know of everything we have to pay and what we have left. We also have to make sure we don't spend any of the 'what we have left' until the week before pay day, in case anything pops up, such as a tooth ache that needs treatment.
My advice to everyone for a budgetting 'must' this month, is cold and flu remedies. There are some snotty and claggy old germs stamping around and they are bound to get you. A bottle of Beechams cold and flu remedy can cost £5, so stock up. Buy some long lasting lemon juice and a squeezy bottle of honey. Get some Benylin and paracetamol. If your first aid kit is low, fill that up on pay day too. All of the little extras can throw your budget out of balance so prepare for it.
Our budget is below. We get paid individually, we pay bills from individual accounts so that's how I itemise our budget. We sit down together and thrash this out. It's tough but we know we have to do this and we've had words with ourselves and have been very stern with each other and told each other not to spend anything without consultation. I'm sure that we've missed important items and I'm sure the 30th of October will come round with us having nothing but pennies to our names. We remain positive in so much that our debts are steadily decreasing and we are getting better and better at doing more with less.
Anyone on this journey with me will know that feeling when you just have no spontaneity and a coat and a pair of shoes must be earned as an extra. I remind myself that this is only temporary and I am 21 months from being debt free, selling the big house, downsizing and saving money for dinner date and a hair do! Until then we fight the good fight with frugal good humour.
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