If you know Michael or I you know were bad at saying no to each other. This is cute and funny when your talking about what movie to watch or what to have for lunch but when it's about important stuff it becomes a big problem.
Now Michael's got a proper permanent job we need to stop spending like it's all going to finish and get in a proper saving habit. We had a great plan of not spending any money, only spending money on the essentials but there was always something, birthdays, mothers day. There's always something. So instead were giving ourselves pocket money for all those little things (Thankfully Dani is out of town for a month so no lunch dates for a while)
For a whole month starting Wednesday we are on a Spending detox. We have a target on how much we want to save (enough to buy Michael's 'new' car). If we can do that I'm going to put us on a slightly more flexible budget and we will save a house deposit.
Over the next month I'll be doing some posts on how to do things on the cheap and how to still have fun without spending so much and how were going.
So who wants to join in? Does a spending detox sound awful but necessary for you?
Do you have any tips on how the hell I'm going to do this?!
I am so guilty of finding excuses to spend money, birthdays, special ocassions, little rewards. For me the best is to meal plan, write a grocery list for just the plan, and that avoids throwing any extras in. Then I just start raiding the present cupboard for birthday presents, saves buying new things at the shops.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck, I'm sure you'll work out a method that works for you.
Thanks! I'm going to need the luck! I'm the same there always something the kids 'need' ; )
DeleteMake it HARD to get at the money!! Thats my tip - because its easy to live with less when its just not there to spend :)
ReplyDeleteWe've just cancelled our internet banking on one account and I'm thinking about putting the keycard somewhere difficult, if I cant see how much is in there I cant spend it!
DeleteWhen you get in a 'Buy all the Things' mood it's hard to get out of it. We had a little extra cash this week and I indulged in a little retail therapy, stopping can be difficult, especially when you 'have the money'.
ReplyDeleteWe find compulsory payroll deductions really helpful- DH has money taken automatically out of his pay and moved into a bank account that's hard to get into. This has been awesome.
Thats exactly it! When its there we want to spend. If I cant get to it I cant spend it! We actually have an ING account and once Michael's pay is the same every week I'll be changing the amount going in there. We really dont need anymore stuff!
DeleteWhat Tab said, we have an offset account on our mortgage that can only be accessed over the counter at the branch. It's horrific and a giant pain in the butt to get there and get it out. So often, we don't bother. It works wonders.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I look forward to hearing all about it. We're trying to get our habits on track now that our income streams in differently than it did before {i.e. randomly instead of week in week out}. Can't wait to see what you come up with.
Thats been our problem lately Michael is being paid hourly so if he worked 3 days he'd get paid for 3 days that week. Makes it hard to organise whats going on. As of the 19th though he will be permanent and then no excuses for us!
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