Ha ha. No. I subscribe to Resident Records and Sacred Bones, and now Rough Trade EU, mailing lists and they make it too easy to buy things. I blame them.Not buying some funny old records from Harry are you?
Ha ha. No. I subscribe to Resident Records and Sacred Bones, and now Rough Trade EU, mailing lists and they make it too easy to buy things. I blame them.Not buying some funny old records from Harry are you?
Iām like that with my tools terrible addictionHa ha. No. I subscribe to Resident Records and Sacred Bones, and now Rough Trade EU, mailing lists and they make it too easy to buy things. I blame them.
What are these savings you speak of?Savings have taken a real hit over the past 18 months or so though
Tricking yourself in little ways can be weirdly effective. Do you keep a log of everything you spend? When Iāve been on a tight budget in the past, Iāve found it very helpful to track everything I spend over, say, 4 weeks. Not sure why it should make such a difference but it always seemed to reduce my spending, particularly on small unnecessary items like chocolate and magazines. That should help your savings. Works for losing weight too. Log everything you eat and the pounds will start to come off.What are these savings you speak of?
Joking aside, I have seen my ability to save completely stagnate over the years. As you alluded to, things keep coming up and impacting on that as well as rising costs etc.
I was setting myself idealistic targets of what to save monthly and then getting completely down about it when I was way behind where I thought I'd be or having to take money out of the savings.
I have my monthly spreadsheet, part of which gives me a monthly amount to save and my weekly spending money target.
I have tried a new tactic. I try and 'save' a slightly lower amount each month on the target and I give myself a much higher weekly 'spending money' budget. But I also have set up weekly standing orders to move a little bit of money into the savings as well. So I now sweep up any leftover spending money for that week into the savings as well as the Standing Orders.
I have no idea why but it seems to be working better. Yes every Monday I log on and see my balance has dropped by the value of the Standing Orders and think "ah, now I need to try have a more sensible week on the spending money" but it works. It shouldn't as all I'm doing is tricking myself....and I'm in on that trick.
I also try and keep my balance rounded. If I note the balance is 636 I'll then send maybe 6 or 16 or 36 quid to a pot that I don't track as part of my savings. It's managed to sneakily build up a few hundred over a couple of months that I wasn't planning on and I don't mind using in an emergency as I don't see it as savings.
Sure I heard or read somewhere a while back that quite a few folk retire whilst they still have debt - I think the average was Ā£20k of debt.
Can't understand why anyone would choose to do this, surely better to keep working [assuming you can] to pay the debt off first rather than using pension income to service the debt?
I don't track it specifically but we also noted that we were so much better off doing a much bigger weekly shop and avoiding little top up shops. I entered "tesco' into my app to see how often I was spending there (that's our nearest little shop) and it was scary how much it added up to.Tricking yourself in little ways can be weirdly effective. Do you keep a log of everything you spend? When Iāve been on a tight budget in the past, Iāve found it very helpful to track everything I spend over, say, 4 weeks. Not sure why it should make such a difference but it always seemed to reduce my spending, particularly on small unnecessary items like chocolate and magazines. That should help your savings. Works for losing weight too. Log everything you eat and the pounds will start to come off.
Not necessarily, having a little debt on a CC can help your credit score (as long as you keep it modest and pay enough to avoid interest charges)Nowt. Debt's for mugs.
Starbursts are on you at the next home game then.No debt
Well over 6 figures in savings
Two properties mortgage free ( 1 rented out )
Cushty
I agree, Now Mrs Zef is at home working and I'm at work, we both do little shops, when we used t do a big shop every week or two, we spend a lot more than necessary. Although don't go out much at the moment, and have a teenage son who consumes like a skip!I don't track it specifically but we also noted that we were so much better off doing a much bigger weekly shop and avoiding little top up shops. I entered "tesco' into my app to see how often I was spending there (that's our nearest little shop) and it was scary how much it added up to.
Love the expression,āconsumes like a skipāI agree, Now Mrs Zef is at home working and I'm at work, we both do little shops, when we used t do a big shop every week or two, we spend a lot more than necessary. Although don't go out much at the moment, and have a teenage son who consumes like a skip!
re debt, only mortgage fortunately, have a plan for it to be gone in around 5-6 years then a few years to get a pension up to speed therafter, health permitting, plan to wind down slowly . I like what I do and have lucked out at a really good Company, after years of crap Companies and self employment. . . .