I didn't choose the thrift life. The thrift life chose me. Because I don't have any money. Well, OK I have more than enough pennies to meet my needs, but only if I'm clever and don't spend it all on shiny things. I'm not an expert, but my single mum raised me thrifty, and now it's my way of life so I'm sharing some of the things I do that help me save money and live a nice life.
This year I'm setting myself a monthly cash budget for day to day spending. I find it really easy to wave my debit card about without thinking about what I'm buying, so I give myself a limited amount of cash to spend each month, and once it's gone it's gone. The cash budget is only for small daily purchases, like lunches, snacks, charity shopping, cheap takeaways or dinner at 'Spoons, and it's meant to stop me frittering all my money away. Bigger purchases, big supermarket shops and outings aren't included in my cash budget.
I started with a £20 cash budget, but then I found an extra £20 while I was decluttering, so my monthly budget became £40! Last year I set myself a cash budget of £20 a week, but I have loads of things to save for this year so I'd like to spend as little as possible.
I spent my cash on,
£2.50 on chip shop chips
£6 on a dress, 5 plates and a Hornsea spice pot from the charity shop
£9 on a top up shop from Morrisons (including a plant!)
£5 on breakfast out with my colleagues
The rest went on snacks, some vinegar and bicarb for cleaning and some fresh fruit and veg on the market.
To give you an idea of what else I spent during the month, online and on my card, I spent about £40 in total on some second hand books and CDs, organic seeds for the garden, my prescription and medicine and a case for my new phone. I spent £25 on shopping in Aldi which I didn't count as a grocery shop because it was mostly treats!
I spent nothing really on going out because I've had a chest infection and my ribs hurt, but I have done some free things like went round my mum's house, visited my nieces at my mum's house and we went to my newest neices Christening (Joe paid for the taxi and present!).
So my cash and card total for the month was around £100. I'm pretty happy with that, and I managed to save nearly £150 to put towards house renovations.
Do you have any ways of saving money on the little daily things that I should know about?
I like this way of thinking Susie. I worked to a budget, but sadly mine has increased in relation to using public travel expenses only. I have to now pay £10 daily to and fro home and work using both bus and train, but everything else is managed financially. I will at least 4/5 day make our own lunch so that keeps costs down.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I need to start doing as I'm currently job hunting and our household budget is about to take a hit; my final pay cheque was the end of December so February will see a real change in how I have to think about money.
ReplyDeleteI am going to love following you if you keep talking about saving money :) I love hearing that others are money misers like me ... My kids have no problem trying to find ways to spend my money, but as for me, I like to hold on to it, and keep it in the bank!! Keep posting! Tammy xx
ReplyDeleteI do ok with sticking to a budget until things like birthdays or car MOTs happen - my tiny budget can cope with everyday stuff but the minute I need to buy a present, it all falls apart!
ReplyDeleteThis is great!!! You are doing very well! I think I need to work on this!
ReplyDelete