I had an admin day yesterday. I spent the morning doing a full freezer, fridge and larder inventory and after a quick read through and calculation, was pleased to find I have the makings of around 25 meals, including half a dozen home cooked ready meals. I then wrote menu plans for lunches and dinners for the rest of this month, using up what we've got in freezer and larder, followed by a shopping list. I'm going to try only going shopping once this month (today), but with possibly a top up shop for eggs and fresh veggies in a couple of weeks......going shopping less often certainly means spending less.
I then did a revised budget, which I try to do every 3 months, checking the bank accounts and listing every outgoing and all our incomings (husband's State pension and 3 smallish private pensions, and my one slightly bigger private pension). Husband's private pensions in his own account all go towards car expenses, his State pension and my private pension are for housekeeping and general expenses in our main bank account. I have one main savings account for our van site fees, with a standing order set up from our main account to go monthly into that savings account, another account for shopping, which I transfer a monthly amount into, and a 3rd account which is my 'rainy day' savings account. This account I transfer random amounts into, using the 'rounding down' method - as an example, if I had, say, £289.75 in my main account, I would round it down to £280.00 and move the remaining £9.75 to the rainy day account. I try to do this a couple of times a week, so there's usually something like £10 or £15 going into that account every week. It soon adds up.
So now I've got a monthly menu plan in place, and our finances are all up to date and ticking over quite nicely, that's eased my mind.
Shopping today and, as mentioned the other day, I'm intending to do a shop for the whole of this month - luckily I have plenty of space in the freezer, having eaten mostly homemade frozen ready meals whilst we were in the caravan, and eaten out of the freezer since we've been home. So I'll be able to freeze a month's worth of milk, etc, and have a batch cooking day to make and freeze lots more ready meals. We're going to start making bread again rather than buying it, I have plenty of flour and yeast, having stocked up on that a couple of weeks ago.
Everything feels pretty much under control right now, and that's a feeling I haven't had for a few months.
This all sounds extremely well organised and I can totally understand how much better it has made you feel - well done for grasping the nettle, so to speak, and taking control back. I think that's fantastic! xx
ReplyDeleteYou're very well organised. Good on you. Knowing everything is in order must help your anxiety and stress. The rounding down idea is great. It's amazing how quickly those odd few pounds add up to a significant amount. The savings account for site fees is a top priority. Without your little bolt hole, you'd be lost! Just knowing you have a place to escape to must be wonderful. xx
ReplyDeleteI have a bank account with Bank of Scotland called Save the Change which every time I use my debit card rounds up to the nearest pound and deposits it in my savings account. It really adds up and also makes my accounting easier as everything is in round pounds.
ReplyDeleteYou are quite organized now. I need to do a mid year financial review at the end of the month. We've had, will have more, changes impacting our spending and ability to save.
ReplyDeleteYou are extremely well organized. I have started only shopping every two weeks and have noticed a distinct change in how much I spend. Mind you if a really great meat sale appears I will go and pick up the best of the sales to add to the freezer.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It's just so nice to know exactly what we have and where it's going to isn't it. I don't round down I round up, moving money from my current account over to savings to round up whatever interest I have accrued in the last month up to the next £100. With interest rates so low it's a good amount saved doing this.
ReplyDelete