Last week I downloaded a month of transaction from the bank and dropped them into a spreadsheet with columns for different expense types. It has obviously been a while since I did this. Ouch.
I found I was paying £8 per month for Sky breakdown cover. Not sure where this came from but I will be cancelling and having a full refund from the bank using the direct debit indemnity.
Worse than that my food bills had rather crept up again. I used to spend about £50 a week for all shopping but I decided last year that we could go a bit more upmarket with quality, organics etc. and raised my budget to £70. I seem to have added an extra £20 somehow without noticing. I think this is probably one of the penalties of a)shopping at a number of places depending on what is on the list (Waitrose, Asda, Lidl, Asian supermarket, market). b) Not recording my actual spends as I am sure I am within my budget, Oops.
There is worse to come.
This week I read the gas and electric meters and submitted the readings on line. The new dd is for £122 per month! Eek! This is £20 for gas but an astounding £100 for electricity. Although gob-smacked I do know what the problems are and I can address them. Two things cause the problem. I have an extra fridge. Drinks only in theory but it is also pretty big and so cooked food in serving dishes also go in there if a meal isn't finished. The seal is broken on the fridge and the door has started to drop and you have to be very careful to close it. Time for a replacement. Second thing is excessive use of the tumble dryer. I have loads of excuses but really it has just been too easy to use it. This must stop. I am ensuring an area of the conservatory is available for a large airer and hangers. Dry days mean the whirly washing line must be used.
What a waster I am. Not happy with myself at all. Looking on the bright side my hard working but hard spending son has had a road to Damascus moment and realised that if he doesn't waste his money on tripe then he can actually be quite well off. I am hoping that if he has got silly spending out of system by age 20 then he is set for life. He visited the bank recently to upgrade his debit card. They said he had an excellent credit history and would he like a credit card. Ahdel said the fastest 'no,thank you' ever, bless him. We learn from our children.
My expenses have been creeping up too. Food is the big culprit and gas and electric. I have gotten out of the conserving habit. It is shocking to see how quickly it all adds up.
ReplyDeleteMoney, debts and weight are all the same. You start to put on weight when you stop weighing yourself each morning. I now only spend on one day a week, and spend nothing the rest of the time. Try and get an electricity monitor from your leccy company - I discovered the dishwasher uses as much leccy as the kettle switched on, so I don't use it now. I also watch my water meter! keeping an eye on things , keeps bills low.
ReplyDelete£100 on electricity! Ouch! Tumble driers do cost a fortune to run. When ours died we decided not to replace it and noticed the savings.
ReplyDeleteI take a reading each week and use i-measure to track our usage - it is a really useful tool to keep you focused and to compare with similar size properties / families
http://www.imeasure.org.uk/
Ahhh....the son sounds quite wise! =)
ReplyDeleteHi Daizy
ReplyDeleteIts like agame where they behave themselves whilst you check, you look away and they sneak up on you!
Frugal life uk. So true. I need to get one of those monitors because I wasn't even worried about the dish washer until now!
Bright and new - i was in denial. I am setting up a drying area, no excuses, I cant beleive I have let it get to this level.
Kadeeae, he has his moments!
Lizzie
xx