Hello Dear Reader,
It's the first of the month tomorrow and I hope you are ready for it. Today, being the last day of the month is pay day and I don't want any of you to spend any money until you have well and truly prepared yourselves for next month.
If you are a parents, make sure you have checked out the school website and that you are aware of any upcoming expenses, charity events coming over the next month. Book day is on the way. Dressing up may be required, a readathon might be involved and there will certainly be books on sale. Being aware of the school calendar will allow you to budget for what you want to participate in or spend on. If you are not in the position to do any of this, then a polite letter each half term to the head teacher with a copy to the chair of governors to explain that you don't want your child left out but can't afford to join in will help the school discreetly support your choices without anyone noticing. Also, we can all be busy but be aware of the school calendar so you can budget for school expenses, such as cookery, school trips, music lessons and make sure you have made allowances in your funds or not to participate as is your choice.
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Everyone of you will have expenses of one kind or other over the next month. Always know when insurances are ready for renewal. Get a wall calendar and mark it. Check that calendar each month and be ready for the next expense. Start saving for the next year when you've paid that bill. If you are not that disciplined then you might need to make the choice to spread your payments over twelve months.
If you've checked and know there are no insurance to renew, no car to tax or MOT, no tyres to buy then stop yourself from spending - this can be a savings month. You could put the money aside for planned spending, in our case new windows and a holiday, or long term savings such as new car, wedding, or house deposit or if you are already someone with a mortgage then consider making a mortgage over payment. We fix this a small set amount each month (as we are setting aside money for home improvements) and pay that on the first of the month so the money goes straight away.
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So, you've checked the school calendar (remember, if it's not for the children, the bills, the food, get to work transport then nothing else is essential!!) and there's nothing on this month. It won't hurt to start thinking about next month or the month after. I used to buy school uniform, PE kit and equipment throughout the year as and when I could afford it. When September came, I only had shoes to buy and I'd put money aside for this. We never had much money but we always sent the kids on school trips, they did after school activities and they always had plenty of clean uniform. In the same way, I used to buy small items that the children would need throughout the year such as pyjamas, play clothes or underwear and I spread the costs of this over the year. I did the same for birthdays and Christmas.
I always use the end of one month to mentally prepare myself for the next. I make sure I have all activities and planned events up on the wall calendar. I set aside days each month for earning extra income. You could do the same by having a 'clear out, photograph and get it on ebay' day a month. You could set aside time to put adverts into the local freeads. You could set aside time each month to check your finances and make plans for any costs you may incur over the next month.
We have nothing but food and fuel to buy in March and we will judiciously make sure we stick to that. Meaning, we will buy nothing new, spend nothing on entertainment, spend nothing on the house, nothing on the pet and nothing on ourselves this month. We will eat down our supplies and keep our food spending to a minimum, keep our transport costs to essentials only and make sure we set aside all the money promised to pay for our windows and holiday.
It might seems a bit drastic to have months like this but the rewards will be a warm secure home and two weeks just to ourselves.
I have lots to keep me busy: a quilt to finish, two cookery workshops and a quilting/sewing workshop at the end of the month. Everyday we go to work and I go to the gym after work. The housework gets done at the weekend, menus get planned, batch cooking gets done. We walk the dogs, meet with friends and life has an easy pace.
We certainly don't miss ready cash! We do enjoy planned budgeting, planned spending and saving.
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxx
p.s - please follow the link below and nominate www.frugalqueen.co.uk for: blog of the year, best food blog and best thrifty blog - thanks lovely people xxxx
![MAD Blog Awards]( "MAD Blog Awards")
It's the first of the month tomorrow and I hope you are ready for it. Today, being the last day of the month is pay day and I don't want any of you to spend any money until you have well and truly prepared yourselves for next month.
If you are a parents, make sure you have checked out the school website and that you are aware of any upcoming expenses, charity events coming over the next month. Book day is on the way. Dressing up may be required, a readathon might be involved and there will certainly be books on sale. Being aware of the school calendar will allow you to budget for what you want to participate in or spend on. If you are not in the position to do any of this, then a polite letter each half term to the head teacher with a copy to the chair of governors to explain that you don't want your child left out but can't afford to join in will help the school discreetly support your choices without anyone noticing. Also, we can all be busy but be aware of the school calendar so you can budget for school expenses, such as cookery, school trips, music lessons and make sure you have made allowances in your funds or not to participate as is your choice.
Everyone of you will have expenses of one kind or other over the next month. Always know when insurances are ready for renewal. Get a wall calendar and mark it. Check that calendar each month and be ready for the next expense. Start saving for the next year when you've paid that bill. If you are not that disciplined then you might need to make the choice to spread your payments over twelve months.
If you've checked and know there are no insurance to renew, no car to tax or MOT, no tyres to buy then stop yourself from spending - this can be a savings month. You could put the money aside for planned spending, in our case new windows and a holiday, or long term savings such as new car, wedding, or house deposit or if you are already someone with a mortgage then consider making a mortgage over payment. We fix this a small set amount each month (as we are setting aside money for home improvements) and pay that on the first of the month so the money goes straight away.
So, you've checked the school calendar (remember, if it's not for the children, the bills, the food, get to work transport then nothing else is essential!!) and there's nothing on this month. It won't hurt to start thinking about next month or the month after. I used to buy school uniform, PE kit and equipment throughout the year as and when I could afford it. When September came, I only had shoes to buy and I'd put money aside for this. We never had much money but we always sent the kids on school trips, they did after school activities and they always had plenty of clean uniform. In the same way, I used to buy small items that the children would need throughout the year such as pyjamas, play clothes or underwear and I spread the costs of this over the year. I did the same for birthdays and Christmas.
I always use the end of one month to mentally prepare myself for the next. I make sure I have all activities and planned events up on the wall calendar. I set aside days each month for earning extra income. You could do the same by having a 'clear out, photograph and get it on ebay' day a month. You could set aside time to put adverts into the local freeads. You could set aside time each month to check your finances and make plans for any costs you may incur over the next month.
We have nothing but food and fuel to buy in March and we will judiciously make sure we stick to that. Meaning, we will buy nothing new, spend nothing on entertainment, spend nothing on the house, nothing on the pet and nothing on ourselves this month. We will eat down our supplies and keep our food spending to a minimum, keep our transport costs to essentials only and make sure we set aside all the money promised to pay for our windows and holiday.
It might seems a bit drastic to have months like this but the rewards will be a warm secure home and two weeks just to ourselves.
I have lots to keep me busy: a quilt to finish, two cookery workshops and a quilting/sewing workshop at the end of the month. Everyday we go to work and I go to the gym after work. The housework gets done at the weekend, menus get planned, batch cooking gets done. We walk the dogs, meet with friends and life has an easy pace.
We certainly don't miss ready cash! We do enjoy planned budgeting, planned spending and saving.
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxx
p.s - please follow the link below and nominate www.frugalqueen.co.uk for: blog of the year, best food blog and best thrifty blog - thanks lovely people xxxx
