Budget Spreadsheets - How do u stick to them......

frantic_mel

personally do u think its better to do it weekly or monthly.
Both our income is weekly, some expenses weekly, bills either monthly or bi-monthly ie eircom,esb


I did my expense that weekly for bills i would put away some money that would build up to my estimate bill

ie

ESB is normally 60 ever 2 months, so on this weekly budget i would put away
7.50 each week.

Where u have put 50 euros for a month, i will put the amount that needs to be saved each week to build up to that amount.

seamus

Originally posted by frantic_mel
Where u have put 50 euros for a month, i will put the amount that needs to be saved each week to build up to that amount.

I do it monthly, but that can work, so long as you are physically removing that amount from your bank account, and putting it away, jar or whatever....

frantic_mel

well at the moment i have those bank money bags, i have put titled stickers on them and put it that amount, then this is kept in a box lol

eclectichoney

god im getting well worried.....i have noticed my money vanishing of late i don't even know what it has gone on...maybe I need to start getting my act together and budgeting. thanks for the heads up

frantic_mel

Hi eclectichoney,

I was like you, but instead i knew where my money was going. It was on fast food. I started getting into a rountine of it and then when i didnt have it the cravings would kick in.
But in your situation i guess a budget spreadsheet would be ideal for you. But you really need to stick to it, sometimes you would be surprised at the end of the week/month what money you have left over. I guess you have to decide do u really need or want something.
One problem im finding at the moment is by boyfriend has finally started to gig with his band every weekend so when we go we drink and it costs us a fortune. Money we dont even have. So im trying to cut out on the take away foods and so far i have kept to it since Mon. Which is really good, but still craving like mad. But where drink is consirned i normally drink bacardi & coke, but i only use half of the coke, so i just get a bacardi on its own. It does save a bit of money.

If seamus has no problem i could forward you the spreadsheet he gave me. Its quite simple and easy to follow. I just implemented my information. And it turns out that every week im left with 150 euros, and thats every week. Think about it, that could go into a credit union for a car, holiday to the Cayman Islands etc etc.

Monty - the one and only

Moved to finance

spongebob

4.333 * 12 = 52

There are 4.333 weeks in the average month

M

frantic_mel

cheers for that muck

eclectichoney

cool....i think i'll set something up and watch what my money is going on so at least i know that much (altho im guessing it's mainly drink and buying rounds for people.....)

Victor

I've kept a list of everything I spent for nearly two years under about 10 headings (rent & bills, food, snacks, meals & drinks, travel, internet, medical, sundry, etc.). you need to know what you are actually spending the money on, anything that is excessive, you then know those are the ones you need to manage and cut back on.

frantic_mel

Hi Seamus,

Its frantic_mel, last year you emailed me a copy of the budget spreadsheet.
I have now paid the loan off and am completely debtless.

I want to start budgeting again but have not got a copy of the budget spreadsheet you sent me, can you send it to me again.

If you still there....

Cheers

seamus

Good work. PM Me your email address.

frantic_mel

seamus wrote:

Good work. PM Me your email address.

Hi Seamus,

Thanks very much for getting back to me so soon.
I cant believe that i have paid back over 5000 in under 1 year. Even though i will be on a bad credit for the next 5 years I still managed to pay it 6 months before the end date.

Will send you my email

thanks again.

MrPudding

frantic_mel wrote:

Hi Seamus,

Thanks very much for getting back to me so soon.
I cant believe that i have paid back over 5000 in under 1 year. Even though i will be on a bad credit for the next 5 years I still managed to pay it 6 months before the end date.

Will send you my email

thanks again.

Well done.

MrP

frantic_mel

MrPudding wrote:

Well done.

MrP

Thanks Mr Pudding,

I paid between 100- 150 every week. Imagine what I can do with that money now. Total left over after expenses = 250 whipeee

yop

Seamus - Would it be cheeky to ask for a copy of that spreadsheet? If you prefer not to no bother

seamus

yop wrote:

Seamus - Would it be cheeky to ask for a copy of that spreadsheet? If you prefer not to no bother

PM me your email address

MrPudding

I woul dreally appreciate it as well. It sounds great!

MrP

kikel

You could be my hero. Would it be ok for be to pm you my addy.
kikel

frantic_mel

wow seamus,

you really are the star of attention here lol. that sheet is perfect for my daily spending.

But there was another one that was on the one page for budgeting ie you had a large grey box on the right and then the white space on the left.

Do you still have that also. that way i can use both templates. One for budgeting and one for actual daily spending etc.

Cheers

Melissa

LoneGunM@n

Fair play Mel ... there's no better feeling than paying off a debt early!!

In relation to the use of budgets, I was absolutely useless with money ... I was earning decent wages & was living @ home with the folks, so I had sod all expenses except for my car!!

I had to prep a budget for a client to help him track his spending ... I filled in my personal details for a laugh leaving out all the money I was p!ssing away on sh!t & got the shock of my life!!

3 years on, I've cleared all my debts, saved a deposit for a house & bought a house with my fiancee, saved for our wedding & bought a new car ... so budgeting DOES work!!

frantic_mel

LoneGunM@n wrote:

Fair play Mel ... there's no better feeling than paying off a debt early!!

In relation to the use of budgets, I was absolutely useless with money ... I was earning decent wages & was living @ home with the folks, so I had sod all expenses except for my car!!

I had to prep a budget for a client to help him track his spending ... I filled in my personal details for a laugh leaving out all the money I was p!ssing away on sh!t & got the shock of my life!!

3 years on, I've cleared all my debts, saved a deposit for a house & bought a house with my fiancee, saved for our wedding & bought a new car ... so budgeting DOES work!!

Congrats LoneGunM@n,

I do know how it feels. Thats amazing that you now were able to buy your own house etc. The great thing about it happening to me was i got into debt at a very young age 21 now 23 i am debtless, learn a valuable lesson, which will make me a lot stronger for the road ahead. Now when i want a holiday & car I will save for it first. The only debt i want is the mortgage. In a few years time i will have enough saved for a deposit etc. But for the time been Im just going to save but still enjoy early 20's etc.

what_car

seamus wrote:

PM me your email address

hi there do you still have a copy of the spreadsheet?
could i have a copy please
cheers

what_car

frantic_mel wrote:

Congrats LoneGunM@n,

I do know how it feels. Thats amazing that you now were able to buy your own house etc. The great thing about it happening to me was i got into debt at a very young age 21 now 23 i am debtless, learn a valuable lesson, which will make me a lot stronger for the road ahead. Now when i want a holiday & car I will save for it first. The only debt i want is the mortgage. In a few years time i will have enough saved for a deposit etc. But for the time been Im just going to save but still enjoy early 20's etc.

hi there do you still have a copy of the spreadsheet?
could i have a copy please
cheers