Turning 32, time to get it together!

A question about : Turning 32, time to get it together!

Well, I will be one year older tomorrow x and whilst my life has changed dramatically for the better, the savings side needs some work!

On my 31st birthday I had a massive row with my sister. It ended up with me storming home alone but was a turning point in my life. She's harsh but fair, my sister, and everything she said was true. We still love each other and are still close.

Since then I have made an effort to sort myself and my life out.

I have met a lovely chap and found love
The above lovely chappie has moved in with me
I have spoken to my doctor and put things in place re mental health
I have applied (unsuccessfully) for promotions at work

Now, on the eve of my birthday, recalling that fateful night I feel I need to step it up a bit and look at the following areas

Sorting out savings
Making overpayments on my mortgage
Only spending money on things that add value to my life
Learning and doing new things

This is going to be my diary and I hope that by recording my life it will help identify where I can do better.

Best answers:

• As of 10 February 2015 my financial situation stands as follows
  Emergency savings: 1713.78
  Annual bill pot: 0.00
  0% Credit card: 603.05 - rate ends November 2015
  Mortgage: 63,723.88
  So current priorities are to "top and tail" my savings
  Top - pay Ј50 per month into emergency savings on pay day
  Top- pay Ј100 per month off credit card on pay day
  Tail - anything left at the end of the month goes into annual bills
  Eventually I want to put credit card money towards mortgage overpayments but i need to clear the credit card before the rate ends. Its amazing how seductive credit cards can be! I took it out for redecoration work, none of which has been carried out, and used it for things I really should have budgeted for in the first place. So now to clear it before I become too caught up in the spiral
• Sometimes we need a kick up the proverbial bralla!
  I know it can be considered a bit tin hat, but I do like cash; credit and debit cards, I forget they are real money.
  Good luck with your mission.
• Thank you Bugslet, you are very kind x
• My lovely chappie bought me a gorgeous purse for my birthday. I am taking this as a good omen
  Right. Payday is still a bit of a way off so can't state any progress but things are looking OK so far.
  To do:
  Last bills due out on 18th, check enough in acct to cover
  History fair at weekend, need spends
  Encourage chappie to bring our own coffee and lunch to fair
  Small weekly shops for fresh food
  Done:
  Major shop 70quid. We will see how long it lasts
  Change pot - taped up tight to dissuade me from dipping in
• Have you ever looked at YNAB ( you Need A Budget), bralla? Quite a few people seem to find it helps with their budgetting. You can try a free trial for 30 days to see if you get on with it.
• Ive seen it mentioned on other pages,and it is something I will definitely look into! Thank you
• Happy Birthday my dear and I wish you all the best for your future finances. I turn 31 this year and trying to get my finances in order too. I have nearly Ј4000 worth of debts in over drafts and credit card bills. I'd love to have a mortgage one day and own a home with my partner but that dream is far beyond my reach on our joined Ј1850 p/m wage.
• Thank you for your kindness WorkFromHome. All the best with your financial future too !
• Ramble alert
  I am pootling about on the net today, not at all productive but I feel I need to distract myself. I have been feeling a little blue lately, a bit anxious, and with everything going on in the world i get this feeling that life's going to get harder, quickly and soon.
  I am off work this week, taking holiday, and not really up to much except reading fellow MSEers diaries. They have been very inspirational and very affecting, though some of the figures quoted are so very far beyond my means or understanding to be almost unreal. Should I feel silly that Ј50 is my target? That others save ten or twenty times that without blinking?
  I am not very good at sticking with things, the dead plants on the window sill are testament to this. I go at things great guns for a while then get fed up because there are no instant results. Diets, savings, exercise, education have all fallen victim to this.
  I hope to get better. Someone's signature is along the lines of a goal without a plan is just a wish. I am one hell of a wisher and I need to become a planner instead.
• Hello Brallaqueen,
  Chill. I have just rejoined MSE (yesterday) and am saving a tiny amount. I will be v lucky to get Ј50 in my savings in the next two months. I was in a similar situation years ago but managed to save over Ј25,000 for a new extension (somewhere on this site) so I know I can do it.
  Don't forget you are at a different starting time than other people- As someone on another website once said this is your beginning and maybe someone else's end to moneysaving. Maybe they don't have all the blessings you have. All they have is money and loads of stress possibly. You enjoy being you (I hope) and don't compare yourself to others - everyone is on a different place in their journey.
  Chill."....The best things come to those who wait....." Remember the Guiness add.......? hugs, SW.
  For the life of me I can't get the smilies to be added (but imagine a Martyn Lewis jumping up and down).
• Hello, hello, hello!
  Savingwannabe and iloveshopping93 thank you both for posting x
  You are all correct, the saving is the thing I should be concentrating on right now. The amount is largely by the by, making the fundamental changes is the importaint goal because once improve to myself I can do it, that I can overturn entrenched habits for a new leaf, it will have a positive effect on all aspects of my life.
  Well, all my bills have left the account and it will be pay day on Monday.
  Done:
  History fair was fun, we picked up a present and I got some ideas for future gifts. We did indeed take coffee and sandwiches which was a nice way of keeping the costs down and because I drove, the chappie bought the entry tickets. Total spend was Ј10 Plus petrol x
  Did a silly thing and over catered for a family get together by spending Ј50 on snacky bites but everyone had already eaten. Oh well, it mostly fit in the freezer or the cupboard and will be eaten eventually. I certainly will not need to do another big shop for a while!
  Rounding down for safety I have 100 to last me over the weekend but, you know, lovers are expensive creatures and we have plans to go to Warwickshire this weekend.
  To do:
  I need to fill the car up which costs about Ј45 as less than a quarter tank left
  I will be paying for parking on Saturday so ~Ј8 to cover
  Lunch out as well so maybe Ј20 to cover that, even with a Thermos and snacky bites for the trip
  So barring any unexpected surprises I will be able to tail something this month, which would be wonderful x
• D'oh! Forgot to factor in Ukelele night tonight and the ritual Friday take away. I can be quite dim sometimes! Still there is a chance I will be able to shuffle something into the annual bills pot.
  Its a bit of a balancing act, having a relationship, maintaining a certain lifestyle and trying to save as well.
  My partner earns a bit more than I do, and we have separate finances at present to protect my flat. He came straight from his parents home to living with me so has more disposable income and I have more pride than is really good for me. I tend to want to be equals in everything and find it hard to let him pay for things. He is used to a certain freedom of spending and although he has been really positive and accepting our different situations, he doesn't quite "get" it.
  hmmm, reading back it makes him sound unsympathetic which is far from true. He has accepted gracefully the majority of my suggestions and he happily pays his portion of the utilities and shopping. Protecting myself means a certain level of financial pain is necessary and this was my choice
• Hi, just subscribed to your diary. Don't be disheartened by others, half of my friends have no savings behind them, no mortgage and big CC's and in their 30's. Excluding your mortgage you have more in savings then you have debt which is great and you plan to keep improving on that.
  I started this in October and a summary of the most useful advice I've had to date is:
  -Do a Statement of affairs, very useful people then advised where I was paying too much for things and I shopped around.
  -I called all my providers (mobile, telephone and broadband, insurance etc) even though it wasn't the end of my contract and said it was too much and I couldn't afford it all bar the gas and electric gave me discounts on my bills and it shaved a few quid off the each month.
  -Meal plan, so no unexpected trips to supermarket
  -Freezer inventory so I know what's in there and can use up rather than buy more (at my worse I had three bags of peas in a small freezer! Madness!)
  Good luck on your journey. I hope you find it as addictive as I have!
  CT
• I really appreciate all comments and all perspectives so thank you all for posting.
  Warwickshire was lovely and within planned budget. Darling chappie found a new gizmo to entertain himself with, and even bought me a chippy which I accepted for a change. Lunch and parking came to just shy of Ј20 for me, he had a much more expensive day.
  We had a lovely time wandering round holding hands and just taking in the atmosphere. I have some birthday money but didn't see anything I wanted so will keep it safe and separate for another time.
  Had a bit of luck today, mum paid me Ј40 or something I bought her long ago and had forgotten about so that was an unexpected bonus. I was able to fill my car up for Ј38 and a bit of spare change for the change pot.
  That means I have been able to stuff Ј80 into savings today as my 'tail' for the month. Quite chuffed!