The time for our winter trip up north is getting really close which means over the past few months we’ve been thinking about the M word and the B word. Those two words ‘Money and Budgets’ – are bandied around a lot on the Internet and can be the bane of our lives if we aren’t able to manage them properly.
Money matters – doesn’t it – as far as I’m concerned it most certainly does – some months it seems there isn’t going to be enough to go round, then somehow we manage to scrape through.
Gas and Electric prices are on the move, health insurance is supposedly rising again next month, so many items in the supermarket are going up and don’t mention the cost of petrol– these are what are affecting us at the moment. I’ve nearly always shopped with a list but recently have even taken to using a calculator as well – just to keep an eye on the total of the ticket!
We all have different methods of keeping check on where the cash is and what we spend it on; mine is no more special that anyone else’s and I certainly don’t always keep to the budget we have decided on at the beginning of each year.
For me, I find it helps if I keep a physical record of purchases and payments – anyone remember my exercise books from a few years ago? It was an idea that helped us when life was a little more difficult than it is now. These days I use a ‘very simple’ cash in/cash out plus reports app called Spending Tracker….
It doesn’t provide you with more money nor will it stop you spending money you ‘don’t have’ but if you record what you do spend (and there are lots of categories for that to happen) it will show you visually where you are overspending; to me its a help because I need to know we are able to survive (and also save a bit) on what we do receive.
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Sitting here on a rather cool morning wondering if it’s maybe a bit early to start gathering together warmish weather clothing to take up to Bowen? From the look of the weather forecast it’s not as if it’s going to be worn down here in the next 5 weeks.
Perhaps I’ll just make myself another cuppa and have breakfast instead – then gather my bathers and towel together ready for exercise in the pool time later this morning
Oh, and what tricks do you have for keeping an eye on your finances?.
Is there enough to go round or have you had to cut back again?
Still Waters 