
What did you do to improve your finances today?
This was one of my favourite threads on the old forum, and since there doesn't seem to be one here yet, I thought I'd create one :-)
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I pulled my head out of my arse today! We started this year with my hubby's knee replacement surgery and were buffered and all set to kick our 2nd mortgage debt to the curb once he returned to work, then COVID hit. Thankfully we had our buffer to help through his lack of hours and eventual layoff. Unemployment has been messed up and we had to use some of our savings to make ends meet, plus the extra spending we've been doing because our budget (and diets) went out the window with the Pandemic. But no more! Hubby is back to work and I got everything posted and caught up in YNAB, just sent an extra $621 to the 2nd mortgage and adjusted our goal to have it paid off by year end (instead of May, which of course didn't happen). Simply acknowledging that we have to "roll with the punches" instead of giving up will help us to succeed at this next goal. Now to work on our diets, LOL!
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Moved some money into my M1 account while the market is still a bit iffy to get it where I want it for now and hopefully get some of those buys at decent prices before things get back to normal.
While cleaning and reorganizing things I found a nice chunk of money I'd overbudgeted in a category, so I was able to hit the B&H sale for a few things from my list (yay!) and have a nice bit left over to allocate elsewhere.
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Hi,
My most recent wheeze to help with my YNAB budgeting is fiddly, but gets the job done.
I was really fed up with going over-budget on my weekly shopping allowances, but I realised I was stocking up a little (Covid-19 related), and also sometimes the stuff you are buying is not just for this week, but weeks or even months into the future.
So we have reduced the weekly food budget a little and put those savings into a Meat for Freezer Category and also a Longer Term Produce Category, so that way I can reduce the drain on my weekly budget.
So far, the early indications are that it might work.
Stay well everyone,
Nev -
I am a newby here, but I found a good trick to prevent "emotional comfort" shopping. I used to go to the big shopping centers and buy clothes, stuff I don't have to and don't need to. But shopping feels good.
So instead, when the urge comes, I take a long walk /ride my bycicle or run, till I get so tired that I don't have the energy to go shopping.
It is free and good for the health also, and I always realize I didn't need to go shopping on the first place.
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Summer began to get too hot and humid to work effectively from home. My partner and I discussed the possibility of buying a $400-500 standing portable A/C...then we remembered the landlord said he had a spare sitting around. We asked to rent it for $25/month for the next 2 months—done! Everybody wins.
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As of yesterday, I am now a month ahead on my finances! It's only taken me a year and a half to get here. 😂
I also contacted VGLI (Veterans Group Life Insurance) and reinstated my policy after letting it relapse two years ago. 🙈 Thankfully, they'll suspend it for up to five years before canceling it outright. Also changed my beneficiaries to my children only since my ex-husband was still on there as a primary beneficiary from before our divorce.
In the last week, I've put a lot of my bills on Autopay since I'm finally at the place where I feel comfortable doing that. Last month I totally missed a payment, and the month before that I thought I'd paid a bill when I actually hadn't. I've been sick for a few months and even though I'm recovering, I'm also dealing with some major brain fog and cognitive issues and probably will be for awhile, so this is one less thing for my poor brain to remember. 😅
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Food again; nothing big, but I still like it: made pizza’s from scratch, which everyone likes a lot, hardly costs anything (haven’t counted it out, but it really can’t be a lot) and will be enough for tomorrow as well 😊.
For greens on top I used the leafs of the beetroot I just bought. I used to throw those away, untill I realised they aren’t that different from swiss chard.
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Well this 'weeks' big one would be Getting Back Into YNAB After Ignoring It for a long time.... After paying of my CC I've sort of been a bit.... Budget Absent.
The other big one has been a really solid plan between me and my SO about how we're going to reduce unneccesary spending on Eating Out / Drinking.
Living where we leave it's super *easy* to just go out. And I guess we're fortunate in that we have enough disposable income where it doesn't really hurt too much to go out a few times more than we plan.
So our new plan instead: Instead of thinking of "eating out" vs "savings" - we're starting the month with a fully funded Weekend Break category. Small fund to treat ourselves to a little trip somewhere. In theory every month.
Every time we go over our alloted Booze/Eating Out fund, the extra comes from here.
Rather than being a case of "where in the budget will it come from" - we've decided on a specific consequence of our indulegence.
It's good because it's helping keeping us both accountable, motivated, and slightly healthier too..... And it's nice to engage SO in YNAB a bit more than usual :D
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I went through my expenses and found couple small things I could not spend on: one online service I don't really use with monthly fee, a membership to an association I haven't been involved in year, and a extra service attached to my phone bill I don't really need. The overall savings are not major, maybe 15€ per month or so, but I still feel great about finding these small expenses I don't need to keep paying.
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I found out this morning that my credit card has a promotion where you can "pay yourself back" on purchases that you have already made, using points that you have accrued and cashing them in for statement credits. Normally, I save up credit card points and use them to buy flights for travel. However, with this never-ending pandemic, I don't envision taking any flights in the next several months. The promotion adds a 50% bonus to the value of your points if you redeem them as a statement credit, so if X points are normally worth $600, they are now worth $900. That is about the amount I was able to cash in.
In the debt repayment challenge thread, I recently mentioned a pay cut at work due to the pandemic, and the consequence of me having to cut back on my debt repayments. Well, this had me thinking of potential things I could do to at least keep paying *something* extra toward my debt, and this statement credit will allow it this month!
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BritishMuseum said:
I've sort of been a bit.... Budget AbsentYNAB MIA!
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After we moved our table to the other side of the room (months ago!) it still lacked a light. At the same time our three table lamps were still tied up against the ceiling in the middle of the room.
We planned to get a specific designer lamp with a long arm that could swivel to the table. Second hand would do. I just didn’t get round to seriously searching for one. Also, even second hand they are still quite expensive....
Last week I ordered nice power cord (orange, fabric covered) and a socket, this morning we reconnected everything (credits for electric to husband) and now we have a table lamp and one in the other corner of the room. Both to be used separately. At only the cost of some cord and a simple fitting.
I’m very content! Who needs a designer lamp?! Not us.
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I am so proud of myself. Only because of my FINANCIAL AWARENESS through YNAB did I take the initiative. I have been paying $86 for internet and $63 for cell with Verizon. I've been with them for decades. I finally walked into Xfinity and asked if they could do better. Try $53 for internet (including all the taxes, etc) and $15 for cell!!!! When I got on the internet with Verizon to get the details on making the switch, they totally agreed to give me my internet for the Xfinity price. I've asked before and they said I had the lowest package. But this time when I was planning to walk and had an exact quote they suddenly could DO SOMETHING for me! It was exciting! Thank you YNAB for giving me the power to handle my finances!
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Decided to invest part of my savings that is earmarked for a renovation for our apartment complex looming in the future some years away to a low risk investment fund. The interest on all savings accounts in my country are basically nonexistent so it makes sense to do this and let my money grow in the fund while I wait for the renovation to happen and the bill to come my way (won't happen until the renovation is done).
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Powder Blue Pony said:
We planned to get a specific designer lamp with a long armWe were in a hotel a while back and liked the lamp so much I took photos of it so I could source it at home. I guess I have good taste, that lamp was $1200!!! Suffice to say I did not purchase this lamp.
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Silver Lightning said:
they suddenly could DO SOMETHING for me!Why can't they just do this in the first place?!?!? Irritating how they chase new customers with deals and won't give existing customers a break. This just happened with our mortgage company but I said so sad, too bad, too little, too late and went with the other company.