The great thing (or maybe not so great) about keeping a spending diary is that I can track back in my spending and look for trends or patterns, or spot a high spending week. And Ive just broken the record for the highest spending week of the year to date. More on that in a bit.
Mental Health Awareness
Its Mental Health Awareness week this week and I wanted to share my mental health story, from teenage life through to current times. An dmost importantly how I got help when everything went wrong. I know that if we talk honestly about how we are feeling it slowly makes it more socially acceptable for everyone to talk and ask for help.
Latest Podcast Episode – Being a Motherless Mother
Also linked to this is my podcast from last week where Bec and I shared our thoughts and feelings on the death of our mums. And being a motherless mother. We would love you to download and listen to us discuss a difficult subject, there are no tears I promise, but a lot of introspection and thoughts.
I have Broken through £5,000 in Cash Back Savings
I was very excited to see this week to see that I had made just over £5,000 in cash back from Top Cashback in the nine years that I have had my account. Not bad at all to make just under £500 each year in cash back saving or refer a friend income!!
I use it for EVERY online transaction from Nike to Dominos. From flower delivery to insurance. From broadband to Gin boxes. Everything you can buy online can be found on Top Cashback, just click through to your chosen retailer from Top Cashback and save extra money.
Please use my referral code to sign up and start making those extra savings straight away! I get a small thank you payment for you signing up, so if you do THANK YOU!
Spending Diary for early May
So yes, I managed to spend a rather large amount of my £3000 monthly budget in one week, my highest spending week of the year so far. I spent £2,260 in one week. But woah, lets reverse that back a little bit!
Auto Savings and S&S Investment
£187 went into savings pots this week. My now regular £100 a month direct debit went into my Vanguard Stocks & Shares ISA, you can read more about this in my post where I wrote about 4 ways to save £1000.
My auto savings app Plum saved a rather large amount of £87, this is because I paid myself and they saw a balance of £3000 and thought I was in the money. Ah no, as alot of that then goes on bills. Anyways, the good news is that I now have £963 stashed away in my Plum savings. And this has all been saved without me doing anything, except setting up the account! Read my Plum review here.
Bills, Bills, Bills
As normal for the first day of the month I paid most of my monthly bills and this came to £1,559. Mostly made up of my mortgage, £1,236. Ouch, yes, my mortgage payment is significant. Other bills paid include Octopus energy £102, water £22, TV license £13, Income protection insurance £34, council tax £150.
Plus car costs, of monthly PCP payment, car tax and insurance, these came to £193. I had my car settlement statement through this week. On 1st Sept my agreement comes to an end and I will be paying the remaining £11,000 balloon payment and keeping the car. I do not need a new car in any way.
Food Spending
My food spend is something that I cant seem to get in control of. Weeks where I have my boys most of the week do mean higher spending but this week another high week. £120 on groceries which did include a big £88 Aldi shop, plus £95 on eating out. Eating out this week included the boys new favourite, Five Guys, which has just opened in Stevenage. Amazing burgers but its expensive.
Clothing and Nice to Haves
I went shopping with my youngest on Saturday to Stevenage and we chose some new shorts, t-shirts and jumper from H&M. Spending £55. We did get 10% via my H&M app, but yet again I forgot to take in a bag of old clothes, which would have saved us an extra £5. Next time!
I also got some hoop earrings and a purple velvet scrunchie, spending £10. Yes I am 14 (plus 30 years). My beloved citrine (the crystal for abundance) bracelet broke a few weeks ago, and I felt abundance has not been happening since then. £9 was spent on a new bracelet from Etsy.
Other costs
£25 was spent on football tournament fees for my eldest. There was business expenses of £11. And that was it. A total spend of £2, 260 or £2, 073 if you exclude the money that went into savings accounts. And how will I fare for the rest of May? Well its looking like quite a busy month for social stuff, with busy weekends and nights out during the week as well. I think I need to re-budget and add a bit more into my eating out and entertainment budget!
Thank you for reading. Oh and you might have missed this, but I had a very popular post go live this week, I shared my scam story where I lost over £2000. Just the 4000 people have read it!! Very popular post.
