Spending Diary

Following a near disastrous April that nearly saw me undo all my hard work thus far, I am determined not to let that wobble happen again.  I have devised a spreadsheet where I track all income and expenditure and importantly track my debt and its reduction and that works marvelously in managing my bank accounts and moving money around.  However it’s the pocket money or should I say the bits and bobs spent on my debit card, it’s this unconscious spending that I really need to keep tabs on and as such the need for a spend diary. 
Each day I will record how much and on what I spend, knowledge is power and this will allow me to analyse exactly where I spend, what further savings I make and increase the number of no spend days.  Additionally because I know I will be baring my financial soul and print exactly what I am spending will be a great incentive to think twice about making that purchase.
30th April (Pay Day)
Marks & Spencer – please I never shop here but today was the exception - I work in Lancaster, an affluent city which has two food shops in reasonable walking distance from my work.  One is Wilkinson’s (which is great providing you don’t want fresh produce) or Marks and Spencer – I needed fresh produce (smack the back of my hands as I should have been more planned over the weekend and shopped locally) and driving the extra distance following a long and late commute home was not just on, so I paid the premium, I did however try and find the cheapest I could but still far more expensive than normal (first day and I know where I can improve)
7 Bananas                            £1.49
Cheese Puff Snacks             £0.55
Coke Zero                            £1.19
Bag Italian Lettuce              £2.00
Cucumber                            £1.00
8 Granny Smith Apples       £4.00
Tub Black Peppercorns       £1.57

Total Spends                      £11.80

N.b If I had done this shop at Tesco’s (I’ve just done it online) it would have cost me £9.04

Tuesday 1st May
Diet Coke and bag of crisps 90p
Acclaim household flea spray £9.41 (this was purchased at the advice of the vet, my darling cavachon is gnawing at her legs and whilst I regularly treat her for fleas and I know that she doesn’t have any, as you can see fleas and me and hubby would itch, which we don’t and I run a very clean home J vet wants to absolutely rule it out, but believes she may have allergies, I’ve ordered off Amazon and once arrives I will treat the house, as well as the dog with super strength flea treatment)
                                                                                                                       Running Total:  £22.11

Wednesday 2nd May
I am starting perhaps to see the trend of my unconscious spending but I was invited for a team lunch, as I lead the team I felt that I couldn’t say no, so we went to the local Italian (which had a cheap deal on) but one pizza and a sparkling mineral water £7.50
                                                                                                                       Running Total:  £29.61
Thursday 3rd May

Petrol £62.37
                                                                                                         Running Total:  £91.98
Friday 4th May

No Spend (yeah)
                                                                                                        Running Total:  £91.98

Saturday 5th May
4 Large Bags of Maltesers (buy 2 for £3) treats for neice,nephew and friends kids £6
Loaf of Tesco wholemeal bread 69p
£10 each for my neice and nephew
£47.81 petrol for hubbys car
                                                                                                        Running Total: £166.48

Sunday 6th May
Collection for mass £4
Sparkling Elderflower £1.95
Mcguigan white wine (half price) x 2 £9.50
Elderflower cordial (buy one get one free) x 2 £2.59
Coffee Renoir x 2 £2.49
12 thick cumberland sausages
10 burgers
3 chicken breasts - bought on offer 3 packs of meat for £10
2 french bread sticks £1.78
Bag of rocket £1.00
Bag of Iceberg lettuce £1.00
Salad Dressing £2.15
Chicken liver pate £1.00
2 Fishcakes £1.69
6 mullerlight yogurts (half price) £1.79
8 Granny Smith Apples £2.19
12 Bananas £1.68
Booths Ketchup £1.00
Croutons £1.00
Kettle Crisps £1.79
Granary Bread £1.47
                                                                                                        Running Total:  £214.58

Monday 7th May
No Spend (yeah)

Tuesday 8th May
Diet coke and bag of crisps £1.50
4 pts skimmed milk £1.49
French stick (on offer) £0.69
Iceberg Lettuce £1.00
6 white rolls £1.00
Cucumber £0.90
                                                                                                       Running Total:  £221.16

Wednesday 9th May
Work new baby collection - Hubby  £5.00
Work tea club £0.50
$20 for nephew's confirmation card £12.50
                                                                                                        Running Total:  £239.16

Thursday 10th May
No Spend (yeah)

Friday 11th May
Petrol  £41.07
Weekend Shop
4 pt skimmed milk  £1.18
2 toilet rolls £1.20
4 cans strongbow £4.19
2 blocks of cheese (bogof) £4.19
Breadsticks £0.65
Bread £1.05
8 bananas £1.15
2 basics garlic bread £0.74
10 apples £2.34
2 cucumbers £1.30
2 carrots £0.20
basics crunchy salad £0.85
Basics dips £0.98
Basics tortilla £0.50
                                                                                                           Running Total:  £300.25

Saturday 12th May
Night out, taxi, curry and drinks me and hubby £45
                                                                                                           Running Total:  £345.25
Sunday 13th May
6 eggs £1.86
Garlic bread (BOGO half price) £2.50
2 multipacks of chocolate on offer £2.00
                                                                                                           Running Total:  £351.61

Monday 14th May
Poundland Spend Fest
4 toilet rolls £1.00
10 foil containers £1.00
2 x multipack crisps £2.00
3 x cans diet coke £1.00
2 x packs oreo's £1.00
Cotton buds £1.00
Sandwich from Boots £2.90
                                                                                                         Running Total:  £361.51
Tuesday 15th May
HomeBargains Shop
Dettol mould & mildew cleaner £1.99
Half baked petit pans £0.55
French dressing £0.89
Thousand Island dressing £0.89
Vitamin C  £1.99
                                                                                                         Running Total:  £367.82









2 comments:

  1. I too very rarely shop at m&s but needs must and you probably won't let it happen again!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good move on making a spending diary! I think it is a good way to track your spending versus your income. That way, you can have a clear view of your finances and have a comparison of your expenditures. From there, you can make adjustments on your spending and save money in return. [Jaden Allred ]

    ReplyDelete

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