the budget thing
2020 preparation
This is the year that I want my finances to return to a more positive situation. Over the last two years, I had sixteen months where there was no space for me to earn money. I work from home. This was incredibly difficult and frustrating, and seriously ate away at my savings. But now I'm in a place where I can work from home. Moving three times for various reasons, over two years, didn't help either.
the time budget
In a way, a lot of my organising for 2020 has been about this.
It's quite different from when you get up and leave the home to go to work. Working from home, I've found that I can get really slack and waste time. And I also can just obsessively work dawn to dusk. I'm looking at a "middle ground", and I feel that this also is just like a budget: a time one.
Because working from home does require "rules" for myself, just to get things done. And also, time off working.
Hence my spending a lot of time and thought on advance organising. So that I don't spend hours every week in cafes, nor waste hours on the internet.
my $ budget
For me, money is more than about earning. It's also about how I spend my money. Which I think is also important. Just as I don't like to waste my life, I also don't like to waste money. Which, incidentally, I have been. I've been careless which mysteriously eats away at funds.
I've already started the $ thing. For example, I was out briefly doing food shopping today, and realised I was hungry, and craving sugar. I didn't want to go to a bakery nor a cafe, and a banana wasn't going to do the job, so I spent time reading labels on biscuit packets. I managed to get one without sugar, without palm oil, and I calculated the $ to see how they worked out cost per serve. And had some at home with a cuppa. Then I reveled in "saving money" smugness. Of course, that banana would have been better for me.
Disorganisation with food has been my worst area, and doesn't help with weight problems. It works out expensive in the long run.
I've taken myself "in hand":
I feel as though I deserve a medal.
my clothes budget
This is not how it seems. It's more about how I spend $ on clothes rather than setting aside a sum of money.
Some years ago, a friend told me that she had four tops and four bottoms (skirts and pants) to wear with her flat heeled knee high boots, for work. And, she always bought her clothes second hand. She also had jeans and such for when she wasn't working, but definitely not heaps of clothes. I realised recently that I had taken her advice to heart, without even realising it, and for years I had only been doing the four tops and four bottoms thing, summer and winter. Not including cardigans and coats.
It has been difficult, on reflection. Who are these minimalist people who have ten garments at a time? Does that include shoes, bags, coats, and so forth?
Do they have clothes dryers? I don't and I can tell you that a lot of my time is spent getting my washing dry so that I have clean clothes. This is not good for my time budget.
So, I have decided that it has to be five tops and five bottoms. I can manage that.
What do you do?
the time budget
In a way, a lot of my organising for 2020 has been about this.
It's quite different from when you get up and leave the home to go to work. Working from home, I've found that I can get really slack and waste time. And I also can just obsessively work dawn to dusk. I'm looking at a "middle ground", and I feel that this also is just like a budget: a time one.
Because working from home does require "rules" for myself, just to get things done. And also, time off working.
Hence my spending a lot of time and thought on advance organising. So that I don't spend hours every week in cafes, nor waste hours on the internet.
my $ budget
For me, money is more than about earning. It's also about how I spend my money. Which I think is also important. Just as I don't like to waste my life, I also don't like to waste money. Which, incidentally, I have been. I've been careless which mysteriously eats away at funds.
I've already started the $ thing. For example, I was out briefly doing food shopping today, and realised I was hungry, and craving sugar. I didn't want to go to a bakery nor a cafe, and a banana wasn't going to do the job, so I spent time reading labels on biscuit packets. I managed to get one without sugar, without palm oil, and I calculated the $ to see how they worked out cost per serve. And had some at home with a cuppa. Then I reveled in "saving money" smugness. Of course, that banana would have been better for me.
Disorganisation with food has been my worst area, and doesn't help with weight problems. It works out expensive in the long run.
I've taken myself "in hand":
- I worked out what I was going to be eating at home, and when. Guilt for having been so hit or miss here
- I made sure that what I needed was in the cupboards or fridge which was not what had been happening
- I do not stock up as though a famine is coming, because, yep, that's also a great way for me to waste money with produce going "off"
- I've resumed cooking. Yes, I've bitten the bullet and done it
I feel as though I deserve a medal.
what else?
- I have avoided all of the clothes sales and op shops
- I am meticulously and systematically going through all of my skin care and make-up with a self imposed ban on buying more
- I have a yellow beetle (VW). Yes, serious envy from many. I know. However, it will be hell getting a baby (new grandchild is due soon) into a car seat in this adorable little yellow bubble, with only two doors. So I am saving for a more baby-child-friendly car. Not an expensive one, just a more practical one. The things we do for love!
- I've joined a new, very local, gym. It's mega cheap, the personal trainer sessions are ridiculously low, and it will cost me less than one coffee and nibble cafe visit per week. Someone told me that they found it easier to go to the correct place to do a workout, and this has preyed on my mind as a good option. So I've bitten the bullet and signed up
This is not how it seems. It's more about how I spend $ on clothes rather than setting aside a sum of money.
Some years ago, a friend told me that she had four tops and four bottoms (skirts and pants) to wear with her flat heeled knee high boots, for work. And, she always bought her clothes second hand. She also had jeans and such for when she wasn't working, but definitely not heaps of clothes. I realised recently that I had taken her advice to heart, without even realising it, and for years I had only been doing the four tops and four bottoms thing, summer and winter. Not including cardigans and coats.
It has been difficult, on reflection. Who are these minimalist people who have ten garments at a time? Does that include shoes, bags, coats, and so forth?
Do they have clothes dryers? I don't and I can tell you that a lot of my time is spent getting my washing dry so that I have clean clothes. This is not good for my time budget.
So, I have decided that it has to be five tops and five bottoms. I can manage that.
What do you do?
Really enjoyed this post R. I think we do come to a time when too much is definitely too much. I really have become minimalist in the past year. I like the idea of a capsule wardrobe. As it is I have so many clothes but usually wear only a few. It's very liberating taking control of what you do spend and how much you can save when you do! You will have to keep us updated as to how it's working for you 💙
ReplyDeleteThanks. I would love a lot of clothes but then would find it overwhelming with choices and that is just a personality quirk. Moving house, or flat, sorts out minimalism so quickly and I've had to do a fair bit of that in my life.
DeleteGood luck with all your different budgetings. If you can pull it all off, you most certainly will deserve that medal!
ReplyDeletechuckle. Yes I hope I do.
DeleteSounds like you have several thoughts completed however, it is possible to get a car seat and yes that precious baby in a VW can recall a good friend of mine doing just that. On my part I have placed myself on a schedule that I am still working on, saving is budgeted and hopefully will continue it is a hard job being a competent adult but somehow we have to all do it
ReplyDeletethanks for your visit to us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
You hit the nail on the head, Annie about being a competent adult. I think it's called "adulting" lol
DeleteWhat a fabulous post - thats really interesting isnt it the mythic idea that somehow we should/must have a certain number of tops or bottoms... I was getting quite anxious about this until I realised that it is better to keep what you have and look after it, not replacing things unless you must that getting worried about numbers. I have various tee shirts (they fit in a drawer along with pyjamas and a couple of sweatshirts) so I feel OK - they get worn they get cared for, Im ok. What is also is how many of us dont want "stuff" and yet... people seem to think as a woman over 40 I must like being given nicknacks or things or "wee gifts" - actually I hate it, I actually loathe being given things - I love a shared natter over a coffee, but a scented candle - no thanks, another mug - erm nope again, some soap? seriously no... if I want Id rather buy what I actually want and will use - I had to tell myself their issues are not my issues and that it is perfectly OK to pass that gift along to an op shop or similar where someone WILL like it.
ReplyDeleteGosh this is like reading what I would have said! I give away all of those Knick Knacks and stuff. Yes, like you I'm still wearing the same things. I am so over this Having Things mentality. Thanks for popping by.
DeleteI can relate to so much of this! I need to budget my money and my time so much better but yet I continue on my floundering way! Thanks for sharing your budgeting plans, they will definitely help inspire me to create some sort of plan for myself.
ReplyDeleteShelbee
www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Hi Shelbee, I found it much harder to budget my money and time when I was bringing up children. So it is easier for me now, but. It was far lovelier bringing up my children.
DeleteSounds like you have a good plan in place. I manage my money budget well enough, but, not my time budget! I guess I've settled into a more leisurely pace of life now that I am retired, but, very often, I wonder where my day went!
ReplyDeleteBless, I know what you mean. I'm doing a time budget so that I can have more leisure, to be honest. each summer evening, unless something else is planned I go to the beach. My new Thing.
Delete