Tips for Budgeting Every Month

Know your income to start with and then prioritise your spending.

First of all write down your total income including wages, benefits, child allowance etc.

Then write down every single thing you pay out, except food, and make sure you pay monthly by direct debit to keep your ins and outs easy to manage. Direct debit is often cheaper.

Then take away the outs from the ins and divide the remainder by 4. NEVER spend more than that weekly amount and you will always have the same money at end of month as beginning.

Do NOT buy anything you do not need no matter how tempting. Do not drink or smoke. They are not pleasures they are killers. Walk short distances for health and wealth. Buy supermarket brands. Go through all bills and see whether you can get better deals on broadband and phone, and do you really need the expensive tv packages.

Batch cook and use leftovers the next day. Shower instead of bath for 4 mins max. Lights off in rooms not being used, same for tv and radio.

I could go on but it sounds dreary so with the money you may have left over you can have a treat or some fun.

By the way, if you manage to have money left at the end of week 1 to 3 you may wish to get extra shopping the following week and stock up.

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You’ve not explained if you have to budget or wish to save either way draw up a table and enter all spends. Remember to show annual insurances and car repairs etc.

I use olio. We don't have too good to go where I am but I'd use which ever is around in your area. With that I've a mint plant going wild on my balcony. I've made my own dry herbs from picking up olio. I regularly make banana bread from olio bananas. I bake for lunchboxes. It's expensive to start off but long term cheaper. I buy reusable things like reusable cake tins as again cheaper in the long run. I go for yellow stickers when shopping. I freeze what I can and portion up things like meat.

You need to know what your total outgoings and income are. Figure out how much comes in and how much goes out. Then figure out what is being spent on the essentials. Look at what are non essentials or luxuries and figure out what you can cut out. Can you reduce your essential bills by switching, can you reduce your supermarket shop by buying own and value brands (if you don't do these things already). Do not buy things that you do not need, only buy what is necessary.

Make sure lights are off in rooms you aren't using, always use leftovers, freeze things. Buy yellow sticker items if you can and freeze them.

There is loads of other stuff that we do to save money and to budget but the ones above are fairly easy to follow.

My strategy is when I see something for example in a shop, do I really need it. Will this item improve my life. Usually the answer is no and I doubt it

I know people who have 2 bank accounts. They move money when they get paid and then use the second account exclusively so that they don’t overspend

You can use the 50/30/20 rule where you organise your money into 50% your needs and use 30% for your wants and 20% into savings or emergency.

You can have more packed lunches. Grow your own Veg. Check for weekly updates on which is the cheapest supermarket. Walk more if you are able to.

Delete apps such as vinted and eBay so you avoid random temptations. Make sure your bills are covered, some money is moved to save and then budget the rest to enjoy!

When it comes to groceries - only buy what you eat in a week, stick to shopping lists (to avoid food waste which is like throwing money in the bin) and plan your cooked meals. Make your own lunch and buy snacks in supermarkets (usually less expensive than convenience stores or city shops). Buy food staples in bulk only when they're on offer. A few times a year, I buy non-essential items like my preferred wine in bulk when there's a buy 6+ get 25% off offer in supermarkets and make excellent savings

Long winded but my Partner and I have our own bank account plus 3 joint accounts - DD/Food/Save. This system worked well when we were working and as we are now on pension/4 weekly we transfer into joint accounts on pension day £££/DD account - rent/council tax/water/gas/elec + other regular payments out. £££/food - this amount is also wrote on kitchen whiteboard and anything spent deducted to give a running balance, there is no wriggle room, it has to last 4 weeks. I buy yellow stickers when available and fill freezer. ££/save - for any breakdowns etc. What's left out of pension is our own for personal expenses (Birthday/Christmas etc). The main thing is to be focused - Do I want it. Do I need it. Can I afford it. Think about it for a week and see if you've missed it or would have used it.

100% spreadsheet. Make sure you have a copy of your direct debits and You go somewhere and don't under price it and always be honest .If u spend a £1 on something u add it to your spreadsheet and your income and eventually it help you build an understanding of the direction your heading .

It’s strange that the person who started this thread hasn’t replied to anyone.

If you put 1p away every day you will have £3.65 every year to spend on anything you want.

Adding to that Pfs and boboo that if you do 1p on January the 1st and 2p the next day and 3p the next day and so on and on you will have £600+ .

I recently bought a small indoor food compost bin. I'm horrified at the amount of food we WERE wasting. Menu planning is absolutely imperative if you wish to save