August Spending Diary
As part of my Money Monday series, I am going to keep a monthly spending diary for the rest of the year. As a rule, at the beginning of the month. I always set up my rent, credit card and loan payments as direct debits/standing orders to leave my bank as soon as I get paid. It’s the easiest way to budget. Use this opportunity also to save a little bit of money if you are in a position to.
Week 1:
My rent, credit card repayments (£250 X 2) and loan payment (£236.93) are whisked out of my account the day after payday, so I know what is left to budget with.
Everything is already set up in my spending app as a recurring payment, which helps with budgeting. I then set up weekly pots of money using my Monzo app, allocating myself a weekly budget of £200. My Zone 1-4 weekly travel card is £50.50, so this must also be deducted from my weekly budget.
August started with a trip to see my family in Exeter. I had to buy my tickets on payday at full price (£78.60) as I couldn’t budget for this in July. First personal financial fail! My brother and his family always look after me, so the only expenses were a birthday present (£30) over the weekend and a catch-up over football at the local pub (my brother doesn’t drink, so this was a cheap afternoon).
The second personal finance failure was that I couldn’t resist an impulse buy on payday. Lengbox Ltd was in the atrium of my WeWork, and I couldn’t resist the luxury items on display. I bought myself 3 face masks for £5, as well as a hair conditioner and Argan hair moisture mist because my hair has been so dry recently (£29.40). On one hand, whilst I think that this is a personal financial failure. I have been telling myself that I need to embrace self-care more. So I think a little self-indulgence is good.
Week 2:
Already I found that I had started to move money from Week 2 to Week 1, then Week 3 to Week 2. It was rather alarming to observe that I was borrowing money from my future self. I decided to sign up for Mealpal with everyone else at work for £38.04. I thought of this as a massive cost-saving as buying food at lunch can be quite costly in Farringdon. It is also a great way of having lunch prepared each day with no additional expenses.
An unexpected cost of £65.99 came out from GoDaddy, which set my budgeting back this week.
A birthday bottomless Prosecco dinner at Wringer and Mangle at the weekend cost me £76.00, with an Uber to my house costing another £34.05. I refuse to travel by myself late at night if I have been out with friends after being mugged on the way home a few years ago. Taxis are a necessity to budget for each time I go out for the evening.
Celeste Barber’s tickets had already been booked for my friend’s birthday the next day, which was just amazing. She truly is so funny, offering a message of self-acceptance in an Insta-world.
On Sunday, I decided to take photos for the London Espresso Martini Festival, but many of the places promoted in Shoreditch were not open until the evening. So this girl ended up eating out at an expense of £35.10 (pp) at the Smoking Goat. Impressive restaurant. Careful of the spices! Great cocktails too. This weekend proved to be the tipping point for my overspending.
Week 3:
Week 3 was when I faced the fact that I could no longer budget for everything I had planned to do in August.
I had booked myself a ‘Chakra’ massage for £55.00 from Treatwell on Monday. Whilst this is great for my body and soul, this didn’t help my bank balance. I bought an emerald necklace from Amazon on the recommendation of the massage healer, all of which culminated in the descent into being broke again before payday.
Week 4:
Knowing a bank holiday weekend was coming up with South West Four tickets already booked. I had to really minimise any socialising this week. I also had a really hectic week at work, so I chilled out Friday night and Saturday morning before heading out. Going out for lunch instead of going straight into SW4 was good because I caught up with my friend and ate something to last the day. We did cane the money when in there, even though we went easy on the drinks to have fun.
Week 5:
Missed the carnival as my responsible self had a two-day sales training course after the bank holiday weekend. So I decided to stay home on Bank Holiday Monday instead. I didn’t spend money the following days and also didn’t spend any additional money on lunches as I had signed up to Mealpal for the rest of the week—a budgeting win.
Rooftop Film Club
Rooftop Film Club had offered me two tickets to see one of their open-air films, which I was incredibly excited about. I chose Straight Outta Compton in Peckham as part of their hip-hip nights which was amazing—kindly gifting popcorn and a glass of prosecco. My only expenses this week were a cheeky £5 cocktail on Happy Hour before I went in to see the film, together with a round of drinks afterwards. Due to the fact, it was a late finish, I got a taxi home (£24). Pay Day couldn’t have come at a better time. Celebrating at Wetherspoons, where we buy our lunch and drinks using their app. I vowed that next month. I would manage my money pots more efficiently!
Let us know how August was for you in the comments below:
