Looking through my old files, I found one called finance. This was my proposed spending plan before I moved to Edinburgh. It's shown below. Looking back at it, I had to wonder what happened.
The original plan
Rentflurble.org, network connection. (40 / mth)
mobile phone costs (5 / mth)
food (30 / w -> 130 /m)
b33r (5 / w -> 25 / m)
gas, leccy, water, council tax (100 / mth)
bicycle repair, light bulbs, incidentals (10 / mth)
cleaning stuff (kitchen etc), cleaning stuff (me). (5 / mth)
travel (100 / mth)
(clothes, books, computers, ...) (30 / mth)
total p/m before rent : 445
total p/m avail : ~ 800 (+ help)
total avail for rent : ...
What happened?
Rent 370/month. 350 was available. thought this should be ok
flurble.org, network connection. (40 / mth) in fact, slightly less than that
mobile phone costs (5 / mth) almost certainly less than that
food (30 / w -> 130 /m) hm, not sure. staple diet not expensive, and I don't eat out that much, but chocolate, etc... ? Still probably less, most weeks, but more when I visit AJ/AJ visits me.
b33r (5 / w -> 25 / m) rarely go to pub, far less than that!
gas, leccy, water, council tax (100 / mth) no gas, no council tax (student), no water (goes on council tax in Scotland), 30-40/month leccy.
bicycle repair, light bulbs, incidentals (10 / mth) not too much on bicycle repair and far less than that on light bulbs. but what about camera repair (100), new mattress (200), laptop repair (300), hoover, fluffy duster, board markers, plants, ... ?
cleaning stuff (kitchen etc), cleaning stuff (me). (5 / mth) probably about right
travel (100 / mth) hm, well, going to Cambridge only costs 60, and I only went a couple of times in semester 2. I've been to a few other places, and caught a bus occasionally, but still... I guess I could include the extra spending that happens in Cambridge on this too, and the books/sweets I buy during the journey.
(clothes, books, computers, ...) (30 / mth) clothes I tend to buy in a burst every few months, books I pick up at charity shops and sometimes new from the station. may average out to slightly more than 30 / month, but not too much more. computers? I guess I buy stuff for the computer occasionally, but not too often
total p/m before rent : 445
total p/m avail : ~ 800 (+ help)
total avail for rent : ... 350
bank statements say: I routinely spend about 100/month than I get in, and that includes the "help" (250/month from my grandpa).
So, where's it all going? First thing, several large
"incidentals", unaccounted for. Second thing, many more small
incidentals. New mugs, plants, hoovers, saucepans, baileys, fuses,
swimming ... Well, still not really sure that that accounts for
everything. But something's eating my money!