about adapting to frugal lifestyle after an incomebreakdown 🫠
my adhd is giving me a hard time not spending for any impulsive ideas but I am left with only round about a quarter of my former income and I can’t adapt well. I had enough before and since half a year I don’t, but my brain wants to spent money like before.
we don’t eat expensive, but we snack expensive. i usually don’t buy a lot of clothes but I lost a lot of weight and most doesn’t fit anymore (and I’m going to look for a new job soon, so I need at least one proper outfit).
we got a cat and a dog, which had super heavy health scares last year. so I pay for the insurances instead of waiting for the worst. the dog is allergic af and I have to buy expensive special food. i am a single parent and have to take care of the teenagers needs as well.
I’m going to sell my car soon, because I just have to to get by. social aid doesn’t pay anything at this point because I was couple of bucks over the limit so far. But they don’t consider the high debt I got. So I’m actually pretty concerned right now. i used to be poor before, so I kinda know I will get over this episode, but it terrifies me at this point.
long story short: i need a network of no-buy-buddies that helps keep me from spending too much. anyone out there?
For spending, calculate your daily spend limit (monthly income divided by 31) and try not to spend anything more than that any given day. If you need to spend more then you have to save that money from thee day before. Do not lend money from future days. Only accumulate from money not spent in the past. For example your monthly income 3100, then your daily spend limit is 100. You cannot spend 150 and hope that tomorrow you will only spend 50. Do it I. Reverse. Today spend 50. If you manage it, tomorrow spend 100. Only if necessary that you can spend 100 + the 50 you saved the day before.
Also try getting rid of the pets. I can’t believe you pay insurance for the pet. We do have people that have no insurance even for themselves. I know you love them, but it times are hard. Maybe be give them to someone you know so you can get them back once you are doing better.
You haven’t spoken much about food but you have cook your own food and snacks. Do not eat out. Do not but snacks. Your health and pocket will thank you. You can have snacks for really cheap. Just find inspiration in the internet or your relatives.
Very important addition: do this AFTER SUBSTRACTING STANDING EXPENSES FROM YOUR INCOME. So, take your monthly income, substract rent/mortgage, insurance, electricity, phone bills, wifi and everything else you can’t help paying once a month. Then divide the remainder by 31 for your daily budget.
that is such a smart thing to do. I’m going to set myself a daily budget asap. I think that might actually work for me, because I tend to be competetive with myself.
the thing about not spending money I don’t have yet is the thing I try to teach my teen, but I guess I have to remind myself as well. thanks for that!
in my country healthcare is free, so I only pay insurance for the pets! it’s round about 100€/month for both and all eventual costs are included except food. but it’s still a lot of money. getting rid of them isn’t easy. I might find someone to help with the dog costs, I have someone in mind. and it’s a good idea to give the cat to someone who would give it back. urgh, I hate this situation.
I’ve stopped eating out and get our food from a discounter/cook it myself, so i hope to save money. realised the snack thing while typing - good idea to ask around and try out to make some myself