I'm similar in my outlook to you Vivi. I live on small income, self employed. Mortgage and debt free. Never been rich always had to manage and worked hard. Today I treated myself to a tall floor lamp, over half price in the sales. Have wanted one for a long time. I managed to buy a lovely one today. I so appreciate it. It is exactly what I wanted. When you save and wait for what you want, it then becomes such a treat. This is a very good video. You are on my wavelength.
I am having a no buy year. I want to save money to buy land and build a little house before my 70th birthday (in eight years) I do pretty well on a small fixed income but I can do better. You have always inspired me with your frugality. Thank you!
My Grandparents scrimped and saved their whole lives so that they had something to leave their children, £40,000 - so £10,000 to each child. They never had holidays, their carpets were threadbare, likewise their clothes. All the children had told them to spend it, but they refused and didn’t want to be a burden. I’ve told my parents to spend up - so imagine my surprise (and delight) to find some lovely, very expensive, powered recliners when I visited this Christmas! (So comfortable I never made it to bed on my first night’s stay!)
I believe that some people were born frugal . My husband would not buy anything for himself except food . But the children could ask him whatever and he'd buy it for them . And I once realised his shoes were so worn out that he had put cardboard inside to cover a hole ...I had to buy the same colour shirts and swap new ones for the threadbare ones in his closet ...I think he might have thought his shirts were 20 years old 😅 . But he was the best dad ever , never depriving the children , but his brain was wired " don't spend money " .
My question is- how do people find the time to go shopping? What with tending my small, courtyard, garden; the stack of gifted/ loaned books i have to read; brilliant free programs on iplayer; brilliant radio programmes on BBC sounds; sewing projects; knitting projects; going to friends ( or having friends over); cooking from scratch; You Tube for learning, inspiration and calming, my £7 per week yoga class let alone volunteering for my local Foodbank each week and manning the phone for it - i really dont have time to wander aimlessly round shops going 'what shall i buy?'
Yep... if you don't go shopping you won't buy anything. I used to go "looking" just for fun, but it always ended in purchases. Now, I just don't go unless I actually want/need something.
I've never been asked how I don't spend. I get called tight though. The funny thing is, when you get used to not spending, you don't miss it. It's like an addiction. I remember those Saturday morning shopping hauls and I don't miss them because I've realised they didn't add anything to my life. I am used to just buying what I need, and I don't miss the impulse purchases. I do like seeing those extra numbers in my savings account though and I definitely don't miss worrying about whether there is enough to pay the bills or cover emergency things.
I treat myself to a a coffee at the coffeebar at work every Wednesday, run by the special needs class at the school where I work. Open every Wedn. A bargain, and I get to meet the sweetest students at my school ♥ Other than that, I am saving every crown for a new greenhouse. Need a solid one, that can take snow and winds! Not letting myself into temptation, especially when I have a goal.
I used to be a part of a course at my college for people with learning disabilities who want to start working. We had a cafe where we made the coffees so thank you for supporting them! It really means a lot to us when you buy from these places as we learn how to work/make products.
Thanks, Vivi for all your chats. These past two chats have really hit home for me. I see them as the "letting go" chats. Yesterday's video was for me concerning energy drainers; certain people that drain my energy and this video is what I call, letting go of the financial drain of overconsuming. In the past year or two I had to reassess some one-sided relationships and decided to gently let these people go, as I finally realized that I was viewed as a person's "ear" to vent frustrations on was not healthy for me and it certainly wasn't a path for me to grow and develop new tools for life as there was no room to grow in that vacuum of negative talk. That coupled with not letting myself be tempted by reactionary spending in thinking that I needed something when it was, in fact, was all want, want, want.
I so relate to this post. I let toxic people go several years ago. Now as I ease into retirement, I’m working on spending much less to mimic my retirement funds.
I am fortunately debt free, but I am determined to write down everything I purchase this year so I can see how I can cut down on unnecessary things+ not buy anything that I don’t actually need.
Vivi, it's so good to hear you talk about having a set amount of cash in your purse to spend. It's far too easy to swipe a debit card and lose track of how much money you are actually spending. The bank in our village closed last summer, as did the one in the next closest village and I'm finding it hard to actually get cash. It's so much easier to track bits and pieces of spending if I have cash to hand. Modern life is driving me NUTS! 😂 HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎉 Angie x
I've definitely got to the stage of "do I really need that" and it works. I've saved such a lot even with spending for Christmas. My mindset has definitely changed. I tot up my bills at the beginning of each month and what's over I always put half into my savings. I'm retired now so have only my pensions to rely on. I have to be careful. I'm saving for a wonderful holiday in Austria at the end of February. I spent a lot of time there in my 20's. I'm taking my daughter for a treat as we both had big birthdays last year. This is definitely the way to save for me. Happy New Year Viv xx
Happy New Year -AGAIN !! A very timely refresher talk today … This very morning I reworked my budget , in the spirit of the new year , and I find that some bills are going up; health insurance , rent ,heating , etc. - food here is still pretty high from inflation …it’s downright frightening ! I’m beginning to feel I need to make spending choices - heat or eat - it’s going to be a bit tight on my fixed income . Good to know I’m not alone , Vivi shares the same concerns , as others I’m sure . Thanks for the shot of encouragement , Viv !! Good talk ! ❤Marilyn xx
I feel like today people feel entitled to pleasures and fun, and in the end they dont even value and enjoy them. Everything has become so superficial, expensive AND low quality at the same time. It actually helps me to not spend. So much junk around. I can imagine my grandparents laughing their asses of if they knew that books on minimalism are now bestsellers and there are seminars on how to buy less. Hilarious.
Thanks for the chat Vivi. Can’t say I don’t spend but I am not a spendthrift. I have always lived within my means. But lately I catch myself saying “Jo you can’t take it with you”. Our biggest asset is our ability to earn money in whatever form that takes. Glad your new computer will free up some of your precious time…15 hours! Are you kidding me? 🌟❤️
I've been thinking 'you can't take it with you' more and more of late too......once I've moved I will finally start getting some of my books sold to bolster the pension fund! Ugh, yes, crazy hours spent on this old computer.....definitely time (after nearly 12 years!) for an upgrade. 😊
This is so good, Vivi. I went to town to sort out savings today. To be strict at putting this amount away. It's a start for me. I have got carried away with getting garden equipment. I am doing small steps to train myself to be better at not spending. It's a nice feeling to have not overspent. 😊 OMG, 25 pounds in a charity shop! Such good advice Vivi. 😊
Some people just can't do simple. Their expectations and views of what life is ate too high. It's the judgemental part of "success". from them or others. Plus they are often not brought up to manage their money and probably never been without.I certainly frittered money away in my younger days but now I keep to a budget and save. Thanks Mum for teaching me.
Hi Viv, Happy New year 🎉 Thank you for your video, and that's what I do regarding the shops. Stay away from them unless it's absolutely essential. Hope your week goes well Xxx
I have lived on a budget for years and slowly slowly the savings accumulate. I now get a nice warm feeling to know that if some disaster should befall I have a little money to call on.
I am trying to improve on this Vivi. I also want to say yiu have done an amazing job for many many years to stay on budget and pay your flat off and not have debt 😊 Good for you and great example for others. Thank you. ❤
🤔 I’ve not seen any of your other videos, so I don’t really know that much about you, but there’s one thing in this video that I think very differently about. I don’t see the problem with looking at things you can’t afford to buy. 🤷♀️ Just as an example: When I was in my early teens, my Mum and I enjoyed looking in all the shop windows, especially when the shops were closed and the windows were lit up. We never had any problems with just looking, nor with the fact that we couldn’t afford to buy such lovely things. We marvelled in the joy of seeing them and chatting to each other about them. This was many years ago and I think that so many people nowadays are of the ‘must have’ mindset that they actually miss out on what we experienced. There’s a discontentment with the culture of the modern world, which has destroyed our ability to simply be - and not want, just for the sake of it! (I’m not criticising your views, just commenting from my own personal experience and outlook).
Love this advice. In October last year, I started putting whatever was in my purse in a cash wallet and recorded my savings. I was then able to use it when I did a Christmas trip down south to see friends and family. The trip was booked on a black Friday discount, so all that left was petrol, which I had already budgeted for. I enjoyed the trip more because of the work I had done two months beforehand. This year, I'm going to try and put the money at the end of the week in a cash wallet and record it for the whole year. Fingers crossed 🤞. Thanks for the fab video. Hugs xx
£23 a week doesn’t even cover my Diesel to get to both my jobs 😮. I’m working towards being debt free, then moving, then mortgage free and retiring by 55, as a single adult it won’t be easy but living frugally helps so much and so does my Allotment
Having an allotment has been a HUGE bonus for me these last few years........I worked out the value of my harvests one year against shop prices......if I had bought everything I grew it would have cost me £2000 for that year!
@@WhatVivididnext wow that’s insane! I’m new to Allotments’s life, I only got my plot in July 23 so didn’t really get a chance to utilise it fully, I haven’t been able to go for about 8 weeks due to the horrific weather, but I can’t wait for things to improve and get a chance to make full use of it this year
Thanks Vivi! You are right, using a thermos for drinks on the go, in my case coffee guzzling, is a HUGE penny saver over time. It tastes just as nice from a flask too! I work in a big apartment complex where a lot of quite well off International students let apartments, the amount of perfectly good items they leave behind or dump when their lease is up is really scary, so I occasionally discreetly do my 'shopping" at work. ;)
Hi lovely lady. Thank you so much for these videos. I literally can’t wait for the next one. This year I am restricting my viewing content to just one or two channels, yours being one of them as I thoroughly enjoy all of your videos, regardless of topic however these ones are perfect for the year we have planned as I’ve said. Health and finances, both of which start with the veg garden here. I do hope you’ll do a monthly check in on this topic 👏 thanks again, Tracy 🌱
Hi Vivi 🎉happy new year 🎉 I totally agree with you about saving the pennies or looking after them and your pounds with be saved I’m always on a frugal journey then as you say the money is there if we need anything Looking forward to your next video on budgets Take care xx💛💛💛💛
If I don't have cash on me I always feel a bit vulnerable. I don't feel the need to spend it, just to have it. Probably a sign of my age. My daughter rarely has cash.
I hear you.....I usually have a pound coin on me....and maybe some 10ps for a phone box if my mobile conked out (good luck finding a phone box though!)......a hangover form my Girl Guide days. 😉
My biggest challenge is going into Thrift Shops …just to look🙄 I have cut myself down to once every other month this past year. For 2024, I plan on going only when I absolutely need to replace an item. Because, like you I have bigger goals. So savings is taking priority this year.
I'm "lucky" in that I hate shopping of all kinds and since I can no longer drive or get to the shops easily am more than happy to have switched to online shopping so now have a grocery delivery twice a month, and a small veg box twice a month as well. By planning what I will be eating (only a rough plan) I never seem to run out of anything. The only shopping I used to like was browsing the charity shops for books but since my sight has deteriorated tend to rely on audio books and the library Borrowbox app is very good - although you sometimes have to wait a while for new releases. I am going to have some work done on the house this year and will have to pay someone to do things I used to be able to do, which is a bit annoying, but have budgetted for that and it will make life a little easier so is money well spent. A new washing machine may be needed I but have the money set aside for that in a "household" budget category, and of course there may be unforeseen things crop up - which is covered by my emergency fund - but other than that, and a couple of new plants for the garden, I can't think of anything I actually want. Best wishes for the coming year Vivi, and I hope all your planning pays off and you find the right place for the next chapter of your life.
Being debt and mortgage free makes things a lot easier, i budget every month and have different small bank accounts set aside for larger bills and the unexpected. I dont drink, i dont eat out, i dont have take aways and i dont smoke, i batch cook all the time so i find its very easy to cope on a small income but we are all different.
As someone with a decent salary I still give myself a budget and I think everyone should. Even if I have the money, I use max. 5% of it on "wants" like hobbies, newspaper subscriptions, spotify, audible, eating out etc. Before buying anything I think twice if I really need it or if I already have something that has the same function and that I can still use. We buy new things when the old ones brake and save up for things we want. At least 15% goes into savings and investing. If I don't have the money in my bank account and it doesn't fit into the budget, I don't buy it. I don't take money out of saving for things I want, only things I actually need like if the car brakes down or I need a plumber to fix a pipe that burst. I have a credit card but it has been drilled in me that I never use if unless I can pay it off completely that month. We've never taken a loan to buy a car or do house repairs, we always pay cash and that means I drove a crappy car for 10 years and our house is still in progress. Our mortgage is the only loan we have ever taken, and that will be paid off this year, 10 years after we bought the house. The whole culture of using money you don't have is in my opinion the reason so many struggle with money. Instead of saving up and buying things people take loans or pay with credit and then spend over twice the time to pay that off that they would have spent saving for it, while paying interest.
@@WhatVivididnext People see it as missing out on things, but budgeting like this has made it possible for us to save up enough to buy a 1 hectare plot of land with a cottage in cash. Worth soooo many vacations, times eating out and all that stuff that just collects dust in the corner!
I am 11 months into my no buy year, coincidently when I became single again. Now I need only look after myself and my dogs. I'm saving so much money. It is unreal how much money I was spending on other people.
When I was small, we always had to calculate what we picked up at the stores because we had exactly X amount and that was it. That habit of not consuming has continued. There are times when we consume (a bit more food for the holidays) but I prefer to not consume and to reuse or fix. I agree that definitely staying away from stores helps a lot. For me, I notice I have a very negative view of consumption now. I would prefer not to consume at all. Therefore, consumption has to be a necessity, such as food. Even for food, I still remember as kids buying the dry items because cans were too expensive; growing our own food because greens at the stores were too expensive. Not only that, but once I had to buy stuff from stores, I remember the flavor of fresh foods and really hate the food at the stores. I always add some of my own herbs or veggies to my meals. I have a lot of herbs or dried items stocked up. I make my own lemonade, freeze my own fruits, etc. It is definitely not about depravation. It is about not covering the earth with useles garbage and consuming items that last a long time or taste very good.
Hi Vivi, I really admire how you manage, it's amazing! I've always been good with money, thank goodness, and I'm rarely impulsive. I have separate budgets for groceries & for other things, and I'm quite frugal generally in my approach to spending. With a chest of drawers, if it were me, I'd think of it as an item I was saving for rather than taking it out of everyday spending money. How do you decide which is which? I'm fascinated by different approaches to this 😀. Thank you.
Cheers lovely! I think with bigger spends, like the chest of drawers, it would normally be a save-up-for item ......but.......if I chanced on such a thing at a bargain price (less than my £35 a week budget) I would be willing to get it right there and then and scrimp on everything else for the week....
👁👁 I hear you, and try to do the same. Trying to not buy things I don't need, and make sure I don't go to places where I will be strongly tempted. One of my weaknesses is books, too. I just don't go shopping for fun. I go when I actually need things. It's not fun when the money is short. But lots of folks are living thin. Not sure exactly where you are, but I'm in the southern US. Keep showing the way, dear.
I celebrated new year with an expensive meal complete with a mango margarita. so stupid of me. with tip, that little moment cost $55! It didn't even taste that great! that would have almost paid my internet bill! I agree, if I don't pay attention, I can throw away $$$$ that could potentially purchase something I really wanted or pay for an emergency. I guess I was due for a reality check lol
Something similar happened to me. I realized I could have paid 2 monthly bills with the money that "disappeared ". Now every dollar has an assignment at the beginning of the month.
We could all learn a lot from you Miss Vivi. I've got a savings tin I can't get into and i'm determined to put any cash I have into it. Will think of you each time I make a deposit. ❤
I'm in the situation now where there is way less money than we had before. Hours are being cut, and the only money I have is through online sells. There has to be a no spend, since I get paid weekly the first two paychecks are for bills only, 20.00 is allowed for groceries each week. Next paycheck is for all savings, if there is enough leftover then the third is being hidden for a new stove. I am pretty lucky as we own our home, and have a large pantry. Lights are being turned off due to the heat being on. I just wish I were a little warmer.
Vivi - I use a Chromebook, it's so much faster & easier as all your files are stored in your "cloud" & not on your computer. I do my work invoices & spreadsheets on it too x
My photos have all just been swapped to the cloud........without me touching a button.....it was a bit disconcerting as it all looks different now.....but I'm getting there....
I'd love to use the library but it's a bus ride away so would cost me £3.30 each time......so I use the charity shops instead and that way they get a bit of money and I get books I can pass on to friends. 😊
Ah OK that makes sense! Hopefully your new home will be near a library for access to many more books 📚 Charity shops are getting so expensive. You are amazing at finding wonderful books at good prices though 😊
Hi Vivi, I know you’ve spoke on and off about this but please could you share if you only use cash for your monthly/weekly allowance? Maybe that’s covered on Sunday’s video? Happy to wait if so. I’m trying to decide if I should trial cash for my spends such as fuel, minimal groceries where possible. A lot is now cashless (school lunches for kids for example) and although having an online transaction for everything makes admin easier, there’s something about handing cash over isn’t there. Curious as to your and others ideas. Also if I haven’t spent the cash at the end of the week or month, I would like to transfer jt to my electronic savings so that’s another consideration. Sorry, thinking out loud and chatty 😂 Tracy ❤
I'm cash all the way! I take the £35 out at the bank on Monday.......any left over by the following Saturday gets put in my Post Office savings account. All easy and accessible for me as I have a bank and PO on my High Street a stones throw from where I live.....but I realise it may be harder for folk in villages with neither.
I'm similar in my outlook to you Vivi. I live on small income, self employed. Mortgage and debt free. Never been rich always had to manage and worked hard. Today I treated myself to a tall floor lamp, over half price in the sales. Have wanted one for a long time. I managed to buy a lovely one today. I so appreciate it. It is exactly what I wanted. When you save and wait for what you want, it then becomes such a treat. This is a very good video. You are on my wavelength.
Oh that's great.....perfect for reading or sewing etc during these dark evenings. A well earned treat!
I am having a no buy year. I want to save money to buy land and build a little house before my 70th birthday (in eight years)
I do pretty well on a small fixed income but I can do better.
You have always inspired me with your frugality. Thank you!
Oh what a fabulous saving goal! Good luck....I hope that dream becomes reality soon for you. 😊
My Grandparents scrimped and saved their whole lives so that they had something to leave their children, £40,000 - so £10,000 to each child.
They never had holidays, their carpets were threadbare, likewise their clothes.
All the children had told them to spend it, but they refused and didn’t want to be a burden.
I’ve told my parents to spend up - so imagine my surprise (and delight) to find some lovely, very expensive, powered recliners when I visited this Christmas!
(So comfortable I never made it to bed on my first night’s stay!)
Oh that's lovely. 💖
I believe that some people were born frugal . My husband would not buy anything for himself except food . But the children could ask him whatever and he'd buy it for them . And I once realised his shoes were so worn out that he had put cardboard inside to cover a hole ...I had to buy the same colour shirts and swap new ones for the threadbare ones in his closet ...I think he might have thought his shirts were 20 years old 😅 . But he was the best dad ever , never depriving the children , but his brain was wired " don't spend money " .
Awww, he sounds great. 😊
My question is- how do people find the time to go shopping? What with tending my small, courtyard, garden; the stack of gifted/ loaned books i have to read; brilliant free programs on iplayer; brilliant radio programmes on BBC sounds; sewing projects; knitting projects; going to friends ( or having friends over); cooking from scratch; You Tube for learning, inspiration and calming, my £7 per week yoga class let alone volunteering for my local Foodbank each week and manning the phone for it - i really dont have time to wander aimlessly round shops going 'what shall i buy?'
Exactly! 😀
Yep... if you don't go shopping you won't buy anything. I used to go "looking" just for fun, but it always ended in purchases. Now, I just don't go unless I actually want/need something.
Perfect! 😊
A little bit of my problem.
Bit of a loner.
Go out for "company"
Got myself a little radio now.
Lots of books gifts.
I can do this...
Enjoy ❤
I've never been asked how I don't spend. I get called tight though. The funny thing is, when you get used to not spending, you don't miss it. It's like an addiction. I remember those Saturday morning shopping hauls and I don't miss them because I've realised they didn't add anything to my life. I am used to just buying what I need, and I don't miss the impulse purchases. I do like seeing those extra numbers in my savings account though and I definitely don't miss worrying about whether there is enough to pay the bills or cover emergency things.
Perfect! I'd also far rather have something in savings for an emergency....than something extra, that I don't really need, in my shopping basket. 😊
I treat myself to a a coffee at the coffeebar at work every Wednesday, run by the special needs class at the school where I work. Open every Wedn. A bargain, and I get to meet the sweetest students at my school ♥ Other than that, I am saving every crown for a new greenhouse. Need a solid one, that can take snow and winds! Not letting myself into temptation, especially when I have a goal.
That's a lovely treat! And a solid greenhouse is a fab savings goal. 😊
I used to be a part of a course at my college for people with learning disabilities who want to start working. We had a cafe where we made the coffees so thank you for supporting them! It really means a lot to us when you buy from these places as we learn how to work/make products.
Vivi, thank you for your money advice. I’m on a tight fixed budget and appreciate your thoughts. Take care my friend, Cindy 🙋🏻♀️😘
Thank you lovely. 😊
Great advice. Good to hear it as we sometimes need a reminder to tighten things up again. It's good to not let our possessions weigh us down.
Absolutely. 😊
Thanks, Vivi for all your chats. These past two chats have really hit home for me. I see them as the "letting go" chats. Yesterday's video was for me concerning energy drainers; certain people that drain my energy and this video is what I call, letting go of the financial drain of overconsuming. In the past year or two I had to reassess some one-sided relationships and decided to gently let these people go, as I finally realized that I was viewed as a person's "ear" to vent frustrations on was not healthy for me and it certainly wasn't a path for me to grow and develop new tools for life as there was no room to grow in that vacuum of negative talk. That coupled with not letting myself be tempted by reactionary spending in thinking that I needed something when it was, in fact, was all want, want, want.
Yay for letting go! And good on you for not being tempted into reactionary/emotional spending - that's great! 😊
I so relate to this post. I let toxic people go several years ago. Now as I ease into retirement, I’m working on spending much less to mimic my retirement funds.
I agree just let the negative nonsense people go. I have them called vampires. Suck the life (energy) right out of you.
I am fortunately debt free, but I am determined to write down everything I purchase this year so I can see how I can cut down on unnecessary things+ not buy anything that I don’t actually need.
Yay, good on you lovely! 😊
Vivi, it's so good to hear you talk about having a set amount of cash in your purse to spend. It's far too easy to swipe a debit card and lose track of how much money you are actually spending. The bank in our village closed last summer, as did the one in the next closest village and I'm finding it hard to actually get cash. It's so much easier to track bits and pieces of spending if I have cash to hand. Modern life is driving me NUTS! 😂
HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎉
Angie x
Ugh, me too lovely! The closing of so many bank branches makes me quite angry! 😒
I've definitely got to the stage of "do I really need that" and it works. I've saved such a lot even with spending for Christmas. My mindset has definitely changed. I tot up my bills at the beginning of each month and what's over I always put half into my savings. I'm retired now so have only my pensions to rely on. I have to be careful. I'm saving for a wonderful holiday in Austria at the end of February. I spent a lot of time there in my 20's. I'm taking my daughter for a treat as we both had big birthdays last year. This is definitely the way to save for me. Happy New Year Viv xx
What a great savings goal! How lovely to revisit a place from your youth.....and be able to do it with your daughter....I reckon you'll have a ball! 😊
Happy New Year -AGAIN !!
A very timely refresher talk today …
This very morning I reworked my budget , in the spirit of the new year , and I find that some bills are going up; health insurance , rent ,heating , etc. - food here is still pretty high from inflation …it’s downright frightening ! I’m beginning to feel I need to make spending choices - heat or eat -
it’s going to be a bit tight on my fixed income . Good to know I’m not alone , Vivi shares the same concerns , as others I’m sure . Thanks for the shot of encouragement , Viv !! Good talk !
❤Marilyn xx
My pleasure! Ach, it is getting harder......but a regular self-questioning (do I really need it?) can so often help. 😊
@@WhatVivididnext lol , you know if I’m in a store and tempted by what I did not go in for - I actually say - what would Vivi Think ???!!!
@@marilyn9155 Haha, perfect! 😉
great video and advice...... im trying hard this year to not waste money... save more money... and cut down on my food waste 😀
Yay, good on you lovely! 😊
@@WhatVivididnext thank you vivi 😊
I feel like today people feel entitled to pleasures and fun, and in the end they dont even value and enjoy them. Everything has become so superficial, expensive AND low quality at the same time. It actually helps me to not spend. So much junk around. I can imagine my grandparents laughing their asses of if they knew that books on minimalism are now bestsellers and there are seminars on how to buy less. Hilarious.
Thanks for the chat Vivi. Can’t say I don’t spend but I am not a spendthrift. I have always lived within my means. But lately I catch myself saying “Jo you can’t take it with you”. Our biggest asset is our ability to earn money in whatever form that takes. Glad your new computer will free up some of your precious time…15 hours! Are you kidding me? 🌟❤️
I've been thinking 'you can't take it with you' more and more of late too......once I've moved I will finally start getting some of my books sold to bolster the pension fund! Ugh, yes, crazy hours spent on this old computer.....definitely time (after nearly 12 years!) for an upgrade. 😊
You're right but l spend on experience such as holidays . Not buying stuff
Look forward to your next budget chat ! ❤❤xx
Cheers lovely.......it'll be out at the weekend......with a book chat coming before that. 😊
@@WhatVivididnext 👍🏻love the book chats as well - cozy…❤️
@@marilyn9155 Thank you! 😀
I agree Vivi, I’m over stuff!
Three cheers to that! 😀 Like Joanne said, we can't take all that 'stuff' with us!
Love your beyond frugal videos/chats Vivi… they’re always a good reminder of what’s important in life and what’s not 😊
Thank you lovely, I appreciate them being appreciated. 😀
Agree totally
This is so good, Vivi. I went to town to sort out savings today. To be strict at putting this amount away. It's a start for me. I have got carried away with getting garden equipment. I am doing small steps to train myself to be better at not spending. It's a nice feeling to have not overspent. 😊 OMG, 25 pounds in a charity shop! Such good advice Vivi. 😊
Cheers lovely.....and good on you for sorting out savings....I'll be talking more about that in the '2024 Budget' video out on Sunday. 😊
@@WhatVivididnext I look forward to that Vivi.😊
I agree with you. You have to create the good habits to stick to a budget to save.
Hear, hear. 😊
My washing machine broke a couple of years ago. I washed by hand for a couple of months and got a spin dryer. I'm on my own so made it easier I guess.
Absolutely......I'm grateful it broke after my nursing days......those endless uniforms to wash!
Some people just can't do simple. Their expectations and views of what life is ate too high. It's the judgemental part of "success". from them or others. Plus they are often not brought up to manage their money and probably never been without.I certainly frittered money away in my younger days but now I keep to a budget and save. Thanks Mum for teaching me.
It would be great if budgeting and personal finance was taught as part of maths lessons. 😊
Yes, I think Schools something like this and it boggles the mind how it's not thought to be important enough.@@WhatVivididnext
Frugality is happiness🎉 19:55
Hi Viv, Happy New year
🎉
Thank you for your video, and that's what I do regarding the shops. Stay away from them unless it's absolutely essential. Hope your week goes well
Xxx
Cheers lovely....and a very happy new year to you too. 😊
I have lived on a budget for years and slowly slowly the savings accumulate. I now get a nice warm feeling to know that if some disaster should befall I have
a little money to call on.
That security is well worth some of the missed 'treats'! 😊
I am trying to improve on this Vivi. I also want to say yiu have done an amazing job for many many years to stay on budget and pay your flat off and not have debt 😊 Good for you and great example for others. Thank you. ❤
Thank you lovely. 😊
🤔 I’ve not seen any of your other videos, so I don’t really know that much about you, but there’s one thing in this video that I think very differently about. I don’t see the problem with looking at things you can’t afford to buy. 🤷♀️ Just as an example: When I was in my early teens, my Mum and I enjoyed looking in all the shop windows, especially when the shops were closed and the windows were lit up. We never had any problems with just looking, nor with the fact that we couldn’t afford to buy such lovely things. We marvelled in the joy of seeing them and chatting to each other about them. This was many years ago and I think that so many people nowadays are of the ‘must have’ mindset that they actually miss out on what we experienced. There’s a discontentment with the culture of the modern world, which has destroyed our ability to simply be - and not want, just for the sake of it! (I’m not criticising your views, just commenting from my own personal experience and outlook).
Love this advice.
In October last year, I started putting whatever was in my purse in a cash wallet and recorded my savings.
I was then able to use it when I did a Christmas trip down south to see friends and family.
The trip was booked on a black Friday discount, so all that left was petrol, which I had already budgeted for.
I enjoyed the trip more because of the work I had done two months beforehand.
This year, I'm going to try and put the money at the end of the week in a cash wallet and record it for the whole year. Fingers crossed 🤞.
Thanks for the fab video.
Hugs xx
Yay for your Christmas trip, how great to do it on those savings......and, yes, doing it for the whole year would be fab! 😀
£23 a week doesn’t even cover my Diesel to get to both my jobs 😮. I’m working towards being debt free, then moving, then mortgage free and retiring by 55, as a single adult it won’t be easy but living frugally helps so much and so does my Allotment
Having an allotment has been a HUGE bonus for me these last few years........I worked out the value of my harvests one year against shop prices......if I had bought everything I grew it would have cost me £2000 for that year!
@@WhatVivididnext wow that’s insane! I’m new to Allotments’s life, I only got my plot in July 23 so didn’t really get a chance to utilise it fully, I haven’t been able to go for about 8 weeks due to the horrific weather, but I can’t wait for things to improve and get a chance to make full use of it this year
@@MyhippiehomesteadukHave fun with it.....enjoy the abundance! 😊
Thanks Vivi! You are right, using a thermos for drinks on the go, in my case coffee guzzling, is a HUGE penny saver over time. It tastes just as nice from a flask too! I work in a big apartment complex where a lot of quite well off International students let apartments, the amount of perfectly good items they leave behind or dump when their lease is up is really scary, so I occasionally discreetly do my 'shopping" at work. ;)
What a ridiculous waste.....but I am so glad you can, erm, reuse things!! 😉
Hi lovely lady. Thank you so much for these videos. I literally can’t wait for the next one. This year I am restricting my viewing content to just one or two channels, yours being one of them as I thoroughly enjoy all of your videos, regardless of topic however these ones are perfect for the year we have planned as I’ve said. Health and finances, both of which start with the veg garden here. I do hope you’ll do a monthly check in on this topic 👏 thanks again, Tracy 🌱
Yay, and thank you lovely! 😀
Just found your channel loving it 🙌🙌🙌🥰🥰🥰
Thank you so much....and a very warm welcome to you here. 😊
Hi Vivi
🎉happy new year 🎉
I totally agree with you about saving the pennies or looking after them and your pounds with be saved
I’m always on a frugal journey then as you say the money is there if we need anything
Looking forward to your next video on budgets
Take care xx💛💛💛💛
Good on you lovely. 😊
When you move you can often pick up furniture etc on Facebook market place very reasonably or even free!
That's what I'm hoping! 😊
Thank you so very much for the pep-talk, Vivi! ❤
My pleasure.......it's as much to myself as anyone! 😉
Loved this, thank you ☺️
Thank you. 😊
If I don't have cash on me I always feel a bit vulnerable. I don't feel the need to spend it, just to have it. Probably a sign of my age. My daughter rarely has cash.
I hear you.....I usually have a pound coin on me....and maybe some 10ps for a phone box if my mobile conked out (good luck finding a phone box though!)......a hangover form my Girl Guide days. 😉
My biggest challenge is going into Thrift Shops …just to look🙄
I have cut myself down to once every other month this past year.
For 2024, I plan on going only when I absolutely need to replace an item.
Because, like you I have bigger goals. So savings is taking priority this year.
Good on you lovely......and good luck with those big goals! 😊
Very, very helpful! Thank you!
Thank you. 😊
I'm "lucky" in that I hate shopping of all kinds and since I can no longer drive or get to the shops easily am more than happy to have switched to online shopping so now have a grocery delivery twice a month, and a small veg box twice a month as well. By planning what I will be eating (only a rough plan) I never seem to run out of anything. The only shopping I used to like was browsing the charity shops for books but since my sight has deteriorated tend to rely on audio books and the library Borrowbox app is very good - although you sometimes have to wait a while for new releases. I am going to have some work done on the house this year and will have to pay someone to do things I used to be able to do, which is a bit annoying, but have budgetted for that and it will make life a little easier so is money well spent. A new washing machine may be needed I but have the money set aside for that in a "household" budget category, and of course there may be unforeseen things crop up - which is covered by my emergency fund - but other than that, and a couple of new plants for the garden, I can't think of anything I actually want. Best wishes for the coming year Vivi, and I hope all your planning pays off and you find the right place for the next chapter of your life.
Good on you lovely, sounds like we have a very similar attitude. Hahaha....my own particular hate in the field of shopping is clothes.....argh!
Being debt and mortgage free makes things a lot easier, i budget every month and have different small bank accounts set aside for larger bills and the unexpected. I dont drink, i dont eat out, i dont have take aways and i dont smoke, i batch cook all the time so i find its very easy to cope on a small income but we are all different.
Fab! That's exactly what I do too (as the next video will show). 😊
Looking forward to it @@WhatVivididnext
Excellent. And those 4 "don't s" are a huge help.
I love your financial advice videos. X
Me too 🙋🏼♀️
I used to teach wise money management. Great advice. Looking forward to your budget video.
Cheers lovely. 😊
As someone with a decent salary I still give myself a budget and I think everyone should. Even if I have the money, I use max. 5% of it on "wants" like hobbies, newspaper subscriptions, spotify, audible, eating out etc. Before buying anything I think twice if I really need it or if I already have something that has the same function and that I can still use. We buy new things when the old ones brake and save up for things we want. At least 15% goes into savings and investing.
If I don't have the money in my bank account and it doesn't fit into the budget, I don't buy it. I don't take money out of saving for things I want, only things I actually need like if the car brakes down or I need a plumber to fix a pipe that burst. I have a credit card but it has been drilled in me that I never use if unless I can pay it off completely that month. We've never taken a loan to buy a car or do house repairs, we always pay cash and that means I drove a crappy car for 10 years and our house is still in progress. Our mortgage is the only loan we have ever taken, and that will be paid off this year, 10 years after we bought the house.
The whole culture of using money you don't have is in my opinion the reason so many struggle with money. Instead of saving up and buying things people take loans or pay with credit and then spend over twice the time to pay that off that they would have spent saving for it, while paying interest.
Hear, hear! Sounds like we have a very similar attitude and, yes, even a higher earner should budget. 😊
@@WhatVivididnext People see it as missing out on things, but budgeting like this has made it possible for us to save up enough to buy a 1 hectare plot of land with a cottage in cash. Worth soooo many vacations, times eating out and all that stuff that just collects dust in the corner!
@@Qotus Fabulous! 😊
I am 11 months into my no buy year, coincidently when I became single again. Now I need only look after myself and my dogs. I'm saving so much money. It is unreal how much money I was spending on other people.
That's great, well done lovely. 😊
Thank you for your great video ❤❤❤
Thank you lovely. 😊
When I was small, we always had to calculate what we picked up at the stores because we had exactly X amount and that was it. That habit of not consuming has continued. There are times when we consume (a bit more food for the holidays) but I prefer to not consume and to reuse or fix. I agree that definitely staying away from stores helps a lot.
For me, I notice I have a very negative view of consumption now. I would prefer not to consume at all. Therefore, consumption has to be a necessity, such as food. Even for food, I still remember as kids buying the dry items because cans were too expensive; growing our own food because greens at the stores were too expensive. Not only that, but once I had to buy stuff from stores, I remember the flavor of fresh foods and really hate the food at the stores. I always add some of my own herbs or veggies to my meals. I have a lot of herbs or dried items stocked up. I make my own lemonade, freeze my own fruits, etc.
It is definitely not about depravation. It is about not covering the earth with useles garbage and consuming items that last a long time or taste very good.
Exactly!!! XXX
I need to smarten up on my food shop
Hi Vivi, I really admire how you manage, it's amazing! I've always been good with money, thank goodness, and I'm rarely impulsive. I have separate budgets for groceries & for other things, and I'm quite frugal generally in my approach to spending. With a chest of drawers, if it were me, I'd think of it as an item I was saving for rather than taking it out of everyday spending money. How do you decide which is which? I'm fascinated by different approaches to this 😀. Thank you.
Cheers lovely! I think with bigger spends, like the chest of drawers, it would normally be a save-up-for item ......but.......if I chanced on such a thing at a bargain price (less than my £35 a week budget) I would be willing to get it right there and then and scrimp on everything else for the week....
Exactly how I live! I have enough ❤
Yay! 😊
👁👁 I hear you, and try to do the same. Trying to not buy things I don't need, and make sure I don't go to places where I will be strongly tempted. One of my weaknesses is books, too. I just don't go shopping for fun. I go when I actually need things. It's not fun when the money is short. But lots of folks are living thin. Not sure exactly where you are, but I'm in the southern US. Keep showing the way, dear.
Thank you lovely, I'm in London. 😊
@@WhatVivididnext 👁👁 Hope you get your new computer really soon.
Great video Vivi. Happy New Year to you. Hope it’s a good one.
Thank you lovely, and to you too. 😊
Good video,we are letting go of the man who washes our windows costing five pounds a month and he didn’t clean them properly,happy new year 🎉🎊
It is a life of do without when its food and heating
Happy New year Vivi! Thankyou for your videos. Its like a chat with a friend❤
Aww, that's lovely, thank you! 😊
I celebrated new year with an expensive meal complete with a mango margarita. so stupid of me. with tip, that little moment cost $55! It didn't even taste that great! that would have almost paid my internet bill! I agree, if I don't pay attention, I can throw away $$$$ that could potentially purchase something I really wanted or pay for an emergency. I guess I was due for a reality check lol
Oh what a shame it didn't taste great......at least you recognise the need to reign in the spending a bit. Good luck. 😊
Something similar happened to me. I realized I could have paid 2 monthly bills with the money that "disappeared ". Now every dollar has an assignment at the beginning of the month.
We could all learn a lot from you Miss Vivi. I've got a savings tin I can't get into and i'm determined to put any cash I have into it. Will think of you each time I make a deposit. ❤
Yes, do it! It's amazing how much we can do without when we start to really look at our spending......and likewise how much we can save. 😊
So happy to see you!!
Thank you lovely. 😊
Have you got any cooking videos planned for Veganary Vivi?
Not specifically for veganuary but I do have one in the pipeline.....
Happy New Year ❤
And to you, too, lovely. 😊
I'm in the situation now where there is way less money than we had before. Hours are being cut, and the only money I have is through online sells. There has to be a no spend, since I get paid weekly the first two paychecks are for bills only, 20.00 is allowed for groceries each week. Next paycheck is for all savings, if there is enough leftover then the third is being hidden for a new stove. I am pretty lucky as we own our home, and have a large pantry. Lights are being turned off due to the heat being on. I just wish I were a little warmer.
Fingers firmly crossed for you for that new stove! 🤞
Vivi - I use a Chromebook, it's so much faster & easier as all your files are stored in your "cloud" & not on your computer. I do my work invoices & spreadsheets on it too x
My photos have all just been swapped to the cloud........without me touching a button.....it was a bit disconcerting as it all looks different now.....but I'm getting there....
Good stuff :)@@WhatVivididnext
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Wonderful motivation Vivi, thanks 😊 Why do you not use your local library for books?
I'd love to use the library but it's a bus ride away so would cost me £3.30 each time......so I use the charity shops instead and that way they get a bit of money and I get books I can pass on to friends. 😊
Ah OK that makes sense! Hopefully your new home will be near a library for access to many more books 📚 Charity shops are getting so expensive. You are amazing at finding wonderful books at good prices though 😊
Hi Vivi, I know you’ve spoke on and off about this but please could you share if you only use cash for your monthly/weekly allowance? Maybe that’s covered on Sunday’s video? Happy to wait if so. I’m trying to decide if I should trial cash for my spends such as fuel, minimal groceries where possible. A lot is now cashless (school lunches for kids for example) and although having an online transaction for everything makes admin easier, there’s something about handing cash over isn’t there. Curious as to your and others ideas. Also if I haven’t spent the cash at the end of the week or month, I would like to transfer jt to my electronic savings so that’s another consideration. Sorry, thinking out loud and chatty 😂 Tracy ❤
I'm cash all the way! I take the £35 out at the bank on Monday.......any left over by the following Saturday gets put in my Post Office savings account. All easy and accessible for me as I have a bank and PO on my High Street a stones throw from where I live.....but I realise it may be harder for folk in villages with neither.
@@WhatVivididnextthanks lovely. Harder but doable. I’ll get my thinking cap on 😘
Great advices
Thankyou Vivi i needed this video its stopped me buying a magazine i thought i needed to cheer me pxx
Yay, good on you! 😊
Keep remindingus of this as it really helps. I watch all your videosxx@@WhatVivididnext
have you tried doing a factory reset on your computer ?
It has been looked at and tweaked a few times over the years......it's rather old!
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Pretty much the same age 55
I was planning to do a No buy January but this morning I had to pay 550 for garbage disposal replacement :(
Aaargh!!!! I hope the replacement/fitting goes smoothly.......then you can get back on your no-spend month. Good luck. 🤞
You can still do no-spend or less spend, even in an emergency. Just spend for that emergency and do not let it open your no-spend door wider.
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