Financial stock-take

One thing I want to try to do this year is be more mindful of the money I spend from my own personal account.  I am not working at present (and that may well be a long-term situation) so I am living off my savings and interest earned from investments.  These sums are not large by any stretch of the imagination, so I need to make them work as hard as possible for me.  In the current economic climate, finding a decent interest rate for savings accounts seems to be as rare as hens' teeth.  When an investment matures, I know I will have to settle for a much lower rate wherever I decide to subsequently invest it again.  

That being the case, it seems to make sense to me to curb my spending.  So, as a starting point, I thought it would be a useful exercise to work out exactly how much I spent last year.  I've been putting it off, but yesterday evening I sat down and went through my bank account for last year and noted all my personal expenditure, month by month.  Then I added it all up.  Then I made a cup of tea!  Isn't it surprising how small amounts here and there add up?   Granted, last year I didn't really make too much of an effort to control my spending, and I don't think I spent thoughtlessly or lavishly, but even so .....  

This year I am being far more organised.  I have a little notebook in which I record all my expenditure, month by month.  I also make a note of what I spend my money on.  I think carefully before I part company with my cash, and make sure it's something I really need, not simply want.  I don't intend to be a scrooge about this, but I do think it will make me think twice before parting with my pennies.  I don't need any more quilting magazines, I don't need a bar of chocolate to get me home from town, and I really don't need any more fat-quarters to add to my stash, no matter how lovely the fabric is!  

It will be interesting to see how I do.

The other part of my financial stock-take was to keep a check of my savings.  Again, it's something I get a bit scared of, so it usually gets put off - indefinitely.  However, as yet another small step towards a simpler life, I decided to sit down and find the information out instead of just thinking that I should do it.  And as is so often the case, once I'd made the decision, the task wasn't anything like as difficult as I had thought it was going to be.  It was more a case of being organised - setting aside a specific time and day, and recording the balances in a particular place.  Simple, really.  Now I have the information to hand, it's up-to-date, and will help me in my budgeting.  

A quick update on the marmalade.  I managed to get another batch from the remaining oranges so we now have 12 jars.  I think it's a really good return for the initial cost and I really enjoyed making it, and it'll be lovely spread on some home-made bread.