I didn't jump. I took a tiny step and there conclusions were

[purplerabbits]

*opens purse, moth flies out*

I am rather sick and tired of having no money, even though I know that a) this is mostly All My Own Fault and b)I am not actually hard up compared to many people I know. I am, however you look at it, not quite living within my income, so I should like to throw the question as wide as I can and ask - what should I or anyone do to live within my income. Obvious ideas are welcome: even though I am usually the one giving this advice to other people, I seem not to be very good at it myself...

Comments

[ajva.livejournal.com]

Have you tried keeping a detailed spending diary for a month, just to see where your money actually goes?

Also, do you keep an updateable budget written down somewhere, so you can predict how much cash you'll have available at any point in the monthly cycle? For example, I keep an excel spreadsheet at work for this purpose. That way, even if my bank balance reads +£lots when I've just been paid, then I know I really only have +£sliver of money to spend, because of £X, £Y and £Z etc., standing/one-off/planned charges that'll come out before I'm paid again.

Sorry if all this is in the sucking eggs domain...