Monthly Archives:

February 2018

Budgeting

How to Communicate With Your Partner About Finances

Posted on February 20, 2018

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Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the financial stresses in your relationship and struggled to effectively communicate with your partner about budgeting and finances? *Raises hand*. Financial discussions with your loved one can cause stress and anxiety, but if left unresolved can cause more serious financial woes and long term unhappiness in your relationship.

Maybe you are the one who carries the bulk of the financial stress on your shoulders because you feel your partner has enough to worry about? Perhaps your partner doesn’t want to hear about financial issues or they don’t even know there are issues as they assumed you have everything under control? By being open an honest with each other you can remove the guesswork out of your financial security and get the reality of your finances out in the open so you can both start working together on a plan of attack.

Money can be one of the biggest make or break things in a relationship. Relationships Australia 2015 survey found that 7 out of 10 couple report relationship tension as a result of financial woes and stress. Finances are not something that should be pushed under the rug or left alone to cause endless stress in your relationship. Ignoring them will not make the bills disappear but make them harder to deal with when the time comes to pay them… and it will come.

Even though at first, it may be a difficult and awkward subject to discuss in the beginning, you will have more of a chance to achieve your financial goals when you are both on the same page working as a team. Don’t struggle alone when you can both be working together tackling your debts and achieving your savings goals head on. Just like having a gym buddy to hold you accountable for going to the gym and finishing a set, having your partner on your team will help keep you accountable to your financial goals.

Even if you aren’t married and have separate finances that doesn’t mean that you can’t both be on the same page when it comes to money and will certainly give you a head start if you relationship does progress to something more down the line.

Here are they are: 9 Tips On How You Can Communicate With Your Partner About Finances.

How to Communicate With Your Partner About Finances

1. Set a time to meet and discuss finances
Avoid leaving financial discussions with your partner to what you can yell over the TV ad or what discussion you can get in before you are interrupted by the kids. The best way to communicate with your partner about finances is to plan some time to get together and talk about your future goals and current finances in a quiet place so you can both focus and not be under other pressures or distractions. It can be be a over a home cooked meal when the kids are out for the night or morning (if you have kids) or out on a date night over dinner, it doesn’t matter just find a spare hour somewhere in your schedule to chat about your finances.

Don’t forget to let your partner know in advance that the purpose of meeting is to discuss about finances so they aren’t blind sided. After the first one, make it a regular gig. Set a monthly reminder to sit down for half an hour to talk about your budget each month and how you are progressing towards your goals.

2. Approach the conversation from an understanding and non-judgmental zone
When you try to open a dialogue and communicate with your partner about finances, don’t assume the worst or treat the meeting as an opportunity to bring up every unacceptable expense (in your eyes) that you have been bothered by in the past. You may find that your partner actually agrees with you on getting your finances in better shape and completely acknowledges what your financial problems are. They might have even been thinking the same thing and weren’t sure how they were going to bring it up with you!

Sometimes they are even aware of their own spending problems but don’t know how to change their spending habits and need a plan and your support in order to help keep them on track. Approach any conversations calmly and with the intention to work as a team, not go on the attack and lay blame on your partner. Acknowledge that you might even have your own over-spending areas that you need to work on and be honest about these to your partner. Leave the mistakes in the past, and focus on what changes you can make in the future to reach your financial goals.

3. Know your why
Get on the same page with your goals. Budgeting isn’t meant to be about torturing yourselves indefinitely and saying no to anything and everything that is non-essential expenditure. It is about making your goals and dreams come to life. How far away that is will depend on your current state of finances. If you are swimming in credit card debt and other loans with little in the savings account it may take a while for you to see that you are making progress on your debts but you will get there with a little bit of determination. And there is nothing more motivating that having future plans written down and at the forefront of your mind. These goals are what are going to keep you on track during those times when you want to quit.

Write down your joint future goals:-

Do you want to go on a family holiday next year?
Be debt free so you or your partner can cut back hours at work or for you to spend more time with the kids?
Are you wanting to stop living week to week?
Or remove the anxiety you feel about your finances and get an emergency fund built up?If you are both on the same page you will have more motivation to stick to your financial plan for the long haul. Put your goals somewhere where you can see them such as a Financial Vision Board or on the fridge so they are there to remind you of why you are doing this.

4. Acknowledge the finance problem areas
Now that you’ve got your financial goals written down and you’re excited to take the next step in your financial freedom journey, it’s time to acknowledge the problem areas. If you are hiding debt, bills or anything from your partner, now is the time to come clean. A genuinely honest relationship includes being open an honest about any debts that you may have or spending habits that you know are not helping you achieve your financial goals. If there are any pressing financial issues bring them up and be ready to hear them. Take a deep breath and appreciate that your partner is being honest with you and starting to communicate.

Acknowledge that your budget issues are not going to be something that you can fix in a night or a week, or possibly even a year. This is going to be a long-term process that will take time to work at. Be patient with each other as you slowly replace your less-than-ideal spending habits with more intentional ones.

A good place to start is reigning in the expenditure that won’t hurt so much. Cancel unwanted gym memberships or subscriptions to services that you are no longer using, make more of a conscious effort to save electricity where possible, renegotiate your mortgage to a lower rate and commit to only shopping once a week to reduce the amount of times you are stocking up on groceries. None of these measures leaves you feeling any extreme budget pain but the savings will give you a super helpful boost to paying off those debts and speeding up the debt repayment process.

As you progress in your financial journey you can move on to tackling those not so easy spending problem areas. Consider how you can reduce any excessive spending on areas such as:

Overspending on clothing, shoes, accessories
Regular costly dinner outings
Car repayments that you cannot afford
Spending on hobbies that is costing large sums of money
Buying coffee multiple times a day, every day

Don’t try to tackle the problem expenditure all at once. Pick one and go from there. Maybe this month instead of buying coffee each day you could bring your own from home or make one at work. Next month you can limit your expensive dinners to once or twice a week and cook at home more. The following month you could adopt shopping at thrift stores instead of buying everything brand new. These small changes may seem unimpressive on their own, but when you add all those savings together it can really add up! Over time you will build your budgeting muscles and find new ways to save.

5. Plan your budget
Your budget needs to be something your partner and you both agree on. Think of it like taking on a new commitment, you both have to sign on the dotted line. By leaving your partner in the dark about finances they may think things are rosier than they are and that is not going to work now that you are a team! With the numbers in black and white you can both be on the same page and work together to dodge any budget pressures that come up.

Don’t misconstrue that being on a budget will suck the joy out of life. It is a tool to make your life easier, with the end goal being what you want it to be! More time, regular holidays or an emergency fund, whatever your financial goals are. Be sure to allow individual and joint fun money in the budget (we’ll go into that below) to ensure your budget is realistic and that you will not set unrealistic expectations and fail before you start.

Over time you will get better at finding frugal ways to have fun such as going for a long walk or bike ride together, inviting your family over for breakfast, going to the beach or inviting friends over for a night of board games. If you think you can’t have fun without spending money you have tried hard enough 🙂

To help you get started, you can download my Budget Worksheet here. Don’t forget to include those often missed budget expenses like your Spotify and Netflix membership, house repairs or beauty treatments!

6. Set an allowance for you and your partner.
This is a great tool and bound to save you lots of arguments over spending by yourself and your partner that you both probably will never agree on (I am a non-coffee drinker, the hub loves his daily coffee, I’ve come to terms with it ‘;)). We are all individuals, with our own interests, hobbies and wants, use this allowance avoid explaining to your partner every purchasing decision you make.>

Having $0 for ‘free spending’ to do as you wish is not going to work, nor is questioning every dollar your partner spends. Set an allowance based on what your budget will allow. It could be $50 or $100 a week to spend each, whatever you both agree on and stick to it. This gives you and your partner the autonomy to spend it as you see fit. If you have kids you can add in a small allowance for them, it will be a great start to teach them about budgeting and saving!

It also takes some of the guesswork out of budgeting and makes it easier to stick to your goal. Withdraw your weekly allowance in cash or keep it in a separate account for each of you so it is easy to keep track of. Simply check your wallet or bank balance and you will know what is left. Great for those who aren’t that great at keeping track of their spendings or remembering to enter them into an app or notebook. Of course if you don’t spend it all you can save it up to buy something you really want down the line!

At the same time set up a joint spending account and allowance so you have some money each week to go out on a date night or day, or to catch up with friends. After a while you will get into the routine of what you can and can’t afford and sticking to your budget will become less of a struggle.

What about expensive hobbies?
If you or your partner have some big spending categories, this might also be a good time to set other budget allowances for those expenses to keep them in check. If you love shopping for new outfits, maybe you can set yourself an annual allowance on what you are allowed to spend on clothing. This can work for any expense; concerts, hobbies, beauty, new tools etc. This gives you the permission to spend guilt free on those items when they are in budget and helps to keep you conscious of when you are overspending on those categories.

7. Be considerate and honest
I’ve heard horror stories of partners going out and buying new cars without speaking to their spouse first. This kind of thing makes me cringe. Agree to avoid making large spending decisions without consulting with your spouse first. If you have shared finances and even shared debt, you should both be on the same page with spending. It can be helpful to agree on a threshold as to what you need to discuss together before buying something.

You don’t have to ask permission to buy every single item, how exhausting would that get! I’m suggesting to consulting your partner before buying those more expensive items. Such as a new appliance, phone or piece of furniture for the home. Even ignoring the financial aspect, it can’t hurt to ask for their opinion on something you want or need they made have some great advice or suggestions to offer, and it is particularly handy if it is something for your home (I’ve certainly unknowingly bought some things home that were deemed “ugly”).

8. Get Educated
Open your mind to new budgeting tricks and tips and financial strategies. If you are short on time listen to an audiobook on your commute to work or on your next shopping trip – wherever you can. I recommend listening to (or reading) Scott Pape’s Barefoot Investor and Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover which have some great strategies to get your started on your new financial journal.

It’s something that might get you more open to talking about finances with your partner and get you both excited about your new financial path! If your partner wouldn’t date touch a finance book, don’t push the issue. You can sometimes effectively communicate with your partner the message of what you are reading just by discussing your favourite parts of the book with them.

If you sign up for my mailing list you can also get your free copy of my eBook “101 Ways to Save Money Whilst Still Living Awesomely!”. Reading about finances might not be the most enjoyable thing for everyone but listening to a few financial gurus will open your eyes and ears to things that may make achieving your financial goals that much quicker!

9. Be patient
You might not be on the same page at day one or day 100. Sometimes people need more time to grasp new ideas and lifestyles and long-term support in order to do so. I’ve listened to many Dave Ramsey Debt Free Scream stories where people had read the Total Money Makeover books years earlier and yet only started to change their habits after years of thinking about. Or it took their partner longer to get on board but once they were they were a strong team.

It might not happen as quickly as you would like but over time you will learn how to effectively communicate with your partner. In the meantime you can always lead by example and start making changes to your own spendings such as reigning in grocery spending, skipping the drink at lunch and just bringing your water along with you and finding more frugal ways to catch up with friends such as skipping lunch and going for a walk instead.

Find what your partners passion is and what they will be willing to change their financial habits for. Go back to your why and find out theirs. Sometimes the only thing they need to hear is that it would make your family more financially secure and both of you happier to get them motivated to start on the financial journey with you.

Don’t forget to be a little flexible. Maybe your loved one won’t give up their monthly gym membership for the budget, their Audible membership or their daily coffee but hopefully they will be willing to make other changes to get you to their goal and be more proactive in reducing expenditure such as taking more notice and filling up on cheaper fuel days or cancelling their unwanted memberships.

When the above measures aren’t helping

Of course there are instances where no amount of discussion or understanding can get your partner on board with your financial goals. If your efforts to budget and get ahead are met with constant resistance you may need to consider other issues that are present. If your partner is facing issues with addiction e.g. drugs, alcoholism or gambling, attempting to adjust your budget may not be met with encouragement and make your efforts come undone.

I won’t go into that situation in too much detail as this is a finance blog and I am no psychologist, but I will mention that if you partner is constantly resisting and attempting to tear down your efforts to get ahead, that it may be time for them to seek help with those issues, or for you to reassess the relationship and whether it is in line with your long-term values. This article written by The Minimalists may help you with how to approach a relationship with deteriorating communication.

Do you have any tips for how to effectively communicate with your partner and approach budget and finance conversations? Please share them in the comments below 🙂

If you found value in this post I would be super appreciative if you could share it with others who might also find value in it 🙂

Zero-Based Budget Worksheet

Posted on February 19, 2018

This Zero Based Budget will help you to take stock of your income and expenses and help you spend and save more intentionally.

Zero-Based Budget Worksheet

If you’re unsure of where to start on your budget I am going to share mine with you! I’ve tweaked it a little to try and add some extra expenses that may be relevant to you, but it is completely flexible so you can add categories that apply to you and delete ones that don’t.

Keep in mind those expenses that you know will come up but might forget in your everyday budgeting like home repairs and maintenance, school fees, and those irregular bills.

How to use the Zero-Based Budget Worksheet

Simply sign up below and you will be emailed a link to the Zero-Based Budget Worksheet in view-only mode. Save a copy and use in Excel or upload to use in Google Sheets and get started on your very own budget!

Keep or change the categories to suit your personal circumstances.

Add in your Budgeted and Actual spending amounts each month into the respective columns and their category.

You can grab an Expense Tracker Printable or Worksheet to help you track your month’s expenses or simply note them in a notebook each month.

The formulas in the unchanged columns will populate automatically so don’t change these (it will warn you if you try to change them :)).

This is a zero-based budget which is a fancy way of saying that you should allocate every dollar of your income whether that be to expenses, debt, savings or investing. And the final surplus should be $0.00.

Grab your free copy of the Zero-Based Budget Worksheet here.

And that’s it! happy budgeting, Minimisers!

Don’t forget to sign up for your free copy of my eBook “101 Ways to Save Money Whilst Still Living Awesomely” for 101 tips on how you can reduce your budget expenditure whilst still having fun and enjoying life!

Budgeting

7 Helpful Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything

Posted on February 6, 2018

Ask yourself these 7 questions before buying something to make more intentional purchases.

Could you use some questions to ask yourself before buying anything to curb your spending ways?

After discovering minimalism a couple of years ago I have had numerous opportunities to learn how my brain ticks when it comes to consuming. In the past, I used to run to sale bins and couldn’t walk away from anything that was a two for $10 special, even when I didn’t need it.

I would go to the shop with my birthday money in hand looking for some random item of jewellery to spend my money on, waiting for the stores to tell me what I wanted or needed. I would look forward to Mondays when I got my weekly catalogues in my letterbox and would comb a whole bundle of them each week, marking in things I would like to buy. These were the days before I discovered how to spend my money with intention.

Since then, I’ve learned that I can still buy things I want and need with a little forethought and more often than not, no buyer’s remorse.

Nothing much will necessarily free you from the urge to want new things, to upgrade and replace, but there are tools and strategies to help you reroute your purchasing habits into more intentional ones, with you in control, not the marketers and stores who are experts at making you part with your hard-earned cash!

Over time I have developed some helpful questions I ask myself before buying anything, prior to handing over any cash or cards.

These are seven questions to ask yourself before making any purchases to help you spend your money with intention. These questions can be applied to any purchase for any amount, but of course, the more they cost, the more necessary they will be for your budget.

7 Helpful Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything

1. Can I afford this?

The first of the 7 questions to ask yourself before buying anything is can I afford this?

I’ve put this first as it really is the most important one. If you are broke then you shouldn’t be shopping so you can skip the other questions and exit the shop (hehe worth a shot!).

But in all seriousness, if you don’t have enough money to pay your car registration or buy everything on your grocery list, or pay your utility bills then you definitely shouldn’t be out or online shopping and spending money.

Here are some general guidelines that you can’t afford something. Answer yes or no to the following:

you have credit card debt and don’t pay off your card in full each month.
you are struggling to meet the minimum repayments on your credit card/s.
you have to use BNPL to pay for it.
you know that by spending the money you are going to leave yourself short for essential purchases like petrol or groceries.
you save $0 saved and struggle to put even $50 into your savings account each week.
you don’t have an Emergency Fund saved of at least $2,000.

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, it’s time to put the items down and leave the store – you have some homework to do.

When you get home, you need to seriously consider cutting up your credit cards if you have them and can’t resist the urge to use them.

2. Do I need this?

Before heading for the check-out line, ask yourself do I need this item or do I just want it? Sometimes we can convince ourselves we are buying something we need when it is really just a want.

Think about whether you really need another bottle of nail polish or a set of pajamas or you are just buying them because they were on special or caught your eye.

Picture your drawer at home, is it overflowing with pajama sets? Do you already have 50 bottles of nail polish that you barely use?

It’s okay to buy things just because we want them on occasions, we work hard and should be able to reward ourselves! There is nothing wrong with that. The key is to make sure that those purchases are intentional.

Forget the Joneses’

Are you looking at blowing $1,500 on the latest iPhone even though yours is only a year old and functions perfectly well? Or get the latest TV because it has XYZ features? This is a slippery slow and an endless cycle, with new technology coming out every single day you are never going to keep up. Forget what everyone else has and make decisions based on your needs not on how you want to be perceived by others. Let’s be honest, no one really cares what you do and don’t have in your home, and you shouldn’t either.

3. Do I have something similar, can I borrow or buy it second-hand?

Before running out and buying something brand new consider your options. Do you have something at home that you could use? If you need some new containers, maybe you could repurpose some glass jars from your pantry. Or repurpose some gift boxes instead of going out and buying new containers. If you need something for a once-off project like a power tool, ask around if you can borrow one from a neighbour or family member. Check local freecycle or sale sites or your local thrift store for more affordable options. If you can’t find what you need then you can look into buying it new knowing that you are doing so intentionally.

4. Do I love it?

Before buying anything I ask myself do I love it. Is this the one? There is nothing worse than buying something similar to what you want only to realise days later there was a better one that you liked even more available.

If you are about to buy something and it’s not 100% what you were looking for but 80%, consider holding off on buying it and look around more for that close to perfect item. In time you will have a house of items you love rather than things you rushed into buying and probably won’t like for the long term.

In the words of Derek Sivers, if it isn’t a hell yes it’s is a hell no. Find something that you love the design of, ask yourself is it comfy, does it make me feel good, do I love it enough to wear it regularly? By all means, we shouldn’t become too attached to anything we have bought but we should make sure we are buying things we truly love into our homes and not just anything.

5. Does it suit my needs at this moment?

Ask yourself does this suit my needs at this moment for each purchase. Avoid buying an outfit that is a little too small with the intent to lose the weight. Buy what fits you today. If you are car shopping resist buying the fuel-guzzling SUV if you are single and could get away with driving a small fuel-efficient hatchback. If you only use your phone for text messaging and calls do you really need the latest iPhone or could you get away with a much cheaper option?

6. Will I get a lot of use out of this item?

As they say quality over quantity. Before buying an item, one of the most important questions to ask yourself is about the quality of the product. Maybe you are about to get a bargain on some $10 flats but will soon experience foot pain from the poor quality and toss them within a couple of months as they are worn out.

Maybe you’re considering buying a new shirt but you notice the buttons are a bit uneven or the lining of the shirt is already coming undone. Before parting with your hard-earned cash consider whether you should perhaps save your money and buy a more quality item.

Consider how often you will use and item. Are you going to buy a dress to wear to a wedding and never wear it again? Maybe it would be better to hire a dress instead and save yourself the money. Are you buying a pair of shoes that will only go with only outfit in your wardrobe or be out of style in a few months? Leave them behind and opt for something more classic that you can get your value out of with repeated use.

7. If the item was full price would I still buy it?

If you would not pay full price for an item, do you really love it, and is it really the right decision to be buying it. Sometimes we are pulled into making purchase decisions by the sale price and we lose a bit of our ability to see something exclusive of the bargain that it may be.

I have found this one of the great questions to ask yourself before buying anything that really cuts to the chase of a purchase and whether I am making the right decision in buying it. Of course, buying something on sale is amazing, but just playing a momentary trick on our brains can help us spend with intention.

8. Is this an impulse decision?

Sometimes even when the above questions are all a yes, we can still be making an impulse decision which is when that after shopping high disappears and we start to feel a pang of guilt over what we just spent.

Ask yourself before handing over your card, am I making an impulse purchase, or is this an intentional spending decision? If you walked into the store without a list of what you needed, found something randomly, and are at the register you are most likely making an impulse purchase that you may regret.

Two helpful tools

Here are two tools I also use to help me make more informed purchasing decision

1. Try it on first rule

In the past one of my worst budget and clutter offences were caused by buying clothing on impulse and in a rush. I would grab a new stripey singlet that I just couldn’t resist whilst waiting in line at the register only to take it home and realise it didn’t fit. I would see the line at the change rooms and think – Um, no…. It’ll be fine and if it’s not the right fit I will take it back.

But I soon realised that if I didn’t take it back with the limited time frame most stores had for returns I was stuck with something I couldn’t wear.

Since those days I have implemented a new rule that has saved me a lot of wasted money and unwanted items. I avoid buying and item of clothing unless I have tried it on first. This doesn’t work so well with shopping on line, but if you are in store try and stick to this rule to save yourself the hassle of bringing things home that you probably aren’t going to be bothered or have the time to return.

This rule will help ensure you have a wardrobe you love rather than an overflowing one of clothes that don’t fit or make you feel great!

2. 30- Day Wish List

To resist impulse buys, make a plan for future purchases. Keep a list somewhere on your phone or in an excel document of all the things you would like or need. Don’t act on them for 30 days. For more costly purchases, set a price limit such as items over $100 and aim to stretch out that waiting period to 3 months.

In that time, think about the item and do your research.

Establish do you need it, what does it cost, what is the best price, what do the reviews say, what are my friends and families opinions of the brand etc. Then start saving for it so by the time the 30 days or 3 months roll around you will have enough money to buy it in cash! And sometimes after a week or so you will realise that you really don’t want that item anymore and save yourself some money and unwanted clutter in your home!

The great thing about this is when your birthday or Christmas rolls around, if people ask you what you would like you can suggest something on your list. It will also mean so much more to you when you finally get something as you have waited for it for the past month or more and confirmed it is something that will add value to you.

And there is no greater feeling than buying something after you have thoroughly researched it, know it is the right buy and you have paid cash for it!

Do You Want Help With Spending Your Money With More Intention?

If you want to learn how to spend your money with intention and in line with your values and take the stress and anxiety out of your money, book in for a free Q&A call to see how Minimise With Me financial coaching can help you gain clarity around your finances!

You can learn more about my financial coaching services and how I can help you achieve your financial goals here.

Do you have any questions to ask yourself before buying anything that has helped you curb unintentional spending? Share them in the comments below 🙂

Freebies

Your Freezer Inventory Worksheet

Posted on February 6, 2018

Do you ever really know what is in your freezer? If you are anything like me, you are short of space and sometimes would rather just avoid going into your freezer altogether. But don’t fret there is an easier way to know what is in your freezer without having to pull everything out each meal planning day.

Check out my Freezer Inventory Worksheet.

Simply print out your own copy, write down the items in your freezer by category, note when they were frozen, how many days you have to use them (e.g. if you freeze chicken breast on the 8th and the use by date is the 12th I write +4 days so I know once it is) and then mark in the quantity as a weight or number. Then stick it on the front of your fridge or in your planner.

If you do your freezer inventory worksheet once every month or so you will be able to see what you have in your freezer at a glance, plan meals around it and reduce food waste. Not to mention you will avoid having an overstocked freezer where things start falling out or your door doesn’t close!

Don’t forget to check this blog post for tips on how to reduce food waste in your home and save money on your shopping budget!

Thanks Minimisers,

Jess

Freebies

Your Wedding Budget Worksheet

Posted on February 6, 2018

Going into debt for your wedding shouldnt't be on the table. Check out how we planned a debt free wedding and how you can too.

Hi Minimisers!

Are you planning your wedding and are not quite sure where to start with your wedding budget?

I’m here to help 🙂

Grab your free copy of my Wedding Budget Worksheet for ideas on the kind of expenses you will need to budget for by filling in the form below.

Make a copy for yourself and as you lock in your suppliers, take note of the invoice amount and deposit paid and final due dates. By the end of your engagement you are going to thank yourself that you have all those deposits, balances and due dates recorded so you can focus on your wedding and save yourself some stress!

Before you lock in any suppliers, be sure to get three quotes minimum, this will help you get an idea of what is affordable, in the middle and very expensive. Of course don’t forget to weight up quality versus price, sometimes the cheapest supplier might not be the one that is going to be as reliable or helpful!

Helpful Instructions!

Here’s how the worksheet works 🙂

Column A: List all the expenses for your wedding, try and be as thorough as possible. Incidentals like stationery and decor can add up.

Column B: Here I have categorised the expenses items, nothing to do here 🙂

Column C: fill in the budget for the item in column corresponding to the expense (inclusive of tax). Of course if there is a row missing add it in!

Column D: fill in the actual cost for the expense

Column E: Enter any deposit paid at the time of booking into column D

Column F: Enter the Final Balance Due Date noted on the invoice

Column G: These fields will self-populate based on what you entered in the total and deposit fields for columns D and E

Column H: Column G is where you can list the date you have schedule your payment so you can keep track of when payments are coming out. Mark the invoice as ‘PAID’ one the transfer has gone through.

And that’s it! I hope that you find this worksheet helpful in planning your wedding!

Don’t forget to check out my post on How We Planned A Debt Free Wedding for some helpful tips on how you can save money on your wedding.

Thanks Minimisers!

Jess

Freebies

Did you say free?

Posted on February 6, 2018

Do you want some freebies? Who doesn’t love freebies?! 😀

Here are some handy Free Resources to help you on your journey to minimise the excess in your life, so that you can focus on the essential! Keep an eye out for more to come 🙂

Budgeting Freebies:

Your Free Wedding Budget – This will give you a start point for your wedding budget and help you keep track of your expenses paid and due as you approach your wedding day!

Cleaning Freebies:

My Favourite Home-Made Cleaning Recipes – Check out my favourite home made cleaning recipes that will clean your home beautifully without the extra chemicals!

Organising Freebies:

Freezer Inventory Worksheet – Use this to keep a record of what is in your freezer, by category so you know what you have to use up and can reduce food waste in your home as well as save money!

Get Your Free EBook!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Minimise With Me Mailing List for your free copy of my eBook “101 Ways to Save Money Whilst Still Living Awesomely”!

This will give you 101 tips to save money that won’t suck the joy out of life and will give you ideas on how to save money on things you want to like your bills!

Hope you find value in these, Minimisers!

Keep it essential,

Jess